EIF

This August, we're inviting you to tune out the outside world. Calls, notifications, alarms – how often do we get the chance to leave all that behind? A live performance is the ideal opportunity to lose yourself in the moment.So, this year, we're saying it plainly: Lights Down, Phones Off. We're acting on what audiences and artists have told us: phones are disruptive. In 2025, ...

Frequently Asked QuestionsQ: Can I use my phone at Edinburgh International Festival performances? A: We ask audiences to switch their phones off for the performance itself. You're welcome to take photos or share on social media before the performance, during the interval, and at the curtain call – just not during the performance. If you're unsure how to fully silence or switch o...

What events does the Edinburgh International Festival offer for families in Edinburgh? During the Festival, Art of Listening workshops will take place on 15, 22 and 29 August at Space @ The Broomhouse Hub, as part of our Community Connections Hub residency. The August Art of Listening workshops present a shared opportunity for children between 7-11 years old and their grown-ups ...

Frequently Asked Questions: AccessWhat is audio description at a live performance?Audio description provides a live commentary of what's happening visually on stage - how characters move, important actions not spoken in dialogue - delivered through a personal headset by a trained describer. Around 15 minutes before the performance, the describer gives an introduction covering th...

Explore this year’s Festival theme, All Rise, with the great thinkers of today on the new Global Ideas Stage.