Imaginate & Edinburgh International Children’s Festival
@edchildrensfest.bsky.social
Developing, presenting & celebrating the best children’s theatre and dance from around the world.
Local artists and theatre makers had the opportunity to meet with programmers to discuss their touring plans and ideas for new work at our Meet the Programmers event at The Studio last night.
It was wonderful to bring everyone together, facilitate conversation, and hear about developing projects. 👀
It was wonderful to bring everyone together, facilitate conversation, and hear about developing projects. 👀
January 29, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Local artists and theatre makers had the opportunity to meet with programmers to discuss their touring plans and ideas for new work at our Meet the Programmers event at The Studio last night.
It was wonderful to bring everyone together, facilitate conversation, and hear about developing projects. 👀
It was wonderful to bring everyone together, facilitate conversation, and hear about developing projects. 👀
Last week's Shifting the Stage Lab offered artist development for a group of 8 disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent artists from Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Scotland.💡
Thank you to The Work Room, Nordic Culture Fund, and Nordic Culture Point for making the Lab possible. 🤝
Thank you to The Work Room, Nordic Culture Fund, and Nordic Culture Point for making the Lab possible. 🤝
January 27, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Last week's Shifting the Stage Lab offered artist development for a group of 8 disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent artists from Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Scotland.💡
Thank you to The Work Room, Nordic Culture Fund, and Nordic Culture Point for making the Lab possible. 🤝
Thank you to The Work Room, Nordic Culture Fund, and Nordic Culture Point for making the Lab possible. 🤝
Reposted by Imaginate & Edinburgh International Children’s Festival
New MiniBlog, with thanks to Katherine Rundell: Why grown-ups should watch children’s theatre… www.imaginate.org.uk/news/blog-wh... via @edchildrensfest.bsky.social
Blog: Why grown-ups should watch children’s theatre… — Imaginate
News, vacancies and blogs by staff and artists connected with Imaginate and the Edinburgh International children's Festival
www.imaginate.org.uk
January 22, 2026 at 9:51 PM
New MiniBlog, with thanks to Katherine Rundell: Why grown-ups should watch children’s theatre… www.imaginate.org.uk/news/blog-wh... via @edchildrensfest.bsky.social
Creative Encounters team Lou Brodie and Anna Broomfield attended @thestage.co.uk Awards in London earlier this week, where their work was nominated for the Community Award.
It was a pleasure to celebrate theatre makers across the UK and to be nominated among them!
📸: David Monteith-Hodge
It was a pleasure to celebrate theatre makers across the UK and to be nominated among them!
📸: David Monteith-Hodge
January 15, 2026 at 12:02 PM
Creative Encounters team Lou Brodie and Anna Broomfield attended @thestage.co.uk Awards in London earlier this week, where their work was nominated for the Community Award.
It was a pleasure to celebrate theatre makers across the UK and to be nominated among them!
📸: David Monteith-Hodge
It was a pleasure to celebrate theatre makers across the UK and to be nominated among them!
📸: David Monteith-Hodge
“Deeply listening to and collaborating with children" can lead to “reimagined social change.” - Thérèse Kearns, PhD Researcher
Read Thérèse’s reflections on the "The Children Are Now" Exhibition and Assembly at @talbotricegallery.bsky.social:
Read Thérèse’s reflections on the "The Children Are Now" Exhibition and Assembly at @talbotricegallery.bsky.social:
Blog: Reflection on childism — Imaginate
Therese Kearns reflects on a recent event she attended and the links to childism.
tinyurl.com
December 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
“Deeply listening to and collaborating with children" can lead to “reimagined social change.” - Thérèse Kearns, PhD Researcher
Read Thérèse’s reflections on the "The Children Are Now" Exhibition and Assembly at @talbotricegallery.bsky.social:
Read Thérèse’s reflections on the "The Children Are Now" Exhibition and Assembly at @talbotricegallery.bsky.social:
What a year we've had at Imaginate! 🌟 With Festival, Theatre in Schools Scotland, Schools and Communities Projects, and Creative Development Programme, it's been an amazing one.
Thanks to everyone, but especially the young people, who have made our year so memorable. Looking forward to 2026! 🧡
Thanks to everyone, but especially the young people, who have made our year so memorable. Looking forward to 2026! 🧡
December 22, 2025 at 12:03 PM
What a year we've had at Imaginate! 🌟 With Festival, Theatre in Schools Scotland, Schools and Communities Projects, and Creative Development Programme, it's been an amazing one.
Thanks to everyone, but especially the young people, who have made our year so memorable. Looking forward to 2026! 🧡
Thanks to everyone, but especially the young people, who have made our year so memorable. Looking forward to 2026! 🧡
We are delighted to announce our ‘Shifting the Stage’ Lab in January! 💡
The Lab will offer professional artist development opportunities for disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent artists to support the development of new disabled-led production ideas for children.
https://tinyurl.com/488mh7vc
The Lab will offer professional artist development opportunities for disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent artists to support the development of new disabled-led production ideas for children.
https://tinyurl.com/488mh7vc
December 18, 2025 at 11:30 AM
We are delighted to announce our ‘Shifting the Stage’ Lab in January! 💡
The Lab will offer professional artist development opportunities for disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent artists to support the development of new disabled-led production ideas for children.
https://tinyurl.com/488mh7vc
The Lab will offer professional artist development opportunities for disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent artists to support the development of new disabled-led production ideas for children.
https://tinyurl.com/488mh7vc
Our team has been attending festivals all over the world ✈
📍 ŻiguŻajg Festival in Valletta, Malta
📍Showbox Festival in Oslo, Norway
📍 Festival Kuitólil in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
It was an honour to visit these festivals, connect with industry professionals, share our work, and be inspired! 🌟
📍 ŻiguŻajg Festival in Valletta, Malta
📍Showbox Festival in Oslo, Norway
📍 Festival Kuitólil in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
It was an honour to visit these festivals, connect with industry professionals, share our work, and be inspired! 🌟
December 17, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Our team has been attending festivals all over the world ✈
📍 ŻiguŻajg Festival in Valletta, Malta
📍Showbox Festival in Oslo, Norway
📍 Festival Kuitólil in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
It was an honour to visit these festivals, connect with industry professionals, share our work, and be inspired! 🌟
📍 ŻiguŻajg Festival in Valletta, Malta
📍Showbox Festival in Oslo, Norway
📍 Festival Kuitólil in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
It was an honour to visit these festivals, connect with industry professionals, share our work, and be inspired! 🌟
We are thrilled to announce that our Creative Encounters project has been shortlisted for the Community Award at @thestage.co.uk Awards 2026! 🌟
This nomination reflects the importance of putting children's rights at the heart of the creative process. 🧡
This nomination reflects the importance of putting children's rights at the heart of the creative process. 🧡
December 9, 2025 at 11:03 AM
We are thrilled to announce that our Creative Encounters project has been shortlisted for the Community Award at @thestage.co.uk Awards 2026! 🌟
This nomination reflects the importance of putting children's rights at the heart of the creative process. 🧡
This nomination reflects the importance of putting children's rights at the heart of the creative process. 🧡
The Imaginate team had a refreshing Away Day in North Berwick this week. The sea air proved the perfect environment to discuss our aims for the year, how we conceive of festival success, what a children’s rights approach looks like, and assess our priorities for the upcoming year. 🤝🌟
November 19, 2025 at 1:03 PM
The Imaginate team had a refreshing Away Day in North Berwick this week. The sea air proved the perfect environment to discuss our aims for the year, how we conceive of festival success, what a children’s rights approach looks like, and assess our priorities for the upcoming year. 🤝🌟
Please join us in offering a warm welcome to Imaginate's new Festival Director, Adjjima Na Patalung, who took up her post this week! 👋
November 7, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Please join us in offering a warm welcome to Imaginate's new Festival Director, Adjjima Na Patalung, who took up her post this week! 👋
TiSS at 10 🎉
Theatre in Schools Scotland (TiSS), co-produced with NTS, marks its own major milestone: ten years of touring world class theatre directly into schools across the country.
Theatre in Schools Scotland (TiSS), co-produced with NTS, marks its own major milestone: ten years of touring world class theatre directly into schools across the country.
November 6, 2025 at 12:06 PM
TiSS at 10 🎉
Theatre in Schools Scotland (TiSS), co-produced with NTS, marks its own major milestone: ten years of touring world class theatre directly into schools across the country.
Theatre in Schools Scotland (TiSS), co-produced with NTS, marks its own major milestone: ten years of touring world class theatre directly into schools across the country.
We can’t wait for young audiences to experience ‘A Home For Hamish’. Playfully merging dance and BSL, audiences will travel across Scotland on a colourful, immersive and interactive adventure, escaping dragons, dancing with jellyfish & even climbing the tallest mountains.
August 5, 2025 at 2:32 PM
We can’t wait for young audiences to experience ‘A Home For Hamish’. Playfully merging dance and BSL, audiences will travel across Scotland on a colourful, immersive and interactive adventure, escaping dragons, dancing with jellyfish & even climbing the tallest mountains.
We are on the look out for a new Digital Marketing Coordinator to extend the reach of Imaginate's work including #EdChildrensFest, our exciting artist development work and our schools and communities programmes. Find out more - www.imaginate.org.uk/about/vacancies/
August 4, 2025 at 9:36 AM
We are on the look out for a new Digital Marketing Coordinator to extend the reach of Imaginate's work including #EdChildrensFest, our exciting artist development work and our schools and communities programmes. Find out more - www.imaginate.org.uk/about/vacancies/
🫧🏴 We are excited to have Buff and Sheen by Moon Slide as part of Theatre in Schools Scotland touring to Primary and Secondary ASN schools in Sep - Oct 2025. 🫧🏴
🫧 Join two two imaginative window cleaners in this comical roaming dance performance full of novelty, absurdity and slapstick humour.
🫧 Join two two imaginative window cleaners in this comical roaming dance performance full of novelty, absurdity and slapstick humour.
July 30, 2025 at 9:02 AM
🫧🏴 We are excited to have Buff and Sheen by Moon Slide as part of Theatre in Schools Scotland touring to Primary and Secondary ASN schools in Sep - Oct 2025. 🫧🏴
🫧 Join two two imaginative window cleaners in this comical roaming dance performance full of novelty, absurdity and slapstick humour.
🫧 Join two two imaginative window cleaners in this comical roaming dance performance full of novelty, absurdity and slapstick humour.
We are on the look out for a new Digital Marketing Coordinator to extend the reach of Imaginate's work including #EdChildrensFest, our exciting artist development work and our schools and communities programmes. Find out more - www.imaginate.org.uk/about/vacancies/
July 29, 2025 at 10:02 AM
We are on the look out for a new Digital Marketing Coordinator to extend the reach of Imaginate's work including #EdChildrensFest, our exciting artist development work and our schools and communities programmes. Find out more - www.imaginate.org.uk/about/vacancies/
🎉⏰ One week to go until we start performances of The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl at Assembly Roxy as part of #EdFringe. 🎉⏰ Check out these stunning new images taken in the last week of rehearsals.
🎟 Tickets Available Now! 🎟 https://shorturl.at/LIdvh
🎟 Tickets Available Now! 🎟 https://shorturl.at/LIdvh
July 28, 2025 at 10:51 AM
🎉⏰ One week to go until we start performances of The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl at Assembly Roxy as part of #EdFringe. 🎉⏰ Check out these stunning new images taken in the last week of rehearsals.
🎟 Tickets Available Now! 🎟 https://shorturl.at/LIdvh
🎟 Tickets Available Now! 🎟 https://shorturl.at/LIdvh
📣 Are you an artist or freelancer based in Scotland? We have three funded places open to attend EXPORT/IMPORT Festival in Brussels with a group of artists and Imaginate staff. Find out more www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/opportunities/export-import-festival-call-out
Deadline - Monday 18 August
Deadline - Monday 18 August
July 25, 2025 at 10:35 AM
📣 Are you an artist or freelancer based in Scotland? We have three funded places open to attend EXPORT/IMPORT Festival in Brussels with a group of artists and Imaginate staff. Find out more www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/opportunities/export-import-festival-call-out
Deadline - Monday 18 August
Deadline - Monday 18 August
We share works in progress every year as part of #EdChildrenFest!
One of those WIP’s this year was The Runaway Pea by Bear Hug.
In this new show for young people, it’s time for dinner! But one pesky pea has decided to roll himself off the plate in search of a party!
One of those WIP’s this year was The Runaway Pea by Bear Hug.
In this new show for young people, it’s time for dinner! But one pesky pea has decided to roll himself off the plate in search of a party!
July 23, 2025 at 11:02 AM
We share works in progress every year as part of #EdChildrenFest!
One of those WIP’s this year was The Runaway Pea by Bear Hug.
In this new show for young people, it’s time for dinner! But one pesky pea has decided to roll himself off the plate in search of a party!
One of those WIP’s this year was The Runaway Pea by Bear Hug.
In this new show for young people, it’s time for dinner! But one pesky pea has decided to roll himself off the plate in search of a party!
Experience ‘FREEDOM: a living poem’ at North Edinburgh Arts this week between 10.30 - 4.30 and 10.30 - 2.30 on Wednesday and Thursday, FREE, Drop in.
📸 Brian Hartley
📸 Brian Hartley
July 22, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Experience ‘FREEDOM: a living poem’ at North Edinburgh Arts this week between 10.30 - 4.30 and 10.30 - 2.30 on Wednesday and Thursday, FREE, Drop in.
📸 Brian Hartley
📸 Brian Hartley
We are delighted to announce that Adjjima Na Patalung has been appointed as the new Festival Director for the Edinburgh International Children's Festival.
www.imaginate.org.uk/news
Photo Credit: MAPPA
@creativescots.bsky.social @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social The Scottish Goverment
www.imaginate.org.uk/news
Photo Credit: MAPPA
@creativescots.bsky.social @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social The Scottish Goverment
July 21, 2025 at 1:41 PM
We are delighted to announce that Adjjima Na Patalung has been appointed as the new Festival Director for the Edinburgh International Children's Festival.
www.imaginate.org.uk/news
Photo Credit: MAPPA
@creativescots.bsky.social @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social The Scottish Goverment
www.imaginate.org.uk/news
Photo Credit: MAPPA
@creativescots.bsky.social @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social The Scottish Goverment
Did someone say Summer Social? Put the date in your diary cause you don't want to miss our annual get-together, in partnership with Birds of Paradise.
📌 Studio 2 at DanceBase
⏰ 6:30PM - 9PM.
https://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/events/summer-social
📌 Studio 2 at DanceBase
⏰ 6:30PM - 9PM.
https://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/events/summer-social
July 17, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Did someone say Summer Social? Put the date in your diary cause you don't want to miss our annual get-together, in partnership with Birds of Paradise.
📌 Studio 2 at DanceBase
⏰ 6:30PM - 9PM.
https://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/events/summer-social
📌 Studio 2 at DanceBase
⏰ 6:30PM - 9PM.
https://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/events/summer-social
Don't miss Merchant City Festival this weekend. With an exciting programme of free performances for families including our commissions. See you there!
Find out more here - www.glasgowlife.org.uk/.../imaginat...
Find out more here - www.glasgowlife.org.uk/.../imaginat...
July 16, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Don't miss Merchant City Festival this weekend. With an exciting programme of free performances for families including our commissions. See you there!
Find out more here - www.glasgowlife.org.uk/.../imaginat...
Find out more here - www.glasgowlife.org.uk/.../imaginat...
Join us for a family picnic in Portobello as part of Welcome to the Fringe: Palestine on Sat 16 August.
📌 Start at Bellfield community hall or join us on the beach
⏰ 12-2pm
Please book a free ticket! https://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/events/welcome-to-the-fringe-palestine-picnic
📌 Start at Bellfield community hall or join us on the beach
⏰ 12-2pm
Please book a free ticket! https://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/events/welcome-to-the-fringe-palestine-picnic
July 14, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Join us for a family picnic in Portobello as part of Welcome to the Fringe: Palestine on Sat 16 August.
📌 Start at Bellfield community hall or join us on the beach
⏰ 12-2pm
Please book a free ticket! https://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/events/welcome-to-the-fringe-palestine-picnic
📌 Start at Bellfield community hall or join us on the beach
⏰ 12-2pm
Please book a free ticket! https://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/events/welcome-to-the-fringe-palestine-picnic
We can’t wait for young audiences to experience ‘A Home For Hamish’. Playfully merging dance and BSL, audiences will travel across Scotland on a colourful, immersive and interactive adventure.
Part of Theatre in Schools Scotland, touring across the country in Oct – Nov 2025 and March 2026.
Part of Theatre in Schools Scotland, touring across the country in Oct – Nov 2025 and March 2026.
July 11, 2025 at 12:03 PM
We can’t wait for young audiences to experience ‘A Home For Hamish’. Playfully merging dance and BSL, audiences will travel across Scotland on a colourful, immersive and interactive adventure.
Part of Theatre in Schools Scotland, touring across the country in Oct – Nov 2025 and March 2026.
Part of Theatre in Schools Scotland, touring across the country in Oct – Nov 2025 and March 2026.