Year of Young People at Edinburgh's Festivals

Every year, Edinburgh’s Festivals are packed with events, activities and opportunities for young people, and never more so than in 2018, Scotland’s Year of Young People!

This year-long programme celebrates 8-26 year olds in Scotland and gives them an opportunity to show the world what they are made of.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay got Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018 off to a blazing start at the torchlight procession by revealing the #ScotWord, a word voted for by young Scots summing up how they feel about living in Scotland. 

The winning word was Braw (meaning "really good" for those of you not from Scotland) which was a perfectly positive way to start the year!

Coming in mid-March is the Edinburgh International Science Festival, where a family-friendly exhibition EXISTENCE: Life and Beyond will celebrate the Earth's wonder and diversity of life.

It has been specially created in conjunction with the festival’s young person’s consultation group which has been involved in the planning of the festival, putting young voices and ideas at its heart.

For the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, five passionate associates aged 16-25 years have formed a panel that will programme and deliver the opening weekend of the festival.  

Details are still to be announced, but previous events have featured free pop-up performances and arts activities at the National Museum of Scotland.

In June, the Edinburgh International Film Festival includes a special strand of programming, The Young and the Wild, offering young people workshops and masterclasses with world-class filmmakers, careers events, and networking opportunities. 

The Festival has appointed Karen Gillan,star of Doctor Who and Guardians of the Galaxy, as patron of the Young and the Wild strand - acting as a champion of all the special events taking place.

And the Festival's family screenings, Film Fest Junior, will be expanded to offer even more for younger audiences and the festival will launch a Scottish Young Filmmaker Competition, with the shortlisted films screening at a series of special events.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is working in partnership with Creative Scotland to deliver the Youth Talent Development fund, which will offer funds to foster talent among young traditional artists from across Scotland.

The focus is on piping, drumming, Highland dance and traditional fiddle playing – supporting projects which will develop the Tattoo stars of tomorrow!

As well as this project, the 2018 Tattoo is titled The Sky's the Limit - a theme inspired by the Year of Young People itself.

At Edinburgh Festival Fringe's space dedicated to supporting participants, Fringe Central, there will be an expansion of the Young Voices: Fresh Perspectives strand of events.

Following an open invite for applicants, a panel of young people has been selected to deliver the events in conjunction with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is bringing together a group of young Scots to create an exciting strand as part of this year's programme. The group will have a say on what it's important to be discussing in 2018, and events will include interactive Q&As, chat-show style interviews, debates and hands-on workshops.

The events will take place over the final weekend of the festival so keep an eye out for the programme to see what’s on!

Scotland's Year of Young People takes place throughout 2018, and we'll keep you up to date with all the latest on how Edinburgh's major Festivals will be taking part.

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Images (in order):

• Edinburgh's Hogmanay: Mike Penman
• Edinburgh International Science Festival
• Edinburgh International Film Festival
• The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe: David Monteith-Hodge
• Edinburgh International Book Festival