Maria Fusco and Margaret Salmon, History of the Present

Edinburgh Art Festival (EAF) announces plans for the 2023 festival, the first under the direction of Kim McAleese and a program that connects the people and city of Edinburgh with a global dialogue through a range of exhibitions, commissions, performances and events. The 2023 festival is set to be one of the largest yet, with 55 ambitious projects and exhibitions across more than 35 venues, with the most innovative and renowned partners, museums and galleries working in visual art in this city all set to take part, including many who will work with EAF for the first time. The new format festival is a call to action to explore the Scottish capital, looking at the city a-new through the lens of visual art and across a diverse range of the EAF partner galleries, museum presentations, and newly commissioned works.

Rabindranath X Bhose: Dance in the Sacred Domain / Collective

Maria Fusco and Margaret Salmon, History of the Present

Sebastian Thomas, Golem 2, 2022. Courtesy of the artist

Markéta Luskačova, Stills, 2023

Lindsey Mendick, I Drink To You Elizabeth, 2022

The new format festival also foregrounds reasons to come together, and see collaborations with their many gallery partners in the city for parties, performances, and one-off events, as well as partnerships with Edinburgh International Book Festival, Forma, Edinburgh International Film Festival,  TULCA Festival of Visual Arts, Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive, Horizon Showcase, and The Common Guild.

Sarah Lucas, Self Portrait with Fried Eggs, 1996. Courtesy the artist and Sadie Coles HQ London

Lindsey Mendick, Sh*Tfaced, 2023

Keg de Souza, Blue Haze, 2023 / Photo Ruth Clark

Nat Raha, Bass Rock, 2023

Georg Wilson, The Eel Moon, 2022

The new dates for the UK’s biggest visual art festival are August 11–27, 2023, allowing for three full weeks, including a trio of weekends of talks, performances, and one off events, aligning in date and in collaboration with other festivals in the city. From queer histories in brutalist tower blocks; to tracing peace lines and borders through sound, moving image and music; and the festival’s continuing commitment to support structures, the 2023 festival-led program features artists, thinkers, writer and performers who move through this world deeply connected to feminist and queer practice. This may take various forms: an opera; a poem; the sound of a ricochet along a peace wall; a newspaper excerpt; a bodily gesture; a warming meal.

Christian Noelle Charles, What A Feeling! 2023. Image courtesy of the artist

Frederic Aranda, Vogue House

David Eustace, Dress by Gareth Pugh, AW 2013

Andrew Cranston, Never a Joiner, 2023

Array Collective, Belfast Rally for Choice 2019. Image credit Jon Beer

Kim McAleese, Festival Director, says, “I am delighted to share this program, my first for Edinburgh Art Festival. It’s a program that asks how we can connect with and find mutual support internationally, platforming artists, individuals and communities who can find alternative ways to resist. I believe in the generative process of collaboration and want to embrace it by connecting, amplifying, promoting and sharing individuals, organizations, and projects that have an intimacy with these values. By punctuating the festival with a series of special weekend events, we can open up the festival to new audiences, and in dialogue with other art forms and other festivals across the city in a spirit of collaboration. This year’s program guides you through our core galleries across the city, to parliament buildings for live performances, to Leith for public artworks, and Sculpture Gardens outside of Edinburgh for queer parties.”

Christopher Wood, Nude Boy in a Bedroom. Image courtesy Frederic Aranda

Tarek Lakrissi, BEAST!, 2023

Elizabeth Blackadder, Still Life with Orchid, 1990, The Scottish Gallery

Leonor Antunes, Fruitmarket, 2023

Haven for Artists at French Institute. Image Yasmine Rifaii by Myriam Boulos

Edinburgh Art Festival is the UK’s largest annual festival of visual art. Founded in 2004, we work with local and international partners to present an ambitious and meaningful program of exhibitions, events and projects across the city.

Since its beginnings, the festival has featured exhibitions including international and UK artists at a pivotal point in their career alongside the best emerging talent, major survey exhibitions of historic figures, and a program of newly commissioned artworks that respond to historic sites in the city.

The festival’s year-round community engagement program has long-term relationships and partnerships across the city, creating relevant and memorable experiences with artists. We invite local people to explore culture, community, the city and self-expression, and value, with many festival projects reflecting this unique creative relationship.

Exhibitions and Events:

Edinburgh Art Festival 2023
August 11–27, 2023 / Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Visit the festival page >