Dementia Friendly Comcerts At Edinburgh International Festival

The Edinburgh International Festival is continuing to make the arts more welcoming and inclusive in 2026, with an expanded programme of accessible performances, the return of its dementia-friendly concerts, and exciting new opportunities for emerging young musicians.

Running from 7–30 August 2026, the Festival is building on its commitment to ensuring that everyone can enjoy world-class performances, regardless of age, disability or additional support needs.

Dementia-Friendly Concerts Return

Following the success of its first dementia-friendly concert in 2025, the Festival will present two specially designed performances for people living with dementia, alongside their families, friends and carers.

These relaxed concerts aim to create a comfortable and welcoming environment where audiences can enjoy live music without the pressures often associated with traditional concert settings. They will feature performances from participants in the Festival’s Rising Stars programme alongside Discovery and Participation Associate Artist Lucy Drever.

For many people affected by dementia, opportunities to experience live music in an accessible environment can have significant social and emotional benefits. The concerts recognise the importance of making cultural experiences available to everyone.

Supporting the Next Generation of Musicians

The Festival’s Rising Stars professional development programme also enters its fourth year with an exciting expansion.

For the first time, the programme will include jazz musicians, welcoming five talented Scottish conservatoire students to work with acclaimed drummer Domo Branch and pianist Joe Webb. Together, they will perform as part of the Festival’s Jazz Jam at The Hub before taking part in the dementia-friendly concerts.

The initiative gives emerging performers valuable experience working with established professionals while performing on an international stage.

A Strong Commitment to Accessibility

Accessibility remains a major focus throughout the 2026 Festival. This year’s programme includes:

• 43 accessible performances across the Festival.
• 21 captioned performances – the highest number the Festival has ever offered.
• An updated, free Access Pass, allowing visitors to share their individual access requirements in advance for a more personalised experience.
• A detailed Access Guide, now also available in plain text, providing practical information ranging from seating arrangements to lift dimensions to help audiences plan their visit with confidence.
• New animated access guides explaining the Festival’s accessibility provisions in an easy-to-understand format.

These improvements are designed to remove barriers and make attending performances as straightforward as possible for disabled audiences and anyone with additional access needs.

Making the Arts More Inclusive

As arts organisations continue to recognise the importance of inclusion, the Edinburgh International Festival’s growing investment in accessibility demonstrates that world-class cultural events can also be welcoming to everyone.

Whether through dementia-friendly performances, improved accessibility information or opportunities for young musicians to develop their careers, the 2026 Festival is placing inclusion at the heart of its programme.

The Edinburgh International Festival runs from 7–30 August 2026. For more information about accessibility and the full programme, visit the Festival’s website.