We're delighted to reveal the shows that will take place in this year’s Made in Scotland showcase, highlighting the best in theatre, dance and music talent at the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Now in its 17th year, this important project is supported by the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, Creative Scotland and the Scottish Music Centre. In 2026 there are 18 shows included within the programme, following an application process which received some 121 submissions with a value of £2,040,000.
This year’s programme was selected by an international panel of independent experts, and spans topics from defying societal expectations to inspiring collective change, coming-of-age stories to mortality, Scottish tradition and identity to international voices.
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said ‘We are extremely grateful to the Scottish Government for continuing to support this important programme of work. The mix of shows unveiled today highlights the breadth of work that Scottish artists are taking to this year’s Fringe, and it’s an exciting moment for them in the build-up to the festival. Initially launched back in 2009, the Made in Scotland programme has supported over 100 shows in onward touring opportunities, and we know industry will be keen to explore this year’s programme this August.’
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson MSP, Scottish Government, said: ‘The Made in Scotland showcase always brings anticipation and excitement through its outstanding programme, bringing the best new talent from across the country to Fringe audiences. The Scottish Government is proud to have increased support this year to the Made in Scotland showcase with £670,000 of funding through the Expo fund. This will help festivals innovate and maximise national and international opportunities for the artists who contribute to their programming.
'I have no doubt artists featured this year will follow in the footsteps of many others who have enhanced the international reputation of Scotland’s culture sector by forging new connections and captivating new audiences around the world.’
Paul Burns, Interim Director of Arts at Creative Scotland, said: ‘For 17 years, Made in Scotland has provided vital support to Scottish artists, enabling them to connect with international industry colleagues and take their work to audiences across the globe. This year’s lineup demonstrates the remarkable range and vitality of Scotland’s performing arts, with work for audiences of all ages, shows engaging with contemporary issues, and performances that draw on our country’s rich artistic heritage. Creative Scotland is proud to support a programme that champions innovation, nurtures talent and strengthens Scotland’s cultural voice internationally.’
Gill Maxwell, Executive Director of the Scottish Music Centre, said: ‘Made In Scotland 2026 highlights the quality, ambition and diversity of Scotland’s music scene by bringing together distinctive performances that explore the meeting point of tradition, experimentation and visual storytelling. From immersive live music and cinematic visuals inspired by Scotland’s natural landscapes to myth-infused dancefloor soundscapes blending poetry, DJ culture and ritual, the programme spans an extraordinary range of influences. Elsewhere, haunting reinterpretations of folk ballads merge voice, electronics and moving image, while an exhilarating quartet performance traces the shared roots of jazz and Scottish folk through improvisation and tradition.’
The work selected for this year’s Made in Scotland programme includes:
40/40, Two Destination Language & Katherina Radeva
An inspiring and moving celebration of Katherina Radeva’s 40 years as a woman, a migrant and an artist. Claiming space on a dance floor, in 40/40 she dances with joyous abundance and presents stories of her past and present.
Arcana, Written, composed and performed by Fay Guiffo
A poetic coming-of-age story for all ages, Arcana blends spellbinding violin, immersive soundscapes, striking visuals, movement and multilingual storytelling. It celebrates the courage to overcome our fears and find our true voice, inspiring collective change through wonder, shared humanity and inner freedom.
Boys Don't Dance, Marc Brew
A poignant dance theatre show by acclaimed disabled choreographer and dancer Marc Brew, Boys Don’t Dance draws on his experience as the only boy in a rural Australian town who wanted to dance, defying societal expectations.
Brrr, Hayley Earlam
A sensory installation and live performance by choreographer Hayley Earlam, Brrr is made for young audiences with complex needs aged 10 – 18 years. An immersive exploration of winter, Brrr features dance, sound, video and lots and lots of snow!
Float, a Starcatchers production by Kerry Cleland and company.
A beautiful and immersive world for babies from birth to 12 months old and their grown-ups. Float invites you to relax with your baby and enjoy a gently interactive performance in a beautiful, calm space inspired by the healing powers of water.
FLOWERCORE, by Siobhan Wilson, presented by Sufrecs
How a 2cm wildflower changed an artist's life. Through live music and immersive imagery, songwriter Siobhan Wilson celebrates Scotland's often overlooked wildflowers, exploring themes of preservation, belonging and resilience with immersive imagery accompanied by acclaimed pianist Alexandre Saada.
If I can't dance I'm not coming, Karl Jay-Lewin & Matteo Fargion
A new collaboration by choreographer Karl Jay-Lewin and composer Matteo Fargion. If I can’t dance I’m not coming reframes Fritz Lang’s 1927 cinematic masterpiece Metropolis, translating silent cinema into a rigorous choreographic score. Performed by an eclectic ensemble of eight, the work rejects virtuosity in favour of dignity, threading humour, rebellion and flashes of tenderness through a democratic creative process. Extending Jay-Lewin and Fargion’s acclaimed Extremely series, this ambitious work resonates with quiet political force.
The Masquerade, Jj Fadaka
Nightclub meets archive in this live performance by Jj Fadaka and DJ ALADJI, who reimagine Nigerian and Scottish myths. A masquerade dances through sound, poetry and ritual as a living legend of resistance, ancestry and queer memory on the dancefloor.
Mayflies, Grid Iron
Grid Iron present the world premiere of Mayflies, a site-specific adaptation of Andrew O'Hagan's best-selling novel. Everyone has a Tully Dawson: the friend that defines your life. A joyous and heart-breaking elegy to 80s youth and facing mortality in middle-age.
Elsa McTaggart: Capturing the Light, sruth-mara
Hebridean storyteller and songwriter Elsa McTaggart reflects on her great grandfather William McTaggart's journey from the son of humble, Gaelic-speaking crofters to becoming one of Scotland's most famous and influential painters. Produced by the team behind Precious Cargo.
The Raft of the Crab, Ninon Noiret
When a crustacean gatecrashes your birthday party and drags you into an odyssey of the mind, recovery becomes anything but ordinary. This striking true story from Ninon Noiret explores her experience with cancer and her journey to recovery. Told through 'nasty' puppetry, contemporary dance and gravity-defying stunts on a five-metre Chinese Pole, The Raft of the Crab is a powerful exploration of the individual nature of physical illness and what it really takes to recover.
Sand, Silt, Flint, Fiona Soe Paing
'Sublimely powerful…' (Songlines) Myth, music and moving image converge in a mesmeric performance rooted in Scotland's darker ballads and folklore. Hailed by Iggy Pop as 'advanced and beautiful', voice, electronica and visuals fuse in an intoxicating twist on tradition.
Shotgunned, Matt Anderson
Equal parts hilarious and heart-breaking, Matt Anderson’s Shotgunned is a relatable and intimate piece of theatre about how the people we lose can shape who we become. Telling the story of Dylan and Roz – a couple who unexpectedly fall out of love – Shotgunned takes the audience on a non-linear journey through their relationship in a collection of fragmented scenes, like photographs in a shoebox or memories of a bygone age.
Tell Me, Sadiq Ali Company
Two timelines collide in this bold fusion of dance and circus offering a fresh perspective on HIV. When Grace is diagnosed, she's transported to the 80s alongside Michael, a gay man navigating a very different reality.
Transmission, Nelly Kelly and Sanctuary Queer Arts
Hilarious, curious and deeply human, Transmission is a darkly comedic and tender-hearted performance by playwright and drag artist Nelly Kelly, satirically exploring Scotland's shift from world-leading in LGBTQ+ rights to becoming fertile ground for the anti-trans movement.
Through the Shortbread Tin, National Theatre of Scotland
A witty, musical and multilingual journey through Scotland’s myths, language and identity. Writer-performer Martin O’Connor unpacks the clichés of Scottish identity in a bold blend of spoken word, Gaelic song and Scots humour. From the National Theatre of Scotland.
Tongue Twister, Greg Sinclair
One man’s attempt to say tongue twisters in as many different languages as possible! Featuring dazzling costumes and innovative visual design, Tongue Twister is a delight for the eyes and ears, and a celebration of the musical beauty of language.
Tùs / Origin – Brian Molley Quartet, Brian Molley Quartet
Glasgow’s BMQ present an innovative celebration of the Scottish roots of jazz. Drawing from traditional folk, sea shanty, gospel, fugue and hornpipe, this world-travelled, multi-award winning quartet perform a unique and exhilarating blend of jazz and folk music.
The official Made in Scotland programme launch, with full details of each show, will take place towards the end of May.
