2026 marks twenty years since the opening of the Scottish Storytelling Centre (SSC), the world's first purpose-built centre for oral storytelling and a space for creatives to explore culture and traditions from the ancient to the contemporary. You're invited to become part of the story all year round, whether enjoying a show, browsing the bookshop or refreshing yourself at the Haggis Box Café.

One chair. One question. Sit with us for a moment. In this gentle one-to-one encounter, you’re invited to share an idea you’ve always wanted to try, but haven’t yet. Step One is a quiet participatory artwork by Short Supply, exploring the moment before something begins. Each meeting lasts a few minutes and unfolds differently depending on who sits down. In the middle of the Edinburgh Fringe, this piece offers a pause from the noise – a space to reflect, speak freely and acknowledge the ideas we carry but rarely say out loud.

Step One

The story of the greatest literary hoax of all time. 1760: Scottish poet James Macpherson sets the world ablaze with stories of the third-century Scottish bard, Ossian – but is it built on deceit? 2026: Martin O’Connor questions his own relationship with Scottish culture. Sporrans, stags, and shortbread; do these gift-shop images hold us back or bring us forward? Performed in Scots with Gaelic songs, Through the Shortbread Tin returns to explore the myths we tell each other and the stories we tell ourselves. 'Witty and provocative' **** (Guardian). MadeInScotlandShowcase.com.

Scottish Storytelling Centre

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