Value proposition

“One of the world’s great arts venues.” (The Guardian)

Summerhall – “One of the world’s great arts venues.” (Mark Cousins, The Guardian 2014) – is a venue for diverse programmes of visual and performing arts. It is a place for all kinds of events, parties, workshops, festivals, weddings and meetings. It is home to a varied community of creative artists and businesses, including a pub, café, brewery and distillery.

Summerhall has fast become a key arts organisation in Edinburgh, at festival time and throughout the year. Its Edinburgh Festival Fringe programmes have “rewired the Fringe” (The Stage), winning multiple Fringe First and Total Theatre awards, and bringing leading theatre-makers to the Fringe.

Our visual art programme presents a diverse and innovative programme of exhibitions, free and open to the public all year round. Exhibiting artists have included Liliane Lijn, Alastair MacLennan, Derrick Guild, Tamsyn Challenger, Haroon Mirza, Pester and Rossi.

Summerhall’s year-round live music programme, Nothing Ever Happens Here... has become one of the best places to see exciting, live music in the city, bringing musicians such as Billy Bragg, Sun Kil Moon, The Sun Ra Arkestra, and Charlotte Church to Summerhall’s Dissection Room, whilst helping to provide a platform for young bands in Edinburgh to play with established touring musicians from around the globe.

Summerhall won the Dan Crawford Innovation Award at the 2015 Empty Space... Peter Brook Awards, was shortlisted for The Stage Fringe Venue of the Year in 2014 and 2017, was awarded a Cycle Friendly Employer Award by Cycle Scotland in 2019 and won The Herald Scottish Culture Award 2019 for Outstanding Venue.

The aim is to be a major cultural destination where audiences meet and mix and where artists and performers are inspired to make and present their best work.

Events, Festivals, Theatre, Dance, Visual Art, Film, Studios, Arts, Start-Up, Incubator, Exhibitions, Nightlife, and Hospitality