News

The ‘Lights of the North’ are on, for this Year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival in October

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival, now in its 36th year, (22nd October to 1st November 2025) is the world’s largest celebration of storytelling – encompassing a wealth of cultures, traditions and styles. This year’s programme, inspired by the traditional folklore, myths, and legends of Nordic culture, includes storytelling events for adults and families, workshops, exhibitions, and discussion events online.

Under the theme ‘Lights of the North’, storytellers from Scotland will be joining storytellers from Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Iceland for an 11 day celebration, thanks to continued support from Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding and the Scottish Government Festivals EXPO Fund.

Among the international storytellers taking part, are Hjörleifur Stefánsson who will present classic folk tales from Iceland; award-winning Swedish actor and storyteller Jerker Fahlström; nature writer and storyteller Georgiana Keable Jerstad and folktale performer Mimesis Heidi Dahlsveen from Norway; storyteller and folk singer Anna-Maria Toivonen from Finland; and Suse Weisse from Germany, whose dark myths and fairytales include stories by authors such as Calvino and the Brothers Grimm.

Festival favourites returning from Scotland include Ruth Kirkpatrick, Mara Menzies, Marjolein Robertson, Daniel Serridge, and Niall Moorjani, with many more to be announced when the full programme launches in September.

The Festival takes place at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh and in venues across Scotland as part of the festival’s Go Local programme and its Story Ripple events. It is organised by TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), and is a key platform for showcasing Scotland’s intangible cultural heritage, which includes traditional songs, dances, storytelling, customs, local languages and rituals of everyday life, passed down through the generations. This year, storytelling traditions of the Travelling community will be highlighted in the programme, with celebrated Traveller tradition bearers Jess Smith and Jimmy Williamson taking part, along with a celebratory event exploring Martyn Bennett’s use of Traveller stories and culture through his musical legacy.

As well as events for adults and families, the Festival includes performances from young emerging voices in association with FEST (Federation for European Storytelling); and networking events for those interested in storytelling skills and sources, community projects and creative collaboration.

Plus, new for 2025, the festival is partnering with the Scottish Wildlife Trust on its Words of the Wild nature writing competition for aspiring writers to tell their own story based on the theme ‘From Source to Sea’ about Scotland’s freshwater and marine habitat. The competition closes in July, with the winner being announced at this year’s festival. 

Full details of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival’s programme will be announced on Wednesday 10 September at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh.

News

Announcing the Traditional Music Forum of Scotland Workshops Programme Autumn 2025

professional development workshop for traditional musicians

Professional Development Opportunities for Traditional Musicians

We’re excited to launch our Workshops Programme Autumn 2025 –  a series of practical, industry-focused sessions designed to equip you with the essential knowledge and skills for your career as a self-employed traditional musician.

Following the success of our 2024 pilot in Glasgow and Edinburgh, we’re expanding! This year, you can join us not only in Glasgow and Edinburgh, but also in Inverness and Aberdeen.

From recording and releasing your music, to writing successful funding applications, planning tours, and managing your finances – our workshops are designed to help you succeed in the traditional music landscape today.

———-

INVERNESS
Eden Court

Recording & Releasing Your Music
with Barry Reid
Fri 19 Sept | 10am (3hrs)

Self-Promotion & Booking Gigs
with Ewan MacPherson
Fri 19 Sept | 2pm (3hrs)

Funding & Finances
with Fiona Dalgetty
Sat 20 Sept | 10am (3hrs)

———-

GLASGOW
Scottish Music Centre

Self-Promotion & Organising a Tour
with Katch Holmes
Fri 26 Sept | 10am (7hrs)

Funding & Finances
with Ailie Robertson
Fri 3 Oct | 10am (3hrs)

Recording & Releasing Your Music
with Euan Burton
Fri 3 Oct | 2pm (3hrs)

———-

EDINBURGH
Scottish Storytelling Centre

Self-Promotion & Organising a Tour
with Katch Holmes
Sat 27 Sept | 10.30am (7hrs)

Funding & Finances
with Ailie Robertson
Sat 4 Oct | 10.30am (3hrs)

Recording & Releasing Your Music
with Tom Oakes
Sat 4 Oct | 2.30pm (3hrs)

———-

ABERDEEN
Aberdeen Arts Centre

Funding & Finances
with Simon Gall
Fri 10 Oct | 10am (3hrs)

Recording & Releasing Your Music
with Tom Oakes
Fri 10 Oct | 2pm (3hrs)

———-

Professional development workshop for traditional musicians hosted by the Traditional Music Forum. Attendees are seated and taking notes while a speaker presents in front of a screen and banners at the Scottish Music Centre in Glasgow.

PRICING

3 hour workshops:
£15 / £13 / £7.50 (TMFS Members)
7 hour workshops:
£30 / £28 / £15 (TMFS Members)

TMFS members can enjoy an exclusive 50% discount on all workshops

 

Click here to book for INVERNESS, GLASGOW and ABERDEEN workshops
Click here to book for EDINBURGH workshops

 

These workshops are supported by TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland) through Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding

Promotional graphic for Traditional Music Forum Workshops in Autumn 2025, featuring a bold orange leaf design on a green background. Workshops taking place in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, and Aberdeen.

News

TRACS Is Looking for a Digital Marketing & Communications Officer

holding a mobile phone to film an event

TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland) is looking for a Digital Marketing & Communications Officer (0.6 FTE, fixed term 12 months) to join our team dedicated to championing our shared living heritage of traditional music, song, storytelling, dance, crafts, customs and local languages.

Reporting to the Marketing & Communications Manager, the Digital Marketing & Communications Officer will be responsible for growing TRACS’ online communities by creating engaging content and ensuring our digital presence reflects our organisation’s vision and values.

  • Hours: 0.6 FTE (21 hours, 3 days per week)
  • Contract: Fixed term, 12 months
  • Salary: £16,200 per annum (£27,000 pro rata)
  • Location: TRACS office at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
  • Application Deadline: Monday, 23rd June 2025
  • Interviews: Thursday, 3rd July 2025

Could this be me?

We are looking for an enthusiastic and skilled Digital Marketing and Communications Officer to join our team, with a focus on digital marketing and communications. This role involves managing and growing our digital presence across our channels including social media, websites and e-newsletters.

Our ideal candidate will have a solid understanding of digital content creation and be skilled at crafting materials that captivate online audiences. You’ll be experienced in managing digital platforms, developing impactful campaigns, and using analytics to inform and refine your work. Experience in editing and producing polished marketing materials is also essential.

How to apply

  1. Download the full job description from our website
  2. Send your CV with a covering letter to [email protected]

If you require an application form in another format, please email [email protected]

All applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.

TRACS commits itself to meeting the aims and commitments set out in its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.  This includes not discriminating under the Equality Act 2010 and building an accurate picture of the make-up of the workforce in encouraging equality and diversity.

TRACS is an accredited Living Wage Employer, committed to paying a wage based on the cost of living to our staff.

This role is supported by Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding.

 

News

Traditional Dance as Intangible Cultural Heritage

Review by Catherine Coutts 

Many readers will be aware of UNESCO’s involvement in world heritage through the seven sites in Scotland, including St Kilda, the Forth Bridge and the Antonine Wall. But did you know that for many years, UNESCO has promoted intangible cultural heritage such as traditional dancing?

Scots will soon be invited to nominate their favourite traditions to be included on an official living heritage list. Submissions will be welcomed from all parts of the country, including the indigenous dance communities and those who have brought dance traditions from overseas to Scotland.

In the eve of UNESCO’s International Dance Day, as part of the Pomegranates Festival, the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland hosted the first public discussion on the opportunities for Scottish dances to be included on this list, whether they be at risk (such as the step dance Dusty Miller) or representative (such as the Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Gay Gordons, Dashing White Sergeant or Strip the Willow).

The evening opened with a demonstration of the Seann Triubhas by World Under18 Highland Dancing Champion, Eilidh Gammons. Eilidh’s dancing showed grace, power and perfect technique, demonstrating why she dominates the competitive highland dancing scene. She was nearly upstaged, however, by Lily and Lucy Clark, two youngsters starting on their dance journey who presented a very neat Highland Fling and Sword Dance with the biggest smiles.

The second performance came from the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS). The raked seating at the Scottish Storytelling Centre provided the optimum view for watching their formations, as the six dancers effortlessly flowed through them in perfect synchronisation. Whilst current choreography trends in both Country and Highland are fast and dynamic with dazzling costumes, it was refreshing to see both Scottish groups keeping the presentation traditional, allowing both the dances and their technique to shine.

The choice of music supported the dancers rather than competing against them, with Stephen Clark piping for Highland and Matthew MacLennan on the box for Country.

Four members of Falkirk’s Parzenica warmly executed a Polonaise wearing beautiful, colourful costumes of the Polish regions. This Polish group dance has already been recognised as part of UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Just like our Ceilidh dances, it is used for family and community celebrations.

The expert panel provided challenging and thought-provoking inputs with diverse perspectives on the preservation of traditional dances, including Hungarian Csárdás and Buso – both already inscribed in UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Wendy Timmons did a magnificent job in chairing the panel and keeping the discussions on track, however most speakers chose not to use a microphone which was to the detriment of the audience sitting further back.

A feature of the discussions was the work of bodies such as the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland, Royal Scottish Country Dance Society and Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing in supporting Scottish dance in schools. This tied in well with UNESCO’s third strand of intangible culture:  good safeguarding practices. We are in a unique position in Scotland where our social dances are known and danced by a huge portion of the population. While our display dances are danced mainly by the young and fit, their names are well known.

It was an exciting evening to attend. I am looking forward to the next steps and seeing the dances which our communities would like to see included on a submission to UNESCO.

 

This review was written by Catherine Coutts with the editorial support of Róisín O’Brien and Iliyana Nedkova as a follow up of our inaugural Traditional Dance Criticism Course.

Trad Dance as Intangible Cultural Heritage event was held at Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh 28 April 2025 as part of the Pomegranates Festival 25-30 April 2025It was Scotland’s first public gathering exploring the opportunities for traditional dance as intangible cultural heritage.

Images courtesy of Basya Volodarskaya. 

 

 

 

 

News

Feet Together and Take a Bow. Successful Year for Pomegranates 

2025 was another successful year for the Pomegranates Festival, which ran from 25th to 30th April. The packed five-day programme of traditional dance, saw ticket sales up by 40% on 2024; a sold-out Ceilidh Plus event mixing Scottish, Hungarian and Polish social dancing; and a packed house for Charlotte McLean’s new not for glory dance theatre gig piece, brought to life by the incredible sure footing of Irish traditional dancer Jack Anderson and music from Malin Lewis.

Emma Ready, and Sean Edwards performing in Hidden Faces – this year’s festival finale

The Pomegranates Festival celebrates Scottish and world traditional dance practised by anyone, including cultural migrant communities across Scotland. Now in its fourth year, the festival has grown from a two-day showcase of work performed by local dancers, into a five-day festival of workshops, exhibitions, walking tours, debates and a showcase for new work. 

Marking UNESCO International Dance Day on 29 April, this year’s festival finale Hidden Faces, was a powerful example of the strength of workshopping that the festival has anchored in its programme from the outset. The piece – a hip hop dance theatre tribute to the masked trad dances from around the world – was created across 2 intensive days, choreographed by 2 guest artists – hip hop dancer and clowning theatre practitioner Sean Edwards, and Scotland’s only professional B-girl Emma Ready; performed by 15 dancers and 3 musicians all based in Scotland; and produced with direction from Jonzi D, founder of Breakin’ Convention, MC, spoken word artist and hip hop dancer.

Other new work that premiered this year was the festival commission Sequins – a hip hop piece fused with Congolese traditional Luba dance by Kalubi Mukengela-Jacoby, a Belgian Scot dance artist with Congolese heritage who choreographed and performed her solo to another festival commission Sequins of Poems to Dance To, a set of 10 poems written and spoken by broadcaster Ian McMillan with a haunting soundscape by Robert Russell.

One of the festival themes this year was masks, and the dancers took inspiration from the exhibition Masks by Lorraine Pritchard which was on display in the Storytelling Centre and the Edinburgh Central Library. The exhibition included handcrafted Venetian style masks, books on the Venice Carnival and a collection of photos and newly-commissioned documentary film by Franzis Sánchez shot at this year’s Carnival and at various locations across Edinburgh.

Audiences also enjoyed a lively discussion following the screening of ten short films by home-grown and international teams of choreographers and cinematographers with an innovative focus of traditional dance on screen; a fantastic new piece of contemporary dance rooted in traditional dance and music Socratic Circles workshopped with pupils from Royal Mile and Abbeyhill local primary school, and postgraduate dance students from Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh; and a new podcast and a sold-out walking tour of Edinburgh with historian and dancer Alena Schmakova exploring Mary, Queen of Scots’ passion for dance.

Wendy Timmons and Iliyana Nedkova, co-curators and producers of the Pomegranates Festival said: 

“We couldn’t be happier with this new edition of Pomegranates. It is really rewarding, also on behalf of the 100s of the dance artists featured and our new and returning guests, to know that the festival has earned its unique place in Edinburgh’s cultural calendar and is treasured by anyone passionate about trad dance and its links to poetry and art, film and fashion, craft and heritage. We are proud that through this year’s 3 festival themes – trad dance, masks and intangible cultural heritage – we were able to focus on the fine examples of already recognised living heritage, such as the Hungarian Csardas and Buso, Polish Polonaise, Chinese Yi cultural dance and the world heritage site of Venice and its Carnival. We are determined to build on the festival success of convening Scotland’s first-ever gathering about traditional dance and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention. Watch this space as we continue to explore the opportunities this 2003 UNESCO Convention opens up for Scotland’s traditional dances in an international context.” 

The Pomegranates Festival plans to return in spring 2026 with a new five-day programme of Scottish and world traditional dance. Dates to be confirmed.

The Pomegranates Festival is initiated and curated by Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and presented and produced in partnership with Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland, Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh City Libraries, Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Supported by Creative Scotland’s multi-year funding programme through TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland) and Edinburgh Local Community Fund through the University of Edinburgh,

 

#PomegranatesFestival 

More information visit https://www.tdfs.org/pomegranates/

 

Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland

Established in 2014,Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland is the only national organisation of its kind dedicated to the advancement of all forms of traditional and social dance. It advocates for and supports the diverse Scottish and world trad dance forms practised in Scotland ranging from Ceilidh to Old Time, Swing to Hip Hop as an integral part of our global intangible cultural heritage. It provides free membership to over 250 traditional dance artists and organisations and supports them through three major routes – productions, residencies and festivals such as Pomegranates. A registered charity (SCIO SC045085) and a founding member of Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland (TRACS) www.tdfs.org

TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland) (SCIO, SC043009) is a co-operative network which champions our shared traditions of music, song, storytelling, dance, crafts, customs and local languages. TRACS celebrates the local distinctiveness of Scotland’s places: our intangible cultural heritage. TRACS brings together the Traditional Music Forum (SCIO SC042867), the Scottish Storytelling Forum (SCIO SC052330) and the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland (SCIO SC045085). Supported by Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council. www.tracscotland.org

 

Moray House School of Education and Sport has been making a major contribution to the fields of education and sport for 175 years. Moray House staff, students and alumni have influenced, improved and transformed learning, teaching and policy worldwide. The innovative and unique Master’s in Dance Science and Education gives dancers the scientific theory and specialist skills to push the frontiers of dance and dance education.

Moray House School of Education and Sport

Centre for Research in Education, Inclusion and Diversity (CREID)

MSc Dance Science and Education

 

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery, which, now in its 30th year, has supported over 14,600 projects with more than £501.9 million in funding through Creative Scotland and its predecessor, the Scottish Arts Council. Further information at creativescotland.com and the social media channels on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. More about the value of art and creativity in Scotland at www.ourcreativevoice.scot 

News

Lorraine Pritchard’s Fascination with the Intricate Detail and Transformative Power of Venetian Masks

Exhibition Review by Catherine Coutts  

 

Do I really want to go to see an exhibition about masks? At the start of the decade, masks (the ugly type with elastic bands, which cannot be recycled and were often to be found littering almost everywhere) were a topic of significant discussion. How effective and necessary were they in reducing the spread of COVID-19?  Would high-grade masks have been better?  What scientific evidence was there to support prolonged use? And why could I never find one in a nice toile de jouy fabric?

Thankfully, we seem to have left those face covers in the past and today finds me looking at an exhibition of altogether more attractive, entertaining and honestly priced masks.

Lorraine Pritchard of Rainemaker Studio is the artist-in-residence at this year’s Pomegranates Festival and the exhibition is curated by Iliyana Nedkova and Wendy Timmons of the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland. The curatorial emphasis is on the role of masks in traditional dance, one of the themes that define this year’s Pomegranates. The exhibition also focuses on the Venice Carnival – a prime example, recognised by UNESCO, of our global intangible cultural heritage, another of the festival themes. As the only Scottish artist performing at the Venice Carnival for the last four years, Lorraine is also the only local artist who completed a course in Venetian mask making with master sculptor and mask maker Agostino Dessi in Florence, Italy. Her fascination with the intricate detail and transformative power of masks led her to collaborate with the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and complete a set of 15 newly-commissioned masks which came alive on the stage at the Pomegranates Festival dance theatre finale Hidden Faces. 

Pritchard’s first work from her Florence training is also in the exhibition. Named Pierrot, it is made in the traditional Venetian style. It radiates the sadness that one would expect from the clown, but I quickly move on to some more playful works, including Carmen, an elaborate wearable wall mask with bronze relief detail and flamboyant headdress. The humour continues with Tynie, a specially commissioned Heart of Midlothian mask, on loan from a private collection, resplendent in the Hearts tartan, a golden tassle and at least four maroon jingle balls that I could see (a quick look at the Rainemaker website shows that other football teams are available). 

The 20-plus masks featured in the exhibition all have their own personalities and stylistic mannerisms as they burst off of the walls of the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Hatter, Disco Lizard and others are cleverly displayed in frames and on mirrors. Particularly attractive are the half masks – the mask is covering the eye area (rather like Batman’s Robin) but with beautiful flowers, feathers and other adornments above it.  

Other highlights include Lilibet (inspired by the late Queen’s platinum jubilee), Taggart (Lorraine’s first Harris Tweed Jolly mask, linking Scotland with Venice but still emanating an air of menace) and Maneki, a golden painted cat mask.

I leave the exhibition with a smile on my face having looked at so many beautiful and intricately crafted things. There were too many masks to really go into any detail here, so why don’t you go along yourself and choose your favourites?

 

Masks by Lorraine Pritchard at the Scottish Storytelling Centre is on from 3 April – 12 May 2025 daily between 10am and 6pm and until late on performance nights  at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh. Entry is free and no registration is required. Masks was complemented by the Venice Carnival exhibition by Lorraine Pritchard, showing at Edinburgh Central Library. Further details here 

 

 

News

Scottish Nature Writing Competition 2025

Words of the Wild, written on a visual graphic including sea visuals, writing competition

The Scottish Wildlife Trust, in association with the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, returns with the successful Words of the Wild nature writing competition.

What’s the theme? 

The competition – which this year is themed ‘From source to sea’ – invites participants to create original written works about Scotland’s freshwater and marine habitats. Entries can be in the form of poetry, short stories, journalistic articles, essays, letters or even song lyrics and can be written in English, Scots or Gaelic.

Win a fantastic prize  

An adult and junior winner will be selected for each language, with over £2,000-worth of prizes to be won. Adult prizes include a pair of binoculars from Viking Optical and a selection of nature books from Canongate. Junior prizes include a snorkelling set from Arran Active and a £100 wildlife equipment voucher for NHBS.

Meet the judges

The competition judging panel includes notable names from the worlds of literature and conservation, including renowned Scots poet, Len Pennie; Chair of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Dr Kenny Taylor; and former Scots Scriever, Susi Briggs.

When will winners be announced? 

Competition entries are limited to one per person and can be up to 1,000 words in length. The closing date for submissions is Saturday 12 July and the winners will be announced at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival in October.

For more information, including how to enter the writing competition head to the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s website.

News

TRACS Is Looking for a Board Chair

TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland) Board Chair Recruitment, Storyteller and Board Member Heather Yule

TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland) is looking for a committed, dynamic and experienced Chair to lead its Board of Trustees from Autumn 2025.

TRACS is a co-operative network which champions our shared traditions of music, song, storytelling, dance, crafts, customs and local languages. We have recently been awarded Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland to deliver a 3-year programme celebrating and advocating for Scotland’s traditional arts in communities across the country. During this period, we seek to advance our role as a recently-appointed expert NGO advisor to UNESCO on Intangible Cultural Heritage. Find out more from our website www.tracscotland.org.

The Chair has a leadership role and is responsible for convening and chairing board meetings, focusing the board on strategic matters, setting high standards of governance and ensuring TRACS is meeting its charitable objectives. To the Chair is also delegated the line-management of TRACS’ CEO.

The role of Chair is an unpaid position but is a crucial part of governance and leadership within TRACS.

In Brief

  • Role Title: Board Chair
  • Member of/elected by: Board of Trustees
  • Reports to: Board of Trustees
  • Main staff contacts: TRACS Chief Executive Officer
  • Term of Office: Three years; with up to 2 re-elections (max. 9 years)
  • Position: Voluntary (unpaid); reasonable expenses


Could this be me?

The TRACS Board is looking for an enthusiastic, energetic and effective advocate for the traditional arts and the part they play within the life of Scotland and of all its people.

Among other attributes they will have:

  • A personal understanding of and involvement in the range of traditional arts communities in Scotland
  • Experience of performance, promotion, administration or governance within the arts sector
  • Direct experience of working across sectors in forming and nurturing partnerships and the ability to facilitate or lead multi-stakeholder development processes
  • Engagement with national political processes in Scotland and/or internationally
  • Demonstrable experience of networking and communications at a strategic level
  • Knowledge of fundraising and advocacy work


How much of my time would it take up?

  • Board Meetings: The Chair convenes and chairs up to 6 full TRACS board meetings per year. These are held in person or online and generally last around 2 hours.
  • Other meetings: The Chair also plays a crucial role on 2 of the 3 Board Committees – Finance & Risk, Governance & Constitution – which meet additionally throughout the year, as well as convening meetings of the Board Chairs of TRACS’ three member organisations (Scottish Storytelling Forum, Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and Traditional Music Forum of Scotland).
  • Line Management: Regular check-ins with the TRACS CEO.
  • Other commitments: Additional time is required for preparing agendas, in consultation with staff and other trustees, and reviewing papers in advance of board meetings; liaising with fellow office bearers and other board members/staff; and attending occasional board training sessions.


How to apply

If you’re interested in leading the board of TRACS through a crucial and exciting time in the charity’s development, please:

  1. Download the TRACS Board Chair application pack here
  2. Send an email to [email protected] outlining your interest and providing details of the relevant skills, experience and/or qualifications you would bring to the role.

TRACS has a strong commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and to Fair Work.  We welcome applications from individuals of all ages, genders, ethnicities, disabilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, socio-economic backgrounds, religions and/or beliefs.

If you would like any further information or to have an informal conversation with current Board Chair Andrew Bachell before applying, please email him to arrange a suitable time.

Deadline for expressions of interest: 17:00, Friday 30th May 2025

News

Pomegranates Festival is Produced through a Major Academic Partnership

Initiated and curated by us at the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland, the Pomegranates Festival of world trad dance is produced through collaboration. In particular, our major academic partner, Moray House School of Education and Sport at the University of Edinburgh.

Since its inaugural edition in spring 2022 until its current fourth iteration in 2025, Pomegranates couldn’t have been possible without this partnership. In particular, our partnership with the innovative and unique Master’s in Dance Science and Education course, which gives professional dancers the scientific theory and specialist skills to push the frontiers of dance and dance education, including traditional dance.

As the only charitable organisation of its kind in Scotland, advocating, supporting and safeguarding all Scottish and world traditional dance forms practised across the country, we were one of the contenders in the Scottish Charity Awards Partnership of the Year 2024 due to the strength of this academic partnership with Moray House School of Education and Sport at the University of Edinburgh. Also, in part due to this academic partnership, our Pomegranates Festival made it to the #ListHot100 as one of the 100 most influential cultural events of 2024 across Scotland. In 2025, the festival was praised for its dynamic curation that challenges outdated stereotypes about ‘traditional dance’.

How and when did the academic and the traditional dance world of the Pomegranates Festival converge to enable this partnership to thrive?

It was back in 2018 when the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and the Moray House School of Education and Sport at the University of Edinburgh joined their efforts for the first time to secure funding from Creative Scotland which led to the year-long joint residency of the outstanding US percussive dance artist Nic Gariess (pictured above) with Scotland-wide public events throughout 2019. This residency continues to yield its legacy by saving Scottish Step dance from extinction. Going forward, our ambition is to award at least one 12-month-long joint residency per year.

Since 2018 we have continued to offer year-round placements for postgraduate dance students-in-residence at the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland with curatorial mentorship and hands-on experience of world trad dance across Edinburgh. Since 2022, these placements have been culminating at the Pomegranates Festival. Most recently, in 2023-25 we hosted not one but three residencies of the postgraduate students and dance artists per year, including those of Yingzhou Xie, Lingqiao Hong, Jiarui Liao, Xiaoxuan Zhong (pictured below), Jingyin Cai and Yu Xie. 

The predecessor of the Pomegranates Festival?

In June 2019, to celebrate Nic Gareiss’ residency we jointly co-produced the mini-festival for global percussive dance which we staged across Edinburgh. This gave us the confidence to work together with our academic partner and aim for bigger and bolder collaborative projects. Fast forward to April 2022, when co-launched Pomegranates – Scotland’s first and only annual festival of Scottish and world traditional dance forms practised up and down the country.

The first four years 2022-25 of co-producing the Pomegranates Festival of Scottish and world traditional dance not only featured the cohort of postgraduates on the festival stages and screens. We were reassured that our partnership makes a huge difference in the professional development of 50+ students and academic staff, as well as the 250+ members at the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland.

We also know that the Pomegranetes Festival impacts positively on the health and wellbeing of all our other festival participants and audiences. Every year Pomegranates has become the platform for our diverse Forum members, alongside students and staff to teach, learn and perform. We couldn’t have done this without the in-kind access to the world-class hybrid facilities at the St Leonard’s Land Dance Studio, Moray House School of Education and Sport or the pro-bono expertise of the academics and dance scholars at the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences, including Dr Wendy Timmons, as well as the Head of the Centre for Research in Education, Inclusion and Diversity (CREID) John Ravenscroft, who said:

“I am very pleased to continue to forge our strategic academic partnership with the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland which dates back to 2018. Great to see the return of the Pomegranates Festival choreographer-in-residence Jonzi D who delivered the seminal Decolonising the Curriculum keynote lecture at Moray House School of Education and Sport as part of last year’s Pomegranates Festival. I am also excited about the opening festival show Socratic Circles which is part of the wider campaign advocating for the diverse forms of world traditional dance becoming a primary ingredient of our children’s primary education. This campaign is run by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland in conjunction with our Centre and our School while Socratic Circles is funded by the University of Edinburgh through the Edinburgh Local Community Fund.” 

In addition, every year the Pomegranates Festival provides a wider public showcase for the range of our artists’ residencies and dance theatre productions open to new and returning audiences, including families and young people. From the outset Pomegranates was recognised as an innovatively curated and affordable festival with equality, diversity, inclusion and internationality is at its core, not an add-on. It is also an integral part of TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland) major festivals and we are aiming to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Pomegranates Festival in 2026.

Year-round, we will continue to advocate for the vibrancy and visibility of Scottish and world trad dance practised across the country as part of our global intangible heritage through our three major routes at Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland – festivals, residencies and productions, all of which rely on our academic partnership with Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh. Our ambition is together to develop world trad dance courses and provide certified continuous professional development opportunities to dance artists across Scotland and beyond. We hope to facilitate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and Moray House School of Education and Sport at the University of Edinburgh.

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In the meantime, join us to experience the outcome of our latest collaborative efforts at five of the Pomegranates Festival events 25-30 April events – free or Pay What You Can at https://www.tdfs.org/pomegranates/

Socratic Circles 

The latest example of our unique way of co-devising new dance theatre through Socratic Dialogues between students and pupils – students undertaking their Master’s Degree in Dance Science and Education and Primary 6 pupils at Edinburgh’s Abbeyhill and Royal Mile Primary Schools.

Part of our joint campaign for Scottish and world trad dance as a primary ingredient of our children’s primary education.

World Trad Dance on Screen

The opening festival programme of 10 short dance films, which features the first and the second in our trilogy of screen dance co-productions, namely The Bright Fabric of Life and To Begin the Dance Once More.

Part of our joint campaign to put traditional dance in the frame of the global screen dance movement which is dominated by contemporary and classical dance. 

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Ceilidh Plus

The fourth in our collaborative series of multicultural community ceilidhs where Scotland meets the world through mixing the Scottish Ceilidh with at different social traditional dance and music cultures.

Part of our joint campaign to make the Scottish Ceilidh tradition inclusive to the multi-ethnic communities which make up contemporary Scotland.

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Dance Around the World with Masks

The fourth of our day-long continuous professional development workshops for students and dance artists from across Scotland held at St Leonard’s Land Dance Studio.

Part of our joint campaign to develop world trad dance courses and provide certified continuous professional development opportunities to dance artists across Scotland and

beyond.

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Hidden Faces 

The fourth of our Pomegranates Festival finales celebrating International Dance Day with a new hip hop dance theatre co-choreographed (for a second festival year!) by the father of hip hop dance theatre Jonzi D, plus a dozen of students, dancers and musicians from across Scotland. Also, a curtain raiser solo Sequins by Kalubi Mukengela-Jacoby – a recent graduate of the Master’s Degree in Dance Science and Education. 

Part of our joint campaign to fill in a gap in Scotland’s performing arts landscape of dance theatre for the stage rooted in traditional dance.

Established in 2014, Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland is the only national organisation of its kind dedicated to the advancement of all forms of traditional and social dance. It advocates for and supports the diverse Scottish and world trad dance forms practised in Scotland ranging from Ceilidh to Old Time, Swing to Hip Hop as an integral part of our global intangible cultural heritage. It provides free membership to over 250 traditional dance artists and organisations and supports them through three major routes – productions, residencies and festivals such as Pomegranates. A registered charity (SCIO SC045085) and a founding member of TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland) www.tdfs.org

TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland) (SCIO, SC043009) is a co-operative network which champions our shared traditions of music, song, storytelling, dance, crafts, customs and local languages. TRACS celebrates the local distinctiveness of Scotland’s places: our intangible cultural heritage. TRACS brings together the Traditional Music Forum (SCIO SC042867), the Scottish Storytelling Forum (SCIO SC052330) and the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland (SCIO SC045085). Supported by Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council. www.tracscotland.org 

Moray House School of Education and Sport has been making a major contribution to the fields of education and sport for 175 years. Moray House staff, students and alumni have influenced, improved and transformed learning, teaching and policy worldwide. The innovative and unique Master’s in Dance Science and Education gives dancers the scientific theory and specialist skills to push the frontiers of dance and dance education.

Moray House School of Education and Sport

Centre for Research in Education, Inclusion and Diversity (CREID)

MSc Dance Science and Education 

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery, which, now in its 30th year, has supported over 14,600 projects with more than £501.9 million in funding through Creative Scotland and its predecessor, the Scottish Arts Council. Further information at creativescotland.com and the social media channels on FacebookLinkedIn, and Instagram. More about the value of art and creativity in Scotland at www.ourcreativevoice.scot

 

 

 

 

 

News

Traditional Dance as Intangible Cultural Heritage

We are delighted that this year’s Pomegranates Festival (25-30 April 2025) is themed around traditional dance and intangible cultural heritage, especially at a time when Scots are soon to be invited to nominate their favourite traditions to be included on an official living heritage list. Later this year, submissions for the list will be encouraged from all sectors of society, including the traditional dance communities and people who have brought dance traditions from overseas to the UK.

In the eve of the UNESCO International Dance Day, Monday 28 April 2025, 6.30pm at our home, the Scottish Storytelling Centre, we are inviting everyone who has contributed and continues to shape the diversity of traditional dance in Scotland to join us for an evening of sharing and discussions. Gather for a blether on all things UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage and the opportunities for traditional dance in Scotland. Find out more through three presentations and ask our special guests in the Q&A session chaired by Wendy Timmons of the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland. Our presenters:

Rachel Hosker of the Centre for Research Collections, University of Edinburgh and Chair of the UK UNESCO Memory of the World Programme

Árpád Vörös, recipient of the knighthood award for lifetime contribution towards Hungarian folk dance

Steve Byrne of TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland)

Sebastian Wanless, Chair Elect of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society

The evening will also offer an opportunity to enjoy demonstrations accompanied by live music of Scottish Country Dance and Highland, including by teams from the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society and Margaret Rose School of Dance.

Established by Margaret MacInnes, a recipient of the British Empire Medal for services to Highland dancing and the community in Helensburgh, Margaret Rose School of Dance is also home to Eilidh Gammons, Highland Dancing Champion of Champions who is joining us to perform the traditional Scottish Highland Dance Seann triubhas, meaning ‘old trousers’ in Scottish Gaelic. Following Eilidh’s dance, we will be treated to a traditional Highland Sword Dance by Lily and Lucy Clark, also accompanied on the bagpipe by Stephen Clark. 

There will be a short display of two examples of traditional dances recently inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative List of Humanity in January 2025 and December 2023, i.e. Csardas (Árpád Vörös) and Polonaise (Anthony Carter, Fiona Lynch, Natalia Nowak and Renata Grillanda of Parzenica, Scotland’s  Polish Folk Dance Group)

BOOK NOW

Traditional Dance as Intangible Cultural Heritage

Monday 28 April 2025, 6.30pm (2 hours)

Scottish Storytelling Centre

Pay What You Can (£5, £10 or £15)

This year’s Pomegranates Festival also offers an opportunity to learn Csardas and Polonaise while enjoying your favourite Ceilidh dances at our popular Ceilidh Plus event on Saturday, 26 April 2025 6-9.30pm at Edinburgh’s King’s Hall. Find further details, including how to book here: https://www.tdfs.org/ceilidhplus/

Wendy Timmons and Iliyana Nedkova, Festival Co-curators said:

“We are delighted that this year’s Pomegranates Festival is themed around traditional dance and intangible cultural heritage, especially at a time when Scots are soon to be invited to nominate their favourite traditions to be included on an official living heritage list. Later this year, submissions for the list will be encouraged from all sectors of society, including the traditional dance communities and people who have brought dance traditions from overseas to the UK.

Sebastian Wanless, Chair Elect of The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) said:

We are thrilled to participate in the Fourth Pomegranates Festival and to showcase Scottish country dance on the eve of the UNESCO International Day of Dance. For over a century, we have championed the vibrant tradition of Scottish country dancing—an energetic blend of lively music, joyful movement, and deep-rooted culture. More than just steps and tunes, Scottish country dance is a unique social phenomenon that welcomes everyone, everywhere. Together with dancers from around the world, let’s celebrate movement, culture, and unity in the lead up to this special day.”

The move to accumulate suggestions follows the 2003 UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage which the UK ratified only last year. Each member state must now compile a list of their traditions and folklore, performance, customs and craft which tell the national story. Nominations are expected to open later this year. As a founding consortium member of TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), which in July 2024 was officially appointed as UNESCO Advisor on Intangible Cultural Heritage  we couldn’t agree more with Scottish Secretary, Ian Murray, who said:

“This is a chance for community groups across Scotland to really have some fun and think about how we celebrate being Scottish through our food, culture, practices and celebrations. We want to include the things that represent our uniqueness, our sense of humour and our pride in our country. A respect for our age-old traditions will be covered, but so too should what’s important to us in modern Scottish life.” Source: The Edinburgh Reporter

 

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

Steve Byrne was appointed as Director of TRACS in 2023. A noted performer, researcher, folklorist and community activist, Steve trained at the School of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University, before embarking on a distinguished creative career. Steve is a founding member of Scottish folk band Malinky and has contributed to the digitisation of vital early recordings of Scottish music and storytelling.

Rachel Hosker is the University Archivist and Research Collections Manager. Rachel originally trained as an archivist, and now manages archivists, librarians and curators responsible for the University’s cultural heritage collections and welcomes IASH fellows to the Centre for Research Collections at the University. Rachel is Chair of the UK UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.

Árpád Vörös (Budapest) is a dancer and folk dance teacher. He was awarded a Knighthood of Hungarian Culture in 2020 for the care of Hungarian folk dance. From 1990, for ten years, he was a teacher at the Árpád Bókay Elementary School in Pestszentlőrinc, and founded the TÉBLÁB Dance Ensemble. Today, he is the president of the foundation that operates the school and a professional assistant and choreographer of several ensembles in Transylvania, Felvidék and Vojvodina, as well as an ethnographic researcher of the region.

Wendy Timmons is a Senior Lecturer in Dance Science and Education at the University of Edinburgh, and co-producer of the Pomegranates Festival. She has many years of professional arts practice, and is well experienced in teaching and training dance artists, young dancers and dance teachers. Alongside her teaching, research and programme development,  Wendy has undertaken many knowledge exchange and applied Dance Science and Education research projects. She is currently Convenor for the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and the Health & Wellbeing Trustee at Dance Base.

ABOUT THE FETSIVAL AND FESTIVAL PARTNERS

The Pomegranates Festival (25 – 30 April 2025) is an annual celebration of new dance theatre and screen dance shows, as well as new productions and residencies. This is the fourth edition of Scotland’s annual festival of international traditional dance, initiated, curated and produced by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland. It is presented in partnership with TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Central Library, Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre. The Pomegranates Festival is funded by Creative Scotland through TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland); the City of Edinburgh Council and University of Edinburgh through the Edinburgh Local Community Fund. For tickets and more information visit https://www.tdfs.org/pomegranates

Established in 2014, Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland is the only national organisation of its kind dedicated to the advancement of all forms of traditional and social dance. It advocates for and supports the diverse Scottish and world trad dance forms practised in Scotland ranging from Ceilidh to Old Time, Swing to Hip Hop as an integral part of our global intangible cultural heritage. It provides free membership to over 250 traditional dance artists and organisations and supports them through three major routes – productions, residencies and festivals such as Pomegranates. A registered charity (SCIO SC045085) and a founding member of Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland (TRACS) www.tdfs.org

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TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland) (SCIO, SC043009) is a co-operative network that champions our shared traditions of music, song, storytelling, dance, crafts, customs and local languages. TRACS celebrates the local distinctiveness of Scotland’s places: our intangible cultural heritage. TRACS brings together the Traditional Music Forum (SCIO SC042867), the Scottish Storytelling Forum (SCIO SC052330) and the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland (SCIO SC045085). Supported by Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council. www.tracscotland.org

Moray House School of Education and Sport has been making a major contribution to the fields of education and sport for 175 years. Moray House staff, students and alumni have influenced, improved and transformed learning, teaching and policy worldwide. The innovative and unique Master’s in Dance Science and Education gives dancers the scientific theory and specialist skills to push the frontiers of dance and dance education.

Moray House School of Education and Sport

Centre for Research in Education, Inclusion and Diversity (CREID)

MSc Dance Science and Education

*

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery, which, now in its 30th year, has supported over 14,600 projects with more than £501.9 million in funding through Creative Scotland and its predecessor, the Scottish Arts Council. Further information at creativescotland.com and the social media channels on FacebookLinkedIn, and Instagram. More about the value of art and creativity in Scotland at www.ourcreativevoice.scot