Thanks to the multi year funding from Creative Scotland, as well as a lot of hard work by the volunteer team behind Hidden Door Festival, there will be one last shift at the Paper Factory at Maybury this summer.
The festival is returning to the same huge venue that they used last year, and in November 2024 for another takeover of music, spoken word and art.
The festival will take place this year from 3 to 7 June 2026 when the site will become a “living evolving space” with a last chance for people to have a look inside before the 15 acres with its industrial buildings is redeveloped. And the team says it is down to the multi year funding from Creative Scotland which is making it all possible.
Director of Hidden Door, Hazel Johnson, said: “Returning to The Paper Factory for a final year allows us to go deeper into the history and texture of the site.
“We aren’t just putting on a show; we’re building a myth.
“The support from Creative Scotland allows us to develop an ambitious programme that will treat the space as a living, breathing canvas, where the work of our artists and performers becomes the architecture that shapes the festival.”
The weekend will include on 5 June, Norwegian singer-songwriter, record producer, and novelist Jenny Hval pushes boundaries with a live performance that demands to be witnessed firsthand, with her experimental, feminist and avant-garde work scooping several notable awards.
The night will climax with a special late night club presented by EPiKA, Edinburgh’s own femme techno collective.
On 6 June, Skye natives Valtos bring a dancefloor-ready take on their already unique sound with their acclaimed DJ/Live hybrid project High Water Mark, fusing folk and electronic beats for an energetic and dynamic experience.
The action will then move to the club space with Fred Deakin (Lemon Jelly/Club Life) taking audiences through the decades of his legendary Scottish club nights.
- The festival will include five nights of music programmed in collaboration with the likes of Paradise Palms Records, Hobbes Music, 432 Presents and independent programmers Jacob Brailsford and Arusa Qureshi
- 10 emerging music acts selected from an open call co-curated with the National Centre For Music and Creative Edinburgh
- Specially curated theatre, dance and spoken word performances scattered throughout the venue
- A brand new collaborative installation from Tinderbox Collective, experimenting with electronics and sensors, microcontrollers, code and responsive visuals.
- An evolution of Edinburgh International Mural Festival’s 2025 residency at The Paper Factory, which brought together mural artists from around the world to produce iconic large scale works
The festival’s full programme of music, art, performances and special events will be revealed in April.
Hidden Door is currently inviting submissions for dance, spoken word and music acts to be part of the 2026 programme: https://hiddendoorarts.org/call-for-submissions/
Tickets for each evening of the festival are now available online at http://hiddendoorarts.org/tickets
