Edinburgh Art Festival 2021

This year’s festival takes places from the 29th of July to the 29th of August

Founded in 2004, Edinburgh Art Festival is the platform for the visual arts at the heart of Edinburgh’s August festivals, bringing together the capital’s leading galleries, museums and artist-run spaces in a city-wide celebration of the very best in visual art. Each year, the Festival features leading international and UK artists alongside the best emerging talent, major survey exhibitions of historic figures, and a special programme of newly commissioned artworks that respond to public and historic sites in the city. The vast majority of the festival is free to attend. Find out more about this year’s programme and festival.

“Edinburgh was once an art desert at festival time. Yes, there were alternative comedians hiding under every manhole cover, but if you were a lover of the visual arts there was little reason to go. Until 2004, when the Edinburgh Art Festival was founded, and everything got better.” Waldemar Januszczak, The Sunday Times

Alongside the main festival programme the run an annual series of learning and engagement activities around a Commissions Programme and partner exhibitions as well as bespoke tours, workshops, and projects for community groups and organisations inspired by the work of their participating artists.

You can read more about their Learning and Engagement Programme here.

Start planning ahead and remember to book your accommodation directly with us via our website to ensure you get the best rate. Click here to view our current offers.