Edinburgh Art Festival 2026 – Top Picks

Activism, archive and collective presence feature throughout the best of EAF this year

History is a Home, Trans Mask Studies. EAF26 | Image courtesy Ellis Jackson Kroese and Katherine Blamire

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Magnus Westwell: Caught Hold of Nothing + Launch Party

The Biscuit Factory, 14 Aug, 20:00

Opening with a durational violin performance from Magnus Westwell and Océane Robin, EAF’s launch event includes a performance from rapper and poet Mykki Blanco and DJ sets from AMR and Sweet Philly.

Lawrence Abu Hamdan: Zifzafa

Leith Theatre, 29 Aug, 19:00

Sound performance Zifzafa from Lawrence Abu Hamdan centres on Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights, where a planned wind turbine project will contribute overwhelming sound pollution.

Sadao Hasegawa: Carnal Desires

Custom Lane, 14-30 Aug, 10:00-17:00

A rare exhibition of works by Sadao Hasegawa, a post-war Japanese gay fetish artist known for his blend of pan-Asian folklore, hypermasculine forms, and science fiction.

Trans Masc Studies: History is a Home

Custom Lane, 14-30 Aug, 10:00-17:00

History is a Home invites viewers into an exhibition, reading room and research space to explore queer history, compiled by Ellis Jackson Kroese of Trans Masc Studies.

Level Up: Block Party

Craigmillar Now, 21 Aug, 18:00

Level Up brings together the archive of Black social-documentarian, youth worker and community organiser Sandra George for an evening of music, dance, and collective presence.

Glasgow Leatherdykes: From History to Today Bootblacking Workshop

Custom Lane, 21 Aug, 12:00

An event exploring the history of leathercare and bootblacking in queer and kink subcultures from Glasgow Leatherdykes, a trans-led group promoting education and socialising around leather culture.