Thursday September 25th 2025
Scottish International Storytelling 2025 'Lights of the North' programme launch
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
On Wednesday (10 September) with support from the Scottish Governement’s Festivals EXPO Fund and Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival launched its 36th programme.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival (22 October to 1 November 2025) organised by TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), is the world’s largest annual celebration of storytelling that takes place in various venues across Scotland.
This year’s theme ‘Lights of the North’ explores Scotland’s northern identity through sharing tales from the world’s northern arc, which bridges Finland to Iceland and connects Germany to Norway, with Scotland in between.
Over the 11 days of the festival, some of the North’s most celebrated storytellers will join leading voices from Scotland to bring a feast of traditional storytelling to Edinburgh and to venues across Scotland.
International guest storytellers including Anna-Maria Toivonen from Finland; Georgiana Keable Jerstad and Mimesis Heidi Dahlsveen from Norway; Hjörleifur Stefánsson from Iceland; Jerker Fahlström from Sweden; and Suse Weisse from Germany; will share tales of Vikings, Huldufólk (or the hidden people from Iceland), trolls, the dark northern winters and some of their favourite traditional folktales.
Joining them, will be some of Scotland’s most celebrated storytellers, who will present new work themed on the ‘Lights of the North’, and their own twist on some classic tales including: ‘Of Stars, Bears and the Beginning of Time’ presented by Riikka Aplonen, ‘The People of the Sea’ by Ruth Kirkpatrick and Colin Urwin, and ‘Land of Many Water’ by Eileen Budd, David McAlmont and Debbie Armour.
Go Local returns this year, with new voices from East Lothian and Shetland joining storytellers from all over Scotland throughout October and November to celebrate Scottish storytelling. From the Western Isles, to Dumfries and Galloway there will be over 60 Go Local events in this year’s programme, plus the international storytellers invited to participate in this year’s festival, will also perform in Glasgow, Kenmore, Aberfeldy and Dundee; and as guests at storytelling festivals in Orkney, Aberdeen and Dumfries and Galloway.
The festival is also packed with rich tales and songs from Scotland’s Travelling Community that have been passed down through generations. This year’s Alan Bruford lecture will also discuss ‘Nackens’ (Scottish Gypsy Travellers) and how their folklore gives us unique insights into Scotland’s history and placenames. This will be led by author Dr Robert Fell who will be joined by Shamus McPhee to recount a tale about Balquhidder and how it got its name.
As we edge closer to Halloween, and the Samhuinn Fire Festival in Holyrood Park, the festival embraces the dark side of storytelling with Daniel Serridge and Heather Cartwright sharing stories and songs about the unnerving and haunted corpse roads in Cumbria, where the dead passed through on the way to their graves; Anna Lehr presents Dazwischen – a tale about death, birth and what lies between; Chair of the Scottish Storytelling Forum, and celebrant, Beverley Bryant leads a workshop on Mortality and Making and how we craft conversations about death whilst participants weave willow and make decorations for coffins; and Suse Weisse in association with Goethe-Institut, shares some of the Brother Grimm’s fairy tales and tales fit for The Bewitching Season on Hallow’s Eve.
For younger audiences and families there’s a packed programme of events over the October school holidays kicking off on Saturday 11 October, ahead of the festival’s main programme (22 Oct to 1 Nov).
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said:
“The fantastic programme for this year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival features something for everyone and brings together stars of Scotland’s storytelling scene with our north Atlantic neighbours to give light to dark winter nights through mystical stories and songs.
“The festival received £200,000 this year from our EXPO fund as part of a record increase in culture funding from the Scottish Government. We are proud to support this celebration of Scotland’s storytelling heritage and its important place on the world stage.”
Donald Smith, Scottish International Storytelling Festival Director said:
“I’m very inspired by the chemistry of this year’s programme. Northern stories come from the forests, mountains and oceans, while drawing on an eerie imagination, surreal humour and hidden connections between human and natural spirits. Inner and outer journeys collide with unexpected magic. And Scotland is a hub and a crucible of this unique northern brew!”
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival takes place from Wednesday 22 October to Saturday 1 November. For those planning on attending multiple events, the Festival Supporter Pass (£24) offers discounted tickets to many festival events, at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, as well as a discount at the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s bookshop, Haggis Box Café and an invitation to the Festival launch event.
There will also be BSL interpretation available for D/deaf audiences at selected events.
To browse the full festival programme, visit sis.org.uk
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