Moderated by Rebecca Draisey-Collishaw with panellists Ró Ó hEadhra, Susanne Rosenberg, Anna Wikénius & Alasdair Whyte.
Explore the interplay between songwriting and tradition in this thought-provoking panel discussion where the panellists delve into how personal experiences, cultural heritage and traditional influences shape the creation of songs. Discover how contemporary songwriting can honour and evolve long-standing traditions while reflecting the lives and stories of today.
This is a must for anyone interested in the art of songwriting, the preservation of tradition, and the ways in which music connects past and present.
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The North Atlantic Song Convention (NASC) returns to the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, for three days of traditional song celebration from 11-13 April 2025. Through concerts, workshops, talks, and informal song circles, this welcoming gathering brings together singers and enthusiasts from across the North Atlantic region. Whether you're a professional performer, an academic researcher, or simply love traditional song, NASC offers an inclusive space to share, learn, and celebrate our rich, diverse singing heritage. Guests attending hail from Scotland, Ireland, England, Sweden, Canada, the USA, and beyond.
Purchase a Weekend Pass to make the most of the Convention. Passes are priced £45/£35 concession. These will allow you to book free tickets for all events; if you are planning to attend five or more events across the weekend the Pass will pay for itself (six events if you are eligible for a Concession Pass).
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.GOT AN EVENT TO SHARE? It's free to post your events on What's On Edinburgh, click here to find out more!
Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!Join us for a new quarterly series of full-moon celebrations, with live storytelling, music and a rotating programme of incredible performers.
READ MORENorthern Streams is a festival celebrating Nordic & Scottish music, song and dance and this year's edition is taking place from 18th - 20th April 2025 at the Scottish Storytelling Centre!
READ MOREThe Northern Streams Festival 2025, now in it's 20th year, brings together Nordic & Scottish music, song & dance complete with Vikings & Pirates from 18th - 20th April!
READ MOREJoin guest storyteller Riikka Palonen for another session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar on Friday 25th April!
READ MOREStoryteller Ruth Kirkpatrick leads this participatory session for anyone curious about discovering and developing their own storytelling talent at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on 26th April.
READ MOREDon’t miss the next fantastic show from Scotland’s best spoken word night 'Loud Poets' on Thursday 1st May with Inga Dale, Sarah Grant, Bradley Taylor & Stephen Watt!
READ MOREJamie Cook and Kirsty Law have joined forces to bring some of their most beloved songs together as brand new folk duo MAIK. Catch them at the Scottish Storytelling Centre as part of Tradfest!
READ MOREWith story, music and imagery, storytellers Bea Ferguson and Heather Yule explore the captivating tales of these lands, and the people and strange creatures who dwelt there.
READ MOREJoin the Family Beltane crew for a morning of mask decoration, crafting and face painting ahead of the May Day Parade.
READ MOREJoin Gaelic storyteller Martin MacIntyre for an introductory session exploring the history, importance and joy in Gaelic storytelling culture in Scotland.
READ MOREThis delightful Beltane Fire Society tradition allows parents to share in the magic of the Beltane story with their little ones through storytelling, face painting and arts & crafts.
READ MORECome with family and friends to dance Scottish dances and sing well-known songs with the Minnow Ceilidh Band at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on 4th May!
READ MOREDon't miss cinematic-folk duo Dowally and innovative French drummer Philippe Boudot as they celebrate the release of their album Ici et Là-Bas, recorded last year in Edinburgh!
READ MOREJoin Claire McNicol and Fergus McNicol for a lively, family-friendly session of traditional street games, playful rhymes, toe-tapping songs, and captivating tales from Old Edinburgh!
READ MOREIn his new book Scotland’s Sacred Goddess: Hidden in Plain Sight, Stuart McHardy explores the pre-Christian beliefs of the Scottish people.
READ MORECelebrate Edinburgh's Tradfest with a free afternoon session of traditional songs, music, poems and stories with friends from the Scots Music Group in the Scottish Storytelling Centre!
READ MOREJoin ballad singer Allan Taylor, fiddler Karin Paterson and storytellers Phyll McBain and Jackie Ross for a ceilidh of land, laughter and a hearty dollop of Doric!
READ MORESangstream, the a cappella Scots folk choir now in its 28th year, led by the renowned Corrina Hewat, is excited to perform their rich choice of songs as part of Tradfest.
READ MOREWelcome to an eclectic night of ancient myth, contemporary storytelling, post-folk music, and physical artistry!
READ MOREBog Standard is the gripping true story of a tip off which led a rookie journalist to one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century.
READ MOREThis special live performance from filmmaker/storytellers Nadir Bouhmouch and Soumeya Ait Ahmed combines film, lecture and storytelling!
READ MORETuFlamenco presents a tribute to Federico García Lorca, Spain’s most iconic poet, through Flamenco’s rhythm, dance, and poetry at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Saturday 10th May.
READ MOREJoin musician and storyteller David Francis and learn how to improve your patter and song introductions with some basic rules of storytelling on this workshop as part of Tradfest!
READ MOREMeeting at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, enjoy a walking tour around the sights and sounds of Edinburgh’s Old Town with artist/curator Claudia Zeiske on 10th May as part of Edinburgh Tradfest!
READ MOREJoin storyteller Ailie Finlay from My Kind of Book on a fun-packed, sensory adventure for May time as we head off through the green grass and squelchy bogs of Scotland!
READ MOREJoin us at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for a celebration of independent film in Scotland through the lens of celebrated filmmaker Douglas Eadie!
READ MOREJoin Penpal Productions at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for this series of short pieces exploring what the city means to these diverse voices.
READ MOREJoin us at the Scottish Storytelling Centre for our May Bothan, a monthly session of Gaelic culture and community in Edinburgh!
READ MOREJoin Alan McLellan to walk the old Port Road railway line from Dumfries to Stranraer, with vintage film clips and photos illustrating his journey into the past at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
READ MOREJoin guest storyteller Kate Walker for another session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar on Friday 30th May!
READ MOREJoin Fiona Johnston, audio describer, as she describes various artwork and objects from the Royal Collection at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
READ MORECome along to the Costume Society Scotland's season of varied talks on fashion, costume, textiles, accessories and related subjects between between October and April at Augustine United Church!
READ MOREMany authors have been inspired to pick up their pen to write about the Palace of Holyroodhouse. These sessions will explore these literary works followed by a hearty discussion!
READ MOREJoin us on Thursdays at The Palace of Holyroodhouse for a short talk on one of the fascinating photographs in our exhibition Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography!
READ MOREA lecture about spiritual healing and help through the teaching of Bruno Groening is taking place at The Open Door Community Centre, Edinburgh on various dates throughout the year.
READ MOREReady to meet your Chocolate Love Match? Book now to secure one of the limited number of spaces available for our guided chocolate tasting experiences at Hotel Chocolat, Fort Kinnaird!
READ MOREThe Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author, Ali Hazelwood, will travel across the pond to share a conversation on love, science, and the art of storytelling!
READ MOREJoin us at 7pm on Thursday 17th April for Mara’s first-ever Wine & Crisps Evening, hosted by the brilliant Tan&Ns Wine Importers.
READ MOREJoin us on the croft for our first-ever collaboration with Mrs M, a Singaporean woman who is passionate about the food of her country and eager to share the unique flavours of its cuisine.
READ MORE