St Magnus Festival, 19 – 28 June, is one of 27 festivals which have been awarded funding from Creative Scotland’s Expanded Festivals Fund.
£3.7 million has been awarded in this second tranche of funding, bringing the total number of supported festivals to 55 with a combined investment of £5.7 million.
St Magnus Festival, Light of the North, has been awarded £75,000 from the Expanded Festivals Fund. The St Magnus Festival was previously successful in being awarded £570,000 (2025-28), with three annual payments of £190,000 from Creative Scotland. This latest award is in addition to that funding.
Culture Secretary in the Scottish Governent Màiri McAllan said:
“The Expanded Festivals Fund’s £5.7 million will support innovative collaborations and commissions, benefiting many Scottish artists and creative professionals across the country, as well as delivering economic and social benefits to communities from Dumfries and Galloway to Orkney. “
“As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to increase culture funding by £100 million more annually by 2028-29, this investment enhances the ambitions of 55 arts festivals across the length and breadth of Scotland and recognises their invaluable role as platforms for artists and performers to showcase their work.”
On top of the funding awards, Festivals Edinburgh has also received £200,000 for targeted support towards their brand marketing for 2026/27.
The full list of the 27 awards from the Expanded Festivals Fund is as follows:
| Imaginate | Shifting perspectives: Scotland moving the world with work for young audiences | Children and Young People | 180,000 | City of Edinburgh |
| RIG ARTS LTD | Galoshans Festival | Multi-Art Form | 96,000 | Inverclyde |
| Celtic Connections | In The Moment: Exploring the Tradition @ Celtic Connections 2027 | Music | 180,000 | Glasgow City, City of Edinburgh, Highland |
| Cryptic Glasgow Ltd | Sonica Glasgow 2026 | Music | 80,000 | Glasgow City |
| Conflux Scotland LTD (Trading as Surge) | Surge Circuit | Multi-Art Form | 147,000 | Glasgow City |
| Electric Theatre Workshop Ltd. | Northern Lights Dumfries | Multi-Art Form | 90,000 | Dumfries and Galloway |
| FRINGE BY THE SEA Ltd | Love of Life (Biophilia) | Multi-Art Form | 156,000 | East Lothian, North Ayrshire |
| Citymoves Dance Agency SCIO | Connect – DanceLive and Sound Festivals | Multi-Art Form | 140,000 | Aberdeen City |
| SAMA EVENTS LTD | PITCH Scotland 2026 | Music | 80,000 | Glasgow City, Aberdeen City |
| Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland / Ealain is Cultar Traidiseanta Alba | Scottish International Storytelling Festival: Bird, Beast and Human 2026 and Belonging 2027. | Traditional Arts | 180,000 | All of Scotland |
| Leisure and Culture Dundee | Dundee Design Festival | Design | 100,000 | Dundee City |
| THE GLASGOW FILM THEATRE | Glasgow Film Festival 2027 | Film | 162,000 | Glasgow City, All of Scotland |
| EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SOCIETY | 2027 Edinburgh International Festival | Multi-Art Form | 100,000 | City of Edinburgh |
| GOVANHILL BATHS COMMUNITY TRUST | Govanhill International Festival & Carnival: Artist Development & Exchange | Multi-Art Form | 72,000 | Glasgow City |
| Take Me Somewhere Festival | Expansive Conditions | Interdisciplinary Performance | 171,000 | Glasgow City, West Lothian |
| ST. MAGNUS FESTIVAL | St Magnus International Festival LIGHT OF THE NORTH | Multi-Art Form | 75,000 | Orkney Islands |
| EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL | EAF EFF 2026-27 | Visual Arts | 180,000 | City of Edinburgh, Glasgow City |
| Edinburgh Jazz And Blues Festival Ltd | Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival – Enhanced International & Creative Programme | Music | 174,000 | City of Edinburgh |
| Edinburgh International Film Festival | Edinburgh International Film Festival – Industry Development | Visual Arts | 189,000 | City of Edinburgh |
| Edinburgh International Book Festival | Scotland to the World (2026) and The Spark (2027) | Literature | 180,000 | City of Edinburgh |
| ARTS DandG | TAM O’ SHANTER: A New Scottish Musical | Multi-Art Form | 128,000 | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Manipulate Arts Ltd | Manipulate Festival International Talent Development Pipeline and Showcase | Theatre | 108,000 | City of Edinburgh, Argyll and Bute |
| Glasgow International (part of Glasgow Life) | Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Art (non-festival year activity) | Visual Arts | 180,000 | Glasgow City, Argyll and Bute, City of Edinburgh |
| THE NATIONAL PIPING CENTRE | Erwan Keravec at Piping Live! 2026 | Music | 138,000 | Glasgow City |
| Scottish Refugee Council | Refugee Festival Scotland: RELATE | Equalities, Diversity, and Inclusion | 95,000 | All of Scotland, Glasgow City, Perth and Kinross, Highland |
| Aberdeen City Council | Spectra Programme Development | Multi-Art Form | 145,000 | Aberdeen City |
| UNIQUE ASSEMBLY Ltd | Edinburgh’s Hogmanay: First Footin’ | Multi-Art Form | 180,000 | City of Edinburgh |
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