Various locations across Edinburgh
Taking place at various venues across Edinburgh, The Pomegranates Festival celebrates Scottish traditional dance alongside world traditional dance practised by New Scots and cultural migrant communities across Scotland.
Running from 25 to 30 April 2025 the festival includes exhibitions, ceilidhs, workshops, walking tours and talks.
This year’s theme is masks. Festival-goers are invited to experience the power of masks used in different traditions, and reflect on the significance, beauty and mystery of masks and mask-making in traditional dance from antiquity to modern days.
Hip-hop dance theatre artist, choreographer and dancer Jonzi D returns as this year’s choreographer-in-residence. He will be working with traditional dance artists based in Scotland to create this year’s masked festival finale Hidden Faces.
Other highlights include:
- The premiere sharing of not for glory – a new dance-theatre performance of bodies and bagpipes.
- The premiere sharing of Sequins – a new hip hop dance theatre solo show.
- An evening of poetry, dance and discussion focusing on Intangible Cultural Heritage and its relationship with Scottish traditional dance.
- An exhibition of masks by Festival artist-in-residence Lorraine Pritchard – an Edinburgh-based mask maker, costume-designer and fashion model.
- Walking tours led by dance historians about the role of women in traditional dance past and present, with focus on the role of Mary, Queen of Scots.
All festival events are presented on a free or affordable ‘pay what you can‘ basis.
Further details and the festival’s full programme are available on The Pomegranates Festival.
