A very merry festive season from us to you.

On behalf of all the venues at Culture Edinburgh, we would like to wish you all a very merry festive season and a happy New Year.

It's been quite a year for us. We welcomed approximately 300,000 people through the doors of our cultural venues, an increase of nearly 10% from last year. If that was you, thank you - it means the world.

A wide variety of performers joined us in the Usher Hall, from rock 'n' roll legends like Robert Plant and Bonnie Raitt, indie powerhouses like Lucy Dacus and Rufus Wainwright, and epic bands like The Teskey Brothers and The Flaming Lips. It was also a real treat to see homegrown talent like Hamish Hawk and Capercaillie take to the stage. Our partners at Edinburgh International Festival brought world-class performances in classical music and dance, and our national orchestras, the RSNO, BBC SSO and SCO, populated our cultural calendar with fantastic performances of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and beyond.

Over at the Assembly Rooms, The Traitors star and historian David Olusoga, feminist activist Malala Yousafzai and poet Donna Ashworth offered hugely inspiring talks. Family fun was has had with Andy and the Odd Socks and Dino Tales. Another successful Edinburgh Festival Fringe also took place, which will continue next August and onwards until 2032.

The City Art Centre featured major exhibitions like Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture, showcasing historic and contemporary portraits, and Out of Chaos: Post-War Scottish Art 1945-2000, examining art after the war, with both running into 2026; plus their current show Michael Fullerton, offering a broad look at the artist's work.

But this is just scratching the surface. Behind every performance, exhibition and event is a dedicated team working year-round to care for our museums, galleries, monuments and venues, ensuring they remain welcoming, inspiring spaces for everyone. we wouldn't be where we are without them.

As we look ahead, 2026 promises to be another exciting year with new exhibitions, bold programming, returning festivals and unforgettable moments still to come. We remain committed to championing local talent, welcoming world-class artists, and creating cultural experiences that bring people together from across the city and beyond.

On that note, we wish you a restful and restorative festive break. Thank you for being part of our year, and we look forward to welcoming you back through our doors in 2026.