Festival of Politics 2025

Visit our homepage for the full Festival programme.

A PDF version is also available:

Festival of Politics Programme 2025 (17MB, pdf) posted 12 June 2025

Views expressed during the Festival of Politics are not necessarily those of the Scottish Parliament or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

Join us in the lively FREE Festival Café Bar for a programme of choirs, exhibitions and robots as part of the free entertainment.

Wednesday 20 August

12.20pm

Choir 21 is a celebration of the potential of the Down’s Syndrome community and the joy they can create through performing and sharing their love of music and signing. 

Choir 21 developed out of the pandemic in August 2020 as a way for young people to tackle social isolation, by taking part in a weekly activity that many of the Down’s Syndrome community especially love – singing! We also know that Makaton is hugely beneficial for communication and many of the Down’s Syndrome community use it to aid their communication. Choir 21 was developed by Katy Lironi, ABC Lead and Makaton tutor.

Since their inaugural performance in 2023, Choir 21 has performed at the Paisley Book Festival and this year’s Chelsea Flower Show in London to celebrate the Down’s Syndrome Scotland Garden. The Bluebells are Choir 21 patrons and supported the Choir to write their own Chelsea Anthem, which they will be performing at Holyrood.

4.50pm

Dancing since the age of four, Rajani has taken her passion from local stages to the world stage — including performing and training dancers for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2015. She has also taken part in, and won, two dance reality shows in India. Now teaching Indian dance at Dance Base, she brings infectious energy to every class, workshop, and performance, inspiring communities to move, smile, and celebrate the rich diversity of India through dance.

Friday 22 August

12pm

Fife’s Ukulele Orchestra was formed in Burntisland in 2011 as a community group founded to bring musical fun to the people of Fife. They have been doing just that with smiles and gusto ever since. Their music is wide ranging, playing early favourites through to songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s to the present day, and also some traditional Scottish tunes.

The Orchestra has performed at the Royal Highland Show as well as to a range of Fife Community Groups and we will be returning to the Festival of Politics for 2025.

1.55pm

Edinburgh's Earth-In-Common Climate Choir is led by Deborah Shaw. The choir was formed in 2023 on Leith Community Croft, offering members an opportunity to address environmental and climate issues and celebrate nature through song. They meet weekly in Leith, singing songs for change and songs of joy, and perform at local climate events and festivals.

4.10pm

Chinese Arts Association dancers

• All tickets can be booked online via our ticketing partner, Citizen Ticket
• After checkout is complete, you'll receive an email with a link to your 'ticket wallet', as well as a QR code. This is where all your digital tickets are saved. There's no need to access this page unless you need to transfer tickets to somebody else. Simply keep your QR code handy, and ensure our staff can scan it from your mobile phone screen on the day of your visit. You will use this one QR code for all your Festival events
• Concession tickets are available to children aged 5 to 16, Young Scot card holders, people aged 60 and over, students, unemployed people and disabled people
• All tickets can be booked online and will be available to buy up to one hour before each event
• If you are unable to book online please contact Public Information on info@parliament.scot / 0131 348 5000 who will assist you. The advertised price of tickets is the same whether booked online or in person
• A limited number of tickets can be booked in person on the day at the Ticket Desk in the Festival Café Bar. Arrival at least 30 minutes prior to the event starting is advised
• The Festival Café Bar and all exhibitions are free to access and unticketed
• We reserve the right to change or cancel any event
• We cannot offer refunds or exchanges unless an event is cancelled

The crèche will be open on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 August between 10am and 6pm for anyone who wishes to book a place.

Please contact 0131 348 6192 or email creche@parliament.scot

The National Robotarium

Find out more about human-robot interaction through this exhibition from the UK’s centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence based at the Edinburgh campus of Heriot-Watt University and meet one of their robotic innovations.

Visualising the Scottish Parliament

Robert Gordon University present their 3D digital representation work, featuring the architecture of the Scottish Parliament and Debating Chamber.

Give me some credit!

This powerful photographic exhibition highlights the impact on families when affordable credit is denied, as curated by The Poverty Alliance and Fair by Design.

We have a range books on sale, covering some of the topics covered by the Festival, including some authored by our panellists. Book signings will take place throughout the Festival.

You can also preorder your books via our online shop, and pick them up when you arrive. More information to follow.

Visit our online shop and get 10% off everything everything in the Festival of Politics collection!

Other activities at the Parliament

Find our more about tours, talks and visits on offer at the Parliament

Planning your visit

For parking information, opening times, and our security measures, see our page on planning your visit

Accessibility

Find out about the Scottish Parliament's accessibility features and services

Thank you to all our Festival partners:

• BBC Scotland
• COSLA
• Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights
• Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow
• The David Hume Institute
• Information Commissioner for Scotland
• John Smith Centre
• University of Aberdeen
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Stirling
• University of Strathclyde
• University of St Andrews
• University of the West of Scotland
• Scottish Care
• Scottish Council on Global Affairs
• Scotland’s Futures Forum
• Scottish Youth Film Foundation
• The National Robotarium  

You can phone Public Information on 0800 092 7500 / 0131 348 5000 or email us on info@parliament.scot or festivalofpolitics@parliament.scot.