We’re thrilled to announce that Edinburgh Deaf Festival will be returning in August 2024 as planned.

Despite being refused funding which put the festival at risk, our commitment to promoting deaf arts in Scotland is unwavering. We are continuing to campaign for more support to safeguard the future of Scotland’s only deaf festival.  

We’re pleased to be bringing the festival back from 9 – 18 August 2024, however these budget restrictions mean we will be making some changes to the festival format. This year, we will be hosting two weekends packed with captivating performances and activities, while the weekdays will feature more community and social events. Imagine engaging pub quizzes, tours, and the ever-popular deaf karaoke, among other exciting activities midweek. This also allows us to create a ‘deaf hub’ during the festival period, which will enhance the festival experience. 

Whilst our programme may look slightly different this year, we promise the festival will be every bit as vibrant and engaging as ever before. 

Huge thanks to everyone who supported our campaign. Your letters, messages of encouragement, and generous donations have played a pivotal role in ensuring Edinburgh Deaf Festival continues. Special thanks go to our Festival Ambassador, Nadia Nadarajah for her fundraising efforts. We’re grateful to everyone who donated to this campaign – your support means we can continue to make the arts more accessible to deaf people.  

The full programme will be released this summer, and we can’t wait to share this year’s events and performances with you. Sign up to our newsletter for updates.

Want to take part in this year’s festival?

Applications are now open to be part of Edinburgh Deaf Festival. Whilst we may not be in a position to directly fund performers and artists as we have in the past, we invite self-funded artists to step forward and be part of our festival. You can apply here.