We are pleased to announce our partnership with Edinburgh International Festival as it embarks on a refreshed approach to its Opening Event in 2024.
The Macallan and the Edinburgh International Festival are two global brands. Each synonymous with Scotland’s national identity. Each rooted in people and place but with arms wide open to the world. The convergence of which presents an opportunity to create new brand narratives, explore other realms and uncover new truths. Together, we will invite audiences on a journey of discovery. Together – we will achieve something extraordinary.
Every August, Scotland's capital city becomes a global celebration of the performing arts, dance, opera, music and theatre at the Edinburgh International Festival.
The Opening Event: Where to Begin draws upon our combined commitment to creativity and excellence that lies within our shared Scottish identity. One of the most anticipated moments of the International Festival, it is a creative catalyst and calling card to the world that celebrates our global creative ingenuity. For audiences new and existing, it is a gateway to another world, the start of a journey as opposed to the destination, and the beginnings of a relationship that will endure way beyond the festival itself.
Watch the highlights from this year's Opening Event: Where to Begin.
Building a Partnership with Purpose
Shared Values
Our partnership with Edinburgh International Festival is rooted in our shared heritage, creativity and global reach, and is firmly anchored in Scotland.
The thread that binds us, creating the warp and weft of our partnership, is anchored in our shared values and purpose. We have a collective understanding of the innate human value of heritage, craftsmanship, tradition, creativity, the continuum of innovation and deep reverence of the symbiotic relationship between past, present and future.
At a time when the human need to connect and reconnect with people and planet is incredibly palpable, when audiences are seeking out more meaningful and authentic experiences – ours will be a creative union that responds to this need.
"This year, we've invited everyone to participate in our 2024 theme, Rituals That Unite Us. Opening Event: Where to Begin in partnership with The Macallan, marks the first of a new ritual, both for our Festival and the city.
We know audiences will be blown away by this spectacle, and we're proud to show the formidable creative power and potential of Edinburgh and its people to the world. It's an event that beckons us to find new ways to experience and appreciate our city."
Nicola Benedetti
Edinburgh International Festival Director
Origins of The International Festival
The original festival. The one that started it all in 1947, the igniting spark which established Edinburgh as the world’s Festival City.
Over the last 76 years the International Festival has flourished, deepening their commitment to artistic excellence and cultural curiosity. Meanwhile, sister festivals have grown up around them, each of them contributing to the atmosphere of unparalleled excitement that transforms Edinburgh every summer.
Opening Event: Where to begin
To ignite the festival season, Scotland’s heritage and mythology converge in a hypnotic experience, transforming an iconic Edinburgh location into the epicentre of creative power. Gather with us to discover and share in a new ritual, hear a new myth, and play your part in summoning up the festival spirit that courses through the city every August.
As the sun sets, George Heriot’s grounds come alive with the flicker of flames. Be guided through by the artisans as they feed the fires and raise a toast. Then, witness the story of a hidden world, buried deep in the vaults and tunnels beneath our feet.
Presented by the Edinburgh International Festival and created by Pinwheel, Opening Event: Where to Begin blends immersive installation, performance, spectacular video projection and captivating storytelling. We invite audiences to step into a transcendent realm that explores our past, present and future, inspired by Scotland's history, mythology and landscape.
This event has now passed.
Edinburgh International Festival
The world is welcomed to Edinburgh to experience a hand-picked programme of the finest performers in dance, opera, music and theatre. Through their artistry they create space for reflection and reconciliation, debate and celebration, bringing people of different cultures and viewpoints together.
The Vision
The vision is simple: to provide the deepest experience of the highest quality art for the broadest possible audience.
You can subscribe to the Edinburgh International Festival Newsletter to stay in touch with their activities and events they do all year round.