Two of Scotland’s most dynamic festivals are joining forces to create ambitious new work at the intersection of literature and music. The Edinburgh International Book Festival and Celtic Connections have announced a multi-year partnership spanning 2025–2027, featuring a series of original commissions that celebrate Scottish creativity, reach new audiences, create opportunities for Scottish artists, and explore the possibilities of cross-disciplinary art.
A major highlight of the partnership will be the world premiere of The Golden Road at Celtic Connections 2026, inspired by William Dalrymple’s award-winning book. After its Glasgow debut, the work will return in an expanded form for a landmark performance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August 2026. This journey from Celtic Connections to the Book Festival allows the project to evolve, offering audiences a fresh and ambitious reimagining at each stage.
Dalrymple will appear at the Citizens Theatre on 31 January alongside India Alba, a collective of Indian and Scottish musicians whose fusion of Indian classical and Scottish traditional backgrounds has created a unique exploration of world culture. Their debut album Reels and Ragas (2009) and follow‑up High Beyond (recorded in the Himalayas) revealed striking resonances between raga gats and Highland melodies, with the drone sounds of bagpipes and tampura forming a shared musical language.
For Celtic Connections 2026, India Alba will be joined by renowned cellist Su‑a Lee, guitarists Ali Hutton and Graeme Stephen, and further guests to be announced.
Sharat Chandra Srivastava (violin) brings over 35 years of performance experience
Sharat Chandra Srivastava (violin) brings over 35 years of performance experience, rooted in the Senia Gharana tradition and enriched by collaborations with Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia.
Gyan Singh (tabla) is an accomplished Hindustani classical musician, trained under Ustad Abdullah Khan, Ustad Faiyaz Khan and Pt. Suresh Talwarkar.
Ross Ainslie, described by The Scotsman as “Scotland’s most sought‑after piper,” is a prolific composer and collaborator, performing with Treacherous Orchestra, Salsa Celtica and India Alba.
Rhymes and Reels
Alongside the headline commission, audiences can enjoy Rhymes and Reels on 27 January at the Mackintosh Church in Glasgow. This special performance will revive two EIBF‑commissioned works and premiere a new Celtic Connections collaboration.
Harpist Esther Swift presents her musical settings of Jackie Kay’s poetry, with Kay herself reading from The Heartstrings of Poetry, commissioned by EIBF and first premiered at the 2025 festival.
Another EIBF commission, award‑winning poet and novelist Angus Peter Campbell appears with his daughter Brìghde Chaimbeul, blending readings in English and Gaelic with accompaniment from small pipes.
Former National Poet of Scotland Liz Lochhead collaborates with renowned Highland fiddler Duncan Chisholm in a brand‑new Celtic Connections commission.
Jenny Niven, Director, Edinburgh International Book Festival: “We’re delighted to embark on this multi‑year partnership with Celtic Connections, uniting two of Scotland’s most dynamic festivals in a celebration of creativity and collaboration. This new era for the Book Festival is about opening doors—bringing together writers, musicians, and audiences in ways that spark new ideas and reach further into our communities. Our recent Thistle Award win is a testament to the power of innovation and partnership, and we look forward to building on that momentum as we explore the rich intersections of Scottish literature and music together.”
Donald Shaw, Creative Producer, Celtic Connections: “Celtic Connections has always been about forging new paths and bringing artists together across genres and traditions. We’reincredibly excited to be partnering with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, allowing us to celebrate the stories, sounds, and voices that make Scotland’s cultural scene so vibrant. By working together, we’re creating space for ambitious new work and for audiences to experience the magic that happens when music and words meet on equal terms.”
Background
The collaboration builds on the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s track record of commissioning and supporting cross‑disciplinary work. Recent highlights include the acclaimed Hamish Hawk project Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 0, a lyrical homage to poet‑eccentric Ivor Cutler that blends Cutler’s original works with new stories and songs – the festival’s first ever record release, which started its life at sold‑out events in August 2025. The festival has also created the innovative 2024 Perambulations of a Justified Sinner Experience, an immersive audio‑visual walk through Edinburgh’s Old Town.
These projects exemplify the festival’s commitment to reimagining literary heritage for contemporary audiences and fostering creative partnerships across art forms.
Expo funding has been secured for elements of the programme, demonstrating the strategic value of collaboration across Scotland’s cultural sector and the commitment to supporting writers and musicians in developing new work that deepens engagement with communities and reaches wider audiences.