Imaginate is the national organisation in Scotland, which develops, celebrates and presents theatre and dance for children and young people.

We want more children in Scotland to experience work that is deeply engaging, innovative and inspiring. We believe and uphold that it is every child's right to develop their creativity, emotional intelligence and reach their true potential. Our vision is driven by the belief that inspiring our young people is essential not only to their individual development but to the development of Scotland, its economy and its place in the world.

We strive to achieve this ambition through the delivery of:

A world-class festival of theatre and dance for children

The Edinburgh International Children’s Festival is an annual celebration of exceptional Scottish and international theatre and dance for young audiences, with a focus on performances that are deeply engaging, innovative and inspiring. The Festival is attended by 15,000 children, their teachers and families, as well as artists and professionals from all over the world. 

Support and opportunities for artists

We want more high-quality children’s work made in Scotland, and so support artists with a year-round programme of creative development. This programme nurtures, supports and encourages artistic excellence by offering a range of opportunities to Scottish-based artists and freelancers, including (but not limited to) residencies, workshops, mentoring, professional development programmes and international projects.

A Schools and Communities Programme

A year-round programme working with schools and communities to inspire children and teachers through live performance, including long term artist-led projects and residencies. The schools programme also includes Theatre in Schools Scotland (TiSS), a national touring programme in partnership with National Theatre of Scotland, which brings high-quality performances specially designed for school settings.

For more details on Imaginate's work and ambitions, you can:

Imaginate Company no. SC115855 – Scottish Charity no. SC016437

We are a Living Wage employer

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