The Traverse Theatre hosts two exciting industry-facing events as part of its Travfest25 programme this August, bringing together artists, academics, and audiences to look into what the future may hold for Scottish theatre.
These Monday discussions and readings will bring together leading playwrights, academic voices, and industry experts to explore critical themes shaping the future of arts and culture in Scotland and beyond.
On Monday 11 Augusta panel event on playwrighting, delivered in partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s Institute of the Advanced Study of Humanities programme (IASH).
Chaired by Fergus Morgan, The Stage’s Scotland Correspondent and freelance theatre critic, the Scottish Writers Community panel will discuss the shape of contemporary playwrighting in Scotland, and the burning issues that writers can uniquely address on-stage. Fergus is joined by Gareth Nicholls, the Traverse Theatre’s Artistic Director and a number of the IASH x Traverse Theatre fellows past and present - Isla Cowan (2024) Michael John O’Neill (2025) and Apphia Campbell (2021).
The event will also feature an exclusive first reading of Michael John O’Neill’s work-in-progress play Headland, a result of his 2025 IASH fellowship.
On Monday 18 August, Traverse Theatre and Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland collaborate on their annual event that looks to Scottish theatre’s past to offer a guide for its future. Industry figures will gather to discuss perspectives and insights.
The Traverse Theatre Festival for 2025 runs until Sunday 24 August, featuring 12 productions and 10 premieres, giving audiences the chance to be among the first to see some of the most ground-breaking, quality new theatre in Edinburgh this month.