Festival season should have been upon us in Edinburgh, but it's not all doom and gloom, as COVID-19 has not dimmed the creativity of artists, nor the enthusiasm of all the people who make Edinburgh's festivals.
Edinburgh International Festival has unveiled My Light Shines On, a series of video works, where artists returned to the venues they love to make theatre together, play music together, sing together and dance together for the first time since lockdown began.
Through a series of digital commissions, the Edinburgh International Festival is partnering with Scottish artists and national arts companies, spanning the worlds of theatre, music and dance. Together, they have filmed original performances in venues including the Edinburgh Festival Theatre, The King's Theatre, Leith Theatre, The Hub, Usher Hall and The Queen's Hall.
The films, which premiered on Edinburgh International Festival's YouTube channel on Saturday 8 August, include National Theatre of Scotland, Scottish Opera, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
The team at Carat Edinburgh supported the campaign on YouTube, plus Paid Social and PPC, whilst also launching a DOOH campaign, focusing on the people that have made the festival happen.
My Light Shines On also featured an outdoor light installation in which Edinburgh's festival venues, including the Usher Hall, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Bristo Square and the Castle Esplanade, were illuminated by hundreds of beams of light, reaching up into the night sky. Each venue was also lit from within by glowing lanterns, which shine and pulse behind closed doors, celebrating the people and artists who play a key role in the festival community.
A one-hour gala film hosted by journalist and TV presenter Kirsty Wark and cellist Su-a Lee also previewed the My Light Shines On activity. This specially commissioned production was premiered on BBC Scotland TV and the International Festival's YouTube channel to mark what would have been the opening of the 2020 festival. The film features famous faces from festivals across the years, collaborations with Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Book Festival and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, showcasing Edinburgh role as the Festival City.
Head over to the Edinburgh International Festival YouTube channel to watch the video series and watch the one-hour gala film here.