Media Release:

Composer Erland Cooper celebrates North Berwick and the Northern Gannet in new music revealed in a sonic ‘NEST’ at Fringe by the Sea

 

• Fringe by the Sea Festival’s new Love of Life (biophilia) programme to showcase new works by some of Scotland’s finest creative talent celebrating the joy of deepening connections with nature and each other

 

• Fringe by the Sea commission composer Erland Cooper and artist Naomi McIntosh to create an immersive experience inviting audiences to reflect on care, community and resilience

 

• Revealed on July 31, the immersive nest designed by Naomi Mcintosh will feature a canopy of sound composed by Erland Cooper, described as a suspended symphonic meditation on air, sea and land

 

Fringe By the Sea, the 10-day multi arts festival in North Berwick, Scotland has revealed their first ever commission as part of the Love of Life programme strand. Emmy nominated composer and multi instrumentalist Erland Cooper has created new music described as a symphonic meditation on North Berwick and the Firth of Forth. 

 

Erland Cooper’s composition Sula Bassana, recorded by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, is a rousing, atmospheric and slow moving landscape with cinematic elements, using the full forces of an 80-piece symphony orchestra, celebrating community, care and the natural world. Working with field recordings captured on the Bass Rock, it sees Erland return to the gannet as a source of inspiration following the success of his debut album Solan Goose. Erland has dedicated the piece to Maggie Sheddan, custodian for the gannets of Bass Rock for over 20 years, on behalf of the Scottish Seabird Centre and the RSPB.

 

Working with Erland is artist Naomi Mcintosh whose biophilic nest structures will hold the space for visitors to slow down, listen closely and deepen their connection with nature. Working with the team at Old School Fabrications, Naomi will combine hand woven flax with wooden structures to create spiral nests each containing elements of the composition. Festival goers are invited to weave their way to each listening space set within a wider ambient sonic tapestry. Situated in a sycamore grove in the main hub on festival grounds, Love of Life is designed to harness the energy of the vibrant festival site and channel it into moments of joy and contemplation. 

 

Filmmaker Lewis Gourlay (Cagoule TV)  is working alongside the composer and artist capturing stunning visuals from Erland and Naomi’s visit to the Bass Rock as well as the surrounding areas. The short film to accompany the composition will be inspired by air, sea and land. It will be premiered on the opening day of the festival, screened at the Scottish Seabird Centre throughout, and can be experienced via a special 360 immersive version in sessions at the festival.

 

With the help of the local community in a mass puppetry promenade led by expert puppeteers Vision Mechanics, gannet numbers are set to increase this summer. A flock of handmade gannets will weave from the Harbourside, through North Berwick and up to the festival hub for The Flock. Led by a stunning giant bird puppet, they are set to arrive in the Big Top for the launch of Love of Life on the 31st of July. There’s opportunities for the local community to join the parade and learn how to make gannet puppets in a series of workshops leading up to the event. 

 

From the air to the ground, Love of Life also welcomes artist Brian d’Souza’s musical collaboration with nature. Plants Can Dance (and Mushrooms Sing) sees Brian (aka DJ Auntie Flo) make music in collaboration with living organisms, like plants and fungi. They produce unique electronic signals and data that, when connected to synthesizers and other equipment, can be converted into sound and music: a process called biosonification. Festival visitors can see and hear biosonification in action every day of the festival and take part in workshops to create music from nature. Plants Can Dance will also host a Deep Listening experience encouraging visitors to immerse themselves in a realtime audio-visual plant soundscape.

 

Off site at Festival Partner Venue, the Scottish Seabird Centre will also host a specially curated exhibition on Love of Life and its connection to the wildlife on our coastline, highlighting the plight of Scotland’s seabirds. Featuring a closer look at the new work by Erland Cooper and an exhibition of images taken as part of the ‘making of’ his composition and a screening of Lewis Gourlay’s accompanying film.

 

Supported by The Scottish Government’s Expanded Festivals Fund through Creative Scotland, Love of Life has been developed in collaboration with Kelburn Garden Party and in 2027 the Love of Life festival hub will take up residence at the Ayrshire based festival. 

In partnership with Scottish Seabird Centre and North Berwick Trust.

 

Speaking ahead of the festival composer Erland Cooper said:

“The Bass Rock is a unique geological island I have long wanted to visit. It’s an iconic landscape and a home to over 100,000 gannets, for thousands of years. It’s been 10 years since my album Solan Goose celebrated the Northern Gannet, so it is a great privilege to return to the ancient home of a bird that started my career as a composer.

 

To me the theme of biophilia links to deep ecology, how we work in partnership with the natural world rather than being separate from it and I think what this festival aims to do is bring community together in celebration and appreciation. Having now spent some time in North Berwick, that sense of community is strong and welcoming. My piece aims to celebrate these things with an overall appreciation and love of life. It has been created to capture the essence of air, sea, land, community and the wonders of the natural world.

 

Music can often help hold the hand of a person, bringing them into a place or headspace, and I really like that Naomi has considered this when creating the Nest. It’s perhaps a place to feel held, and a place where you can take a moment to be suspended in reflection. A place to even wish, dream, hope and let go of feelings into the air, but all within a deep sense of curiosity and wonder. I hope people will just come to contemplate in a place to reflect, think and allow artwork and music hold you.”

Artist Naomi Mcintosh said:

“I adore Erland’s work, it has kept me company in the studio for quite some time so it’s great to have the opportunity to work together. Visiting the Bass Rock with Erland and Lewis, it was an incredible privilege to see these creatures up close and watch them interact. It’s something I think about all the time, that we’re part of the natural world, rather than sort of separate, and that couldn’t have felt more apparent on our visit. 

Within the energy and activity of the festival, I would like the Nest to be a pocket of calm where people can pause, slow down and become immersed in natural materials, sound and atmosphere.

The Nest has been designed to be responsive to the theme of the commission, the specific qualities of the site and the process of listening to Erland’s composition. Rather than being a fixed object, it is a work that continues to evolve through the making process, responding to the atmosphere of the sycamores and the layered nature of the music. Moving the flax thread through the structure and gradually building the form feels like drawing a line in the air. 

Because this drawing exists in three dimensions, my hope is that The Nest shifts and changes with light, movement and occupancy. The combination of sculpture, sound, light and landscape creates an installation that is continually changing and responsive to its environment. This sense of responsiveness is one of the aspects of the commission that excites me most.

I hope visitors experience something of the qualities of nature within the installation – a sense of shelter, stillness and connection. There are playful qualities in exploration and looking for sounds within the space. I hope it encourages people to notice what is around them and to spend time with the work in a contemplative way.”

 

Fringe by the Sea, Festival Director Rory Steel said:

“Fringe by the Sea has always put place and community at the heart of what we do and our programme each year reflects that. Multi-arts festivals like ours allow space for fun and connection whether it’s dancing to our favourite bands, laughing together, exploring together or opening our minds to new ideas from authors and thinkers. Our spectacular coastal location means that every festival is held in collaboration with the natural world and our focus on sustainability rightly reflects that.

 

Love of Life has allowed us to work with leading creatives in Scotland to showcase our love of nature and the benefits of engaging with it. We want people visiting to experience moments of joy, embracing fun and exploration and connection with what’s around you.

 

Working with Erland Naomi, Lewis, Brian and the team at Vision Mechanics alongside our friends at Kelburn Garden Party has shown how creative artists from all disciplines can have a transformative effect and we’re excited to share that with festival goers when we launch the project on our opening day.”

 

Neil Butler, Kelburn Garden Party said:

“We are delighted to welcome  ‘Love of Life’ to The Kelburn Garden Party in 2027 where it will feature as an exciting focus within The Neverending Glen arts programme.  The festival, deeply embedded in the outstanding natural beauty of the Kelburn Glen, is in itself a true celebration of what is to be alive and our connection to the natural world around us.  It has been a pleasure to collaborate with Fringe by the Sea and we look forward to sharing the inspirational work of Erland Cooper, Naomi Mcintosh, Brian d’Souza and Lewis Gourlay with our audience.” 

 

Listings Information

Fringe By The Sea: Love of Life

31 July – 9 August (Launch Big Top 3.30pm – 4pm Friday 31st July where the composed piece and film will be premiered)

Lodge Grounds, 2C East Rd, North Berwick EH39 4HN

https://www.fringebythesea.com/love-of-life/

 

Visit FringebytheSea.com for more information or follow on Instagram at @fringebythesea

 

For further information, interview and image requests please contact Owen O’Leary, on 07815992658 or email owen@owenoleary.com

 

View and download hi res images here: https://app.box.com/s/0a850zg8i6ksqwh663inmw6wlzesjsoc 

 

ENDS>

 

Notes for Editors

 

About Erland Cooper

Erland Cooper is an Emmy nominated, Scottish composer, producer & multi-instrumentalist, originally from the Orkney Islands. As a solo artist, he has released five critically acclaimed studio albums, with multiple companion LPs & EPs, including a trilogy of work inspired by his childhood home, as well as themes of nature, people, place & time. His work often combines field recordings with traditional orchestration & contemporary electronic elements. 

 

He is credited with exploring the concept of psychogeography – connecting identity, memory, and place through music, words and cinematography. He explores these themes further by partnering with other artists, poets and writers in his work and reaching a wider audience with international live performances.

 

Cooper also works across mixed media projects including installation art & film. He’s widely known for burying the only existing copy of the master tape of his first classical album in Scotland, deleting all digital files & leaving only a treasure hunt of clues for fans and his record label alike to search for it. The tape was found, unearthed and released in 2024. The LP became the first planted number 1 album, in collaboration with nature, topping the UK official classical charts.

​

His music is played frequently across BBC3 & BBC6 radio, as well as synced on multiple television and film productions. Along with broadcast premières, his works have now been performed in the concert hall by the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Ensemble. He also tours with his own ensemble, playing piano, electronics and tape machines, performing on prestigious stages globally, and reaching a growing audience of fans who are coming to his music through a combination of his projects, most often inspired by the natural world. erlandcooper.com

 

About Naomi Mcintosh

Naomi Mcintosh is an interdisciplinary artist based in the Cairngorms National Park. She studied Architecture at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, before completing an MA in Design at Central Saint Martins.

 

Naomi is interested in creating objects and installations that capture the intangible qualities of place, working across a range of scales from wearable objects to sculptural and immersive environments. Drawing on her background in both architecture and jewellery, she explores the relationships between body, object and space. At the core of her practice is a desire to capture and share the sanctity of the natural world, investigating the rhythms, atmospheres, life cycles and ephemeral qualities of landscape.

Working primarily with wood, Naomi creates pieces that evoke particular environments and emotional responses to place. Through implied movement and an acute sensitivity to material, her works shift and change, creating objects and spaces that possess a sense of life, resonance and presence.

Her work has been widely exhibited, including Ash Rise at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (2024); Deep Rooted at the City Art Centre, Edinburgh (2023); every somewhere at Make Hauser & Wirth, Bruton (2023); and the London Design Biennale at Somerset House, London (2021).

McIntosh’s work is held in a number of public and private collections, including Grampian Hospitals Art Trust, Historic Environment Scotland, Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums, and The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. naomimcintosh.com

 

About Brian d’Souza

Brian d’Souza is an award-winning sound artist, DJ, music producer and live performer.  His compositions fuse field recording from around the globe with electro-acoustic production techniques to create ‘acoustic ecologies’ that are centred on exploring the psychological and physical benefits of sound. 

 

He currently runs the ‘Plants Can Dance (and Mushrooms Sing)’ event series, which is home his work around the creation of bioelectrical music from living organisms: plants, fungi and humans. He uses data to trigger notes on his specially built modular synthesizer in a process called bionsonification, with the intention of bridging the gap between the natural world and electronic music realm.

 

This work has been commissioned by the likes of Art Angel, National Trust, Het Hem, V&A etc and featured in New Scientist, BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 4, Tate Modern, Rolling Stone, BBC Radio 1 and more. briandsouza.in

 

About Lewis Gourlay (Cagoule TV)

Lewis has a reputation both as respected and creative editor, and a talented motion graphic artist, enabling him to work in each separate discipline or, as is increasingly required, in both simultaneously. 

 

Lewis’s career started at the tender age of 8 with a series of illustrations that appeared in the Hartbeat gallery and were described by none other than Tony Hart as “quite marvellous”. Lewis started creating animations on his Commodore Amiga at 11 and never looked back. A graduate of Duncan Jordanstone College of Art, where he gravitated towards the use of video in fine art practice. He learnt his trade as an editor at facilities in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Vancouver adding motion graphic, vfx and colour work to his repertoire of skills.  Still winning awards nearly twenty five years after the start of his career, Lewis now describes himself as a motion graphic artist and creative editor and director. cagoule.tv

 

About Fringe By the Sea

In 2025, over 103,000 visitors flocked to Fringe by the Sea across 10 incredible days, making it one of Scotland’s most vibrant and diverse festivals. Recognised as the National Winner of the Outstanding Cultural Festival at the 2023 Scottish Thistle Awards, it continues to grow as a must-visit celebration of arts and culture.

Unlike many events that focus solely on headline acts, the festival embraces all forms of art – from music and comedy to literature, theatre, film, and beyond. The festival is a celebration of creativity in all its forms, featuring:

• World-class music – from French duo Air to energetic Mercury Award winners Ezra Collective to legendary Boomtown Rats and Scottish favourites Hamish Hawk and Manran. This year welcomes Alex James, Maribou State and Belle & Sebastian among others.
• Unforgettable dance beats – bouncing beats with Rudimental, Hot Dub Time Machine, Basement Jaxx, Hot Chip and Todd Terry. 
• Engaging conversations – with celebrated personalities Louis Theroux, Kate Adie, Ian Hislop, George Clarke, renowned politician Rory Stewart and beloved Scottish hero Sir Chris Hoy.
• Side-splitting comedy – with household names including Russell Howard, Lou Sanders, and Fred MacAulay.
• Thought-provoking authors – including Maggie O’Farrell, Jenni Fagan and Doug Johnston
• Fantastic family events – featuring CIRCOBELLO, Black Blues Brothers, The Singing Kettle and Kevin Quantum

 

With a mix of stunning venues – from the buzzing Big Top and intimate Lodge Stage to the immersive Film Dome, the Times Lounge and the Kids Zone – there’s a space for every kind of performance and experience.

 

Year after year, Fringe by the Sea continues to evolve, bringing together a diverse mix of artists, audiences, and ideas. Set along Scotland’s beautiful coastline, it offers an inspiring and welcoming space for creativity to thrive. fringebythesea.com

 

About Love of Life (biophilia)

Feel more, feel good and feel your way forwards with some of Scotland’s most innovative creatives through LOVE OF LIFE. Original takes on ‘biophilia’ – our innate desire to connect to nature – will be open for exploration at this year’s Fringe by the Sea. We invite you to delve in, and deepen your connection for our shared future.  Featuring newly commissioned work by Erland Cooper, Naomi Mcintosh, Cagoule TV, Love of Life also presents Brian D’Souza’s Plants Can Dance workshops, and will see further new creative work developed for 2027. Supported by The Scottish Government’s Expanded Festivals Fund through Creative Scotland. In collaboration with Kelburn Garden Party, which will host the new commissions in 2027. With support from Scottish Seabird Centre & North Berwick Trust.

BROUGHT TO THE FESTIVAL BY SUPPORTERS OF THE BEACH WHEELCHAIR COMMUNITY

The organisers of Fringe By The Sea are pleased to announce that there will be a Changing Spaces toilet at this year’s festival, specifically designed for those who need more than a standard accessible toilet.  

This facility has been made possible thanks to the supporters of the Beach Wheelchairs community including Serps Invaders, a Scottish B Corp certified company. Beach Wheelchairs is a Fringe By The Sea charity partner this year; however, the funding for this facility has been raised independently and has not been provided directly by the charity.

The Changing Spaces Toilet facility will be available on site near the main toilet block in the festival hub (to the north of the festival site in North Berwick’s Lodge Grounds). It offers a fully equipped facility with a ceiling track hoist system, privacy curtains, a height-adjustable adult sized changing bench, enough space for two carers and a wheelchair access height washbasin.  The Changing Spaces Toilet will be on site from 31st July to 9th August, open from 10am each day. It will be fully manned and accessible during festival hours.

A comprehensive Accessibility Guide is available online which will include full information on accessible parking and drop-off, festival buggy transport, accessible viewing areas and seating, personal assistant tickets, venue access, assistance dogs and accessible toilets. The page can be found at https://www.fringebythesea.com/accessibility-2/ 

Melanie, Service Coordinator at Beach Wheelchairs, said:

“Myself and the supporters of Beach Wheelchairs are absolutely delighted to have been able to support the effort to bring this Changing Places facility to Fringe by the Sea. It will make a significant difference, helping to make the festival more accessible and inclusive for everyone.

Facilities like this are so important. They remove barriers and give more people the confidence and opportunity to enjoy everything the festival has to offer. We’re incredibly proud that our supporters, we’ve been able to help make this happen. It’s been a real community effort, and we hope this is just the beginning of making events like Fringe by the Sea accessible to everyone.”

 

Rory Steel, director of Fringe By The Sea, said

‘We have always striven to make our festival as accessible as possible, with raised platforms in the two main tents in order to allow viewing music events as good as possible.  With money raised by supporters of the Beach Wheelchairs community the Changing Spaces toilet facility will be a game changer for many who have felt unable to attend Fringe By The Sea in the past’.

Full programme for Fringe By The Sea 2026 can be seen at www.fringebythesea.com

For further information contact

Fiona Duff/ 07710 419762/ fiona@duffpublicity.com

Encounter at Fringe by the Sea is a space in the hub where you can meet the people behind the many wonderful local groups and charities who do brilliant work across our community.

Say hi to them when you’re at the festival (find them near the Streetfood in the North Berwick Trust Hub) and read more about their work below…

North Berwick Day Centre & Reach Out Service	Improves life for older residents through member-led activities that build confidence, fun, well-being & independence. Reach-Out provides carer respite & community support.
Balanced Horizon	Balanced Horizon is a Scottish source-to-sea charity supporting land, coast, and sea through Muir to Forth, Scottish Coastal Clean Up, and Forth Marine Hatchery, restoring habitats, protecting wildlife, and engaging communities.
Bass Rock Community Group	We are a group of volunteers of all ages who simply want to give back to our community. We regularly join with other groups in the town to carry out tasks to keep our town looking beautiful! We organise the Sandcastle competition as part of FBTS.
Carers of East Lothian	Carers of East Lothian (CoEL) support unpaid carers so that they can continue to care for others. Our aims are to support all adults in a caring situation in East Lothian to get information and services to help their individual caring role, enhance their own wellbeing and strengthen their collective voice to improve services.
Coastal Community Connections	CCC aims to have a community where no-one need feel isolated or lonely. We are changing the conversation around death, dying and grief by creating compassion, companionship, and confidence in our community. We connect people to local groups and provide drop in activities such as The Good Grief Cafe/Scone Cafe/ Walking Group and through our activities and events during National Absent Friends Week.
Create, Play Shine	Children of 3 to 11 years step into a magical story circle where wild imaginations bloom, with fun games, eco-art, enchanting tales and creative expression is supported.
East Lothian Police Scotland Youth Volunteers	Young people aged 13-17 who volunteer in the community, building their confidence, leadership, teamwork and community service skills through local projects and events, and policing insight.
Leuchie	Leuchie is the national respite charity giving families a break from the physical and emotional responsibilities of caring for a loved one. We are dedicated to supporting families living with a neurological condition such as MS, MND, Parkinson’s and stroke through short respite breaks and other services. Our expert team work to transform lives by improving health, enabling independence and tacking loneliness.
Muirfield Riding Therapy	Muirfield Riding Therapy is a joyful and inclusive hub providing an extensive range of equine-assisted therapy sessions and opportunities that support and uplift our participants. From riding to groundwork to quiet moments in a calm space, we aim to offer diverse experiences to nurture physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
NB Heritage	Our mission is to ‘conserve, enhance and celebrate North Berwick – its townscape, heritage and setting’. For Fringe by the Sea, we are considering making a Treasure Hunt – fun for all the family, which will encourage folk to explore our fascinating heritage.
North Berwick RFC	We are North Berwick’s rugby club, since 1952. Providing rugby for our amazing community – from P1 to adults! To provide a safe, player centred environment, in which everyone has the opportunity to grow, compete and develop a lifelong love of rugby.
North Berwick Rotary	Works to serve the local community and play.
North Berwick Volunteer Car Scheme (NBVCS)	We find & coordinate local volunteer drivers to support our residents of NB and the surrounding areas who struggle to get to local services.
RNLI	Meet the local team saving lives at sea.
St Columba’s Hospice Care	St Columba’s Hospice Care provides free, flexible, person-centred hospice and palliative care, supporting patients and families across the local community with compassionate, high-quality care tailored to individual needs.

 

	31st July	1st August	2nd August	3rd August	4th August	5th August
10am-1pm	EAST LOTHIAN CLIMATE HUB	NORTH BERWICK ROTARY	NORTH BERWICK COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS	MUIRFIELD RIDING THERAPY	SCOTTISH SEABIRD CENTRE	LEUCHIE HOUSE
2pm-5pm	BALANCED HORIZON	THE DRINKS TRUST	NORTH BERWICK DAY CENTRE	CARERS OF EAST LOTHIAN	CREATE, PLAY, SHINE	GIRL GUIDING
	6th August	7th August	8th August	9th August
10am-1pm	ST COLUMBAS HOSPICE	EAST SPACE	BASS ROCK COMMUNITY GROUP	NB HERITAGE
2pm-5pm	EAST LOTHIAN POLICE SCOTLAND YOUTH VOLUNTEERS	NORTH BERWICK RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB	NORTH BERWICK CAR SHARE  SCHEME	RNLI

FULL PROGRAMME LAUNCHED WITH 300+ EVENTS

NEW: LOU SANDERS, DAVID OLUSOGA, JANE & FI WITH JAN RAVENS, MICHELLE OGUNDEHIN, TINDERBOX WITH SPECIAL GUEST KATHRYN JOSEPH, FRED MACAULAY & GREIG LAIDLAW, GREG HEMPHILL, AUNTIE FLO LIVE BAND, FLOP! THE BEST SONGS FROM THE WORST MUSICALS, THE BLACK BLUES BROTHERS

PLUS: ‘LOVE OF LIFE’ & ERLAND COOPER

AND: MUSIC FILM STRAND WAVELENGTH RETURNS

 The award-winning Fringe By The Sea in North Berwick (31 July – 9 August 2026) will present more than 300 events over 10 days in “Scotland’s Best Seaside Town”  (Daily Telegraph) in this year’s ‘feel-good’ programme.

Tickets for all shows are on sale from 9am on Friday 29th May 2026 at www.fringebythesea.com.

The multi-arts festival offers up top names and globally celebrated acts alongside the best of Scotland, as well as emerging artists, a showcase of local talented creatives and a host of community events. A vibrant free to enter hub (open daily 10am-11pm) in the town’s Lodge Grounds offers live music from The Lighthouse Live stage, kids’ zone, Coulter’s Makers Market, street food, bars and this year, a new restaurant offering – Còmhla by the Sea.  

Also set to feature at this year’s festival is work supported by The Scottish Government’s Expanded Festivals Fund through Creative Scotland. The multi-strand project – LOVE OF LIFE –  in collaboration with Kelburn Garden Party, will see some of Scotland’s most original creatives offer their take on ‘biophilia’ – our innate desire to connect to nature. This will include the presentation of new work from Emmy-nominated, multi instrumentalist Erland Cooper, inviting audiences to ‘feel more, feel good and feel your way forwards’. 

MUSIC

Fringe By The Sea continues to attract big names to the stages with Alex James’ Britpop Classical, Belle & Sebastian, Maribou State, Rudimental (DJ Set), Kool & The Gang, LEVI.SCT, Bay City Rollers, Capercaille, Tinderbox Orchestra with special guest Kathryn Joseph, Rianne Downey, Auntie Flo Live Band, Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5, Bombskare, Philip Contini, Ali Affleck and Fayne & The Cruisers.

COMEDY

Bringing laughter to East Lothian will be Lou Sanders, Russell Howard, Marjolein Robertson, Fred MacAulay, Greg Hemphill and Corbett’s Comedy Cabaret as well as Flop! The Best Songs from the Worst Musicals.

CONVERSATION

The ever-popular in conversation events continue with Louis Theroux, Ian Hislop, Sarra Hoy, Ben Fogle, Michelle Ogundehin, David Olusoga, Off Air with Jane & Fi and guest Jan Ravens, Greig Laidlaw, Hannah Lavery & Michael Pedersen and Gardening Question Time.

BOOKS

Book worms will be welcoming Maggie O’Farrell, Joseph Coelho, Jenni Fagan, Doug Johnstone, Alastair Chisholm and Morag Hood.

FAMILY

Fringe By The Sea caters for all ages with MASSAOKE: Sing the Movies, The Black Blues Brothers, Big Top Ceilidh with The Jacobites, Edinburgh’s Circobello, Artie’s Singing Kettle, Comedy Club 4 Kids, Fischy Music, Monski Mouse, Kevin Quantum, Mr Boom, Circus Skills Workshop, Hansel & Gretel and Musical Mill Theatre.

WAVELENGTH

Last year’s film festival within a festival is back, supported by Screen Scotland, with screenings, director chats and film-panel-gigs including: Belle & Sebastian On Film, Scottish film director and writer Grant McPhee plus screenings of Pauline Black: A 2 Tone Story, God Help The Girl, Recomposing Earth, Teenage Superstars and The Herring Queen and performances by Adrian Leung – Drexler and Justyna Jablonska, Unforeseen. 

DISCOVER/MAKE/WELLBEING

During the days of the festival there will be many workshops and masterclasses, from cocktail making to wicker weaving and underwater drawing.  

Festival Director, Rory Steel said “Our 2026 programme is as eclectic as ever and packed with ‘feel-good’. Whether you want to dance, laugh, make, sing or reflect – it’s all happening here in North Berwick this summer and we look forward to welcoming visitors for a magical ten days. 

“Having secured funding from Creative Scotland, we are excited to present a new strand of work in addition to our usual programme, offering even more for audiences to delve into this summer as leading artists including Erland Cooper offer their take on LOVE OF LIFE.”

As a not-for-profit festival rooted in its community, Fringe by the Sea is proud to collaborate with partners who enhance the visitor experience while supporting local enterprise and sustainable practices.

Master Partners include: Magners Irish Cider, The Times  & The Sunday Times Scotland and North Berwick Trust. Community partners include The Famous Grouse, Scotland’s number one whisky, alongside Monkey Shoulder, Drambuie and De Kuyper who are part of the independent, family-owned distiller William Grant & Sons. The Lighthouse, the co -working and office space in North Berwick, presenting The Lighthouse Live stage, and Coulters Property, supporting the Makers Market.

A full list of presenting partners can be found at www.fringebythesea.com 

ENDS

Notes to editors: 

Fringe by the Sea is an award-winning, 10-day multi-arts celebration that transforms the seaside town of North Berwick every summer. 

Tickets for all shows are on sale from 9am on Friday 29th May 2026 at www.fringebythesea.com.

In 2025, the festival drew over 100,000 visitors to its stunning coastal setting, staged more than 300  events with an eclectic mix of local and international stars, launched its new film strand Wavelength, and delivered an economic boost of over £11 million to the region.

This year, for the first time, festival-goers will have the option of booking reliable, direct late-night buses home from Fringe by the Sea to destinations across East Lothian, Edinburgh and Glasgow, planned around major headline shows and delivered in partnership with Happy Bus. Regular train and bus connections run throughout the festival  including an extra late night ScotRail service returning to Edinburgh and extra bus services.  

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow Creative Scotland on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

For further information contact: Fiona Duff fiona@duffpublicity.com  07710 419762        www.fringebythesea.com Link to FBTS Media Pack is MEDIA IMAGES 2026

RUSSELL HOWARD, MAGGIE O’FARRELL, JOSEPH COELHO, KEVIN QUANTUM, PAUL JONES & DAVE KELLY, MICHAEL PEDERSEN & HANNAH LAVERY, MARJOLEIN ROBERTSON AND MASSAOKE PLUS NEW BUS SERVICES TO KEY DESTINATIONS

The award-winning Fringe By The Sea in North Berwick (31 July – 9 August) continues to expand this year’s programme with something for everyone. Tickets for new music, comedy, books and family shows are on sale from 9am on Thursday 7 May 2026 at www.fringebythesea.com.

One of the UK’s most successful stand-up comedians Russell Howard is also known for presenting his own television shows and appearing on Mock The Week 8 Out of 10 Cats, Would I Lie to You? and Live at the Apollo. His act has been described as “silliness laced with seriousness in a trademark energetic performance”.

North Berwick cannot boast of many Oscar nominees born in the town but earlier this year MaggieO’Farrell became one for screenplay for her novel Hamnet. Her debut, After You’d Gone, waspublished 25 years ago and won the Betty Trask Prize in 2001. Her 2010 book, The Hand That First Held Mine won the Costa Award, and Hamnet, her story about the death of Shakespear’s son, won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction. O’Farrell’s latest book is published in June 2026.

Joseph Coelho OBE is a British poet and children’s book author who was Children’s Laureate from 2022to 2024. In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. In 2024, he was announced the winner of the Carnegie Medal for his novel The Boy Lost in the Maze. All Poems Aloud, published last year is a collection of funny, silly, and thought-provoking poems designed to be read aloud.

Prepare to believe the unbelievable with Kevin Quantum, award-winning Scottish magician, scientist, and former Britain’s Got Talent contestant known for blending physics with illusion. Trained by LasVegas based Penn & Teller, he creates magic featuring dangerous, science-based stunts like harmonic pendulums and Tesla coils.

Shetland’s award-winning performer Marjolein Robertson brings an unforgettable hour of stand-up and folktales, blending sharp comedy with spellbinding storytelling. Nominated for Channel 4’s SeanLock Comedy Award and The Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award, Marjolein expertly weaves comedy and folklore to share her own personal stories. Officially ranked one of the best-reviewed Fringe shows of its year, this is a show about the body and a health condition which, left unspoken about for years, was almost fatal. Not for the faint hearted, with nine audience members fainting and another eighteen walkouts during its Edinburgh Fringe run. However this is not gore for gore’s sake.This show has the potential to save lives. Also: JOKES. ‘Phenomenal’ ***** (List)

Join acclaimed Scottish novelist and poet Jenni Fagan for an in-depth conversation about here electrifying fifth novel, The Delusions. Winner of the Gordon Burn Prize and named one of Granta’s Best Young British Novelists, Fagan is celebrated for her fierce originality and visionary, lyrical storytelling.Praised by writers including Ali Smith, Jackie Kay and Douglas Stuart, she continues to push the boundaries of contemporary fiction.

Also appearing will be award-winning poet and playwright Hannah Lavery and Edinburgh Makar Michael Pedersen for a rich conversation about friendship, connection and the communities that shapeus. Hannah Lavery, former Edinburgh Makar and Associate Artist with the National Theatre of Scotland, is known for her incisive, socially engaged work across poetry and theatre. Her acclaimed collections Blood Salt Spring and Unwritten Woman have established her as a vital voice exploring identity, care and belonging, with a new collection, Everything, Everyday, forthcoming in 2026. Michael Pedersen is a prize-winning poet, author and current Edinburgh Makar. His poetry collection The Cat Prince won Best Poetry at the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards, while his memoir Boy Friends was a Sunday TimesCritics’ Choice. His debut novel Muckle Flugga has been praised as “garishly alive” and “extraordinary”.

Founder members of The Blues Band, Paul Jones and Dave Kelly’s tangled and colourful roots go wayback into the true undergrowth of the blues tradition. As well as their own original material, they not only know and perform the work of the greats, ranging from Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker through to Sonny Boy Williamson – with whom they have both played. After over a quarter century as presenter of his BBC Radio 2 R&B show, as a thrilling singer and harmonica maestro, what Paul Jones doesn’t know about the blues can be written on a pinhead.

Massaoke Movies is a high-energy live band sing-along experience featuring giant screens with lyrics and movie clips. Audiences are encouraged to dress up and belt out hits from popular films and musicals, including Mamma Mia!, The Greatest Showman, Frozen, and Dirty Dancing.

Announced so far features a powerful mix of global icons, cultural trailblazers and feel-good festival favourites, including soul legends Kool & The Gang, Scottish indie-pop icons Belle &Sebastian, acclaimed documentary-maker Louis Theroux, music from Rudimental DJ Set, Alex James’ Britpop Classical, Maribou State, Levi.Sct, Bay City Rollers and Rianne Downey, Have IGot News for you panellist Ian Hislop, adventurer Ben Fogle, the cream of Scottish tradCapercaillie and party-starters Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5.

For the first time since the festival was launched in 2008, FBTS will launch ahead of theEdinburgh Festival Fringe offering five days of clash-free events before the world’s biggest arts festival in Scotland’s capital.The Skinny magazine said about Fringe by the Sea: ‘it isn’t chasing trends or viral moments and that’s what makes it brilliant’.
In 2025, an independent Economic Impact Report by MKA Economics showed a record-breaking £11 million boost for East Lothian’s local economy was generated through Fringe by the Sea, from over 103,000 visitors – a rise of 20% on 2024.

ADDITIONAL BUS SERVICE 

For the first time, festival-goers will have the option of booking reliable, direct late-night buses home from Fringe by the Sea to destinations across East Lothian, Edinburgh and Glasgow, planned around major headline shows and delivered in partnership with Happy Bus.

All services depart from St Baldred’s Road, North Berwick at 11:20pm on specific dates, and run to key destinations:

Single-Journey Routes

• North Berwick ➜ Haddington – £12 + booking fee

• North Berwick ➜ Dunbar – £13 + booking fee

• North Berwick ➜ Edinburgh (via Longniddry & Prestonpans) – £14 + booking fee

Glasgow Return Service

• Glasgow ➜ North Berwick ➜ Glasgow. Departs Glasgow 4pm, returns at 11:20pm
  £36 return + booking fee. With stops in North Lanarkshire & Livingston.

Routes will run only where bookings are confirmed – so festival-goers are encouraged to book early.

About Fringe by the Sea

Fringe by the Sea is an independent arts festival taking place in the scenic seaside town of North Berwick between 31st July and 9th August, with over 300 music, comedy, book, family, film and wellbeing events. Easy to reach in around 30 minutes from Edinburgh by train, the festival also offers a vibrant, free to access hub in the Lodge Grounds with street food, maker’s market, kids’ zone and live music. 

ENDS

For further information contact: Fiona Duff fiona@duffpublicity.com  07710 419762 www.fringebythesea.com Link to FBTS Media Pack is Media Pack 2026 

We’ve Taken the Vision 2030 Climate Pledge for a Sustainable UK Live Events Industry

This Earth Day, we are proud to announce that we have signed the Vision 2030 Climate Pledge. We are joining a collective movement working towards a 50% reduction in the UK live event industry’s emissions by 2030.

Our commitment to action:

We have committed to working towards 30 practical climate actions—as outlined in the recently published Show Must Go On report—to help drive the transition toward a more sustainable sector. These measures span event energy, travel and transport, waste and materials, and food and drink.

The future of live events depends on the actions we take today. We encourage our fellow event organisers to join us in this movement.

Join us and take the Vision 2030 Climate Pledge | Check out the Climate Actions Checklist

https://bit.ly/VisionPledge2030