Wed 28 Mar 2007

Bad boys of ballet, myths and legends, what does classical music look like and the opportunity to grill Festival artists on what makes them tick make up the Edinburgh International Festival's educational and outreach events.

The award-winning Programme Development Department of the Festival continues to bring international artists and companies together with children, adults, arts professionals, and Festival audiences in Edinburgh and across Scotland.

Scottish Ballet Dance Project. Spending entire days with pupils in secondary schools in Edinburgh allows the Scottish Ballet education specialists to create intensely rewarding relationships with the 12 and 13 years olds and 16 and 17 year olds they work with in this special Festival project. The focus is on the work of Stephen Petronio and Ashley Page, both bad boys and dance rebels of the UK and the United States. The younger pupils take part in workshops while the older pupils undertake an analysis of dance as observers. All students taking part are invited to Scottish Ballet's performances at the Festival.

The Festival is investing in the education work of Scottish Ballet to extend their outreach and develop new relationships with Edinburgh schools.

Workshops 'Looking at Myth'. The Festival will work with 17 year olds in schools to delve deep into the meaning of myth in theatre and writing, and the roles of archetypes in the telling of stories. Pupils explore the Festival programme through the layers of myth and around iconic figures and then come along to a Festival event of their choosing to experience these stories in live performance.

Bank of Scotland Connecting To Music. The Festivals' flagship, year round, education programme reflects the music appearing in Festival 2007. Each year the project reaches 1000 pupils in 36 schools exploring classical music and listening skills. The children are then encouraged to create visual pictures of their connection to the music.

The Edinburgh International Festival and The Herald newspaper continue to work together on Young Critics, introducing school students to the process of arts criticism. The project culminates in the opportunity to review performances at the Festival, with selected reviews printed in The Herald.

Three Festival Lectures see some of the country's finest writers and thinkers, Marina Warner, Karen Armstrong and Simon Schama exploring myth, legend and history found throughout the Festival 07 programme and the notion of festivals themselves and what they mean to us.

Throughout the Festival period artists offer the chance for audiences to learn more about their creativity and their inspirations through the Conversations with Artists programme. Artists appearing in the series include Alan Cumming, David Greig and John Tiffany, Maude Mitchell, Benjamin Bagby, Dominique Hervieu, Elizabeth LeCompte and The Wooster Group.

The National Theatre of Scotland and the Festival continue the Emerging Directors programme, giving developing directors extended access to the Festival's theatre companies, directors and performances.

Sally Hobson, the Festival's Programme Development Manager, is the 2007 Edinburgh International Festival Creative Fellow. Since 2003 the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh has supported and hosted an annual Edinburgh International Festival Creative Fellow. Being based part time within the Institute for a twelve month period enables the Fellow to develop their work and pushing boundaries and reaching new levels of creative achievement.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Public booking opens Saturday 14 April 2007
Hub Tickets: +44 (0)131 473 2000
Online booking and information: www.eif.co.uk

For further information please contact Susie Burnet or Jackie Westbrook in the EIF press office on 0131 473 2020 or press@eif.co.uk

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The Edinburgh International Festival is supported by The City of Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Arts Council and The National Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council.