Hidden Door is a not-for-profit, arts organisation run by volunteers, which specialises in discovering disused or underused spaces in Edinburgh and radically transforming them into temporary, but imaginative arts venues. This pioneering spirit allows it to bring together new and undiscovered talent in art, music, film and theatre in Scotland.
Over the years, the Hidden Door arts festival has take over a growing number of iconic or unusual venues and it has grown in stature and ambition as a festival, while retaining its grass-roots vitality.
In 2023, it will transform the Scottish Widows building at 15 Dalkeith Road for 5 days. Read Hidden Door to take over Scottish Widows Building.
Previous Hidden Door venues include:
- 2022: Old Royal High School building on Calton Hill
- 2021: Granton Gasworks
- 2019: Leith Theatre
- 2018: State Cinema
- 2017: Leith Theatre
- 2015 & 2016: Hidden Courtyard on King Stables Road
- 2014: Market Street Vaults
The festival's accessible, open ethos means that during the day (1pm-5pm) there is usually a free element to the festival for exploring the building, with paid tickets for performances at night.
Audiences are encouraged to explore the myriad passageways, corridors, nooks and crannies of each venue.
Tickets (2023)
Only Early bird 1-day tickets are on sale:
- £25.00 (+ £2.28 booking fee)
Tickets (2022)
- Day pass £25.00 (+ £3.15 booking fee);
- Day pass (Concession) £22.50 (+ £2.90 booking fee)
- Weekend pass £45.00 (+ £5.19 booking fee)
- Festival pass £150 (+ £15 booking fee)
Hidden Door background
In 2014, festival organisers cleared out the abandoned Market Street vaults to run a 9-day arts festival focused on showcasing local creative talent.
In 2015, for another Hidden Door Festival, organisers created a labyrinthine ‘Electric City’ in the Old Street lighting Depot on Kings Stables Road, under the shadow of Edinburgh castle.
It returned there in 2016, attracting over 12,000 visitors to experience a wealth of art, poetry, theatre, film, dance and music.
In 2017, the festival opened up the Leith Theatre, and returned there the following year, while also taking up temporary residence in the State Cinema, built in 1938.
In 2021, with pandemic restrictions still lingering, the festival took place at the Granton Gasworks and neighbouring warehouse.