We open up forgotten urban spaces for the public to explore and discover incredible music, art, theatre, film, dance, spoken word and more.
Through our festivals we reveal hidden parts of the city and showcase new and emerging artists, musicians, theatre and film makers.
Hidden Door is a volunteer-run charity, with our work funded through ticket sales, sponsorship and fundraising. All money goes straight back into the festival and paying our creative contributors.
The festival has steadily grown in size and reputation since 2014, when it cleared out the abandoned Market Street vaults to run a 9-day arts festival focused on showcasing local creative talent. In 2015 the festival moved to a hidden courtyard behind Kings’ Stables Road, and returned to the same site in 2016, attracting over 12,000 visitors to experience a wealth of art, poetry, theatre, cinema, dance and music. In 2017 the festival breathed new life into the old Leith Theatre, attracting rave reviews and critical praise for its role in resurrecting “Scotland’s best new live music venue”.
In 2018, the festival returned to Leith Theatre for 10 more days and nights of music, theatre, visual art, film, dance, spoken word, late-night DJs and special events – finishing what was started to transform the building into the major arts venue the city needs. Continuing the festival’s tradition of discovering forgotten spaces, the festival also took up residency in Leith’s empty and derelict former State Cinema building, just around the corner.
Following a farewell weekender at Leith Theatre in 2019, and a quiet 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, organisers are now setting their sights on the epic Granton Gasworks in north Edinburgh to bring to life in 2021, set in the shadow of the iconic gas holder.
Hidden Door is a registered charity, under the name Hidden Door Charitable Company Ltd, registered charity number SC050108.
Our core team are all volunteers, working hard throughout the year to make Hidden Door a reality.
A ”riot of noise and colour” – Mike Wade, The Times
A “treasure trove of multi-platform arts delights” – Vic Galloway, BBC 6Music
“Wildly atmospheric and stimulating. Like a dream festival.” – Mark Cousins, Film Director & Critic
“Edinburgh’s most free-flowing festival, a happy blend of grassroots artists and headline acts.” – Mark Fisher, The Guardian
“Utterly breathtaking… Edinburgh’s most exciting and innovative festival.” – Ruth MacGilp, Urbanity
“Hidden Door have quietly resuscitated what surely is – even in its current rough ‘n’ ready state – the best live music venue in the country.” – Barry Gordon, The Herald
An “inspiring and successful festival” which “perfectly demonstrated the capabilities of the gorgeous old Leith Theatre as a living, breathing concert venue”. “Ad-hoc but ingeniously curated art and performance” – David Pollock, The Scotsman
“In just five years, what the team behind Hidden Door Festival has achieved is quite remarkable. The festival has left an immovable, and much needed, creative footprint on the city” – Miranda Heggie, The Arts Desk
“The festival is acquiring a reputation for providing a platform for a mix of artists, some recent graduates, others well established, to show new work in interesting spaces and reach new audiences.” – Susan Mansfield, The Scotsman
A “minor miracle […] a long-neglected building has undergone a remarkable renaissance” – Brian Ferguson, The Scotsman
“With each step further into the depths of this abandoned masterpiece, the building grows wilder. Each corner, every space reveals something new” – Amy Taylor, The Skinny
A “nomadic cauldron of creativity which is unlikely to sit still for long […] a sprawling village of alternative culture” – Neil Cooper, The Herald
“One of the highlights of Edinburgh’s cultural calendar.” – Yasmin Suliman, The List
“A smorgasbord of cultural delicacies that’ll keep you well and truly entertained. Re-entering the real world may be a struggle, but it’ll have been worth it.” – Euro Hostels
“Get along to Hidden Door as often and as soon as you can.” – Just For Culture
“A fascinating and well-thought-out programme” – The John Byrne Award
“The best cultural event in Edinburgh and the Lothians” – Thistle Awards
“A revelation… a community arts festival that actually revolutionises and invigorates the community it takes place in.” – Miss Fogg Travels
“I can’t help but be totally awestruck by it all – eclectic, ramshackle, ambitious joys on offer.” – Exeunt Magazine
Edinburgh is so lucky to have this brilliant festival on its doorstep. The people behind HD work tirelessly for months and months to bring one of the most diverse, eclectic and creative festivals to life.
Hidden Door is such a gift to Edinburgh. What a wonderful job you have done! Thank you!
Brilliant event- great line up, well organised, wonderful atmosphere and lovely volunteers.
Loved the venue, the vibe and the variety, stage was full of great energy and cracking innovation .
Great opportunity to meet others, fellow artists and enjoy a nice bit of Electric Culture…
Amazing festival with a variety of music and arts – a great experience overall!
This is such a special event…. if you are interested in arts or architecture, you shall definitely come see it!
Great to see Hidden Door supporting local artists – lots of amazing works in such a great venue!
Edinburgh and Leith, through Hidden Door, finally being the Berlin it always could have been.
With Hidden Door and Imaginate in full swing, Edinburgh is leading innovation in festival programming at a time of year many don’t appreciate.
I had such a great time yesterday making a psychedelic art scroll/mural at Hidden Door with Sketchy Beats. Inspiring music, people & incredible setting.
A belter of a weekend of art, incredible music at the best festival, in the best bit of Edinburgh & with the best programme! Hidden Door you smashed it, once again.
Feeling spoilt by Hidden Door’s offerings this year with some real highlights across the dance and music programme. Well done all!
Had an amazing time at Hidden Door! Festivals in abandoned buildings are my absolute fave…all the AV and the visual arts was seeriously goood – fantastic installations
Huge respect to all the Hidden Door volunteers, supporters, artists – especially its tireless key players – for delivering such an impressive 10-day multi-arts extravaganza
Well done to all the artists, volunteers, musicians, crew, theatre makers and everyone involved in Hidden Door infusing an old corner of Leith with light and magic.
I’ve had THE BEST few weeks volunteering with Hidden Door, thanks so much Big Team for all your patience and bloody hard work! Everyone who made it happen deserves a high ten, HEART SINGING experience.
Really enjoyed volunteering for Hidden Door. Amazing to see how a completely volunteer-run arts festival can transform abandoned spaces.
Local band in a local venue reborn.. volunteering with amazing people…emotion of a conversation with a Leither who saw last movie at state cinema and who volunteered to help Leith theatre coming back to life…this is the sheer joy of Hidden Door.
Wow…this festival just gets better and damn better!
Amazing gig, amazing festival, amazing venue. We’re lucky to have it Leith.
One of my favourite aspects of Hidden Door is the art; collaborations between the space and local artists. It’s rare to find such an interactive interplay between the exhibition space and the artwork.
The thing I love about Hidden Door Festival’s poetry program is that you get new, experimental work that pushes boundaries. They take chances. You won’t be bored.
We are so lucky to have this initiative in Edinburgh. Let’s hope it keeps growing!
