• Programme
  • Music
    • An Evening with JJ Gilmour
    • Creativity and Social Change
    • Mull Historical Society
    • Young People's Band Night
    • The Future of the Music Industry
  • History
    • An Incredibly Brief History of Political Satire
    • A Stitch in Time
    • An Audience with History
    • Scottish Political Thought
    • The Attempted Restoration: Wallace's Support of King John, 1299-1302
    • Sir William Wallace, Scotland and the wider world
    • Creating a Community, Cabinet of Curiosity
  • Arts
    • Sounds, Voices and the Parliament (10:30-12:30)
    • SCOTLAND - is there a THERE here?
    • Art in Focus - George Wyllie
    • Linking Scotland to Europe Through Arts
    • Sounds, Voices and the Parliament (13:30-15:30)
    • Literary Legacies: The House that Canongate Built
    • Scotland's Bookshelf - Politics and Society in Scottish Writing
    • Preserving our Culture, Shaping our Future?
    • What Place for Poetry in Politics?
  • Theatre
    • Singin I'm No a Billy He's a Tim
    • The Walking Theatre Company - S'Misa Macbeth (11:00-12:30)
    • Scottish Youth Theatre - The Magic Porridge Pot
    • The Walking Theatre Company - S'Misa Macbeth (13:30-15:00)
  • Young People
    • The Talent of our Young People
    • Is participation in sport a level playing field?
    • The importance of reading to children and to society
    • Untangling article 31 - Children's Right to Play, Culture and the Arts
    • Young People's Day
  • Politics
    • Scottish Irish Conversations on Sectarianism
    • Libraries in the Digital Age
    • Scotch Whisky - Local Hero or International Ambassador?
    • What has been the most creative force in Scottish Politics?
    • Making the Law Work for You - How Would You Improve the Justice System?
    • The Power of Small Nations
    • Inventors, Innovation and Sustainability
    • Scotland's Futures Forum - The Campbell Christie Lecture
    • UK-Russian Relations Today
  • People
    • Humanising the Workplace
    • Scotland's Missing Wood Cabins
    • Viva Cunninghame Graham! Global Scot, political radical, writer's writer
    • Who are 'Jock Tamson's Bairns'? - Attitudes Towards Migration in Scotland
    • NGOs Against Modern-Day Slavery
    • The Sounds of Silence - Complacent Scotland, Undemocracy and Unspace
  • Tours
    • The Scottish Parliament: Scotland's Story
    • Sculpture and Parliament Garden Tour
• Exhibitions
• Media
• Sponsorship
  • Festival Partners
• Links
• Contact & Information

Welcome to the Festival of Politics 2012. We are very pleased to present a wide and varied programme of debates discussions and performances. For the first time the programme this year is split into themed sections - Arts; History; Music; People; Politics; Theatre; and Young People. - that include discussions and debates on human trafficking; children's rights; democracy and society; humanising the workplace; libraries in the digital age; the power of small nations; and the future of the music industry in Scotland.

Following on from last year's success we have an extended programme of music and theatre this year which will include a performance of Des Dillon's play on sectarianism Singin I'm No Billy He's a Tim; the Scottish Youth Theatre; Walking Theatre's production of S'Misa Macbeth and musical performances by Mull Historical Society; JJ Gilmour of The Silencers; and an evening showcasing the best of young Scottish bands.

Headline participants include the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP; the Rt Hon Dr Jack McConnell; Alexander McCall Smith; Louise Welsh; and Iain Banks

With so much on offer we are sure that there is something for everyone.

BOOKING TICKETS: Tickets can been booked within each individual event page. Each event has been categorised - Politics, Theatre, Music, Arts, History, Tours, People, Young People - and can be found in the drop down menu underneath 'Programme'.