Edinburgh International Festival Declares "Phone Free" Environment

Nicola Benedetti has declared her latest festival a "phone free" environment.

The Grammy-winning violinist, who has been director of the Edinburgh International Festival since 2023, says the "lights down, phones off" policy has come at the request of artists and audiences.

"Live performance is unlike anything else and the Edinburgh International Festival is here to protect the rarity of this experience," she says.

"The power of our programme is intensified by the tangible, collective presence of everyone in the room, and we want you to be with us fully. "

"When the lights go down and the performance starts, we would like phones to disappear from our hands, minds and ears."

The festival says that every single concert in their Queen's Hall chamber series was disrupted last year by mobile phones.

Many of them were broadcast. Frustrating not just those in the room, but those listening at home too.

They also say they've taken notice of a number of high-profile cases involving phone use.

Californian singer Phoebe Bridgers recently announced a complete ban on phones at her gigs, with fans having to place them in special pouches during her shows.

Bob Dylan, Jack White and Swedish rock band Ghost have all insisted on similar no-phone policies at their gigs.

Actresses Rosamund Pike and Jessie Buckley have spoken out about audience members was texting during their theatre performances.

Another actress, Lesley Manville, also complained after someone filmed the actors while they were taking their bows during a curtain call after the performance had ended.

But the Edinburgh International Festival doesn't intend the ban to go that far.

They say audiences will still be able to take photos at their curtain calls and share the moment online.

They're also happy for people to use their phones before and after concerts and at the interval.

Drop-in outdoor performances and dementia-friendly concerts will be exempt from the ban.

Staff will be on standby to assist those who aren't sure how to silence their phones, or any scheduled alerts or alarms.

Nicola Benedetti is confident that the festival can return to its once phone-free existence.

"Views on this have been widely and boldly expressed in recent months and we are acting in communion with our beloved audiences, and extraordinary artists," she says.

"The late, great Alfred Brendel -whom we pay tribute to in our Queen's Hall series this year - said it best: 'The audience's contribution is concentration and silence – it's an electricity the musician can charge from'.

"That electricity is real, I've felt it from the stage my whole life. We encourage our audiences to switch off their phones, and let the art do the rest."