Bright & Wild 2026
In June 2026, Lyra presented the seventh edition of Bright & Wild - a festival with children and teens at its heart.
This year, Lyra’s Young Artists disrupt and reimagine a world that isn’t made for them.
Same old, same old.
No. No. No
Where are we supposed to go?
What are we supposed to do?
What if other worlds existed alongside the one we know? Other worlds from the past, the future, or happening right now. What if we could see into these worlds or even change them? Re-write the narrative, cut new paths.
Allow us to welcome you to these worlds through an incredible series of performances, installations, interactive experiences, discussions and activities!
The festival is produced and hosted by Lyra’s teenage Culture Crew.
THE SHOWS
MEET ME ON THE DANCE FLOOR
Created by Dan Brown with The Outline
Meet Me On The Dance Floor is a party, a rave and a rejection. The Outline invites you to join them on the dance floor for a choreographic exploration into the boxes and systems that we find ourselves forced into, and what possibilities open up for us when we step outside of the lines.
Using electronic music as the soundtrack to the performance, Meet Me On The Dance Floor will show you how you can let go of the lines and edges and let yourself get lost in the music, finding your own rhythm along the way.
TAKE UP SPACE
Created by Caitlin Mulgrew with Lyra's Young Company x Crew
Shindig. Festa. Przyjęcie. दल (Dal). Rave-up. Mmemme. حَفْلَة (Hafla). Party.
Whatever you call it, we're throwing it.
Whoever you are, you're invited.
We don’t have anywhere to go that's ours. Too old for the playpark, too young for the pub. So when word spreads about an empty, it spreads like wildfire. People see us as loud, lazy, ungrateful youths. But really? We just want somewhere to go. Somewhere to feel alive.
So here it is.
Expect live music, dancing, hoarse throats, ringing ears, and memories you’ll never forget.
FIND YOURSELF A MAGPIE AND FOLLOW IT
Created by Hope Kennedy with the Thursday Young Artists
“Remember - this is the most important thing - time works differently here, don’t stay too long. Keep your wits about you and remember where the doorway is.”
Inspired by Scottish Folklore, find yourself a magpie and follow it is a story about a group of daring wanderers, one map, countless mythical creatures, music and magic. Join us in the Other World, see who (or what) lives there, and what our own world will be like when we return.
THE DREAM BUS
Created by Jo Timmins with the Lyra Ensemble, Scamps and Wednesday Young Artists
This year, the Scamps and Wednesday Young Artists groups have been imagining what it would be like to disrupt an ordinary bus into an extraordinary world. Over the next year the Lyra team will transform a single decker bus into a creative play space, where you can escape to new worlds and let your imagination run wild. Spoiler alert – Lyra’s getting a bus!
Dream Bus Design Tour
Join us for a sneak peak of the vision for Lyra’s newest space. Taking place on an ordinary bus, members of the Lyra ensemble will share some of the ideas of what our dream bus could look like once it’s transformed.
Scamps Dream Bus Designs
The Lyra Ensemble present a fun, mini performance about the bravely disruptive play bus design ideas that have been dreamed up by our Scamps group.
Fly, Fly!
Wednesday Young Artists transport the audience into a brave new world through dance and song. As part of the performance, we will share some of the ideas of what our dream bus could look like once it’s transformed.
The Bright & Wild 2026 Team
CHILDREN & TEENS
Crew: Amelia, Ava, Eduardo, Hayden, Jamie, Joshua, Max, Tim
Young Company: Caitlin, Cody, Dhiya, Jakub, Jessica, Johnny, Martina, Michelle, Reagan, Valentina, Vindhya, Zofia
Fly, Fly: Alicia, Amelia, Arthur, Carmell, Devesh, Elena, Eliana, Elisabeth, Emilia, Emily, Faimah, Jagoda, Jakub, Jenna Rose, Jessica, Lea, Malisa, Man Chun, Muhammad, Nicolas, Nina, Segunfunmi, Siddharth and Zuzuanna
My Dreambus: Alan, Connor, Doruk, Evana, Hanna, Hazal, Inaaya, Jason, Jesse, Jewel, Laya, Maci, Man Wing, Maxie, Maya, Nara, Natalia, Nathan, Sofia K, Sofia P, Sophie, Stefania, Violet and Zaira
find yourself a magpie and follow it: Azariah, Destiny, Elise, Ema, Emily, Eva, Hermione, Liliana, Matthew, Melissa, Ryan, Skye, Toprak and Zofia
Meet Me on the Dancefloor: Beauty, Ieva, Jagoda, Jaiya, Kaja, Karly, Lilly, Malina, Mark, Nina, Ola, Phillip, Rose, Sophie, Surya and Zoey
ADULTS
Take Up Space:
Caitlin Mulgrew (Director & Composer), Jo Timmins (Dramaturg & Collaborator), Dorine Mugisha (Co-Choreographer & Collaborator), Anna Orton (Design), Sulie Wood (Lighting Design), Natalia Barua (2026 Tour Co-Choreographer & Collaborator), Emanuel Carlos (Co-Choreographer & Collaborator, Hannah Draper (Co-Choreographer), Jennifer Steele (Dance Artist & Understudy), Katy Wilson (Costume Design) and Jess Brettle (Costume Artist)
Ed Wright (Production Manager), Lauren Desjardins (Stage Manager), Ali Gillies (Technician), Nicola Milazzo (Props & Scenic Art)
Kim Stronach (Dance Facilitator), Rebecca di Rollo (Music Facilitator), Kelsey Sullivan (Crew Facilitator), Edvi Lima (Engagement Facilitator)
Fly, Fly:
Jo Timmins (Director), Iain Reekie (Dramaturg), Caitlin Mulgrew (Composer), Natalia Barua (Choreographer), Penny Chivas (Rehearsal Director), Kimberley Mandindo (Singer), Kim Stronach (Delivery Artist), Edviges Lima (Facilitator) Emily Briggs, Fiona Oliver-Larkin & Adam Rosa (Youth Arts Workers)
My Dreambus:
Jo Timmins (Director), Iain Reekie (Dramaturg), Caitlin Mulgrew (Composer) Alex Bird, Fay Guiffo & Morgan Njobo (Ensemble Performers), Katrine Turner (Delivery Artist), Kim Stronach (Facilitator), Fiona Oliver-Larkin, Hannah McGregor & Adam Rosa (Youth Arts Workers
find yourself a magpie and follow it:
Hope Kennedy (Lead Artist), Arran Bird (Costume & Set Designer), Edviges Lima (Engagement Facilitator), Jack Dickson &
Hannah McGregor (Youth Arts Workers)
Meet Me on the Dancefloor:
Dan Brown (Lead Artist), Arran Bird (Costume & Set Designer), Katrine Turner (Engagement Facilitator) and Adam Rosa Youth Arts Worker)
Team Lyra
Jo Timmins - Artistic Director & Co-CEO
James Preston - Executive Producer & Co-CEO
Anna Plasberg-Hill - Engagement Producer
Iain Reekie - Associate Director
Natalia Barua - Engagement Artist
Jo Sharp - Engagement Facilitator
Edviges Lima - Engagement Facilitator
Katrine Turner - Engagement Facilitator
Lola Rose Wood - Communications Freelancer
Jenny Noble - Venue Host
Festival Team
Kelsey Sullivan - B&W 26 Assistant Producer
Adam Ryan - B&W 26 Technical Manager
Lee Davis - B&W 26 Technical Stage Manager
Magnus Rack - B&W 26 Technical Stage Manager
Katy Wilson - B&W 26 Foyer Design
Jason Kerley - B&W 26 Graphic Designer
Guest Practitioners & Speakers
Jonathan McClean, Drew Taylor Wilson, Dorine Mugisha, Caitlin Mulgrew, Jess Thorpe, Jack, Craig McCorquodale, Lou Brodie, Cassandra, Andrew Crummy, Niamh O'Lochlin, Joanna Twaites, Miriam Larrainzar, Kiera Saunders, Katie Swann, Jennifer Steele, Dan Brown, Minnie Crook, Niall Moorjani, Tom Birch, Vince Virr, KJ Clark-Davis and Platform's Monday Night Drama Group
Volunteers
Kat Brack, Mugiko Yamamoto, Louise Gilmour-Wills, Vanya Dias, Jen Marr, & Izzy Bergquist
With thanks to our Partners:
A Place in Childhood, Edinburgh Food Social, The Venchie Children and Young People's Project, Scottish Autism and Edinburgh International Festival and Craigmillar Literacy Trust
Bright & Wild 2026 was funded by
Supported by The Henry Smith Charity, Bank of Scotland Foundation
Walter Scott Giving Group, Youth Music Initiative, The Robertson Trust, Artemis Charitable Foundation,
BlackRock Gives, The Theatres Trust, The Gannochy Trust, McGlashan Charitable Trust, Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust, William Syson Foundation, Hugh Fraser Foundation, Youth & Philanthropy Initiative, Education Institute of Scotland, Austin & Hope Pilkington Trust