The Edinburgh TV Festival is to launch a bidding process inviting UK cities, including Edinburgh, to apply to host the event from 2027 onwards.
The decision forms part of a strategic review focused on “scaling up, impact, accessibility and long-term growth.”
Edinburgh has hosted the event for the last 50 years. The festival takes place in Edinburgh at the same time as the Edinburgh Fringe making accommodation, particularly for freelancers, very expensive. All UK cities and regions will be considered, but due to the festival’s focus on nations and regions production, bids are not being invited from London.
Edinburgh TV Festival says the process will allow the organisation to “explore how to broaden access, expand reach and impact, and ensure the Festival continues to thrive for the next half-century. The core pillars of the MacTaggart Lecture, editorial excellence, and its charitable purpose will remain central to this process.”
Campbell Glennie, CEO of the TV Festival and TV Foundation, said: “Edinburgh has been the much-loved home of the TV Festival for the last half century. As an event created by and for the TV industry, we have always championed inclusion and action on accessibility and representation. Reviewing our location is part of that same commitment, exploring how we can reduce costs for delegates and make the Festival open to more people than ever before.
“This is not necessarily about leaving Edinburgh, or Scotland, but about finding the right solutions. Our goal is to broaden access, strengthen our charitable work, and ensure the Festival continues to be the foremost agenda-setting event of the TV year.”
Fatima Salaria, Chair of the Festival Board, added: “The Festival has always looked to the future. Exploring where it’s held gives us the chance to reimagine how we grow and how we reflect the full breadth of the UK’s creative landscape. Our aim is to create a world-class event that’s accessible, dynamic, and truly representative of our industry, while keeping the spirit and ambition that have defined Edinburgh for the past 50 years.”
Cities and regions interested in submitting a bid can request application details via 2027@thetvfestival.com. Applications will remain open until 26th February 2026, with a decision expected later in the year.
Jon Creamer
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