Theatre, Conference, Storytelling

National Theatre of Scotland at 20: Culture, Democracy, and the Stateless Nation

SISF 2026

(Fri 23 Oct: 10am)

As the National Theatre of Scotland and the Scottish Storytelling Centre both mark their twentieth anniversaries, this special event brings together artists, academics, cultural leaders, public figures and audiences to explore the relationship between theatre, storytelling, literature and democratic life in Scotland. The event opens with a panel discussion featuring followed by a special in-conversation event with Nicola Sturgeon and Joyce McMillan.

Session 1: Lightning Panel and Audience Discussion

A panel of invited guests will spark the discussion with 5-minute reflections on the NTS’s 20th Anniversary and Scotland’s culture and democracy today, drawing on their experiences across theatre-making, cultural scholarship, playwrighting and community participation. We will hear from Jackie Wylie (Artistic Director and Co-Chief Executive, National Theatre of Scotland), Steve Byrne (Chief Executive, TRACS Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Hannah Lavery (Poet, Playwright and Performer) and Dr Stephanie Lehner (Senior Lecturer, Queen's University Belfast, specialising in culture, conflict and reconciliation). The session will be chaired by Dr Paula Sledzinska (Visiting Research Fellow at IASH).

Session 2: Nicola Sturgeon in Conversation with Joyce McMillan

Bringing together insights from political leadership, cultural advocacy and critical commentary, this conversation between Nicola Sturgeon and Joyce McMillan will reflect on some of Scotland’s most influential dramatic and literary works, and the ways in which they have shaped Scotland’s civic imagination. It offers a rare opportunity to hear Scotland’s longest-serving First Minister and one of the country’s most respected cultural critics reflect together on the power of dramatic and literary culture to influence national consciousness, foster dialogue and democratic resilience, and contribute to the making of contemporary Scotland.

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The public programme forms part of the wider National Theatre of Scotland at 20: Culture, Democracy, and the Stateless Nation Unconference. The event, as well as the planned follow-up parliamentary session, are supported by the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network, Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH), University of Edinburgh, Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies (RIISS), University of Aberdeen, LLSETI Research Laboratory at Université Savoie Mont Blanc (Chambéry, France), Stories, Place, and Northern Communities Research Centre (SPeiR), Robert Gordon University, the Scottish Storytelling Centre and the Scottish International Storytelling Festival.

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Those interested in participating in the full event including afternoon roundtable discussions are warmly invited to contact the organisers: Dr Paula Sledzinska (p.sledzinska@abdn.ac.uk) and Dr Lauren Brancaz-McCartan (lauren.brancaz-mccartan@univ-smb.fr) by 1st September.

• SISF - Conference
• £0.00
• 23 October 2026
• 150 minutes
• 10:00
• Scottish International Storytelling Festival
• Netherbow Theatre
• 16+