This year a further crop of companies and artists from the East of England are catapulted to Edinburgh as part of the region’s artist development initiative, Escalator East To Edinburgh.

Each year we select an eclectic mix of artists who make an outstanding case for inclusion. Flicking through the pages you will find a rich array of talent from some from the best, the bravest, the newest, the most original or maybe just the most daring artists currently operating in our region.

The Edinburgh Festival, in all its many wonderful forms and formats can offer these artists an opportunity to platform their talents and develop their careers in ways that stretch their ambitions far beyond the artificial barriers of the region. For us this programme is not just about one art form, one company or one project. This is about an holistic attempt to create conversations, to throw out provocations, to hustle, agitate, advocate and to make connections across venues, producers, artists, cities, regions and countries.

In amongst the eddies and slipstreams, the cafes and coffee shops, the bars and the theatres and the historic monuments of this beautiful city we place our petri dish of talent. Let the virus spread.

Anthony Roberts Project Producer Escalator East To Edinburgh