Phone-Free Environment at Edinburgh International Festival
Nicola Benedetti, the Grammy-winning violinist and director of the Edinburgh International Festival since 2023, has announced that the upcoming festival will operate as a "phone free" environment. This decision follows requests from both artists and audiences to preserve the integrity of live performances.
"Live performance is unlike anything else and the Edinburgh International Festival is here to protect the rarity of this experience," Benedetti stated.
"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 highlighted that every concert in their Queen's Hall chamber series was disrupted by mobile phone use last year. Many of these concerts were also broadcast, which caused frustration not only for attendees but also for those listening remotely.
In response, the festival has taken note of several high-profile artists who have implemented similar phone restrictions. Californian singer Phoebe Bridgers recently introduced a complete ban on phones at her concerts, requiring fans to place their devices in special pouches during performances. Musicians such as Bob Dylan, Jack White, and the Swedish rock band Ghost have also enforced no-phone policies at their shows.
Additionally, actresses Rosamund Pike and Jessie Buckley have publicly addressed issues with audience members texting during theatre performances. Another actress, Lesley Manville, expressed concern after an audience member filmed actors during their curtain call, which occurred after the performance had concluded.
Scope and Exceptions of the Phone Ban
Despite these strict measures by other performers, the Edinburgh International Festival does not intend to enforce a total ban on phone use. Audiences will still be permitted to take photographs during curtain calls and share these moments online. Moreover, phone use will be allowed before and after concerts, as well as during intervals.
Certain events will be exempt from the ban, including drop-in outdoor performances and dementia-friendly concerts. To assist attendees unfamiliar with silencing their devices or managing alerts and alarms, staff members will be available throughout the festival.
Festival Director’s Vision
Nicola Benedetti expressed confidence that the festival can return to its previous phone-free atmosphere. She emphasized the importance of collective focus and silence in enhancing the live performance experience.
"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 said.
"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."
