At the heart of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Venue 13 has always been more than just a stage—it’s a launchpad for bold voices, boundary-pushing performances, and international exchange. Podcast 13 extends that spirit into the digital space, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes journey into the world’s largest arts festival and the global creative networks it inspires.
Each episode features conversations with artists, producers, and cultural leaders who have made Venue 13 their home, exploring how theatre, performance, and live art intersect with community, technology, and climate consciousness. From intimate stories of artists’ first Fringe experiences to deep dives into the future of sustainable cultural production, the podcast captures the energy and experimentation that define the venue.
Whether you’re a festival-goer, an emerging artist looking for insight, or simply curious about how performance can shape the way we understand our world, Podcast 13 opens the doors to one of the Fringe’s most artist-centered spaces.
After a winter break, Podcast 13 returns with renewed energy as Ian and Vanesa reconnect with listeners and look ahead to the next phase of work at Venue 13.
In this episode, they reflect on the early stirrings of the Edinburgh Fringe season as thousands of artists around the world begin preparing their productions. Ian and Vanesa discuss how Venue 13 is already shaping its 2026 programme and how upcoming podcast episodes will explore the process of bringing a Fringe season to life.
The conversation also turns toward sustainability and the future of arts organisations. They discuss renewable energy possibilities at the Fringe and reflect on the rise and collapse of artistic non-profits such as the Centre for Contemporary Arts Glasgow. With the launch of Future 13, they share their hopes for building a sustainable support structure for artists developing work for Edinburgh.
Finally, they take a look at what is happening across Edinburgh and Scotland this March, highlighting theatre performances and exhibitions you can still catch. The episode closes with a reading from the Climate Change Theatre Action anthology.
Episodes
- Episode 6 – We’re Back: Fringe Preparations, Cultural Futures and What’s Happening in Scotland This March + Laila and the Wolf by Hassan Abdulrazzak
Ian and Vanesa continue their UAE journey after World Stage Design 2025, reflecting on Ian’s NYU Abu Dhabi talk and exploring the university’s performance spaces. They also visit TeamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi’s vast immersive environment, sparking ideas about ecological and hybrid design, and share this week’s CCTA reading, Earth Duet by E.M. Lewis. - Episode 5 – A Venue 13 Carol: The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future 13 + Appealing by Paula Cizmar
Ian and Vanesa continue their UAE journey after World Stage Design 2025, reflecting on Ian’s NYU Abu Dhabi talk and exploring the university’s performance spaces. They also visit TeamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi’s vast immersive environment, sparking ideas about ecological and hybrid design, and share this week’s CCTA reading, Earth Duet by E.M. Lewis. - Episode 4 – Inside the Theatre Green Book + So Beautiful Today, So Sunny by Marcus Youssef and Seth Klein
Ian and Vanesa continue their UAE journey after World Stage Design 2025, reflecting on Ian’s NYU Abu Dhabi talk and exploring the university’s performance spaces. They also visit TeamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi’s vast immersive environment, sparking ideas about ecological and hybrid design, and share this week’s CCTA reading, Earth Duet by E.M. Lewis. - Episode 3 – teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi and NYUAD + Earth Duet by E.M. Lewis
Ian and Vanesa continue their UAE journey after World Stage Design 2025, reflecting on Ian’s NYU Abu Dhabi talk and exploring the university’s performance spaces. They also visit TeamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi’s vast immersive environment, sparking ideas about ecological and hybrid design, and share this week’s CCTA reading, Earth Duet by E.M. Lewis. - Episode 2 – Venue 13 at WSD2025 in Sharjah UAE + Space Cat by Lewis Hetherington
Ian and Vanesa take you inside World Stage Design 2025, sharing seasoned insight and first-time impressions from this global gathering of scenographers and artists. They reflect on collaborations, inspirations from the Scenofest Research Symposium, and how WSD’s creative energy connects to their ongoing work at Venue 13.