Hidden Door 2026 announces Jenny Hval and Valtos as headliners
The prestigious multi-arts festival will return to The Paper Factory one last time
Hidden Door, the multi-arts festival well-known for reviving abandoned spaces across Edinburgh, has made its first major announcement of the year with plans to return to Paper Factory for one final go-around. Taking place from Wednesday 3–Sunday 7 June, tickets for the festival are available now.
Friday 5 June’s headliner is Jenny Hval (pictured above), the veteran Norwegian singer-songwriter who’s become highly regarded for her confronting live shows and award-winning experimental, feminist and avant-garde music. On Saturday 6 June, Skye’s dancefloor-ready trad act Valtos will mount their DJ/live hybrid project High Water Mark.
Joining them are femme techno collective Epika for a club night on Friday, and former Lemon Jelly DJ Fred Deakin, who’ll guide audiences through the decades of his legendary club nights.
Rounding out the rest of the long weekend is music programming from Paradise Palms Records, Hobbes Music, 432 Presents and independent programmers Jacob Brailsford and Arusa Qureshi; emerging music acts co-curated from an open call with the National Centre For Music and Creative Edinburgh; theatre, dance and spoken word performances; a new collaborative installation from Tinderbox Collective; and an evolution of Edinburgh International Mural Festival’s 2025 residency at The Paper Factory.
This will be the second year that the Hidden Door team has used The Paper Factory as its flagship venue, and follows confirmation of support from Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Fund, giving the organisation the ability to plan ahead on a larger scale.
‘Returning to The Paper Factory for a final year allows us to go deeper into the history and texture of the site,’ said Hazel Johnson, Hidden Door’s director. ‘We aren't just putting on a show; we’re building a myth.
‘The support from Creative Scotland allows us to develop an ambitious programme that will treat the space as a living, breathing canvas, where the work of our artists and performers becomes the architecture that shapes the festival.’
We placed Johnson and Hidden Door in our Hot 100 last year, writing: ‘This is as wide-ranging as an arts extravaganza can get, championing everything from the best of indie rock to DIY experimentation.’ Find the full list here.
Hidden Door, The Paper Factory, Edinburgh, Wednesday 3– Sunday 7 June; picture: Iris Silver MIst.