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Nicola Benedetti, the Grammy-winning violinist and current director of the Edinburgh International Festival, has introduced a new “phone free” policy for this year’s festival. This decision, she explains, responds directly to the wishes of both artists and audiences who expressed concerns about mobile phone use during live performances. Benedetti emphasizes the uniqueness of live events and the importance of preserving their special atmosphere.
According to Benedetti, the power of the festival’s program is heightened when every person in the venue is fully present and engaged. She states, “When the lights go down and the performance starts, we would like phones to disappear from our hands, minds and ears.” This approach aims to ensure that the audience experiences the performance in an undistracted, collective environment.
Last year, the festival faced numerous disruptions caused by mobile phones during concerts in the Queen’s Hall chamber series, many of which were also broadcast live. These interruptions affected not only those attending in person but also viewers tuning in remotely. In addition to these incidents, the festival notes a range of high-profile situations involving mobile phone use at events, reinforcing the need for clearer guidelines.
While the Edinburgh International Festival is implementing this phone ban during performances, it will not be as strict as in some other shows. Audience members will still be allowed to take photos at curtain calls and share those moments online. Phone use is also permitted before and after concerts and during intervals. Certain performances, such as drop-in outdoor shows and dementia-friendly concerts, will be exempt from the policy. Staff will be available to help patrons silence their phones or disable alerts. Benedetti expresses confidence that the festival can return to the more traditional, phone-free experience cherished by audiences and performers alike, quoting Alfred Brendel: “The audience’s contribution is concentration and silence – it’s an electricity the musician can charge from.
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