Eden Court has announced a year long programme of special events to mark its 50th anniversary, celebrating five decades at the heart of Highland cultural life.
The Inverness arts centre, which first opened its doors in 1976, will mark the milestone with a programme running throughout 2026 that reflects its past, present and future as a shared space for creativity, performance and community.
The anniversary year will open in April with Eden Court at 50 An Evening with the Royal Scottish National Orchestrafeaturing Scottish Opera, echoing the venue’s original opening performance almost exactly fifty years ago.
The concert will see the RSNO, conducted by Leonard Slatkin, perform Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 alongside Confluence by Highland composer William Wordsworth, a rarely heard work commissioned for Eden Court’s opening gala in 1976.
The celebrations will conclude in December with Eden Court Stories, a major exhibition led by Inverness based artist Jacqueline Briggs, bringing together stories, memories and moments that have shaped the venue across its first half century.
Throughout the year, audiences can expect a wide range of events including immersive performance, cinema, musical theatre, youth festivals, community projects and an outdoor summer music festival under canvas.
Rebecca Holt, Eden Court’s Chief Executive, said:
“Eden Court belongs to the people of the Highlands.
“As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we’re taking the time to reflect on our vibrant history, on the stories, relationships and moments that built this organisation, whilst also looking ahead with great excitement for the future.
“Across this anniversary year, a whole variety of special events will show why Eden Court’s role in the cultural life of Scotland, and the Highlands in particular, is as important as ever through exceptional arts experiences, creative opportunities and a welcoming space for everyone.
“Most of all, we want people to feel part of this milestone.
“Whether you have treasured memories to share, have performed on our stages, grew up coming to shows, or are thinking of visiting for the very first time this year, you are part of our story.
“This anniversary is a celebration of the past fifty years, but it’s also an open invitation to join us in imagining the next fifty.”
Highlights across the year include a Cinema Flashback in May, with classic and cult films screening for 73p, the price of a cinema ticket when Eden Court first opened.
June will see a Youth Takeover, with the Eden Court Youth Arts Festival and Scotland’s National Festival of Youth Theatre filling the building with young creative voices from across the UK.
In July, Inverness Musical Theatre, Starlight Musical Theatre and Ness Entertainment will come together for One Night Only!, celebrating fifty years of musical theatre on the Empire stage.
August brings a celebration of Gaelic music and culture through Under Canvas, including newly commissioned work by Sian, a family focused birthday event, and a 50th anniversary concert featuring Chisholm, McGoldrick, O’Connor and Byrne.
September will see Eden Court’s Engagement team take The Lonely Pine, a new production following a tree in its 50th year, into primary schools across the Highlands, alongside Feast, a community project centred on food, conversation and connection.
October’s Confluence will transform the building into an immersive promenade performance, guiding audiences through hidden spaces and newly commissioned work across theatre, music and dance, including performances in Gaelic.
The year will also include a special Inverness Film Festival moment in November, with site specific screenings developed in partnership with Eastgate Shopping Centre.
Eden Court has also paid tribute to the late Miss Minnie Anderson, whose legacy gift has helped make the 50th anniversary programme possible.
Tickets for Eden Court at 50 An Evening with RSNO featuring Scottish Opera go on sale to Eden Court Friends on Wednesday 14 January and on general sale on Friday 16 January.
