Everything That Didn't Work

Behind every successful production is a trail of abandoned ideas, rejected funding applications, difficult collaborations, projects that changed beyond recognition, and moments where artists questioned whether to keep going at all. So why do we spend so little time talking about them?

Join Summerhall Arts for an honest conversation about failure, resilience and the realities of sustaining a creative practice. Rather than celebrating polished success stories, this panel brings together three artists whose careers have been shaped as much by uncertainty, setbacks and unexpected pivots as by achievements.

Featuring Robbie Gordon, Co-founder and Artistic Director of Wonder Fools, Stephanie Katie Hunter, Artistic Director of Scissor Kick and producer, and Eilidh Loan, award-winning writer, director and performer, this discussion will explore the less visible side of making work: the applications that didn't land, the productions that stalled, collaborations that proved challenging, ideas that evolved into something entirely different, and the importance of knowing when to persevere and when to let go.

Together, they'll reflect on the realities of building sustainable careers in the arts, sharing practical insights alongside candid personal experiences. Whether you're an emerging artist navigating your first projects or an established practitioner facing a creative crossroads, this is a chance to hear the conversations that so often happen behind closed doors.

There won't be easy answers or neat conclusions. Instead, expect an open, generous and refreshingly honest discussion about what it really means to make a life in the arts — and why failure is often one of our greatest teachers.

Hosted by Summerhall Arts as part of our year-round artist development programme.

• Theatre
• £1.25 inc £1.25 fees
• 23 November 2026
• 120 minutes
• 15:00
• Summerhall
• TechCube 0
• 
  For access bookings, please contact Box Office