June 20, 2025
A heartfelt thanks from Hidden Door: we couldn’t have brought The Paper Factory to life without you!
From all of us at Hidden Door we want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who made our 2025 festival at The Paper Factory an absolutely unforgettable experience. What an incredible journey it has been to transform a forgotten industrial space into a vibrant, beating heart of creativity for Edinburgh!
This festival simply would not have been possible without the extraordinary dedication of our entire volunteer team, who poured their heart into this event.
We can’t namecheck everyone individually, but whether you gave an afternoon to help with the build, donned a hi-vis jacket to keep everyone safe during the event, or gave up countless evenings and weekends all year round to help plan and deliver this event, you are the backbone of Hidden Door, the tireless hands and minds that bring our ambitious visions to life. Your passion, energy, and unwavering commitment truly made the magic happen, and we are profoundly grateful for every single hour you gave.
To all the artists, musicians, dancers, theatre-makers, poets and visual creators who graced our stages and filled The Paper Factory with their brilliance; your courage, talent, and willingness to embrace unconventional spaces are what define Hidden Door. You inspired us, moved us, and reminded us all of the power of artistic expression.
A special shout out to our Creative Collaborators, the minds behind the immersive pop-up performances taking place across the site. You worked for months developing these projects, and your inspired responses to our venue and the festival themes made for something truly unique.
And to our various programme partners, from Tinderbox Collective‘s immersive Room To Play, Creative Edinburgh‘s local bands stage, the late-night club sets from Paradise Palms Records and Samedia Shebeen, our scratch night with DanceBase and the inaugural Edinburgh International Mural Festival, these collaborations helped to bring life to our venue inside and out.
To our incredible crew – the unsung heroes of sound, light, stage management, and production – you ensured every performance shone brightly and sounded spectacular.
And of course, to our amazing audiences – you are why we do this. The energy you brought to The Paper Factory was palpable, turning every corner into a moment of discovery and every performance into a shared celebration. We’ve been absolutely overwhelmed by the brilliant feedback we’ve received, praising the unique atmosphere and unforgettable experiences.
And to the wonderful reviews – from the glowing 5-star review from The Scotsman, praising our “welcome return” to film director and critic Mark Cousins declaring it as “one of the best things I’ve ever seen in Scotland” – this feedback is truly the icing on the cake and a testament to the collective effort of everyone involved.
We also want to extend our immense thanks to our invaluable supporters and partners, whose belief in our vision makes Hidden Door a reality:
To Creative Scotland, the Culture and Business Scotland Fund and the William Syson Foundation: Your vital funding is the foundation upon which Hidden Door is built. Your commitment to fostering cultural vibrancy in Scotland allows us to take risks, champion emerging talent, and bring ambitious projects like The Paper Factory transformation to fruition. We are incredibly thankful for your ongoing support.
To our 2025 partners, Bellfield Brewery, Jack Daniels, Funktion Creep and DirectControl UK: Thank you for fueling our festival, both literally and figuratively! Your collaboration helped us create a fantastic experience for our audiences and supported the smooth running of our operations. We truly value your partnership.
To The List and The Skinny, our official Media Partners: Your fantastic coverage and dedication to championing the arts in Scotland are invaluable. Thank you for helping us share our story, highlight our incredible artists, and reach the wider audience that makes Hidden Door such a vibrant success.
And a huge thank you to our incredible food and drink vendors who kept everyone fed and watered throughout the festival! From the authentic Spanish flavors of House of Tapas, the delicious handmade gyoza from Harajuku Kitchen, and the moreish buttermilk fried chicken from Chicken Skoop, to the creative street food twists from The Fat Flamingo and authentic Japanese dishes from Taberu.
Also thanks to sponsor Artisan Roast, serving up much-needed caffeine and cocktails, and our lovely bar staff keeping the good times flowing – your fantastic offerings added so much to the Hidden Door experience. Thank you for being such a refreshing part of the festival!
To the many individuals and organisations who contributed in other ways; from the City of Edinburgh Council for their guidance and encouragement, Lothian Buses for putting on extra late-night buses and helping to promote sustainable travel options, FLAPS for providing a safe space to look after everyone’s wellbeing, Loop Recycling for helping us meet our sustainability targets, Gig Buddies for ensuring people with learning disabilities and autistic people could enjoy the festival, EHFM for helping us spread the word and of course our “landlord” Summix, who let us use this incredible space!
And finally, to the wonderful local community surrounding The Paper Factory: thank you for welcoming us into your neighborhood with such warmth and enthusiasm. We deeply appreciate your patience, curiosity, and willingness to experience this unique event in your midst. Your presence truly enriched the festival, and seeing so many local faces enjoying the art and atmosphere meant the world to us. We hope we’ve created something special together that reflects the vibrant spirit of this part of Edinburgh.
There are, of course, so many other wonderful individuals – including the Friends of Hidden Door and our Board – who continue to support and encourage us behind the scenes. We can’t possibly name you all, but thank you!
The success of Hidden Door 2025 has once again demonstrated the hunger for unique, artist-led events in Edinburgh. As a volunteer-run charity, our future depends on continued public support. If you want us to keep transforming spaces, supporting new artists, and bringing unforgettable cultural experiences to the city, please consider signing up to support us. Every contribution helps us unlock the next Hidden Door.
Thank you, Edinburgh. We can’t wait to see what hidden gems we uncover next!
Hazel Johnson, Festival Director, and the entire Hidden Door Volunteer Team
