The Edinburgh International Festival is set to become a “phone-free” environment during performances, according to reports from BBC News and Euronews. The move applies to audiences during the festival’s shows, with organisers asking people to put phones away while performances are taking place. BBC News quotes the festival’s director, violinist Benedetti, who has led the festival since 2023, saying the policy is introduced at the request of artists and audiences. Euronews similarly reports that more touring performers are increasingly demanding phone-free conditions for concerts, and that the festival is responding to those concerns by adopting a phone-free approach for the 2026 edition. While sources agree on the overall aim—reducing phone use during performances—details such as enforcement or whether phones are fully prohibited throughout the entire venue are not provided in the excerpts. The announcements frame the policy as a response to feedback from both performers and attendees, rather than a top-down initiative.