Institut Français d’Écosse and Edinburgh’s Franco-Scottish comics shop, La Belle Adventure are hosting the Auld Alliance Comics Festival from Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th July, celebrating Scottish and French creators.

Offering a vibrant weekend of mostly free events, celebrating the rich worlds of French and Scottish comics, guests include Elizabeth Holleville, an award-winning comic book artist based in Strasbourg, France; cartoonist, illustrator and writer Kate Charlesworth, French writer, artist and colourist Alfred, and author and illustrator James Albon, with an “Artist Alley” event planned for Sunday.

Discover incredible graphic novels, meet talented authors and illustrators from both countries, attend live drawing sessions, workshops, talks, and more.

Whether you’re a lifelong fan or just comic-curious, there’s something for all ages.

Based in the heart of Edinburgh, the mission of The Institut Français d’Écosse aims to facilitate talent and cultural exchanges, consolidating the local and international sense of community by tightening the cultural fabric. It has four major aims: To promote the French language, by providing a high-quality range of French courses for everyone; to promote French culture in Scotland, by programming ambitious and inventive events; to encourage cross-cultural exchange between France and Scotland, in cooperation with Scottish Francophile institutions; and develop exchanges between France and Scotland in Education.

La Belle Adventure, reviewed here on downthetubes by Joe Gordon, is a bookshop dedicated to French and European comics/graphic novels based at 225 Leith Walk, Edinburgh. The shop offers a huge range of graphic novels and comics for children and adults in a warm and comfy atmosphere.

• Auld Alliance Comics Festival Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th July 2025, Institut Français d’Écosse West Parliament Square Edinburgh EH1 1RF| Free entry for all the events apart from the Live-Drawing performance by Alfred: £8 Full Price | £6 for French Institute members

Announced Schedule: Saturday 5 July: Artist Alley plus talks with Elizabeth Holleville, Kate Charlesworth, Alfred and James Albon, followed by a ticketed live-Drawing performance by Alfred at 5.45pm | Sunday 6 July: “Artist Alley”

• La Belle Adventure is at 225 Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 8NX | Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday: 10.30 – 6.00pm | Sunday: 1.00 – 5.00pm | Facebook | Instagram

With thanks to Joe Gordon

• About the Author
• Latest Posts

John Freeman

John  is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of  comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.

• Cartoon Museum celebrates Trans+ Pride Comics with new exhibition
• Nathan Breakenridge signs up for Commando duties, new Warlord collection lands next month
• Beano’s “Ivy the Terrible” origin revealed with item offered in latest Phil-Comics eBay auction

Categories: Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events

Tags: Alfred, downthetubes News, Elizabeth Holleville, Events Scotland, Institut Français d’Écosse, James Albon, Kate Charlesworth