Edinburgh Festival 'To Celebrate Art and Technology'

This year's Edinburgh International Festival is to focus on the relationship between art and new technology, the event's artistic director has said.

Speaking to thestage.co.uk, Jonathan Mills, whose tenure at the helm of the renowned festival began in 2006, argued that the development of new materials and technology has a significant impact on the art world.

"Artists' innovation in everyday materials has played a key role in the evolution of artistic techniques and thinking, and of how we experience the world," he said.

"What I am trying to do with this festival is suggest that it is an intermingling of materials and poetry that creates the really powerful reminders of our shared humanity."

Mr Mills pointed to a performance of Hamlet from the Wooster Group in this year's programme which remixes and uses as a backdrop the 1964 film version of the play.

The 2013 programme will also include a total of 11 world premieres during the three weeks of the festival, which runs from August 9th to September 1st.

Those planning to attend should make sure they book hotels in Edinburgh as soon as possible, as they tend to fill up quickly during festival season.