INSOMNIACS will be delighted. An all-night arts festival is being planned for Scotland as part of a cultural phenomenon that has swept around some of the world's great cities. Talks are underway over the staging of the first Nuit Blanche – or White Night – festival in Edinburgh next spring. It follows major successes in transforming public buildings after dark in Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Amsterdam, Toronto and St Petersburg.

Some of the best-known landmarks in Edinburgh – including the Castle and St Giles Cathedral – are set to be involved in a move that will enhance the capital's reputation as a festival city. The Nuit Blanche events are traditionally held over around 12 hours from dusk and generally see venues hosting art installations, performances of music, dance, performance art and film, and sound and light shows. Restaurants and bars are also likely to be encouraged to stay open late or open early – subject to licensing laws – to cater for the revellers.