Day: April 26, 2022

The most profitable Eurovision songs of 2022

  • Representing Italy ‘Brividi’ by Mahmood and Blanco is the most profitable song in the Eurovision song contest 2022, with more than 69 million Spotify streams has potential earnings of £237,439 in royalties 
  • Second is Sweden with their single ‘Hold Me Closer’ by Cornelia Jakobs earning an estimated £39,566 from royalties from more than 11 million streams via Spotify 
  • S10’s ‘De Diepte’ from the Netherlands earns third place, making a potential £30,117 

New research reveals Italy’s song ‘Brividi’ by Mahmood and Blanco is the most profitable Eurovision of 2022.   

A study by entertainment experts JohnSlots analysed all 40 Eurovision songs from each country available to stream via Spotify, to discover which song has generated the highest in potential royalties.   

Storming in first is Italy’s ‘Brividi’ by Mahmood and Blanco; the song has taken more than 69 million streams, earning an estimated £237,439 in royalties. Italy won the annual contest three times, first in 1964 and most recently in 2021 with the song ‘Zitti e Buoni’ by Maneskin has earnt an estimated £1,017,239 from its stream count of 295 million streams, which this year’s winners could look forward to seeing.  

Second with a total stream count of 11.5 million is Sweden’s entry with ‘Hold Me Closer’ performed by Cornelia Jakobs; the single’s Spotify stream adds up to a potential royalty count of £39,566. The country has taken a storming total of six wins in the contest, with Sweden’s last win in 2015. 

S10’s ‘De Diepte’ earning an estimated £30,117 in royalties following more than 8.7 million streams, places Netherlands third in the ranking. The Netherlands won the second-ever Eurovision contest and continued to win four other years in the competition to date.   

Representing Spain, Chanel’s single ‘SloMo’ ranks fourth, totalling streams of 7.8 million, with a potentially high royalty earning of £27,156.   

Norway’s entry has gathered an estimated £19,283 in royalties following 5.6 million Spotify streams; the single ‘Give That Wolf a Banana’ by Subwoolfer takes fifth place. Having previously won three times and last took the crown in 2009 with Alexander Rybak’s ‘Fairytale”.   

‘Stefania’ performed by Kalush Orchestra claims sixth in the ranking for Ukraine, from its total stream count of more than 4 million, accumulating a potential royalty earning of £13,792. Finland follows in seventh, the entry ‘Jezebel’ by The Rasmus has earnt more than 3.2 million streams, totalling £11,258 from royalties in estimation from Spotify.   

Austria’s entrance this year with ‘Halo’ by artists LUM!X and Pia Maria claim eighth place with more than 2.6 million streams, has gathered potential earnings of £9,208. 

Representing Germany, Malik Harris’s ‘Rockstars’ claims ninth with just under £9,000 in royalties it is estimated, has accumulated 2.6 million Spotify streams. Germany has won twice before in previous years of the contest, the last being 2010 with ‘Satellite’ by Lena Meyer-Landrut.  

British singer and TikTok star, Sam Ryder, follows in tenth with the single ‘Space Man’ for the United Kingdom. Sam was selected from an internal process with TaP Music, which also manages A-list stars such as Dua Lipa and Ellie Goulding. ‘Space Man’ has an estimated royalty count of £8,921 following more than 2.5 million streams of the single.  

The Most Profitable Eurovision Song of 2022 
Rank Country Artist Song Spotify Streams (£) Pay per play on Spotify 
1 Italy Mahmood & Blanco Brividi 69,023,157 £237,439  
2 Sweden Cornelia Jakobs Hold Me Closer 11,502,004 £39,566 
3 Netherlands S10 De Diepte 8,755,103 £30,117 
4 Spain Chanel SloMo 7,894,204 £27,156 
5 Norway Subwoolfer Give That Wolf a Banana 5,605,737 £19,283 
6 Ukraine Kalush Orchestra Stefania 4,009,491 £13,792 
7 Finland The Rasmus Jezebel 3,272,948 £11,258 
8 Austria LUM!X & Pia Maria Halo 2,676,998 £9,208 
9 Germany Malik Harris Rockstars 2,616,005 £8,999 
10 United Kingdom Sam Ryder Space Man 2,593,327 £8,921 

Commenting on their findings, a spokesperson from JohnSlots said, “With Eurovision approaching next month and being held in Turin, Italy, it will be interesting to see if Italy’s song will impact the show’s results with the existing popularity taking the strongest lead in streams. 

With Italy’s extensive stream count, it’s equally as insightful to see if they could expect to win for a second time running in the annual song contest. Eurovision has become a tradition for dedicated fanbases worldwide to watch the event, with it being a great source of entertainment and representation of their country for many.”   

The research was conducted by JohnSlots, which is dedicated to slot games, and honest reviews of online games. Crafting a handpicked selection of online casino’s for of an enjoyable experience.

Citroën welcomes NHS, Teachers & Emergency Services staff by extending ‘Citroën and You’ programme

  • ‘Citroën and You’ friends and family programme extended further to include NHS employees, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel.
  • Programme enables eligible customers to save up to an additional £1,200* on a brand-new Citroën car.
  • ‘Citroën and You‘ programme is available exclusively online through the Citroën Store.

Citroën UK is showing its appreciation for the incredible work of the NHS, Teachers and Emergency Services across the UK in recent years by extending its ‘Citroën and You’ programme.

The programme, previously reserved for friends and family of Citroën employees, welcomes NHS, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel into the Citroën family and allows users to save up to an additional £1,200* on a brand-new Citroën car.

‘Citroën and You’ is available to NHS employees, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel as a fully online experience via the Citroën store. Eligible users wishing to take advantage of the ‘Citroën and You’ programme can review current offers online, configure and personalise their car, place it in their shopping basket prior to checkout and access a discount with a personalised promotional code before completing the order.

The initiative launches this week with dedicated pages already live on the Citroën UK website. The offers extend across the Citroën passenger car range†, including C4 and ë-C4 Electric, New C5 Aircross and C3 Aircross SUV.

NHS Employees: https://citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-nhs.html
Teachers: https://citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-teachers.html
Emergency Services: https://citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-emergency-services.html

Last month, Citroën UK celebrated Sign Language Week (14 to 22 March) by extending the ‘Citroën and You’ programme to welcome British Sign Language (BSL) users. Citroën has pledged to become more accessible to the UK’s more than 150,000 strong deaf community. Last year, Citroën partnered with SignLive to become the first car manufacturer to introduce its online video interpreting service for deaf and hard of hearing customers across its entire UK retailer network.

British Sign Language users: https://www.citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-bsl.html

Eurig Druce, Citroën’s UK Managing Director, said: “Over the past two years we have seen the remarkable work the NHS, Teachers and Emergency Services have provided across the UK in the face of a global pandemic.

“To show our appreciation for the work they have done and continue to do for us all, I am proud to extend ‘Citroën and You’ to all NHS employees, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel so they can save on a great new Citroën vehicle.”

‘Citroën and You’ friends and family programme is exclusively available via the online Citroën Store, which allows customers to configure their vehicle, select the finance package that best suits their needs and order their new vehicle from the comfort of their own home.

*Current offer available at time of announcement. Subject to change in the future.

†Exclusions apply. Visit https://store.citroen.co.uk/ to see all available models.

Prime riverside apartments to launch in Musselburgh

THE FIRST release of apartments at an anticipated development in the centre of Musselburgh will launch to market next week.

May 2nd will see Dundas Estates launch the first phase of one, two and three-bedroom apartments at its 140-home Wireworks development on the banks of the picturesque River Esk.

With reservations being taken by property specialists Rettie & Co., prices range from £184,995 to £339,995, catering for a variety of different buyers.

Situated just off of Mall Avenue, the development is near to a wide range of community amenities, high-street shops and cafes, the development has excellent bus and car connections to Edinburgh and East Lothian – offering capital convenience and relaxed living for buyers.

Head of Sales and Marketing at Dundas Estates, Craig Fairfoull, said: “The Wireworks is one of our most exciting projects to date, regenerating a massive area of vacant land that was a real eye-sore on the local community into beautiful, high spec apartments to help quell demand in the area.

“Musselburgh has many positive attributes that has understandably led to it becoming a highly sought-after area to live.

“The development will appeal to a range of buyers, from first timers to retirees and we’ve already seen high levels of interest.

“Given the popularity of the development so far, we would like to urge interested buyers to get in touch as soon as possible so they don’t miss out on securing their dream home.” 

Situated on the East Coast near Edinburgh, the ‘Honest Toun’ is quickly becoming a popular destination for those looking to relocate from the Capital, due to its value for money and proximity to the city centre.

A recent report by property experts Rettie & Co. show the EH21 region, where Musselburgh is located, has experienced a strong recovery in the wake of lockdown restrictions being lifted mid-2020, with sales exceeding £24million in March 2021, more than £18m above pre pandemic levels.

Despite increasing popularity, 90% of homes in the area sold for under £400,000, with apartments concentrated at under £160,000, more than £100,000 less than the average flat in the capital.

Craig said: “Some of the properties have their own private balconies, whilst some have their own private gardens, making them the ideal place to relax and enjoy what Musselburgh has to offer.”

Based on the site of Brunton Wireworks, the Wireworks will boast a large central landscaped area central reflective of its picturesque tree-lined surroundings, as well as stylish, open-plan living.

Homes at the development will benefit from luxury fitted kitchens with SMEG appliances, luxury Roca sanitaryware in all bathrooms and ensuites, hive controllable, high efficiency gas thermal heating and high spec-thermal insulation as well as generous in-built storage, on-site parking, bike storage and EV charging provision

Dundas Estates, through a partnership with Tesco, East Lothian Council and NHS Lothian, acquired the site after receiving planning permission to regenerate the former Brunton Wireworks site and neighbouring land in 2008.

The Livingston-based firm is also committing up to £400,000 in section 75 contributions, which will be invested into local schooling and infrastructure and building 11 affordable homes to help meet rising demand in the area.

To learn more about Dundas Estates’ Wireworks development visit: 

https://www.dundas.co.uk/developments/the-wireworks, call 0131 243 3858 or email: thewireworks@rettie.co.uk

Forth Neighbourhood Network meets online tomorrow evening

6pm via MICROSOFT TEAMS

FORTH Neighbourhood Network will meet online tomorrow evening at 6pm.

AGENDA

  1. Welcome & Apologies
  2. Notes of Meeting of 19th January 2022 and matters arising (circulated)
  3. Forth NN Neighbourhood Environmental Programme (NEP) HRA update – George Norval / David Delargy
  4. Forth NN current Priority: Poverty, including food poverty update – Biddy Kelly, Response and Recovery Group
  5. Community Grants Fund – review of the past year plus funding panel decisions
  6. Any other Business
  7. Dates of Next Meetings:   22nd June 2022, 14th Sept 2022, 14th Dec 2022.

For further information please contact Elaine Lennon, North West Lifelong Learning Development Officer, telephone 529 5270, email Elaine.Lennon@edinburgh.gov.uk

New Debut Lab launched to support Scottish authors

Nine Edinburgh writers selected for new initiative

Scottish Book Trust has unveiled a new initiative to support writers based in Scotland whose debut, full-length work in poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction was published after December 2019 and impacted by the pandemic. Debut Lab is funded by, and a collaboration with, Creative Scotland.

Delivered remotely through a series of seven live-on-Zoom workshops and a range of additional online resources, Debut Lab will support writers affected by the pandemic during this transitional stage in their careers.

Workshops will include networking, marketing, author events and funding opportunities, and will be led by industry professionals including Mairi Oliver, owner of Lighthouse Bookshop, and writers Maisie Chan and Helen Sedgwick, as well as Creative Scotland’s Literature Team and Scottish Book Trust staff.

Nine writers based in Edinburgh have been selected for Debut Lab, including:

  • Amy B. Moreno, whose debut picture book, A Billion Balloons of Questions (Floris) will be published in June 2022
  • Caron McKinlay, whose debut novel The Storytellers (Bloodhound Books) will be published in May 2022
  • Charlie Roy, whose debut novel The Broken Pane (Leamington Books) was published in 2021
  • Flora Johnston, whose debut novel What You Call Free (Ringwood Publishing) was published in March 2021
  • Helen Boden, whose debut poetry collection A Landscape to Figure In (Red Squirrel Press) was published in November 2021
  • Kirsti Wishart, whose debut novel, The Knitting Station (Rymour Books) was published in March 2021
  • Lauren Pope, whose debut poetry collection, Always Erase (Blue Diode Press) was published in January 2022
  • Niamh Hargan, whose debut novel Twelve Days in May (HarperFiction) will be published in April 2022
  • Ry Herman, whose debut novel Love Bites (Quercus Publishing) was published in July 2020

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said: “Scottish Book Trust is pleased to support eighteen authors through our new initiative, Debut Lab.

“Being a debut author is daunting enough, but the pandemic and following lockdown made it incredibly difficult for authors to promote their work.

“We hope to shine a light on this fantastic range of books, from children’s novels to collections of poetry. Our thanks to Creative Scotland for making this possible and allowing us to give essential support to this cohort.”

Katalina Watt, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland said: ““Creative Scotland is so pleased to be working with Scottish Book Trust on this vital initiative for debut authors impacted by the pandemic.

“Through a series of live online workshops and additional resources led and facilitated by industry professionals, Debut Lab will highlight the wonderful variety of works and support these authors in the next exciting steps of their author journeys.”

Did planning dispute lead to Alistair Wilson murder?

‘TIME IS NO BARRIER TO JUSTICE’

Detectives investigating the murder of Alistair Wilson at his home in Nairn in 2004 are appealing for information about a local planning application they believe may be significant to the enquiry.

Mr Wilson had objected to a large decking area outside the Havelock Hotel, opposite his home in Crescent Road, shortly before he was shot dead on his doorstep.

Detectives recently travelled to Canada to interview a key witness regarding this planning application and are appealing for the public’s help to gather more information.

Officers from Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team, which is carrying out the investigation, can also confirm they now believe the answer to Alistair’s murder lies within his personal life and is not connected to his employment with the Bank of Scotland.

Detective Superintendent Graeme Mackie said: “Shortly before his murder, Alistair had objected to the building of a large decking area within the car park of the Havelock Hotel, directly opposite the family home which he said was responsible for increased noise and litter in the area.

“The decking was built in the summer of 2004 and subject to a retrospective planning application at the time of the murder.

“While we cannot rule out any scenario, we believe this could be significant to our enquiries and I am asking anyone with information about this issue to please come forward and speak with officers.

“Alistair did not disclose his disapproval regarding the decking to many people, however we understand that his formal objection was sent by the Local Authority to the Havelock Hotel on the Thursday before his murder and knowledge of his objections became public before his murder on the Sunday, which may be significant.

“I would also appeal to anyone who was involved in the building of the decking area at the Havelock Hotel in 2004 to come forward.

“Through significant enquiries being carried out we believe the answer to Alistair’s murder lies within his personal life and not in his role with the bank.

“Someone locally will have that piece of information that could be crucial to catching his killer and providing answers for his family.”

Anyone who believes they can assist police is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 515 of 4 March 2022 and Operation Sorn or you can e-mail a dedicated inbox at SCDHOLMESAberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk

Last month Police Scotland issued an appeal for information about two men seen with a handgun on a beach near the town a month before the fatal shooting.

Following recent appeals for information, a witness has reported seeing two men, one aged in their 20s and the other between 40 and 60 years old on East Beach, Nairn.

The witness has said the younger man was in possession of a handgun.

Detective Superintendent Mackie said: “We have been very clear that time is no barrier to justice and I hope these recent appeals will further reassure the public that we are determined to bring Alistair’s killer to justice.

“I would like to thank the local community for the positive response to our recent appeals for information.”

Following a recent review of witness accounts, further analysis of timings from the night in question and investigative developments, officers altered the description of the man they want to trace in connection with Alistair’s murder.

Detectives believe the man who shot Alistair on his doorstep to have been aged between 20 and 40-years-old at the time. This would mean he is now aged in his mid-30s to almost 60 years old.

He was approximately 5ft 7in tall and was wearing a baseball cap and jacket.

Previous appeals described the gunman as being between 30 and 40-years-old.

Mr Wilson was shot around 7pm on Sunday, 28 November 2004 after a man called at the family’s home on Crescent Road, Nairn, spoke to his wife Veronica who answered the door and asked for her husband by name.

Mr Wilson went downstairs to speak to the man and was handed a blue envelope with the word “Paul” on it. He went inside briefly and then returned to the door for a second time when he was fatally shot.

Anyone who believes they can assist police is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 515 of 4 March 2022 and Operation Sorn or you can e-mail a dedicated inbox at SCDHOLMESAberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk

Community councillors to meet council candidates at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre

DRYLAW Telford Community Council will meet tomorrow (Wednesday 27th April) at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre..

With the council elections just a week away, the Community Council has invited Inverleith ward candidates along for an informal opportunity to meet CC members and find out what issues are important to them.

Unfortunately the meeting is not open to the public.

Secretary Pam Higgins explained: “Due to covid restrictions – room size specifically – we cannot accommodate an open meeting at present.

“This is a meeting for the candidates to meet their potential Community Council so that the transition is easier post elections. We hope that in the near future we can fully open up to the community again.”

The following ten candidates are standing in Inverleith:

  • Jule BANDEL – Scottish Green Party
  • Stuart HERRING – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
  • Phil HOLDEN – Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life
  • Tam LAIRD – Scottish Libertarian Party
  • Stephen MCNAMARA – Independent
  • Max MITCHELL – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
  • Mhairi MUNRO-BAIN – Labour and Co-operative Party
  • Vicky NICOLSON – Scottish National Party (SNP)
  • Hal OSLER – Scottish Liberal Democrats
  • Malcolm Alexander WOOD – Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Four of them will be elected to represent Inverleith next Thursday.

Inverleith councillors elected last time (May 2017) were:

Gavin BARRIE – Scottish National Party (SNP)

Max MITCHELL – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Hal OSLER – Scottish Liberal Democrats

Iain WHYTE – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.

Bird Flu restrictions to be lifted

BIRD KEEPERS URGED TO REMAIN VIGILANT

The mandatory housing measures for poultry and captive birds, which were introduced across the UK to help stop the spread of bird flu, will be lifted from 00:01 on Monday 2 May, Chief Veterinary Officers confirmed yesterday.

Poultry and other captive birds will no longer need to be housed, unless they are in a Protection Zone, and will be allowed to be kept outside. While the risk of bird flu has been reduced to ‘medium’ for premises with poor biosecurity, the enhanced biosecurity requirements that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) will remain in force as infection may still be circulating in the environment for several more weeks. All poultry gatherings will remain banned.

Those who intend to allow their birds outside are advised to use the upcoming days to prepare their outside areas for the release of their birds. This will include cleansing and disinfection of hard surfaces, fencing off ponds or standing water and reintroduction of wild bird deterrents.

The UK has faced its largest ever outbreak of bird flu with over 100 cases confirmed across the country since late October. Scrupulous biosecurity is the most effective method of disease control available and all bird keepers should apply enhanced measures at all times to prevent the risk of future outbreaks.

In a joint statement, the four Chief Veterinary Officers said: “Whilst the lifting of the mandatory housing measures will be welcome news to bird keepers, scrupulous biosecurity remains the most critical form of defence to help keep your birds safe.

“It is thanks to the hard work of all bird keepers and vets, who have played their part in keeping flocks safe this winter, that we are in a position to take this action. However, the recent cases of avian influenza show that it’s more important than ever for bird keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease and maintain stringent standards of biosecurity.”

The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) will remain in force across the UK, with only the housing measures component being lifted from Monday 2 May.

This means all bird keepers (whether they have pet birds, a commercial sized or a backyard flock) must be diligent in continuing to take effective and precautionary biosecurity measures including cleansing and disinfecting equipment, clothing and vehicles, limiting access to non-essential people on their sites, and workers changing clothing and footwear before entering and when leaving bird enclosures.

Poultry and captive bird keepers must be vigilant for any signs of disease in their birds and any wild birds, and seek prompt advice from their vet if they have any concerns.

All bird keepers must:

  • cleanse and disinfect clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing
  • reduce the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and use effective vermin control
  • thoroughly cleanse and disinfect housing on a continuous basis
  • keep fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all farm and poultry housing entry and exit points
  • minimise direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds

All keepers are encouraged to register their flocks with the Animal and Plant Health Agency. For poultry this is a legal requirement if you have 50 birds or more (poultry includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeon (bred for meat), partridge, quail, guinea fowl and pheasants). Registering means that keepers will be contacted with information or action required should an outbreak happen near them.

Do not touch or pick up any dead or sick birds that you find. If you find dead swans, geese or ducks or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, you should report them to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77.

Figures of Speech: New Event Series Takes You on Explorative Journey of Scottish Words and Culture

Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature and the Scottish Storytelling Centre have joined forces to create a new series of events in celebration of Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 that will launch on Fri 20 May at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.

Figures of Speech is a fresh and exciting cross-artform series that will bring together writers and artists to take us on a road trip through Scottish literature.

Covering six universal themes (music, friendship, future, love, place, big ideas), each event explores literary blockbusters, hidden gems and modern classics.

Expert guides will take us on a journey through Scotland’s iconic books and stories, navigating the dazzling array of new voices, and presenting newly commissioned work by artists responding to each theme. This will be a journey across the curious contrasts and contradictions that define Scottish literature.

The events will also be supported by eight newly commissioned pieces of work from contemporary artists inspired by the themes. These will offer fresh expression, creative interpretation, and a reimagining of some of Scotland’s well-known and well-loved stories, as well as shining a light on some of the lesser known but equally loved contributions to Scotland’s literary canon.

The series will feature singers, poets, filmmakers, storytellers, authors, musicians, visual artists and more; a well-rounded and supportive platform for new and emerging talent as well as championing those already established in the literary scene.  

The first event will be held on Fri 20 May with broadcaster Nicola Meighan in discussion with author Arusa Qureshi on all things music in Scottish literature.

Next up on Fri 24 June, poet Michael Pedersen will talk friendship with Val McDermid and on Fri 22 Jul, writer and poet Russell Jones speaks future horizons and forward thinking with writer T.L. Huchu.

The series continues on Fri 23 Sep with Gaelic poet Peter Mackay getting amorous with his words in discussion with romance writer Jenny Colgan, whilst visual artist and writer, Amanda Thomson, will drop a pin in the literary map with a discussion on place and locality with poet and film maker Roseanne Watt on Fri 21 Oct.

The season concludes on St. Andrew’s Day with some big ideas and pertinent questions in relation to Scotland and our world at large.

Professor David Farrier will host an evening of discussion with climate activist and author Jessica Gaitán Johannesson on Wed 30 November.

All the events will be recorded and made available online a week later, and both the live and recorded events will be supported by BSL interpretation. Each of the six events will be supported by a pop-up bookshop from Lighthouse Books. Their expert booksellers will be on hand to supply the must-read books to match the event.

Daniel Abercrombie, Programme & Events Manager at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, says: “‘Figures of Speech’ will bring audiences and performers together to debate and discuss the famous and not so famous words and stories across these themes in Scottish literature.

“This project is all about variety, partnerships, and a celebration of words, so we hope and imagine people will have their own thoughts and opinions on these themes, which is all part of the fun in this Year of Stories!

“I’m looking forward to finding new stories to explore and seeing the emerging creative responses to the themes, taking the story forward.”

Frank Ross, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, says: “‘Figures of Speech’ is a wonderful collaboration between Edinburgh City of Literature and the Scottish Storytelling Centre for Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022.

“It really exemplifies the partnership working that takes place in Edinburgh as a UNESCO City of Literature. The six events in the programme bring a totally fresh approach to looking at Scotland’s writing and stories and it’s great to see such diversity of artists, writers and voices.’

Ali Bowden, Director, Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust, says: “We’re delighted to be launching the Figures of Speech series and to be making all these events available to watch free on demand.

“Edinburgh is the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature and we’re excited and proud to be putting Scotland’s incredible artists on a global stage and using our international networks to help audiences around the world discover more about Scotland’s amazing books and stories.”

Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 will spotlight, celebrate and promote the wealth of stories inspired by, written, or created in Scotland. Figures of Speech is supported by EventScotland as part of this celebration.

Scottish Government Culture Minister Neil Gray, says: “We’re delighted to support this joint initiative from Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature and the Scottish Storytelling Centre through EventScotland’s Year of Stories Open Fund. 

“This inspiring new multi-artform series of events will make a wonderful contribution to Scotland Year of Stories as it takes some of our best loved tales and explores them anew as part of wider more contemporary themes.”

Each themed event will be supported by newly commissioned pieces of work from contemporary artists such as Katie Ailes, Kim Carnie and Jeda Pearl Lewis amongst others.

Author and Figures of Speech contributor Val McDermid, says: “‘Figures of Speech‘ is a fantastic way of taking a fresh look at Scotland’s stories

“I’m looking forward to exploring friendships found both on and off the page: the lovely letters between Barrie and Stevenson; Holmes & Watson; my own 1990s correspondence with Ian Rankin when he was in France and I was in Manchester; my determination that Kate Brannigan should not be a friendless PI stalking the mean streets of Manchester, but rather should have a nexus of female friends …

“I’m excited to talk Scotland’s iconic friendships past and present with Michael Pederson and look to the future of Scottish literature.”

Tickets and further information can be found at https://cityofliterature.com/figures-of-speech/ and www.scottishstorytellingcentre.com | https://bit.ly/FOSYoS22

And you can follow the story online with #FoS22.

The Figures of Speech programme was made possible by financial support from EventScotland as part of the Year of Stories 2022, City of Edinburgh Council and The Stevenston Charitable Trust, and the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust and Scottish Storytelling Centre gratefully acknowledge this support.