West Pilton Park is undergoing an exciting, new development after receiving a significant amount of charitable funding.
The Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council would like to share with you the latest design proposals, to raise awareness of the development and build enthusiasm for the new park plan.
The aim is to make West Pilton Park the beautiful, bustling centre of a thriving neighbourhood community.
The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is an important reminder for us all of the millions of people who were murdered or were impacted by the Holocaust.
“We can also use this as an opportunity to remember all victims of genocide around the world. This remains a key chapter in our collective global history that we must learn from and together work towards a more tolerant and peaceful future.
“This year’s theme, ‘the Fragility of Freedom’ highlights how we can never become complacent about erosions of freedoms and the dark path that this leads down.
“This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi people in Rwanda, this had been preceded by years of tension, violence and curtailing of freedoms.
“On behalf of the city of Edinburgh I extend our heartfelt sympathies to the victims of the Holocaust and all genocides, to the survivors who bravely shared their stories with the world, and those who are still impacted now.”
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for assistance in tracing Kevin Sweeney (33yrs) who has been reported missing from the Leith area of the City.
Kevin was last seen on 7th January 2024 in Pilrig Street, Edinburgh. His current whereabouts are unknown and we are becoming increasingly concerned for him.
Kevin is described as being male, white, 5ft 9 tall, average build with an auburn beard and short fair hair.
If you believe you have seen Kevin or have any information please contact 101 quoting incident no. 1669 of the 19/01/24.
In an effort to raise awareness of shopping pre-loved, this month will see the re-launch of Vet Your Clothes, a UK campaign whereby PDSA are calling on the local community to ‘vet their clothes’ – by having a purposeful clear out, donating items they no longer need to its charity outlets.
The campaign is backed by PDSA supporters, and animal lovers, Fearne Cotton and Sarah Jayne Dunn, who have taken on the challenge and vetted their clothes – both donating an item from their wardrobe they no longer need. They are hoping this will encourage many to join in, making some closet space before adding any more fresh finds!
The items up for grabs are a gorgeous, sparkly Olivia Rubin dress that had everyone talking when worn by Fearne, and almost immediately sold out. Now, there’s a unique opportunity to get your hands on this pre-loved by Fearne, highly desired, and no-longer available to purchase, total show-stopper dress.
There’s also a beautiful electric blue textured mini dress, resembling a heap of hydrangea flowers, worn by Sarah. This fabulous dress was from a Forever Unique collaboration with fashion and lifestyle influencer, Tara Maynard. As the collection has come to an end, it’s an opportunity to get your hands on a pre-loved by Sarah, unique, and again, no-longer available to purchase dress.
The items donated by the campaign ambassadors, Fearne and Sarah, will go up for sale in an online auction event, hosted on 4 February.
In the run up to the auction, PDSA is calling on the rest of the UK to also take on the challenge of ‘vetting their clothes’ for a great cause! PDSA has 116 charity shops throughout the UK, so plenty of locations to drop off any unwanted goodies.
Items sold in PDSA’s charity shops go a long way to support pets in need:
Just one item sold for £3 in a PDSA charity shop would pay for a small bottle of a local anaesthetic to provide essential pain relief to a much-loved pet during dental procedures and minor surgery.
An item sold for £5 would provide a poorly cat with anti-sickness to ease their symptoms.
And an item sold for £10 would pay for a heat pad that would help keep a pet warm and cosy following surgery.
PDSA’s Vet Your Clothes campaign runs through January and February 2024. Visit the Vet Your Clothes campaign page on PDSA’s website to find out more: www.pdsa.org.uk/vetyourclothes
Chief Superintendent Sean Scott will officially retire today (Friday, 26 January), bringing an end to an illustrious 33-year policing career, the last five of which have been served as Divisional Commander for the City of Edinburgh.
Sean began with Lothian and Borders Police in 1990 at the West End and would serve a large part of his career as a detective, both within CID and Public Protection.
When Police Scotland was formed he played a significant role in the development of the Specialist Crime Division, which includes the Major Investigation Team and Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Units.
Appointed as Divisional Commander for Edinburgh in 2019, Chief Superintendent Scott has overseen a number of major events within the Capital, including the annual International Festival and Fringe, festive policing operations and the Hogmanay Street Party.
In addition, he led on Edinburgh’s response to Operation Unicorn, the death of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and the subsequent repatriation of her body to London.
A/Chief Superintendent Emma Croft will take over as Divisional Commander for Edinburgh and begins her new role on Monday, 29 January.
Emma, who has 23 years policing service joins from Operational Support Division, where she most recently served as Silver Commander for the Capital’s Hogmanay Street Party.
Prior to her time in OSD, A/CS Croft worked within a number of uniformed roles in the city, having joined Lothian and Borders Police in 2000.
A/Chief Superintendent Croft said: “It is a real privilege for me to take over as Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, a city that I call home and have spent the bulk of my policing career working in.
“My predecessor, Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, did a terrific job of developing and enhancing the work we do with key partners to best serve the city and to ensure we provide the highest quality of policing to our communities, despite sustained challenges.
“My intention is to ensure we continue to meet the needs of the public and to work alongside all relevant agencies to deliver the most appropriate response whenever it is required.
“’l will shortly start meeting with many officers and staff from across Edinburgh Division and can’t wait to get their input and feedback on what we can do to keep Edinburgh one of the safest places in the UK to live, work and visit.”
Luca Kerr from Edinburgh has been nominated for the Inspiration Award for his film ‘Campachadh.’
While some may be eagerly awaiting the Baftas and Oscars, Scotland’s Gaelic communities are busy preparing for Gaelic film’s biggest night of the year: the FilmG Awards.
Over 50 films have been shortlisted for the FilmG Awards, a night celebrating the best Gaelic storytellers and filmmakers in Scotland and beyond. Winners will be crowned in categories such as Best Performance, Best Production Design, Technical Excellence, and the Best Film Award.
Leading the way with four nominations in the Under-18 competition is ‘A Bheil Thu An Sin?’, a psychological drama by the new independent filmmaking group Lost Rollerskate Pictures from Glasgow Gaelic School.
In the Over-18 competition, Inverness charity FC Sonas’s ‘Blàr nan Gàidheal’, which tells the story of the first-ever official football match in Gaelic, also has four nominations, closely followed by Isle of Lewis-based Tormod MacLeod’s funeral farce ‘An Tiodhlaiceadh’ (three nominations).
With the judges’ job now complete, the only categories still to be decided are the FilmG Choice Awards, with the public vote for these categories still open until midnight, 2nd February. Votes can be cast online by the public at www.FilmG.co.uk.
Rachel Kennedy, FilmG Judge and star of hit BBC ALBA drama series An Clò Mòr, said: “It’s been a record-breaking year for FilmG, with over 160 entries – the highest number of submissions since the competition began. The appetite for the competition is brilliant, but it makes our job as judges incredibly difficult as there is so much talent to choose from.
“Our shortlist has been carefully considered and showcases the best Gaelic filmmakers based on production, technical ability, and storytelling. From highly skilled animation to tear-jerking documentaries and cutting-edge dramas, the high level of talent, creativity, and effort has been evident in every film shortlisted, and they are all deserved finalists.”
FilmG Project Manager, Megan Dale, said: “The theme for this year was “Mo Shealladh’ (My Point of View), and all the entrants embraced this by showcasing different perspectives and playing with form. The shortlisted films show a deep understanding of perspective and the importance of listening to Scotland’s multitude of voices.
“The nominees represent different perspectives from all over Scotland, including Thurso, Portree, Glasgow, Harris, Lewis, Dunoon, and Inverness. Often, when we think of the film industry, we picture London or Glasgow, but FilmG shows that a wealth of talent can be found in all corners of Scotland (and beyond) and that it is important to encourage these voices to be heard.”
MG ALBA’s Head of Publishing, Maggie Taylor, said: “Congratulations to all the nominees this year – it’s wonderful to see such a diverse selection of stories and to acknowledge the skill, talent, and enormous technical effort it takes to bring them alive. The Awards night is where this talent can be recognised, and I’m excited to see who will be crowned FilmG winners on 23 February.
“For the first time, the nominees list includes Gaelic filmmakers from the Isle of Man and Canada, showing the international reach of the Gaelic film competition. We hope to continue developing FilmG’s transnational ties and supporting the talented filmmakers emerging across Scotland.”
The FilmG Awards will take place on 23 February in the Lomond Auditorium of Glasgow’s illustrious SEC.
The awards will be live-streamed to YouTube, with a highlights programme to be broadcast two days later on BBC ALBA (Sunday 25 February).
NFTS appoints renowned Scottish film producer and founder of award-winning Young Films to lead the Sean Connery Talent Lab in Edinburgh
The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is thrilled to announce acclaimed Scottish film producer and founder of Young Films, Chris Young will lead the inaugural Sean Connery Talent Lab as part of the expansion of NFTS Scotland.
Bringing a wealth of industry expertise and a legacy of close to four decades in filmmaking, Chris will spearhead the transformative 12-month programme aimed at developing emerging filmmakers across Scotland and the UK.
Aspiring writers/directors, producers, cinematographers, editors and production designers have until midnight on29th January to apply, with the first cohort embarking on their training journey in Leith from April.
To ensure the programme is as accessible to as many people as possible, each of the 30 places are substantially subsidised, with 70% of fees generously underwritten by the Sean Connery Foundation.
Since its inception in 1986, Young Films has become synonymous with critically acclaimed and award-winning productions, spanning feature films and television.
From early successes like Venus Peter and Gregory’s Two Girls to developing The Inbetweeners for Channel 4, with the spin off film, The Inbetweeners Movie becoming the UK’s highest-grossing comedy film, Chris Young has been at the forefront of shaping the Scottish film landscape.
His commitment to fostering talent is evident in initiatives such as the nine-series Scottish Gaelic drama Bannan, created on the Isle of Skye, and the establishment of the Young Films Foundation in 2017, focused on training the next generation of Scottish screenwriters.
The Sean Connery Talent Lab is set to become a cornerstone of the Scottish film industry. In his role as head of the Sean Connery Talent Lab, Chris Young will leverage his extensive experience to guide and mentor 30 emerging creatives as they hone and develop their craft and increase the scale and ambition of their work. They will bring to life their own unique short films, made with the support of BBC Film.
The NFTS has partnered with the Sean Connery Foundation for the Sean Connery Talent Lab and it is supported by a wide range of other industry partners, trusts and foundations who have pledged their support to underpin the programme with additional funding, bursaries and scholarships.
BBC Film is the production partner with several other partners joining the Talent Lab including: The Dana and Albert Broccoli Foundation, FirstStage Studios, Blazing Griffin, DNA Films, Hartswood Films, Juniper Trust, LS Productions, the Rank Foundation and Synchronicity Films.
After 12 intensive months, the Sean Connery Talent Lab will culminate in the creation of six short films that will serve as powerful industry ‘calling cards’, offering an invaluable launchpad for the 30 talented individuals to make their mark on the world of film.
The final films will be submitted for both UK and international film festivals and will premiere at a prestigious showcase event, with industry figures from across Scotland, the UK and beyond invited to attend the screenings.
Upon successful completion of the programme, participants will be awarded an NFTS Diploma in Filmmaking.
Jon Wardle, NFTS Director said:“We are delighted to welcome Chris Young as head of the Sean Connery Talent Lab.
“This is an exceptional opportunity for the brightest talents in Scottish filmmaking to harness their unique creative voices and under the guidance of Chris, the Sean Connery Talent Lab is poised to make a lasting impression on the Scottish creative industry and beyond.”
Chris Young, Head of the Sean Connery Talent Labcommented: “For over 35 years, my unwavering passion has been to cultivate, sustain, and champion new talent in Scotland.
“This journey began with the establishment of Young Films, and I am thrilled to continue this mission by leading the Sean Connery Talent Lab in collaboration with the NFTS.
“The Lab represents an exciting opportunity to usher in a dynamic new generation of world-class filmmakers in Scotland, spanning crucial disciplines. Much like the NFTS has done over the years, and continues to do, the Sean Connery Talent Lab is poised to leave an indelible mark on the industry.
“To all those with talent and aspirations to contribute to the vibrant Film and TV landscape in Scotland, I wholeheartedly encourage you to apply. This Lab is more than just a programme; it’s a game-changer for Scotland, and its impact will reverberate across the industry for years to come.”
Stephane Connery, Chair of the Sean Connery Foundation said: “Chris Young’s infectious energy, connections across industry, and demonstrated commitment to launching breakthrough talent make him the ideal choice as the inaugural leader of the Sean Connery Talent Lab.”
Jason Connery added: “We are so grateful to our partners who have come onboard, and we are keen to meet the first group of creators when the Talent Lab kicks off in the Spring.”
Applications for the Sean Connery Talent Lab will close at midnight on Monday 29th January 2024.
For more information on how to apply and for eligibility criteria, go to:
Extraordinary stories told by exceptional Scottish talent
National Theatre of Scotland has announced an exciting new season of work for the coming year.
A year of world premieres, tours and work at all scales, on stages across Scotland, England and beyond, a programme of work for younger audiences, plus artist’s residencies, events, a touring exhibition and film and digital projects.
Four world premieres, the return of two hit shows, back by popular demand, three productions at the Edinburgh Festivals and nine touring productions.
Touring to 45 venues across 28 locations in Scotland, England and Europe.
Jackie Wylie, Artistic Director said: “We are delighted to be offering audiences a packed theatrical programme in 2024 with, thrilling new productions alongside acclaimed shows that we have brought back by popular demand.
“We are proud to honour icons and celebrate artists that help define and shape our cultural identity. As Scotland’s National theatre company, who tour tirelessly throughout Scotland, we want to bring a sense of community togetherness, pride in our nation’s creativity and the chance to have a brilliant night out, for audiences, locally or indeed further afield.
“We are acutely aware that we continue to live in challenging times. Global politics, the aftermath of the Covid years and the cost of living crisis all have ongoing impacts for the creative and cultural industries and the brilliant Scottish artists who create theatre with us.
“National Theatre of Scotland has always held a lens up through which we can view ourselves, as a nation, as a society and never more so than in this programme. Through the sharing of important stories, that tell us about ourselves, we explore our shared humanity.
“Climate activism, youthful protest, the enslaved Joseph Knight who made his bid for freedom, the great Billy Connolly, the Margaret Thatcher years, working class culture, teenage Cosplay, Country music, masculinity and the late great Beldina Odenyo all share the spotlight in our 2024 programme.
“Young people hold a special place in our programme. We are committed to ensuring they are involved with the National Theatre of Scotland from Primary School onwards, through our productions with Theatre in Schools Scotland, our touring work to venues and through participation in projects with leading theatre-makers.
“We thank our partners, our supporters and funders, the venues we are touring to, the artists, the crews and the freelancers who make our work, all those who participate and most importantly our audiences who energise us through their commitment and enthusiasm for the joy of theatre.”
NEW PRODUCTIONS
THE FIFTH STEP, a thrilling and provocative new play written by David Ireland and directed by Finn den Hertog. The taut two-hander features Jack Lowden, returning to Scottish stages for the first time since his theatrical debut in Black Watch in 2010. The Fifth Step will preview at Dundee Rep Theatre before opening at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, for a week’s run as part of the 2024 Edinburgh International Festival and then end with a week’s run at The Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow in August 2024.
JUNE CARTER CASH: THE WOMAN, HER MUSIC AND ME, a new play written and performed by Charlene Boyd sharing the story of one of country music’s most iconic voices: June Carter Cash, directed by the multi-award-winning Cora Bissett. June Carter Cash: The Woman, Her Music and Me opens at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe ahead of a tour of Scottish cultural venues.
THANK U, NEXT, a new dance theatre piece exploring the contemporary culture of cosplay, created by leading radical performance collective 21Common working with teenagers across Scotland. They will produce four unique productions presented at schools in Glasgow, Cumbernauld, Grangemouth and Lochgelly, for a run of public performances in February and October 2024 and then again in March 2025. Each production will be directed by 21Commoners Lucy Gaizely and Gary Gardiner, and performed by a mixed group of professional performers, school pupils and young collaborators who were involved in the original development of the piece.
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED
MAGGIE & ME, is a bold and explosive new production based on Damian Barr’s award-winning and darkly witty memoir about growing up gay in Thatcher’s Britain, adapted by Damian Barr and James Ley, directed by Suba Das. Opening at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow, before touring to Inverness, Perth, Cumbernauld, Dundee, Northampton and Edinburgh in Spring 2024. Full creative team announced.
DEAR BILLY, a love letter to the Big Yin returns to Scottish stages after a successful tour of Scotland in 2023. Written and performed by Gary McNair, and directed by Joe Douglas, this critically acclaimed celebration of Billy Connolly will be heading to Aberdeen, Glasgow and Inverness before coming to the Assembly Rooms as part of the Assembly Festival programme for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.
NEWLY ANNOUNCED –RETURN OF AN AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTION
ENOUGH OF HIM, the incisive and emotive, award-winning and critically acclaimed play based on the true story of Joseph Knight returns to stages in 2024. Enough of Him, written by May Sumbwanyambe and directed by Orla O’Loughlin with Omar Austin reprising his role as Joseph, will open in Edinburgh in October 2024 before touring to Dundee, Aberdeen, Chichester and Coventry. A co-production with Pitlochry Festival Theatre
IN ASSOCIATION WITH PRODUCTIONS
AN ACCIDENT / A LIFE, an exciting new collaboration between Marc Brew and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. The semi-autobiographical piece has its world premiere at Holland Dance Festival in February 2024 before arriving in Glasgow for the UK premiere at Tramway in March 2024 ahead of further European international tour dates.
SHŌ AND THE DEMONS OF THE DEEP, a timely new production for younger audiences aged 8 and over, from Independent Arts Projects (IAP) in association with National Theatre of Scotland. Shō and the Demons of the Deep is a visual adventure story about overcoming fear, climate crisis, and how the actions of one generation can affect the next, written by Zoë Bullock and directed by Shilpa T-Hyland, touring across Scotland in April and May 2024.
TERO BURU, a new play by the late, great Beldina Odenyo has been posthumously interpreted by Beldina’s sister, Leah McAleer and directed by Julia Taudevin. Beldina’s friends and collaborators have joined together with Leah to bring Beldina’s debut play to an audience. Tero Buru will be performed in Glasgow in autumn 2024, with full details of dates and venue to be announced.
PROTEST, Natalie Ibu’s acclaimed production of Hannah Lavery’s new play embarks on a new tour across the UK, following a successful tour in 2023. Presented by Fuel, Imaginate and Northern Stage in association with National Theatre of Scotland, the show takes a timely look at the right to protest from the perspective of three young girls. Opening in Edinburgh in January, then touring to Newcastle, London, Nottingham, Harrogate, Cambridge, Colchester, Coventry, Poole, Plymouth and Exeter until March 2024.
All 2024 productions will be produced to the Theatre Green Book intermediate standard with 75% of all materials having been pre-used.
DIGITAL/BROADCAST/ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE/CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT
A new short film by multi-disciplinary artist Gillian Katungi, who creates work under the name of PAIX, produced in partnership with the Africa in Motion Film Festival, inspired by her album Metamorphosis: Feeling My Way (to Freedom).
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, director Hope Dickson Leach’s new version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story, co-written with Vlad Butucea, will be screened at the Victoria Film Festival in 2024 and can still be viewed on Sky Arts. Adapted from the original novella and relocated from London to Edinburgh, this film is a coproduction with Selkie Productions, supported by Screen Scotland and Sky Arts.
Two new artists in residence Ross Mackay and Guy Woods will develop new plays and Alison Burnley and Ellie Davies from RiffRaff Producing will take up their role as artists in residence in the Highlands in partnership with Eden Court Theatre.
A further two new artists in residence, Roisin McLinden and Eoin McKenzie will develop community inspired work for the Company’s Neighbourhood project in North Glasgow.
A packed programme of Artist Development and Creative Engagement opportunities – including new digital productions to be added to NTS’ Education Portal, Creative Career insight sessions for High School students, First Night opportunities for community groups across Scotland, a special creative industries event as part of the BBC’s Bring the Drama festival at Rockvilla and Portraits of an LGBTI+ Generation exhibition continues to be shown at Western General Hospital until summer 2024.
Theatre in Schools Scotland continues bringing world class theatre to primary and secondary school pupils in their schools. Five productions will be touring in 2024. Poggle by Barrowland Ballet; One of Two by Jack Hunter, presented by Independent Arts Projects; Ginger presented by Tortoise in a Nutshell; Cloud Man by Constellation Points/Ailie Cohen and Lewis Hetherington, presented by Scottish Theatre Producers and Going for Gold: Me and Linford Christie by Victoria Beesley, presented by Catherine Wheels Theatre Company.
Theatre for a Fiver tickets available across the majority of productions and venues for 14 to 26-year-olds and those on low-income benefits.
Film fans are in for a treat this weekend, with two of 2023’s biggest films – Barbie and Oppenheimer – returning to Vue sites in Edinburgh.
This week saw both films securing an impressive 21 Oscar nominations between them. Together, they created the cultural phenomenon ‘Barbenheimer’ – a huge moment not just in cinema, but in pop culture as a whole.
It was revealed on Tuesday (23 January) that Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is up for 13 gongs, while Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is not far behind with eight.
To celebrate the impressive feat, film fans will once again be able to enjoy a DIY double feature of both titles at Vue Edinburgh Omni and Vue Edinburgh Ocean this Saturday.
Toby Bradon, General Manager at Vue UK & Ireland, said: ‘We’re thrilled to be welcoming back not one but two great blockbusters on Saturday 27 January and can’t wait to relive the magical movie moments from Great Gerwig and Christopher Nolan.
‘Both films performed brilliantly at the Golden Globes, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for them at this year’s Oscars.’
Tickets start from just £7.99 when booked online. Visit myvue.com to find out more.
