Operation Crackle: Fireworks Dispersal Zone dates set

Dispersal Zones for #OpCrackle have been set up across Edinburgh and will be enforceable from 1400 hours on 01/11/2024 to 0000 hours on 05/11/2024.

These will be in place within: Gorgie, Saughton, Oxgangs, Liberton, Gilmerton, Gracemount, Portobello, Niddrie, Moredun, Muirhouse, Craigentinny, Pilton and Edinburgh City Centre.

We use this power where we have reasonable grounds to believe that the presence or behaviour of a group of two or more people in any public place is causing, or likely to cause, alarm or distress to any members of the public.

An officer utilising Dispersal Zone powers may give:

1. A direction requiring persons in the group to disperse.

2. A direction requiring any of those persons whose place of residence is not within the relevant locality to leave the relevant locaility.

3. A direction prohibiting any of those persons whose place of residence is not within the relevant locality from returning to the relevant locality or any part of it during such period (not exceeding 24 hours) from giving of the direction as the constable may specify.

If you knowingly contravene a direction given by an officer within a Dispersal Zone under these powers, you can be subject to an arrest without warrant.

#KeepingPeopleSafe

Fruit tree pruning with Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop 🍎

We are delighted to host a fruit tree pruning workshop with John Hancox from Scottish Fruit Trees.

On Friday 8 November, from 12-3 pm you will learn all about when and how to prune your fruit trees.

This event is free entry. Please let us know that you would like to attend by emailing grantongarden@gmail.com 📧

#grantoncastlewalledgarden

#grantoncastle

#grantoncommunity

#Granton

#gardening

#historicgarden

#fruittrees

#freeevents

#fruittreepruning

#pruning

#scottishfruittrees

Acas urges employers to act now on sexual harassment

Workplace expert Acas is encouraging employers and their staff to create a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment at work ahead of a change in law this week.

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 comes into effect on 26 October 2024, introducing a legal duty for employers to proactively take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.

Acas is suggesting employers create a culture where sexual harassment is understood to be unacceptable, including anyone in a position of authority.

This includes developing a policy on sexual harassment, training managers on their responsibilities, and creating an environment where people feel safe to report incidents of sexual harassment and situations where they felt unsafe.

According to a recent Acas survey, 14% of employers and 6% of employees said they had witnessed sexual harassment in their workplace.

Acas Head of Inclusive Workplaces Julie Dennis said: “Sexual harassment is unacceptable at work or anywhere else. We want everyone to understand this, and we are urging employers to take a proactive approach to stamping it out.

“Proper policies and training for managers can help eliminate the potential for sexual harassment to occur. They can also help foster environments where staff feel empowered to report any harassment and avoid it before it occurs.”

Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature.

Under the new law, employers must take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.

They must not wait until something has happened before they take action.

This covers harassment from colleagues, whether at work or in settings connected to work, and also harassment from third parties such as customers, service users or members of the public.

In order to identify and address risks, employers need to:

  • consider the risks of sexual harassment happening in their organisation
  • consider steps they could take to reduce the risks of sexual harassment happening
  • consider which of those steps are reasonable for them to take.

For more information, please visit: https://www.acas.org.uk/sexual-harassment

Marking 35 years with Stories

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival continues until 31 October

Next week, guest storytellers from Berlin arrive in Edinburgh to share stories and films from their divided and reunified city to mark 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

This milestone coincides with the founding year of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, which runs until 31 October and takes place at the Storytelling Centre, and various venues in Edinburgh and across Scotland, thanks to support from Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund. 

The Festival’s German strand kicks off with West-East-West – stories from a still divided Germany on Tuesday, 29 Oct, 8pm. 

Supported by the Goethe-Institut, guest storytellersCarsta Zimmermann, Kristin Wardetzky, and Peter Hofmann will be sharing stories of their experiences in, and since, the early 1990s in Berlin. 

Curated by Rachel Clarke who currently lives in Berlin and works in theatre, these guest storytellers include actress Carsta Zimmermann who moved to a squatted house in the newly reunified East Berlin in the 1990s where she and her brother, director Jan Zimmermann, built a theatre and performed Shakespeare in the summer and Grimm’s fairy tales by the fireside in winter; Kristin Wardetzky, a storyteller and professor of theatre in education, who moved from East to West Berlin and introduced a storytelling course to the University of the Arts; and Peter Hofmann, who went from being at home in the cosy independent music scene of 1980s West Berlin, to playing his part in the emerging club scene in the East of the city.

This event will be complemented by a screening of a documentary film by Horst Edler on Wednesday, 30 October, 5.30pm, illustrating the peaceful revolt that was witnessed during the fall of the Berlin Wall when people brought down the power of the Stasi using music, caricatures and satirical slogans.

The footage includes unknown stories told by eyewitnesses at the original locations, pictures of current actions, events, and posters to commemorate the Peaceful Revolution.  Some of footage shown will also be from scenes at the Zion church or Zionskirche 35 years ago.

This patriotic landmark stands at the highest point in Berlin and was a meeting place for opposition groups in the mid-1980s, it was also where vigils were held for members arrested by the Stasi, and as a result, became the home of the civic movement that campaigned for the end of the GDR.

Daniel Abercrombie, Associate Director, Scottish International Storytelling Festival said: ““We are delighted to welcome our international guests from Berlin and the Storytelling Arena to take part in this year’s festival.

“Our theme this year is ‘Bridges Between’ and it feels even more fitting than ever that at a time where literal, figurative and societal walls continue to be constructed everywhere we try to look beyond these boundaries and continue to build bridges between us using the universal power of storytelling.”

Hanna Dede, Director of Goethe-Institut Glasgow said: “Storytelling is the ideal medium for exploring complex narratives from various perspectives.

“When we learned the Scottish International Storytelling Festival shares its founding year with the fall of the Berlin Wall 35 years ago, we felt it was the perfect opportunity for the Storytelling Festival and Goethe-Institut to team up in commemorating this event. 

“We are excited to cooperate with our partners in bringing storytellers from Germany to Scotland to share their stories about this pivotal point in German history, which set off the process of unification – still ongoing and shaping the public debate to this day.

“Horst Edler and Storytelling Arena delve into the topic by including perspectives from East and West Germany, thus creating an atmosphere to listen and learn from each other – a prerequisite for anyone truly committed to building bridges.

“We hope the Storytelling Festival will continue with this remarkable work for many more years.”

Kate Deans, International Officer, Creative Scotland said: “As the Scottish International Storytelling Festival celebrates its 35th anniversary, it continues to connect local and global stories.

“Creative Scotland welcomes the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund, supporting new commissions and uniting storytellers and musicians from Scotland and abroad, covering regions as diverse as Andalucia, Siberia, the Celtic Isles, and India.

“This year marks an exciting moment as the festival hosts UNESCO City of Literature delegates from around the world. As Edinburgh celebrates 20 years of its UNESCO designation, these delegates will also be able to explore the festival’s rich programme of events during their time here.”

Other international guests performing this year include Jeeva Raghunath who will be sharing stories from the folk lands of India, and Irish guest storyteller and broadcaster Nuala Hayes who founded the Dublin Storytelling Festival who will be joined by Irish musician Aoife Granville for two events celebrating the life of storyteller, seanchaì and author Peig Sayers thanks to support from Culture Ireland.

For the full programme, visit sisf.org.uk

Scottish Ensemble weave a beautiful sonic tapestry in  Concerts by Candlelight this December 

Scottish Ensemble bring moments of stillness and a captivating musical adventure as they perform their annual Concerts by Candlelight series across Scotland 

From the 5th to the 12th December the pioneering string ensemble will visit some  of the country’s most atmospheric settings. Concerts by Candlelight will take place in  Perth, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and for the first  time in Dunblane.

A staple of the Scottish festive calendar these concerts feature  vibrant compositions illuminated by the warm glow of candlelight. 

Jonathan Morton, Artistic Director of Scottish Ensemble, said: Concerts  by Candlelight have become a very popular moment in our musical calendar, both  for audiences and musicians, and it’s heartwarming to see people return each  year.

“We all look forward to meeting again in these spectacular buildings, and to  experience together the magical combination of beautiful sounds within ancient  spaces.” 

Audiences can expect a rich selection of music that weaves between past and present,  to create a beautiful sonic tapestry. Alongside compositions with seasonal  resonances by JS Bach, Arvo Pärt and Pēteris Vasks, there will also be pieces  that will take listeners to unexpected places including movements from Kaija  Saariaho’s Sept Papillons and The Evergreen by Caroline Shaw. 

The programme also includes a brand-new work, And At Pains to Temper the Light,  by Hannah Kendall, commissioned by Scottish Ensemble, Staatsoper Stuttgart  and Staatstheater Stuttgart.

Known for her attentive arrangements and immersive  world-building, British composer Hannah Kendall’s music looks beyond the  boundaries of composition. Just like Scottish Ensemble, her work bridges gaps  between different musical cultures, both honouring and questioning the  contemporary tradition while telling new stories through it. 

Hannah Kendall said about her new work: “My grandfather and his family were  from the Berbice region of Guyana, which has deeply rooted and routed, yet largely unforgotten or unknown, historical connections to Scotland.

“In And At Pains to  Temper the Light, I seek to reimagine and refresh these ties, creating renewed  spaces of connection that have the potential to inspire transformation through sound.

“I am indebted to Scottish Ensemble, a group of musicians I so deeply  admire, for giving me the opportunity to explore this part of my heritage in a way  that hopefully also speaks to shared experiences that transcend borders and time.” 

Tickets range from £11 – £22 and are free for under 16s. Tickets are available from: 

https://scottishensemble.co.uk/programme/2024-25/concerts-by-candlelight-5/

Eric Liddell 100 announces the 100 recipients of the Eric Liddell Recognition Awards

Five overall winners will attend the ‘National Eric Liddell Awards’ in November, hosted by Scottish broadcasters Sally Magnusson and David Tanner, and presented by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.

The Eric Liddell 100 proudly announces the recipients of the prestigious ‘Eric Liddell Recognition Awards,’ honouring 100 outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to Scotland’s athletics, sports and community work.

The Eric Liddell 100 which is led by The Eric Liddell Community has partnered with four other organisations – Scottish Athletics, Youthlink Scotland, Scottish Rugby, and Scottish Disability Sport to honour individuals who have demonstrated the charity’s core values of passion, compassion, and integrity.

Throughout the year, 100 individuals have been recognised with ‘Eric Liddell Recognition Awards,’ receiving a unique pin badge and certificate. Each of the five organisations has also nominated one individual to attend the ‘National Eric Liddell Awards’ with Jamie Murchie from Largs Academy nominated by Scottish Rugby, Luke Davidson of Inverness Harriers nominated by Scottish Athletics, Orlagh MacIver from the Black Isle nominated by Youthlink Scotland, Andy Biggar from Edinburgh nominated by The Eric Liddell Community, and Ron McArthur, from Forth Valley nominated by Scottish Disability Sport.

Launched by The Eric Liddell Community charity, The Eric Liddell 100 campaign honours the centenary of The Flying Scotsman’s famous Olympic gold medal in Paris 1924, 100 years on, celebrating the life, sporting and community service achievements of one of Scotland’s iconic figures through a series of initiatives, events and activities, with the final event of 2024 being the ‘National Eric Liddell 100 Awards’.

John MacMillan, Chief Executive Officer of The Eric Liddell Community, said: “We are absolutely delighted to celebrate these 100 outstanding individuals who embody the core values of Eric Liddell – passion, compassion, and integrity.

“Each of the recipients of the Eric Liddell Recognition award has made a significant contribution to athletics, sports and their community in Scotland, and we are proud to recognise their achievements.

“We look forward to honouring five of these exceptional individuals further at the National Eric Liddell Awards, and we are thrilled to have such esteemed hosts and the presence of our Patron, Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, to mark this special occasion.

“This is the first year of these awards, and we hope to make this an annual tradition, continuing to commemorate Eric Liddell’s legacy.”

Luke Davidson, nominated by Scottish Athletics for the ‘National Eric Liddell Awards’, demonstrated his exceptional athletic talent and dedication to his Christian faith when winning the Scottish Senior 800m title this year.

Luke Davidson said: “I’m incredibly honoured to be attending the National Eric Liddell Awards. Like Liddell, I dedicate my whole life to my faith. My commitment to integrity and passion towards my this reflects the values he championed. I strive to embody those principles throughout everything I do, whether that be training, competing or practising my faith.

“I train for athletics six days a week, but I don’t compete or train on Sundays; that’s why I switched into the 800m at the Scottish Seniors this year even though I am really a 1500m runner. The 1500m was scheduled for Sunday and I don’t run Sundays – so I felt very much like Eric Liddell at Grangemouth this year.”

Jamie Murchie, PE teacher at Largs Academy nominated by Scottish Rugby, said: “I am truly honoured to be one of the five individuals attending the National Eric Liddell Awards in November.

“The School of Rugby started around 9 years ago, it was an idea I had with the Rugby Development Officer at Ardrossan Accies, about bringing more rugby opportunities to the school. It’s just grown year on year from there and we currently have 175 students enrolled.

“Around 40% of players transition to supporting Ardrossan Accies Rugby Club and a further 10% to other local clubs. The pathway really helps with development of their rugby, but above all I just like getting kids out playing and enjoying the game.”

Hosted by Sally Magnusson – respected broadcaster and author of ‘The Flying Scotsman: The Eric Liddell Story’ – and sports broadcaster David Tanner, the awards will also feature elite sports people who have shown their dedication to Eric Liddell’s core values.

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, who serves as Patron of the Eric Liddell 100, will present each nominee with an award highlighting their achievements.

Full list of Award Winners:

For more information on the ‘National Eric Liddell Awards’ and how to get involved, please visit https://ericliddell.org/events/eric-liddell-awards-gala-dinner/

Edinburgh’s Christmas opens the coolest bar in the city with all new Polar Ice Bar on George Street

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Tickets are on sale now here

  • Edinburgh’s Christmas all new Polar Ice Bar will open to the public from Monday 25 November on George Street in Edinburgh’s City Centre
  • Kept to a chilly -8°C, all walls, bars, tables and decor at this unique sensory experience are made from crystal clear ice using recycled rainwater – the glasses are pure ice as well!
  • Take a trip to the coolest bar in town before warming up at Edinburgh’s Christmas’ cosy food and drink spots
  • Edinburgh’s Christmas Trailer

Edinburgh’s Christmas has today announced the coolest new bar in town, with the city’s first Ice Bar. Visitors are invited to take some time to chill this festive period, at the all-new Polar Ice Bar where tables, chairs and glasses are sculpted entirely from ice.

This unique pop-up bar experience created in partnership with Hamiltons Ice Sculptors and supporting partners Essential Edinburgh, will be located on George Street in Edinburgh’s City Centre and will be kept to a chilly -8°C. Visitors can stay cosy the whole time with warming jackets and gloves provided on arrival.

Inside the Polar Ice Bar, guests will enjoy delicious festive alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, served in an individual pre-carved ice glass, with your first drink included in entry ticket.

Visitors can also take in the bar’s beautiful, engraved ice walls and sculptures featuring winter forests and wildlife, providing the perfect insta-moment for friends and family with group bookings available.

Brand new for Edinburgh’s Christmas in 2024, the Polar Ice Bar is the perfect spot for a cool drink or two with friends, or a cool start to your Christmas party night-out! Warm-up afterwards in George Street’s Coorie Inn, a brand-new Edinburgh’s Christmas attraction hosting a programme of live music, events, and festive workshops, soon to be announced. There are also an incredible array of surrounding bars and restaurants to create the perfect festive night out.

Hamiltons Ice Sculptors’ expert artists will hand carve everything in the bar with sculptures made from crystal clear ice using recycled rainwater.

Edinburgh’s Christmas Polar Ice Bar is open to over 18s and bookable for 30-minute sessions via the edinburgh-christmas.com.

Unique Assembly, producers of Edinburgh’s Christmas said: “We are thrilled to present the Polar Ice Bar, a brand-new attraction for Edinburgh’s Christmas and the city that is guaranteed to get visitors in the festive spirit.

“Wrap-up warm and come join us for the coolest cocktail in town.”

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive and Director of Essential Edinburgh said: “The Polar Ice Bar will be a great new attraction for George Street.

“As a brand new concept for the city centre it will draw people in to experience something completely different, and then move on to enjoy a drink in our established ‘warm’ bars and restaurants.”

Edinburgh’s Christmas attractions are open daily except Christmas Day, with varying opening dates and times available at the official website. For further information and to buy tickets, please go to edinburgh-christmas.com.

Festival goers write their own obituary to celebrate life

Audiences will have the unique and unusual opportunity to write their own obituaries in a new thought-provoking workshop at this year’s national festival of humanities – Being Human Festival. 

This year, the festival celebrates its 10th anniversary, and ‘Obituaries – Landmarks for Life and Living’ is just one of 230 free events taking place in November across the UK in 58 towns and cities. 

Experts from Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh will host a creative and interactive workshop that aims to challenge participants to explore their own experiences and celebrate their lives in a new way. 

Dr Michelle Elliot, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, Dr Giorgos Tsiris, Senior Lecturer in Music Therapy, and Dr Anthony Schrag, Reader in Arts Management and Cultural Policy, will facilitate ‘Obituaries – Landmarks for Life and Living,’ which will invite audiences to think about their life and how they want to be remembered. 

 Michelle Elliot said: “In an age where social media enables real-time documenting and curating images of everyday life, we invite participants to question what might be the ‘sum’ rather than the ‘parts’ of their lives. 

“In most circumstances, obituaries are written after someone’s death, by someone else who is possibly going through their own experience of bereavement. What if we were to change the narrative and ask you to write your own obituary, in life, in this present moment? 

“We consider this narrative exercise to be a celebration of, and reflection on, life. It allows you to look back at activities, events, and roles – do they represent what you would want to be remembered for? As you consider your life’s journey to this point, you may find the experience reflective and revealing.

“In this interactive workshop, we will look at examples of obituaries and share in conversations about what everyday life says about who we are and how we live. In this reflective space, we will explore the influences on the stories we live by, live with and perhaps aspire towards.” 

2024 marks a landmark anniversary year for the Being Human Festival. Every November over the past decade, the festival invites researchers at universities and affiliated organisations to collaborate with local communities and cultural partners to present hundreds of free public engagement events.

The aim is to celebrate and demonstrate the ways in which the humanities inspire and enrich our everyday lives, help us to understand ourselves, our relationships with others, and the challenges we face in a changing world.  

To date, the Being Human Festival has featured more than 2,600 free events and activities, reaching over 260,000 people across the UK.  

To tie in with its 10th anniversary, the theme of the festival this year is ‘Landmarks’ and will feature free events across the UK between 7-16th November.  

‘Obituaries – Landmarks for Life and Living,’ will take place on 16 November 2024 at St Columba’s Hospice Care, Edinburgh from 1pm to 4pm. 

To find out more, visit the Being Human Festival website – https://www.beinghumanfestival.org/ 

To book your free spot for ‘Obituaries – Landmarks for Life and Living,’ visit – https://www.beinghumanfestival.org/events/obituaries-landmarks-life-and-living 

Bloody Exciting!

OPENING SATURDAY: National Galleries of Scotland acquires bloody exciting performative artwork by Beagles and Ramsay to Celebrate 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection

Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection

National Galleries Scotland: Portrait

26 October 2024 – 16 March 2025

Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection | National Galleries of Scotland

Free

This October the National Galleries of Scotland is partying like it’s 1984 with Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection, at the Portrait gallery from 26 October 2024 – 16 March 2025.

Step back in time to the 1980s when the National Galleries of Scotland officially began its world-class photography collection.

Explore over 100 art works from Scotland’s national photography collection, dating from the 1840’s to the present day in this free-to-visit exhibition.

Marvel at historic photographs, visit some famous faces and discover an exciting range photographic styles in this eclectic celebration of the nation’s photography collection.

To mark the opening of the exhibition, National Galleries of Scotland has announced the acquisition of an artwork consisting of photographs, film and performance by Glasgow-based artists Beagles and Ramsay. 

Sanguis Gratia Artis (Black Pudding Self-Portrait) is a performance piece which features a black pudding self-portrait made from Beagles and Ramsay’s blood.

Exploring the boundaries of the self-portrait, a pint of blood is extracted from each artist and then used to create two black puddings. While the act of making the puddings is central to the artwork, the piece exists beyond the performance with three photographs and a film that has recorded an earlier cooking session. 

Sanguis Gratia Artis, translation: blood for the sake of art,will go on display at the Portrait gallery for the first time at National Galleries of Scotland in Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection. 

The display is made up of 3 photographs including of the artists, black puddings and the ingredients, alongside the recipe for making the black puddings.

Commissioned by the Henry Moore Foundation and Grizedale Arts in 2004 for the exhibition Romantic Detachment at PS1 MoMA, New York, the work was a departure from figurative self-representation. Discover how they bring this art to life in their performance in early 2025 at the Portrait gallery in Edinburgh.

John Beagles and Graham Ramsay have been collaborating since 1996, while also independently teaching at Edinburgh College of Art (Beagles) and Glasgow School of Art (Ramsay).

Working across various media from photography, sculpture and painting to performance and video, much of their work employs self-portraiture as a way to engage with issues of contemporary culture and societal anxieties. They explore subjects such as political disenfranchisement, consumerism and the cult of celebrity.

Alongside Beagles and Ramsay’s display Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection showcases the very best of Scotland’s ever growing, 55,000 artwork strong photography collection.

Marking this magnificent milestone, the exhibition reflects on all that has been accomplished in the last four decades and looks to the future.

In the 1980s recognition of photography as an artform was growing rapidly as museums and galleries around the world were looking to establish and grow their collections.

National Galleries of Scotland were no different. Having begun collecting photography in the late 19th century, it was in 1984 that the National Galleries of Scotland collection was formally established.

A world-renowned photography collection, it is regarded as one of the best in the UK. Due to its original remit to collect the very best of Scottish and international photography, the collection has developed over the last 40 years to have global reach.

This lively exhibition explores the major themes, subjects and processes from throughout the history of photography, including works by major photographers such as Julia Margaret Cameron, Robert Mapplethorpe and Annie Leibovitz.

Highlighting the enticing and universal nature of photography, the exhibition will include six themes; portraiture, landscape, documentary photography, archives, inclusion and experimentation.

Find portraits of famous Scots such as, Andy Murray, The Proclaimers, Jackie Kay and David Tennant as well as fun and vibrant portraits such as Viviane Sassen’s In Bloom.

Celebrating the connectivity and nostalgia that photographs bring to people worldwide, the exhibition looks at how this incredible artform can be traced through generations of Scottish photographers and schools of photography. Embracing the eclectic nature of photography, vibrant displays will create interesting contrasts and connections between historic and contemporary images.

Discover how the ideas and subject matters that started with David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson in the 1840s continues to be photographed centuries later with different and modern cameras.

Take pride in the influential alumni of Scottish photography schools whose connections extend around the world, making Scotland a significant home to photography.

Explore the idea of what makes a photograph, reflecting on changing technology and taking a look at artists who are pushing the boundaries of what we might have traditionally thought of as a photograph.

Get a deeper understanding of how photographers have explored the themes of landscape and environment change including a new acquisition by American, Sant Khalsa combining photography and sculpture.

Displayed alongside early Scottish photographs by John Muir Wood, showcasing the beautiful shapes created by trees. This offers a fascinating look at how these two artists explore the same subject matter in completely different ways.

Discover works by revered international photographers, with exceptional photographs from the ARTIST ROOMS collection, jointly owned by the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate.

The exhibition draws a selection of works by globally renowned artists, such as Robert Mapplethorpe and Diane Arbus. This will also be the first time the National Galleries of Scotland has shown work from the ARTIST ROOMS collection by Don McCullin, one of the world’s greatest photojournalists.

Scotland is known as a centre for documentary photography and the exhibition will celebrate this with a medley of the best documentary photographers who have made work in Scotland.

Weaving in some old favourites and new acquisitions this will highlight photographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt, Eve Arnold, David Hurn, Joseph Mackenzie and Bert Hardy. A wall of Hill & Adamson’s Newhaven fisherwomen will mark an important moment in the development of documentary photography not just in Scotland but in the history of the medium.

Looking to the next 40 years, the exhibition also focuses on acquisitions from the last decade which address issues such as equality, inclusion and diversity. National Galleries of Scotland actively seek opportunities to broaden representation across the collection and the exhibition highlights this as a priority area for collecting in the future.

Representation of female photographers has been a recent priority, with work by artists including Chrystel Lebas, Wendy McMurdo, Chloe Dewe Mathews and Arpita Shah entering the collection.

Anne Lyden, Director-General at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: ‘Photography is a cornerstone of the National Galleries of Scotland, accounting for almost half of the entire collection.

“It is with great delight that we celebrate the medium with this impressive and engaging exhibition drawn entirely from the vast holdings of the nation’s collection.

“Over the course of the last forty years many photographers, collectors, donors, curators, and enthusiasts have contributed to this important world-class collection which belongs to the people of Scotland.

“We are excited to celebrate this anniversary with our visitors through such a dynamic display.’ 

Louise Pearson, Photography Curator at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: ‘The 40th anniversary is the perfect moment to draw from the full breadth of Scotland’s photography collection.

“This vibrant and fun exhibition includes photographs of famous Scots and works by photographers who have become household names.

“It opens many possibilities in making connections across our country’s photography collection, sharing highlights as well as celebrating lesser-known works.

“We want visitors to join us in celebrating the collection and take pride in Scotland’s contribution to photography worldwide.’

This exhibition is funded by The Morton Charitable Trust and the players of People’s Postcode Lottery

Edinburgh Leisure: One penny, endless possibilities

If you’re ready to embark on a journey towards a healthier, more active lifestyle, there has never been a better time to take the first step with a special promotion at Edinburgh Leisure – just in time to drop a few pounds before the Christmas festivities.

From 25th October to 10th November, you can join any of Edinburgh Leisure’s fitness, climb or golf memberships for a joining fee of just one penny. This limited-time offer is your golden opportunity to experience the benefits of being a part of Edinburgh Leisure.

Their memberships are designed to cater to all fitness levels and interests. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting out, they have something for everyone.  The new Evolve Membership at Meadowbank Sports Centre is also included in this offer.

By taking advantage of this offer, you’ll gain access to 50+ venues, including 17 top-notch gyms, 12 swimming pools, 6 golf courses, 1 world-class climbing arena, and sports facilities across the city. Enjoy the flexibility of choosing from over 750 fitness classes each week, including yoga, pilates, spinning, and more.

Their expert trainers are there to support and motivate you every step of the way, ensuring you achieve your fitness goals in a fun and engaging environment. 

And as a member, you can also enjoy additional member benefits like priority bookings, and free gym introduction. There is no contract – and you can freeze or cancel your membership at any time.   

So, wherever you’re at on the map or in life, Edinburgh Leisure has something to suit your needs.

To join online, visit: https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/join-for-one-penny