- Literature contributes £50.9m annually to Edinburgh’s economy
- Publishing generates £19.3m, reflecting the UK’s strongest literary cluster outside London
- 140 million+ books by contemporary Edinburgh-based authors sold globally (650m+ including Harry Potter)
- 1.6 million annual visits to Edinburgh’s public libraries
- 61% of visitors cite culture and history as a key motivation for visiting the city
- 59% of residents say arts and culture make a positive difference to their lives
Two decades after Edinburgh became the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, a new report has set out to measure the impact of literature in the city today.
The independent study, commissioned by Edinburgh City of Literature Trust and carried out by BOP Consulting, finds that literature contributes £50.9m a year to Edinburgh’s economy. Publishing alone accounts for £19.3m, supporting a concentration of literary businesses that mark the city out as an engine of publishing in the UK.
The report also highlights the wider role literature plays across the city, both in its international profile and in everyday life.
Edinburgh is home to a dense network of writers, publishers, booksellers and festivals. More than 140 million books by contemporary Edinburgh-based authors have been sold worldwide, rising to over 650 million when the global phenomenon of Harry Potter is included.
Alongside this international reach, literary activity remains closely rooted in the city itself. Each year, Edinburgh’s public libraries welcome more than 1.6 million visits, while the city’s literary landscape is sustained by a dense network of organisations, events and activity taking place throughout the year.
More than 50 book launches and “meet the author” events take place each month, alongside a programme of festivals that together welcome over 250,000 audiences annually.
The report identifies this activity as part of a wider literary ecosystem that supports participation, learning and shared cultural life.
It highlights the role of libraries, festivals, publishers, bookshops and grassroots organisations in creating opportunities for engagement at all levels, from large-scale international events to local, community-based activity.
It also finds that 59% of Edinburgh residents believe arts and culture make a positive difference to their lives – significantly higher than the Scottish average of 47%.
And similarly, 63% of Edinburgh respondents agree that culture and the arts make a positive difference to their local community (versus 51% Scottish average).
Literature also plays a role in the city’s appeal to visitors. The report notes that 61% of visitors cite culture and history as a key motivation for coming to Edinburgh, with literary tourism contributing to the broader visitor economy through festivals, heritage sites and wider cultural activity.
The study describes Edinburgh’s literary sector as a dense and interconnected network spanning major institutions, independent publishers, festivals, libraries and grassroots organisations.
It highlights the concentration of activity across the city, with the majority of Scotland’s publishers based in or operating from Edinburgh, alongside a mix of large-scale organisations such as Scottish Book Trust and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and a wide network of smaller businesses and freelance practitioners.
This infrastructure supports activity across the full lifecycle of literature, from education and research through to publishing, live events and retail.
The report notes that Edinburgh hosts more than 50 university courses in literature and creative writing, alongside an active programme of events and opportunities for writers and audiences at all stages.
Alongside these strengths, the study identifies a number of external pressures affecting the sector.
These include rising operating costs, a contracting funding environment, and challenges around ensuring participation extends beyond established audiences.
It also points to opportunities to improve coordination and visibility across the city’s literary offer, including the potential for a more centralised approach to information-sharing and sector collaboration.
In response, Edinburgh City of Literature Trust is developing a programme of activity focused on strengthening connections across the sector, broadening participation and improving access to literary opportunities.
This includes
- improving its digital platforms to better serve its literary stakeholders and wider public including a space for city-wide calendar of events and a digital map linked to an in-depth guide
- working with libraries and partners to reach across every area of the city with new projects that ensure everyone in Edinburgh feels connected to our story
- fostering increased collaboration across the sector and co-chairing a new strategic steering group with the city’s Lord Provost, the Edinburgh Literature Forum to build a long-term strategic plan for the City of Literature
- and securing a literary hub for writers, creatives and communities to use all year round.
Dr Harriet MacMillan, Director of Edinburgh City of Literature Trust, said:
“Literature is fundamental to Edinburgh. It is not a ‘nice to have’ – it is central to how we understand, imagine and shape our city.
“We are fortunate to have extraordinary cultural assets, and we should celebrate our thriving, vibrant literary ecosystem – but we cannot take it for granted. There are real challenges ahead; meeting those challenges will require greater investment and stronger collaboration across the sector.
“Since becoming the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature in 2004, we have led internationally – but leadership demands that we keep evolving. Our focus now must be on expanding opportunity and ensuring that literature is not only protected, but experienced and enjoyed by everyone who lives, works in, and visits Edinburgh.”
Harnessing Edinburgh Makar Michael Pedersen’s Be more, Edinburgh, his poem marking 20 years as UNESCO City of Literature, the organisation wants to hear from anyone keen to get involved in helping Edinburgh’s stories to continue to inspire, connect and flourish.
You can find othe report here: https://cityofliterature.com/new-report-evaluating-the-impact-of-literature-in-edinburgh-published-today/
