Join in at ‘the biggest club in town’ with a free Les Mills class taster event, open to members and non-members, being held at Edinburgh Leisure’s Drumbrae Leisure Centre on Monday, 30 September from 6 – 8.30pm. Continue reading Free fitness taster at Drumbrae Leisure Centre
Edinburgh Multicultural Festival
4 – 6th October 2019
Music, dance, storytelling, films and audio visual celebration of Edinburgh’s multicultural communities (the newest event on Edinburgh’s festival calendar)
African Connections CIC (an Edinburgh-based community interest company promoting diversity through performing arts) is delighted to announce the very first Edinburgh Multicultural Festival, on 4-6 October 2019.
Website www.edinburghmulticulturalfestival.co.uk (www.edmcf.co.uk)
The festival programme features a bright array of Edinburgh’s diverse talent with spoken word, poetry, music, dance and visual arts created by African, Asian and Eastern European artists living in the capital.
The festival will also present two international acts: albino Malawian singer and canjo player Lazarus, and Sowhereto Africa, a South African dance and music show promoting street talent from the township of Soweto (previously performed at Edinburgh’s Dance Base and the Studio).
A poetry and storytelling programme (on Friday afternoon) will be curated by Nadine Aisha Jassat, with storytellers Fong Liu and Daiva Ivanauskaitė, while the weekend will feature musicians including Samba Sene & Diwan (Sengalese Mbalax/Afrobeat/ska fusion), rappers Billy Got Waves & Joell, Moroccan grooves from Omar Afif & Gnawa Trance Fusion and Bollywood//Indian classical music from Swaryatra; the dance programme on Saturday includes Scotland’s leading Indian dance group Dance Ihayami, a range of African dances from Sankofa Beats, plus Olga Kay, Iraya Noble, Pirita Tuisku, and many more.
There will also be a specially curated short films programme and a specially created installation by Polish audio visual artist Robert Motyka, inspired by diverse cultures and identities.
The events will take place across two venues in north Edinburgh – creative writing, poetry and storytelling at Drumbrae Library and Community Hub (4th October only), with the main programme taking place at Edinburgh College, Granton Campus (5 & 6 October), in the open café space (unticketed) and the PASS Theatre.
There will be opportunities for audiences to mix with performers and community organisations, to share their experiences and find out more about how to be involved in cross-community activities.
All events are free to attend, and all age groups are welcome.
Edinburgh Multicultural Festival director, Morgan Njobo, said: “With this programme we would like to celebrate Edinburgh’s diverse multicultural talent and its contribution to the cultural life of the city.
“As a South African artist living in Edinburgh, I feel privileged to be able to present an eclectic programme that aims to engage local communities and increase access to arts and entertainment in the north of Edinburgh.
“We are collaborating with artists whose work is influenced by African, Asian and Eastern European cultures and we wish for all Edinburgh residents engage with our diverse performing arts and visual arts scene and enjoy the benefits of diversity brought by the artists involved.”
It is hoped that Edinburgh Multicultural Festival 2019 will be the first of many, growing over the years, contributing to promoting tolerance and inclusivity across Edinburgh and beyond.
Edinburgh Multicultural Festival is delivered in partnership with Edinburgh College, PASS Theatre and Drumbrae Library and Community Hub and supported by City of Edinburgh Council.
LISTINGS
Fri 4 Oct 2 – 5pm Drumbrae Library and Community Hub, 81 Drum Brae Dr, Edinburgh EH4 7FE
Storytelling, poetry and creative writing
Sat 5 Oct Noon-5pm Edinburgh College Granton Campus, 350 W Granton Rd, Edinburgh EH5 1QE
(Doors 11am) DANCE inc Dance Ihayami, Sowhereto, Sankofa Beats
Sun 6 Oct Noon-5pm Edinburgh College Granton Campus, 350 W Granton Rd, Edinburgh EH5 1QE
(Doors 11am) MUSIC inc Lazarus, Samba Sene & Diwan, Omar Afif & Gnawa Trance Fusion
All events are free, and tickets can be reserved in advance via Eventbrite
Hey you!
Yeah, you with the face and the mouth and all that!
Do you like cakes? Do you like to help charities by eating cakes?
I know, it’s an awesome idea so why not come along to Drumbrae Library Hub on Thursday 26th at 12-2pm and buy some cakes and then consume them with your mouth parts and in the process help Macmillan, an awesome charity (who also happen to have a wee area in Drumbrae Library Hub (and others)).
This all sounds like an amazing plan and I’ll see you then.
Edinburgh Leisure offering free pre-school and junior dance class tasters
Edinburgh Leisure, a charity dedicated to creating opportunities for everyone to lead more active, healthy lives, is offering free pre-school and junior dance class tasters this autumn. Continue reading Get dancing at Drumbrae
Hey you! Yeah, you with the kid under 5!
You should come to Bookbug at Drumbrae Library Hub on Tuesday at 2pm, Wednesday at 10:30am or Saturday at 10:30am*. It’s a great way to get away with singing children’s songs in public. No-one will look at you like you’re weird if you do it at Bookbug. Well….they probably won’t. I can’t really promise that they won’t but it’s significantly less likely.
Anyway, come and sing with us eh?
*You could come to all three of them if you want but that seems tiring!
The opening hours at Drumbrae Library Hub have now changed. Continue reading Change in opening hours at Drumbrae Library Hub
This year’s ukactive Awards saw Edinburgh Leisure’s Drumbrae Leisure Centre win the prestigious Regional Club/Centre of the Year Scotland award.
Held on the 6th of June in Manchester, the awards included entries from over 50 different organisations from both inside and outside the leisure industry.
Drumbrae Leisure Centre was competing in a tough field, with other entrants from Sport Aberdeen and North Lanarkshire Ltd bidding for the top spot. Even making the final shortlist was a highly competitive process, involving a nomination form, a customer survey and a mystery visit.
Lynne Bauba, Manager at Drumbrae Leisure Centre said: “It goes without saying that all the staff at Drumbrae are overjoyed at having their efforts recognised on a national scale.
“The awards recognise great centres that customers love going to and staff love working at – great centres like Drumbrae. It just goes to show that you don’t need the biggest facility or the widest offer, so long as the venue meets the needs of the customers, local community and staff.”
The award ceremony was held as part of the Active Uprising event at Manchester Central and saw over 800 guests attend. There were 23 different awards categories in what turned out to be the largest ever ukactive Awards to date.
https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/venues/drumbrae-leisure-centre
For more information: www.edinburghleisure.co.uk
Community groups, voluntary sector organisations and local councillors will come together across the city this month for the inaugural meetings of the new Neighbourhood Networks. Continue reading Neighbourhood Networks: exciting new chapter for community planning?
Residents worst fears realised – 655 new homes near Barnton junction
Controversial plans to build more than 650 new homes near Edinburgh Airport have been approved by city councillors. Continue reading CARMAGEDDON: Controversial Cammo development gets the green light
Two local projects have scooped awards at this year’s National Youth Work Awards. Spartans Community Football Academy picked up the National Raising Attainment Award for their work with vulnerable youngsters in North Edinburgh, while the Action for Children Heritage and Inclusion Project has won the National Equality and Diversity Award, sponsored by BBC Children in Need. Continue reading National Awards for local youth projects
