We’ve been doing a summer of resistance programme at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre over the last few months to tie in with Steve McQueen’s ‘Resistance‘ photography exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art.
Its brilliant and couldn’t have arrived at a better time.
Anyway as part of our summer programme we have been organising joint sessions with North Edinburgh Arts groups. The first one is songs of protest tomorrow morning with Penny Stone at North Edinburgh Arts.
Shh… What’s that noise? A squeak? A squeal? A bird? It’s getting louder. Oh dear… Pekku takes a playful look at what happens when you want to be left alone and others have a different idea.
Ahead of a run at the Festival Fringe Festival, Red Bridge Arts are delighted to share a preview of their newest show PEKKU, with North Edinburgh Arts audiences. It’s a new show for 3-6 year olds (and their adults) by Andy Manley, Ian Cameron & Shona Reppe.
Co-commissioned by Red Bridge Arts, ROHM Theatre and Ricca Ricca Festival, and Produced by Red Bridge Arts.
Curious about performing and creating a small show this summer? Join our Drama Summer Camp at NEA!
Whether you’re a budding actor, curious about the stage, or just want to try something new, this is a fun, supportive space to explore drama. We’ll play games, try improvisation and stagecraft, and work together to create a brand-new piece of theatre to share with family and friends.
No experience needed — just bring your imagination!
Monday 4 to Friday 8 August
10am–1pm (Friday starts at 10.30am, with a sharing at 12noon)
For local young people (ages 7–14) living in Muirhouse, Pilton, Drylaw & Telford
NEA Drama Summer Camp will be led by Marilyn Blyth Wilson who is a performer, director and acting teacher. She works with various theatre companies and runs her own company Blythwood Theatre, focusing on collaboration with young people to bring new writing and performances that focus on what matters to them.
Marilyn will be with us at NEA as part of EPAD’s Supported Residency programme, which aims to support the creation of new work and to build connections between Edinburgh-based performing arts creatives and venues across the city
As part of a project run by Imaginate, children involved in the new North Edinburgh Youth Arts Collective have been working with artist Bishop May Down on a new performance, Election which will premiere at the North Edinburgh Festival (Sat 17 May) ahead of its inclusion in the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival Family Day programme at the National Museum of Scotland (Sat 24 May).
Election is a short, humorous pop-up performance theatre piece about politics and power, seen from a young person’s point of view. The show imagines eleven-year-olds as political ‘bigwigs’ with the power to make real change, and offers audiences a child’s perspective on what is valuable in their world.
Election is part of Creative Encounters, a three-year project set up by Imaginate (who produce the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival), which explores what it means to put children’s rights at the heart of the creative process.
Bishop May Down, Artistic Director of Election said: “Initially, I was definitely surprised, in an amazing way, about how passionate, articulate and knowledgeable the young people involved are about political issues, and current world issues.
“I think they are at a really interesting age of being able to articulate their opinions and they are also just verging on being able to challenge other’s opinions.”
From autumn 2022 until summer 2025, young people from North Edinburgh have been working with artists and Imaginate staff to co-create new theatre and dance performances, giving a central role to children’s ideas, interests and voices.
Young people are involved as key decision makers from the beginning of the project and commission an artist to create a theatre or dance performance, and they are invited into the artists’ creative process to co-create performances.
Young people also take part in workshops on curation, content creation, photography journalism, speech writing, and decision making.
Here is a sneak preview of them in rehearsal on YouTube:
Election will be performed throughout the day at both North Edinburgh Community Festival (Sat 17 May @12-4pm) and the Children’s Festival Family Day (Sat 24 May @10am-5pm).
West Pilton Park will come alive on Saturday, 17th May, from 12:00 to 5:30 PM, as the much-anticipated and award-winning North Edinburgh Community Festival enters its fourth year.
Known for its vibrancy, inclusivity, and celebration of local talent, this year’s festival promises to be bigger, brighter, and more colourful than ever before. With over 10,000 attendees expected, it’s an unmissable event for the entire community.
Festival Highlights
This year, the festival will host over 160 local organisations, charities, and community groups, offering a kaleidoscope of activities—from hair braiding and glitter tattoos to boxing and dodgeball, from live music programmed by Granton Youth and Tinderbox to dance performances and pop-up dance mobs from Edinburgh College, and from Edinburgh Fringe Festival street performers to North Edinburgh Arts for all things arts and crafts.
North Edinburgh Arts and Imaginate have once again collaborated creating commissioned performances that will be performed by local children and young people from the North Edinburgh Youth Arts Collective.
As well as running their jam packed arts and crafts tent for families; their Art for Grown Ups, Arts & Dance and CREATE groups are all planning to join the festival parade en route as it passes by the Macmillan Hub.
We’ll be hosting North Edinburgh’s very own ‘Crufts’ with our first ever ‘Scruffs’ Dog Show – with 6 categories to enter and prizes up for grabs including North Edinburgh’s waggiest tail!
This is hosted by Audrey Coltart of Branniffmhor Cockers, a seasoned professional in dog competitions, and a respected judge!
Whatever your interest,we’ve got it all!
The festival remains free to attend, with 90% of activities free of charge, ensuring accessibility for everyone. While food vans and items will be available for purchase, the festival aims to keep costs low for attendees.
Key Projects Spotlight
The North Edinburgh Community Festival will feature three major projects that celebrate local food, culture, diversity and artistic expression:
THE TATTIE PROJECT
Celebrating the humble potato, this collaborative initiative includes over 10 local organisations such as Lauriston Farm and R2. Residents will engage in activities like growing, harvesting, cooking, and distributing potatoes.
In the food demonstration tent, six local home cooks will share potato recipes from their cultures, highlighting the diversity of local cuisine.
Scran Academy and Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts will serve up 2,000 free hot baked potatoes with toppings, ensuring everyone gets a delicious taste of this staple food.
While we regret the absence of RRT this year due to budget cuts, we remain grateful for the 5,000 free meals they’ve provided at past festivals.
THE NORTH EDINBURGH COMMUNITY CHOIR
A festival legacy project, the choir unites over 100 young people from Pirniehall, St. David’s, Forthview and Craigroyston Primary Schools and Craigroyston High School as well as Tinderbox Music Club to perform at the festival.
Earlier this year, these students had the opportunity to perform with international megastar Ed Sheeran alongside Tinderbox Orchestra at the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre. Their performance will include his hit song, Bad Habits!
THE FESTIVAL PARADE
Pulse of the Place, Edinburgh Carnival and Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival leads the way with the festival’s largest and most colourful parade yet.
Featuring vibrant costumes, masks, and performances, the parade will embody the theme of rainbows.
Starting at North Edinburgh Childcare, it’s a 1-mile journey into West Pilton Park. The parade departs NEC at 1030am and will reach the park at 12noon to kick off the festivities.
Expect up to 12 dance groups to bring the vibe.
Over 200 families and groups will participate including Oaklands School, LACAE and North Edinburgh Childcare.
Parade participants are welcome to join at the start or en route.
Entertainment Across Three Stages
This year, the festival will feature three unique stages:
Main Stage: Showcasing local community music groups and organisations such as Fischy Music, Ama-zing Harmonies, Tinderbox Tuesday Hub, Rhythms of India and Edinburgh Ukrainian Choir
Indoor Stage – North by North West: A platform for emerging young singers and bands including All the Wrong People, The Clamz, Bows and Bridges and Abigail Kerner
Carnival Stage: Hosting parade participants’ dazzling live performances including Passion 4 Fusion, Street Mash, Sol de Peru and Angie Disney’s Silent Disco!
The North Edinburgh Community Festival is a celebration of collaboration, creativity, and community spirit. Whether you’re attending for the music, activities, food, or simply to soak in the vibrant atmosphere, this event has something for everyone.
Join Us
When: Saturday, 17th May, 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM Where: West Pilton Park, Edinburgh Cost: Free entry
Mark your calendars, bring your friends and family, and experience the magic of the North Edinburgh Community Festival! We can’t wait to see you there!
Drivers are being told that harsh acceleration and braking could be contributing to poor fuel efficiency.
Experts at LeaseLoco.com are sharing ways to help cash-strapped Brits minimise fuel waste on the road and save money.
As prices continue to rise, adopting more cautious driving habits and reducing unnecessary energy output can lead to significant savings.
Shopping around for the best fuel prices and planning ahead for fuel top ups can make a big difference in cutting costs.
Motorists should plan journeys and try to include well priced petrol stations in their route to prevent unnecessary detours for fuel.
Drivers are also advised to conserve fuel and prevent unnecessary consumption by avoiding excessive engine revs and sudden acceleration.
Other tips like closing windows to reduce drag on a vehicle, and minimising air conditioning use can prevent vehicles from overworking and using fuel unnecessarily.
These tips can also benefit electric vehicles (EVs). By minimising energy consumption, EV drivers can extend their driving range and reduce the need for frequent charging, ultimately saving money.
John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco.com said: “Fuel costs are continuously rising but there are a few ways to combat this which can help make a difference to your monthly budget.
“Some common bad habits that cause drivers to waste more fuel than they realise include unnecessary engine revs, harsh acceleration, and idling in traffic with the engine running.
“If you have an older car you’ll want to avoid frequently restarting your engine in brief stops. Those with new models however should definitely consider making the most of their stop-start systems to help reduce fuel consumption.
“By thinking ahead and driving smoothly, you can make significant savings on fuel by reducing your vehicle’s consumption.”
10 fuel saving tips:
Shop around
Checking out where near you has the cheapest fuel, you can use sources such as PetrolPrices.com to help you work this out.
Accelerate and brake smoothly
Driving smoothly, with gentle acceleration and braking will help to reduce fuel consumption by minimising sudden spikes in fuel usage.
Reduce engine revs
Revving your engine increases fuel consumption. By reducing revs, you can make your fuel usage more efficient.
Use cruise control
Using cruise control or driving at a steady, consistent pace, particularly on motorways, will help reduce fuel consumption.
Remove unnecessary weight
The heavier your car, the more energy it requires to move. Reducing unnecessary weight will decrease fuel consumption and improve efficiency.
Top up tyre pressures
Make sure your tyre pressure is topped up; this will reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency. Under inflated tires create more rolling resistance, which can increase fuel consumption.
Combine trips and plan ahead
Plan your trip in advance to find the quickest routes and avoid traffic, especially on unfamiliar journeys. This can help you save time and reduce fuel consumption. If possible, combine trips and car share if you’re taking the same route.
Cut down on air conditioning
Anything that requires energy from your vehicle, such as air conditioning, will consume fuel to operate. To reduce fuel costs, it’s best to minimise the use of air conditioning when possible.
Close windows
Driving with the windows open can increase drag on your vehicle, requiring more acceleration to reach speed. Particularly on fast roads, keeping the windows closed will help reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency.
Turn engine off
When stopped for a few minutes, turn off your engine. In newer cars, utilise the start/stop function. Reducing idling can help lower fuel consumption and costs.
We’re delighted to be part of this year’s Folk Film Gathering, and to be hosting the opening event featuring a Surprise Film curated by our NEA Film Selection Group.
The Folk Film Gathering is an annual film festival that showcases community minded stories on screen. In partnership with Transgressive North and Cameo Cinema, we are hosting the first two screenings of the festival.
Visit our website to find out more & book your FREE tickets:
Need a bike? Borrow one from the NEA Lending Bike Library! 
Contact us: 07493 876130
Email: bikes@northedinburgharts.co.uk
Saturday, 26 July, 12(noon)
NEA, MacMillan Hub, 12c MacMillan Square EH4 4AB
FREE but booking is required: 
Friday 1 August – Celebration & Exhibition of work created
Free to attend, but places are limited – all materials provided!
To sign up: Email 
Or drop by the NEA Welcome Desk (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm)
