Category: North Edinburgh News

RACHEL REEVES: We will deliver security for working people and renewal for Britain

BRITAIN’S POOREST COMMUNITIES FACE MORE HARDSHIP

  • Chancellor vows to bring about “security and national renewal” as she delivers a Spring Statement to kickstart economic growth, protect working people and keep our country safe.  
  • Reeves will warn that “we have to move quickly in a changing world”, unveiling a significant step towards spending 2.5% of GDP on defence with £2.2 billion funding boost next year.  
  • Growth and national security at heart of Plan for Change as funding invested in cutting-edge weapons and better homes for thousands of military families – paid for by reductions to international aid budget and from the Treasury reserve.  

The Chancellor will promise to deliver “security for working people” and a “decade of national renewal”, as she reveals how the Government will put advanced weaponry in the hands of British troops, provide better homes for military families and kickstart economic growth through the Plan for Change.   

At today’s Spring Statement, the Chancellor will announce a further £2.2 billion funding increase for defence from April, as she warns that Britain has to “move quickly in a changing world”. 

The funding will be invested in advanced technologies so that Britain’s armed forces have the tools they need to compete and win in modern warfare. This includes guaranteeing the investment to fit Royal Navy ships with Directed Energy Weapons by 2027. These weapons can hit a £1 coin from 1km away and take down drones at a distance of 5km.  

It will also be used to provide better homes for military families by refurbishing the defence estate – including over 36,000 homes recently brought back into public ownership from the rental sector. In addition to this, the funding will unlock rapid preparatory work, such as site surveys, planning and architecture, for the major redevelopment of Armed Forces housing through the Defence Housing Strategy.   

The investment will also help fund upgrades to infrastructure at His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth, securing its ability to support Royal Navy operations into the future.   

Speaking in the House of Commons today, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is expected to say: “This government was elected to change our country.

“To provide security for working people. And deliver a decade of national renewal. 

“That work of change began in July – and I am proud of what we have delivered in just nine months. 

“Restoring stability to our public finances; giving the Bank of England the foundation to cut interest rates three times since the General Election; rebuilding our public services with record investment in our NHS and bringing down waiting lists for 5 months in a row; and increasing the National Living Wage to give 3 million people a pay rise from next week. 

She will add: “Now our task is to secure Britain’s future in a world that is changing before our eyes. The job of a responsible government is not simply to watch this change. 

“This moment demands an active government stepping up to secure Britain’s future. A government on the side of working people. 

“To grasp the opportunities that we now have and help Britain reach its full potential, we need to go further and faster to kickstart growth, protect national security and make people better off through our Plan for Change. 

She will also say: “In February, the Prime Minister set out the government’s commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027 and an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament as economic and fiscal conditions allow.

“That was the right decision in a more insecure world, putting an extra £6.4bn into the defence budget by 2027. But we have to move quickly in a changing word. And that starts with investment. 

“So I can today confirm that I will provide an additional £2.2bn for the Ministry of Defence next year – a further downpayment on our plans to deliver 2.5% of GDP. 

“This increase in investment is not just about increasing our national security but increasing our economic security, too. As defence spending rises, I want the whole country to feel the benefits.” 

The plan will include action to harness the ingenuity of Britain’s leading manufacturing and technology sectors, creating jobs across the country and putting more money into people’s pockets.   

The increase set to be announced today follows the extra £2.9 billion announced for defence in the Autumn Budget and takes spending as a proportion of GDP to 2.36 per cent in 2025/26 – up from 2.3 per cent in 2024/25.   

The announcement is fully funded. The new money comes from in-year funding from the Treasury reserve and from changes to the Overseas Development Assistance budget, so will not require additional borrowing and will maintain the Chancellor’s ironclad fiscal rule. 

Further detail on the Ministry of Defence’s investment plan will be set out via the Strategic Defence Review in the Spring and the Spending Review in June.   

Commenting on the increase in defence spending, Defence Secretary John Healey said: “National security is the bedrock of a successful economy and our Plan for Change. This significant increase in defence spending, on top of the £2.9bn announced by the Chancellor at the Budget, means an extra £5 billion for our Armed Forces next financial year. 

“This investment will make Britain stronger and safer in a more insecure world. And it will ensure defence is an engine for growth, creating good jobs across the nation. 
 
“These are the bold first steps of the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War announced by the Prime Minister last month. Our government is delivering for defence and investing in the outstanding men and women who keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.” 

Scots say: Increase taxes on the richest, rather than make cuts to public spending

CHANCELLOR EXPECTED TO SLASH WELFARE IN SPRING STATEMENT

New polling reveals people in Scotland would overwhelmingly prefer the very richest to pay more in tax rather than see cuts to public spending, as parallel Oxfam analysis shows the UK’s wealthiest people continue to amass even greater fortunes.

It comes as new number crunching by Oxfam, Patriotic Millionaires UK and Tax Justice UK finds that UK billionaires have seen their fortunes swell by £11 billion in the past 12 months alone – the combined amount the UK Government plans to cut from international aid and social security entitlements for people in the UK with disabilities or illnesses.

Campaigners say the data shows the UK Government’s recent cuts are not about financial scarcity, but rather about political priorities, and they sharply contrast with public opinion.

The polling, carried out ahead of the Spring Statement by YouGov on behalf of Oxfam, shows that people aged over 16 in Scotland strongly back action to fairly tax the wealthiest:

  • 68% think the very richest should pay more in tax.
  • More than three-quarters (79%) would rather tax the very richest than see cuts to public spending.
  • 79% support a new 2% wealth tax on assets worth more than £10 million.

The findings pile further pressure on the UK Government to introduce wealth taxes on the richest millionaires and billionaires.

Tax justice campaigners have identified a series of fair tax reforms and loopholes that could be closed to raise additional revenue. They say that a 2% wealth tax alone, applied to assets worth more than £10m, could raise up to £24 billion annually or around £460 million a week while only impacting 0.04% of the population – around 20,000 people.

For illustrative purposes, if the 2% wealth tax on assets over £10 million was introduced now, UK billionaires would still have seen their personal wealth soar by an average of £141 million each – a total of nearly £7.5 billion combined – since this time last year.

The money raised could be used to reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen public services, including the critical care sector, and boost climate action, instead of padding the pockets of the super-rich while deepening economic, gender and racial inequalities.

Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “We all feel it in our bones: it’s indefensible that public spending to support those in poverty and crisis is being slashed, while private wealth is quietly stashed away.

“People in Scotland are crystal clear: they’d rather tax the richest than see cuts to public spending. Yet the UK Government has chosen to snatch £11 billion from the pockets of those who need it most while the same amount has been added to the bloated bank balances of those who need it least in just 12 months.

“It’s time for the UK Government to put fairness first; tax the super-rich and protect people in poverty. The choice is that simple.”

Mark Campbell, entrepreneur and member of Patriotic Millionaires UK, said: “As a millionaire I know the economy is working for a few people like me and working against the vast majority.

“Spending cuts are short-sighted and will only increase the worries of millions of people in the UK who are struggling to put food on the table and heat their homes.

“Meanwhile, the very richest people in our society are watching their wealth grow exponentially. It seems outrageous that the wealth of the richest is taxed at a much lower rate than the income of working people who will bear the brunt of these budget cuts.

“A wealth tax is a very clear alternative. Given that most people want higher taxes on the very richest, and plenty of millionaires – people like me – also want it, what’s stopping the UK Government?”

As part of Tax Justice Scotland, a campaign backed by more than 50 diverse civil society organisations, think tanks, trade unions and academics, Oxfam Scotland is urging the UK and Scottish Governments to use their respective tax powers to fairly raise more money to enable greater investment in key poverty-reducing public services, like care, while combatting inequalities, and rewarding businesses that provide fair and flexible work – including for parents, and particularly women – while paying the real Living Wage.

Oxfam Scotland says the Scottish Government must also use devolved powers to help combat the growing gap between the wealthiest and those struggling to make ends meet, with the richest 10% having 217 times more wealth than the least wealthy 10%, and with record high income inequality.

Wealth inequality is not only deeply unfair, but a barrier to reducing poverty. It exacerbates social and environmental harms, fuels wider inequalities – such as those related to gender and race, and drives a wedge between those with wealth and those without it.

Campaigners are calling on Scottish Ministers to use the devolved tax tools at their disposal, such as landing a fair tax on pollution-spewing private jets using Scotland’s airports and finally replacing the discredited Council Tax with a system to tax property wealth fairly.

Jamie Livingstone added: “Scotland’s political leaders can’t afford to wait for Westminster to make the fair and obvious choice to make the wealthiest pay their share.

“As we approach the 2026 Holyrood election, they would be fool hardy to ignore the public mood. People want to see real progress on fairness. Scotland has powers to tax wealth more fairly to combat runaway inequality and to build a better and greener country, it’s time to use them.”

500 plants up for grabs at Fort Kinnaird to celebrate Mother’s Day

Fort Kinnaird is celebrating Mother’s Day by offering shoppers the chance to pick up a beautiful houseplant for free on Saturday (29th March).

Whether you’re a mum treating yourself or picking one up for a mother figure in your life, there will be 500 houseplants up for grabs to brighten up a space in the home.

Available near Boots between 11am and 3pm, visitors will be given a houseplant in return for signing up to Fort Kinnaird’s email newsletter.  

A perfect token of appreciation, plants offer a range of health benefits, including boosting mood, improving sleep, and purifying the air.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We know how important Mother’s Day is for so many of our visitors, so we wanted to do something simple but meaningful to mark the occasion. We hope this giveaway brings smiles to our shoppers and helps make the day even more special.” 

Fort Kinnaird has a great range of retailers to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift, including jewellery from Goldsmiths, sweet treats from Hotel Chocolat or candles from Homesense. There’s also delicious dining options to spend time catching up, including Chaiiwala and Bread Meats Bread.

NOTE: the 500 plants will be given out on a first come first served basis. 

For more information and to plan your trip to Fort Kinnaird, visit:

 https://www.fortkinnaird.com/

The Scottish Gallery presents Victoria Crowe ‘Decades’, celebrating the artist’s 80th year

For Edinburgh Art Festival 2025, The Scottish Gallery presents Victoria Crowe Decades, celebrating the artist’s 80th year. This exhibition showcases a powerful collection of new works, that reflect over six decades of Crowe’s dedicated artistic journey.

Decades invites viewers into a deeply personal world, where themes of life, nature, and memory intertwine with the landscapes, portraits, and experiences that have shaped the artist’s path.

Victoria Crowe’s first solo exhibition at The Scottish Gallery took place in 1970, and since then, she has worked in partnership with The Gallery for over five decades.

Victoria Crowe said: “As I approach my 80th birthday, I have created a new body of work that looks back to move forward, which I hope offers a nuanced look at my artistic progression and approach over the years.

“By weaving together the strands of memory, place, and emotional depth, I have revisited past explorations whilst still engaging with ongoing concerns.”

Decades will be a powerful reflection of the Victoria Crowe’s life and work which will be held over two floors of The Scottish Gallery and Dovecot Studios will continue the celebration with a thoughtful curation of her collaborative relationship with the world-renowned weaving studio.

“Crowe’s outstanding body of work reflects not only the evolution of her artistic vision but also the deep connection she shares with life, memory, and nature. As The Gallery celebrates her 80th year, Decades serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring relevance of art and stands as a testament to Crowe’s dedication, vision, and ever-evolving creative spirit. It is a privilege to stand alongside her as we share this new chapter.” — Christina Jansen, The Scottish Gallery

NOW | New Horizons

Recent residencies, including time spent in Orkney and at Dumfries House, have further shaped the artist’s work as has the heightened awareness that lockdown brought to our consciousness.

Her recent work has explored the familiar landscape psychologically transformed, a transitional place in the ecologically changing world. Crowe’s exploration of new horizons, both physical and conceptual, culminates in a series of striking new works capturing the liminal quality of twilight and the resonance of time’s passage.

THEN | Decades

  • The Kittleyknowe Years. The journey begins in 1968 with the artist’s first landscape sketchbooks capturing the emotional resonance of life in the Pentlands. For over two decades, the artist lived in the remote landscape of Kittleyknowe, where intimate observations of nature were paired with the intimate portrayal of her neighbour and shepherd, Jenny Armstrong.
  • Portraits. The exploration of psychology and the inner life are essential to her portrait work. Crowe’s work investigates not only the physical likeness of subjects, but their unspoken emotional experiences—highlighting themes of loss, love, melancholy, and memory: what lies beneath the surface.
  • Venice. For 12 years, the artist had a studio in Venice, a city rich with history and fragile beauty. These paintings delve into the artist’s response to grief, finding parallels between the endurance and survival of Venice and the inner sense of continuum.
  • Plant Forms. From botanical studies to symbolic references in art history and herbal medicine, Crowe’s plant studies offer a meditative look at the passage of time and the fragility of life.

Dovecot Studios & The Scottish Gallery | Victoria Crowe

2025 presents a unique opportunity to engage with the breadth of Victoria Crowe’s remarkable career. This summer, The Scottish Gallery is partnering with Dovecot Studios to present Shifting Surfaces, an exhibition that invites audiences to explore the inspiration and collaboration behind Crowe’s textile masterpieces.

The show spans her iconic Large Tree Group (2007) to the recent tufted rugs from the Orcadian Series (2023). Shifting Surfaces delves into the connection between her paintings and woven interpretations, highlighting her exploration of light, landscape, and memory.

This exhibition will be open from 26 July to 11 October 2025.

A Summer of Resistance at the National Galleries of Scotland

Artist and Filmmaker Steve McQueen takes over Modern Two

Resistance: How Protest Shaped Britain and Photography Shaped Protest

National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two

21 June 2025 – 4 January 2026

Tickets £4-£14 Friends go free

Resistance | National Galleries of Scotland

National Galleries of Scotland announces the unmissable summer 2025 exhibition Resistance, conceived by acclaimed artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen. Taking over the whole of Modern Two from 21 June 2025, the exhibition will explore how acts of resistance have shaped life in the UK, and the powerful role of photography in documenting and driving change. Tickets are on sale now.

Presenting around 200 photographs from a century of activism, Resistance gives a voice to the stories and images from history which have been buried in UK archives until now.

Throughout the exhibition McQueen amplifies underrepresented voices to present a compelling exploration of overlooked histories, shedding light on the forgotten stories that have helped define the course of Britain’s history. Resistance tours to Modern Two from Turner Contemporary, Margate.

This exhibition will bring together works by renowned photographers such as Vanley Burke, John Deakin, Fay Godwin, Edith Tudor-Hart, David Hurn, Tish Murtha, Humphrey Spender, and Paul Trevor, alongside lesser-known photographers who documented these powerful stories.

Drawing photographs from various archives, collections and image libraries, McQueen has deliberately focused on moments captured before digital cameras became commonplace.

Spanning both floors of Modern Two, Resistance spans from the radical suffrage movement in 1903 to the largest-ever protest in Britain’s history—the Anti-Iraq War Protest in 2003.

The exhibition will also highlight lesser-known events including the hunger marches of the 1930s where thousands of protesters from Scotland and across Britain marched to London, protesting unemployment and poverty. As well as the Blind March of 1920, a pivotal moment in the fight for disability rights.

Visitors will encounter poignant images from demonstrations against environmental destruction, anti-nuclear campaigns and actions advocating for peace.

The exhibition will trace the evolution of environmental movements and highlight a shift from single-issue demonstrations to broader anti-capitalist efforts that paved the way for today’s climate change action.

Including powerful photographs from the 1000-mile march from Faslane Naval Base to Greenham Common in protest against American nuclear weapons being stationed in the UK in 1983.

From Janine Wiedel’s photographs capturing life at Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp to Andrew Testa’s striking depictions of the 1996 protests against the proposed Newbury Bypass in Berkshire, England, Resistance will serve as a testament to the empowering impact of collective action.

It will explore the intersections between movements such as the Gay Liberation Front and the Women’s Liberation Movement, where protests against Section 28 of the Local Government Act brought the LGBTQ+ community together. Connectinghistoric struggles, the exhibition will also examine the fight against fascism in the 1930s and 1940s.

The exhibition will underscore the ongoing struggle against racism, showing how grassroots movements have consistently confronted oppression throughout history. A pivotal moment was the Black People’s Day of Action on 2 March 1981, following the house fire at 439 New Cross Road in South East London, that claimed 13 lives.

The photographs that captured the protest powerfully depict this landmark for Britain’s civil rights movement. Paul Trevor’s series on the Bengali community will further illustrate how the emerging concept of community photography became a form of activism, amplifying the voices of marginalised groups.

Steve McQueen said: “Within the 5 years of developing the exhibition and book with the Turner Contemporary team, it has been an ambition for Resistance to travel to Scotland to be shared with audiences there.

“Resistance explores how people have challenged the status quo—a mission that feels especially urgent in today’s political climate.”

Leila Riszko, Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at National Galleries of Scotland said: “We’re enormously proud to platform this compelling selection of works curated by Steve McQueen.

“This is an exciting opportunity to explore the power of photography in documenting the significant yet underrepresented stories of people who’ve helped shape the world we live in today.

“In these divisive times, many of the themes, moments and narratives highlighted in the exhibition continue to have resonance now.

“As a show about resilience, collective power, galvanising for positive change, and inspiring reaction, we hope that Resistance will stimulate discussion with our visitors and invite deeper reflection on those contemporary issues.”

Resistance is curated by Steve McQueen and Clarrie Wallis, with Emma Lewis. Political research is by Sarah Harrison.

The exhibition is produced by Tessa Pierce, with assistance from Brittany Crombie. Organised by and originated at Turner Contemporary, Margate, and adapted for presentation at National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two.

A major new publication by Steve McQueen was also recently released to coincide with the exhibition. The book was compiled by Steve McQueen and edited by Clarrie Wallis and Sarah Harrison.

It is published by Monument Books, a new imprint from Harper Collins.

The Sean Connery Youth Talent Lab launches for applications

Unique new opportunity for young Scottish filmmakers

The Scottish Youth Film Foundation in partnership with The Sean Connery Foundation and the National Film and Television School are delighted to announce that in Summer 2025 they will be running The Sean Connery Youth Talent Lab. 

The summer school will take place near Alness in the Highlands (close to Ardross Castle where ‘The Traitors’ series is filmed) and will be free to all participants.

Designed to mirror and complement the Sean Connery Talent Lab which is coming to the end of its first year, the Youth Talent Lab will take the form of a week-long residential summer school where 12 participants will be guided through a compressed version of the original Talent Lab.

The Foundation are looking for the most talented young Scots, aged between 17 and 22 years old, in the areas of directing, writing, acting, camera and editing to produce two short films of three minutes. The programme will run from the 15th to 21st June 2025. 

Individuals will be recruited through a nationwide call for applications, focusing on existing film access organisations, schools, and youth clubs. This approach will identify young people with a demonstrated interest in a film career, providing them with the opportunity to apply.

The Youth Talent Lab aims to work with talented young Scots at an even earlier stage in their careers and support them in pursuing further education and opportunities as they enter the industry.

Teaching staff will include professionals from the Scottish Youth Film Foundation, industry experts, and contributors from The Sean Connery Talent Lab, including Chris Young (Head of the Sean Connery Talent Lab) and Alison Goring (Head of NFTS Scotland).

The young filmmakers will also have the chance to learn from recent participants of the Talent Lab on what it takes to succeed as they strive to break into the industry.

Scott Mackay of SYFF commented: ‘We are honoured to be partnering NFTS and The Sean Connery Foundation in this project.

“SYFF has been promoting young talent since inception and this initiative will help further identify and promote talented young film makers from across Scotland.’

Alison Goring, Head of NFTS Scotland said: “Across the NFTS, we are dedicated to nurturing emerging filmmakers and creating pathways into the industry.

“The Sean Connery Youth Talent Lab presents an incredible opportunity to support young Scottish creatives at a crucial stage, equipping them with the skills, confidence and inspiration to pursue a future in filmmaking.

“Building on the success of the Sean Connery Talent Lab, we are proud to be part of this new initiative and excited to see the talent and creativity that will emerge over the summer.”

Stephane and Jason Connery, The Sean Connery Foundation added: “Our father was a self-taught professional who believed there’s no substitute for hands-on learning when mastering a craft.

“The Sean Connery Youth Talent Lab will give young Scots an immersive, practical environment to develop their skills, guided by passionate and dedicated mentors from SYFF.

“We’re thrilled to support this initiative, which will challenge young filmmakers to push themselves, collaborate, and take their talent to the next level.”

Applications are now open!

For more information and to apply, visit: www.syff.scot/scytl 

Strange Town presents ‘The Dark Up Close’

Established in 2008, Leith-based charity Strange Town was set up to ensure that everyone, no matter their experience or their background, gets the opportunity to access life-changing activities in the arts.  

Founded by local Directors Steve Small and Ruth Hollyman, the organisation has expanded across the last 15 years and now reaches 2,000 local young people every year through youth theatre classes, holiday programmes, a touring company and agency support for young actors helping to develop the careers of some of Scotland’s best-known local talent including Tallulah Greive and Lewis Gribben.

Across all the charity’s activities, Strange Town creates high quality work that is daring and entertaining, tackling subjects of importance to young people’s lives, such as consent, knife crime and climate change anxiety.

The organisation tours local schools with educational performances that spark discussion, debate and often provides local young people with their first experience of a theatrical performance.  

This week the charity’s Young Company (18-25) returns to the Scottish Storytelling Centre after their sold out shows there last year.  ‘The Dark Up Close’ by local writer Jack MacGregor has been specially commissioned for Strange Town’s Young Company.  

Open to everyone age 12+ the play will run for two nights Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th March.  

‘Two teenagers digging graves, an island full of conscripts and puffins, the guns are silent on the eve of World War III.

‘These are scenes from a near future Britain, a country in crisis, with national service reinstated for all young people. The old world is dying, and the new world has been delayed indefinitely.’ 

Venue: The Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, EH1 1SR

Times: 7.30pm (1 hour)

Tickets Prices: £12 / £10

Ticket Link: https://scottishstorytellingcentre.online.red61.co.uk/event/913:5893/

Arts activities enrich lives, but organisations such as Strange Town are seriously under-funded, and the future is uncertain. Strange Town relies on its fundraising activities to deliver fully accessible activities for local young people.  

Funders include the Backstage Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Cordis Trust, Crerar Trust and others.  

The charity also runs the 15for15 fundraising initiative where local people can donate monthly to support their life-changing work.  

More details here https://strangetown.org.uk/about-us/donations-info-page/

QMU runs free event to support inclusive practices in organisations

The often polarising debate of inclusivity will be the hot topic for discussion at a free event to be held at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. 

As part of the University’s work in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, the Queen Margaret Business School will host a free symposium to look at the role and impact of inclusive practices in organisational settings.

The University is keen to open up this sensitive topic for debate in order to assist organisations in dealing with some of the issues around inclusion and to identify good solutions that will support recruitment practices; develop a healthy, happy workforce; and assist with positive organisational development.

Dr Thomas Peschken-Holt, Head of the School of the Queen Margaret Business School, explained: “In recent years, there has been a growing and more pronounced questioning of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda, as well as the role and appropriateness of inclusive practices. These can be complex areas for organisations to navigate and respond to appropriately. 

“Queen Margaret University is keen to shine a light on this sensitive topic and open up the conversation across a range of diverse organisations and individuals. We will look beyond the often divisive headlines by exploring the underlying assumptions and practical implications of inclusive practices within organisational settings, aiming to challenge traditional viewpoints to provide audiences with a deeper, more informed, understanding.

“We hope this will be helpful in creating a positive outlook and direction, so that organisations can move forward with confidence in the development and actioning of their inclusive policies and practices.”

This event promises to provide enlightening and helpful perspectives on inclusivity from a diverse range of panel members from across Scotland. Dr Peschken-Holt will lead the panel discussion with contributions from the Director of Policy at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Jo Davidson; the Chief Executive Officer of Knowledge Bridge, Irene Mosota; and the Chief Executive of Sight Scotland, Craig Spalding. 

‘Inclusion – A Distracting Liability or A Diverse Organisational Asset?’ is particularly relevant to business leaders, human resource professionals, academics students, and anyone interested in the role of inclusivity in contemporary organisations. 

Open to the public, this free symposium will take place at Queen Margaret University on Thursday 10 April (room 2156). Registration – 4:45pm, with main event running from 5pm to 6pm.

For information and registration details, view the Eventbrite.

Hidden Door reveals festival line-up

Edinburgh’s grass roots arts festival, Hidden Door, is set to transform a huge abandoned industrial site into an ambitious and unique multi artform experience.  

Responding to the vast complex of forgotten warehouses, factory floors, offices and outbuildings, this year’s Hidden Door festival programme is built around the theme of ‘Building as a Myth’, with every rusted pipe, defunct machine and weathered surface becoming part of an artistic reclamation.

From Wednesday 11 – Sunday 15 June 2025, the festival brings together the talents of more than 100 creatives to offer live music, immersive art installations, dance performances, poetry, spoken word, unique collaborations and much more.

Music

The five nights will host a diverse roster of acts, kicking off with an unmissable opening night offering energetic and theatrical fare from Bikini Body, Mermaid Chunky and Snapped Ankles.

Thursday brings punk/pop attitude with Witch Fever, Sprints and SISTER MADDS, whilst Friday night sees Alice Faye’s lyrical Cabaret-come-Queen stylings programmed alongside Hidden Door favourites Tinderbox Orchestra and the dreamlike compositions of Erland Cooper. 

No Windows, The Orielles and Katy J Pearson promise an alternative indie Saturday night to remember, with Sunday’s closing line-up welcoming Moor Mother’s poetic power alongside Bee Asha, MC Yallah & Debmaster and Ishmael Ensemble’s eclectic jazz infused energy.

Edinburgh institutions Samedia Shebeen and Paradise Palms Records are on board to bring the weekend club vibes, and an open call will shortly be launched to invite emerging local talent to join the line-up.

Other acts confirmed so far include Isabella Strange, Pearling, Roller Disco Death Party, Smag På Dig Selv, The Orielles, Theo Bleak, Tina Sandwich and Y with many more to come.

Visual Art

In true Hidden Door style, the visual art programme will make the most of the unique setting, inviting audiences to explore and discover every nook and cranny of The Paper Factory – from the cavernous Crane Shed and the labyrinthine Factory Floor, to transforming the mundanity of The Office Block.

Over 30 visual artists will show a range of work including large sculptural installations, wall-based work, projection and textiles, curated amongst the defunct machinery and spaces.

The visual artists confirmed so far include Adam Hogarth, April Lannigan, Claire Marion Black, David Lemm, Dorsey Kaufmann, Ewan Douglas, Felicity Saravia White, Gosia Walton, Iona Peterson, Izzy Osborn, Jackie Bell, Jo McDonald, Juliana Capes, Laura McGlinchey, Lucas Chih-Peng Kao, Lucy Mulholland, Molly Wickett, Muireann Nic an Bheatha, Olivier Jacques Julien, Paul Meikle, Sam Sharma, Silas T Parry, Sue Sim, Tom Fairlamb, Valerie Reid, Vicky Higginson and Waad AlBawardi.

Poetry and Spoken Word

Thought provoking, personal, funny and moving – this year’s programme brings the power of spoken word performance into a building that has fallen silent; the factory’s atmospheric chambers echoing with the voices of raw human expression. Expect stand out shows every night from 10 poets and performers including award winning Theresa Muñoz, Glasgow poet Charles Lang and post-punk-music-spoken word-comedy duo FEVER PEACH. 

The spoken word programme also includes Aileen Lees, Imogen Stirling, Josh Cake, Julia Sorensen, Sarah Forbes Stewart, Theresa Muñoz and Victoria McNulty.

Dance

Expect dance at its most unconventional as Hidden Door presents a programme like no other in remarkable surroundings. Highlights include Yuxi Jiang’s ‘The Circle Unbound’, an immersive dance theatre inspired by Tibetan Buddhist circular culture, reimagining rhythmic machinery as a meditative force.

Participatory and playful performance ‘Dance Makes The Floor’ by Mark Bleakley centres around the creation of a collectively made dance floor, conjuring past dance floors, both loved and lost.

The dance programme will also feature works by ELELEI, Jessie Roberts-Smith, Katie Armstrong, Dorine Mugisha with even more to be announced.

Creative Collaborations

Threading throughout the 2025 programme are four newly commissioned interdisciplinary collaborations, waiting to be encountered by visitors as they explore The Paper Factory’s labyrinths. Visionaries from radically different disciplines – from electronic musicians and installation artists to contemporary dancers and theatrical innovators – have been challenged to create something that could only exist in this distinct moment and place.

Appearing each night of the festival, these utterly unique multi- disciplinary projects are not to be missed.

‘Ghost in the Machine’ is a site-responsive performance developed by Jill Martin Boualaxai, exploring memory, transformation, and industrial folklore through movement, drawing, and sculptural installation. The piece blends physical theatre, dance, visual art, and costume, evolving over time into performance drawings and sculptural traces that blur the boundaries between ritual, history, and the factory’s own mythology.

‘Time and Memory’ presents a narrative-driven installation by Eszter Marsalkó, featuring Stephanie Lamprea, exploring the lives of the factory’s former workers, weaving together real and imagined stories. This project includes film footage of the site, archival materials, and sculptural elements, bringing the past into dialogue with the present. It connects with broader festival themes of industry, labour, and personal histories embedded in place.

‘A Production Line’ by Acolyte is a poetic and psychedelic ensemble, blending soundscapes, spoken word, and rhythmic loops to reflect factory production cycles. Featuring bassist Ruairidh Morrison, synth and vocals by Gloria Black, percussion by Daniel Hill, and poet Iona Lee, the performance mirrors the repetitive rhythms of labour, incorporating field recordings from the site and hypnotic musical structures to create an immersive, trance-like experience.

‘SPECTRAL’ brings immersive dance and aerial performance to the Crane Shed, a work by Tess Letham developed in collaboration with All or Nothing. Performers move fluidly between floor-based choreography and aerial movement, embodying the physicality of labour and its transformation into something transcendent. Featuring lighting design by Sam Jones, aerial choreography, and a live music set by Dave House, SPECTRAL is a visually striking and physically immersive experience. 

Film work created by Abby Warlow and Lewis Gourlay will be projected across the factory’s vast walls to bring moving image and cinematic storytelling to the Paper Factory.

Ticket prices for all

With an ongoing commitment to inclusivity, Hidden Door has expanded its concessionary ticket options, ensuring that financial barriers and accessibility won’t prevent anyone from experiencing the event:

  • As always, the festival will be free to attend each day until 6pm
  • D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people are entitled to 30% off the standard price ticket for each price tier
  • Anyone who is currently unemployed can also benefit from the 30% discount
  • Students and those under 26 are entitled to 20% off, whilst over 65s can claim 10% off the standard price ticket
  • And going even further to include as many people as possible, for those who need them, a limited number of “Pay What You Can” tickets are available for every evening.

Creative partnerships

Hidden Door is proud to partner with valued sponsors Artisan Roast and Bellfield Brewery, who will both craft limited-edition Hidden Door brews that will capture the spirit of artistic collaboration. Elsewhere, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee-inspired music stage will transport audiences to another continent.

Hidden Door gratefully acknowledges the support of Creative Scotland and other funders who continue to make this ambitious and unique celebration of creativity possible.

About The Paper Factory

The colossal 15.5-acre Paper Factory site sits in Edinburgh’s Maybury Quarter, a former paper and cardboard manufacturing facility on the western edge of the city. The site features a mix of warehouses, factory floors, offices and outhouses.

The site is well served by a variety of public transport links, with frequent bus, tram and train services all stopping nearby, making it easy to reach from anywhere in the city or beyond to the west and Glasgow.

The full address is 1 Turnhouse Road, Edinburgh EH12 8NP.

Hazel Johnson, Festival Director of Hidden Door, said: “Since November’s venue launch party, we’ve been busy clearing more of the vast industrial site and getting ready to fill every corner with our most ambitious programme yet. 

“We exist to support the creative community and to connect audiences with emerging artists, and The Paper Factory will be at the heart of that ambition in 2025.”

The Paper Factory is located in the Maybury Quarter, a 15.5-acre site occupied by the former Saica paper and cardboard manufacturing facility on the western edge of Edinburgh. The site features a mix of warehouses, factory floors, offices and outhouses. Bounded by the Edinburgh Gateway tram and rail station, there are excellent transport links to the city centre as well as to Glasgow and the west.

Hidden Door will transform the entire site for a full-scale multi arts festival. The property has been empty since Saica’s relocation to a purpose-built facility in Livingston. Regeneration specialists Summix Capital are now developing proposals for the future of the site, and have offered Hidden Door access until the end of 2025.

Jill Martin Boualaxai, Creative Lead, said: “Our 2025 festival program, titled ‘The Building as a Myth,’ invites artists to collaboratively develop ambitious multidisciplinary projects. 

“Guided by the overarching concepts of Transformation and Reclamation, Time and Memory, Rituals and New Narratives, and Feminisation and Reimagining the Space, the programme encourages exploration of how industrial spaces can be reclaimed by nature, layered with temporal narratives, and reimagined as inclusive, symbolic environments.”

Pension Age Disability Payment opens for applications in 13 local authority areas

New Scottish benefit for pensioners extends to more areas ahead of national roll out

A new benefit for pensioners is now open for applications in 13 more local authority areas in Scotland.   

Pension Age Disability Payment has been extended to Aberdeenshire, Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee City, Falkirk, Fife, Moray, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles), Perth and Kinross and Stirling.  It is also now available in all three Ayrshire local authority areas – East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire.   

The payment first launched in five local authority areas on 21 October 2024  and will be available throughout Scotland from 22 April this year.  

Pension Age Disability Payment is for disabled people or those with a long-term health condition that means they need help looking after themselves or supervision to stay safe. It is available to people of State Pension age and is also available to pensioners who are terminally ill.  

It is not means-tested and is worth between £290 and £434 a month depending on the needs of the person who gets it (increasing to between £295 and £441 a month from 1 April 2025).   

Pension Age Disability Payment is replacing Attendance Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions in Scotland. Social Security Scotland has started transferring the awards of 169,000 people in Scotland who currently receive Attendance Allowance to the new benefit.    

People currently getting Attendance Allowance do not need to take any action; the transfer will happen automatically in phases throughout 2025. Everyone will continue to receive their payments on time and in the right amount.   

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:  “I urge anyone who thinks they could be eligible for Pension Age Disability Payment to apply.

“It is vital older people who are disabled, terminally ill people or who have care needs get the money they need to help them look after themselves, stay safe and live with dignity.

“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring everyone gets the financial support they’re entitled to and this has not changed following the UK Government’s announcement on welfare.”

Henry Simmons, Alzheimer Scotland’s Chief Executive said: “It’s great to see Pension Age Disability Payment being rolled out across more areas. At Alzheimer Scotland, we know that living with dementia leads to extra costs so it’s important that those affected can access the financial support they need, when they need it.

“The application support that Social Security Scotland provide is vital for people who are already dealing with the emotional and practical challenges of living with dementia.

“The availability of this support will make a positive difference to people living with dementia, improving their ability to live well with their condition.” 

More information about Pension Age Disability Payment including who is eligible and how to apply can be found at: www.mygov.scot/pensiondisability  

Pension Age Disability Payment is replacing Attendance Allowance in Scotland. People in Scotland who are getting Attendance Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions do not need to do anything as their award transfer will happen automatically.

Social Security Scotland will write to people to let them know when this is happening and when this is complete. Social Security Scotland aims to complete case transfer for everyone by the end of 2025.

Until people receive the letter from Social Security Scotland to tell them their transfer is complete, they should continue to report any change in circumstances, including a terminal illness diagnosis, to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Pension Age Disability Payment launched on 21 October 2024 in five pilot areas – Aberdeen City, Argyll and Bute, Highland, Orkney and Shetland. It has rolled out to 13 more areas – Aberdeenshire, Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, Falkirk, Fife, Moray, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles), North Ayrshire, Perth and Kinross, South Ayrshire and Stirling. The payment will be available throughout Scotland from 22 April 2025.   

Eligible people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness are automatically entitled to the higher rate of care and can apply under special rules for terminal illness. This means that Social Security Scotland will prioritise their application. People who are already getting Pension Age Disability Payment who later receive a terminal illness diagnosis can also report this diagnosis under the special rules for terminal illness.   

Pension Age Disability Payment was designed with the people who will be eligible for the benefit and those who support them. Improvements include a streamlined process for people to nominate a third-party representative who can support them in their interactions with Social Security Scotland.  

Social Security Scotland can help people to apply, with face-to-face support available from advisers based in communities across the country.  

Help is also available from independent advocacy service Voiceability who are funded by the Scottish Government to help disabled people applying for devolved benefits.  

Social Security Scotland also has a separate, accelerated application process for people who are terminally ill. This is open to any eligible person who has a terminal diagnosis, no matter how long they’re expected to live. This is different to the Department for Work and Pensions, who only class someone as terminally ill if they are expected to live for 12 months or less. Eligible people automatically get the highest possible amount of Pension Age Disability Payment.   

The Scottish Government has made it easier for people to nominate someone to support them in their engagement with Social Security Scotland – something that older disabled people told us was important to them.