A financial package worth up to £10 million to help the council, businesses and agencies rebuild and renew the part of the city affected by the Union Corner fire has been announced by First Minister John Swinney.
The Scottish Government grant scheme will support recovery efforts near Glasgow Central station where around 71 businesses were damaged or destroyed by the fire and remain within a safety cordon which is closed to the public.
Glasgow City Council will administer the scheme based on engagement with local businesses to understand how they have been affected.
Additionally, up to £1 million will be made available to help the council with demolition costs and the Scottish Government’s contribution to discretionary non-domestic rates Hardship Relief for those impacted will increase from 75% to 95%.
The First Minister said: “There has been significant disruption for people and businesses as a result of the devastating fire at Union Corner, including through the closure of Glasgow Central station.
“As I made clear in the immediate aftermath of the fire, the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to working closely with Glasgow City Council to ensure financial support was available.
“Some owners have lost their properties, in some cases their livelihoods, and others have been affected by access issues because of safety restrictions around the site.
“I am grateful to Glasgow City Council for talking to business owners about their circumstances, and that important work has established a clearer understanding of the extent of the support that is required.
“Following that engagement, I am pleased to confirm the Scottish Government will deliver a package of financial support, including up to £10 million to help businesses in this important part of Glasgow. The Scottish Government remains committed to working urgently with partners to ensure there is the fullest possible recovery in what is the heart of the city centre.”
Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken has welcomed the financial package announced by First Minister John Swinney to support recovery from the recent Union Street fire.
The First Minister yesterday confirmed cash to cover the cost of ongoing demolition works and a £10 million recovery fund, including support for local businesses.
Cllr Aitken said: “The support Glasgow has had from the Scottish Government since Sunday’s terrible fire has been hugely important – and that is going to continue to be the case as we move on from an emergency response into recovery.
“The first call I took on Monday morning was from the First Minister. He was absolutely clear then that this was an incident with a national impact and that Glasgow wouldn’t stand alone in building back from it.
“So, while I was always sure help would be forthcoming, it is really pleasing to see that starting to take shape at pace, with his announcement this afternoon.
“This is meaningful support, not just for the council and those suffering hardship – but an investment in the future of the city centre.”
Work is taking place to finalise arrangements for the grant scheme.
Grammy-nominated composer Missy Mazzoli and Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Royce Vavrek both lost immediate family members to drug overdoses. Now Scottish Opera and Opera Ventures Productions are bringing their opera about it to the world stage.
The Galloping Cure, premiering at the Edinburgh International Festival this August, tells its story through a darkly seductive allegory: a mysterious carousel that arrives in a struggling rural town, promising to eliminate all pain. The first ride is free. Getting off is much harder.
Conducted by Stuart Stratford and directed by Tony Award-winning Tom Morris (War Horse), the production reunites the creative team behind Breaking the Waves, the 2019 Edinburgh International Festival hit that toured internationally to critical acclaim. They have collaborated with Opera Ventures Productions and Scottish Opera to create what they are calling an opera for the age of addiction.
It is co-commissioned with NorrlandsOperan AB (Sweden, supported by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond), Edinburgh International Festival, and San Francisco Opera. The production will be co-produced with State Opera of South Australia and Canadian Opera Company, ensuring the work reaches audiences worldwide. This unprecedented international coalition of funders spans three continents to back a brand-new work tackling one of the defining crises of our time.
Missy Mazzolisaid: ‘The opioid crisis is not merely a headline for me and Royce; we have both lost immediate family to overdoses and other drug-related tragedies, and this crisis reverberates through nearly every aspect of our lives.
‘For years we have wanted to write a work about these experiences, and opera provides a large enough palette to create something that is both compassionate and illuminating.’
Tom Morrissaid: ‘Missy and Royce are Titans of the 21st century operatic stage. They take no prisoners and will tear up trees to show the world that opera can tell powerful, horrifying, tender stories that resonate to the core of our age.
‘The Galloping Cure is exactly that and it is a huge honour to work with them on its world premiere production. And it’s not just an allegory about the opioid crisis. It’s a story about existential pain and the allure of shallow instant solutions. Inspired by texts from Kafka and Karen Russell, they have created a world that is both mythic and brutally recognisable. Their visceral operatic language allows us to hold beauty and horror in the same moment, and to struggle with the compulsions caused by both.’
The story follows Dr Theresa Hart as she struggles to ease the suffering of her community in a forgotten corner of the world. When the charismatic Lucky Mack arrives with his carousel, the town is swept into euphoria. But the ride won’t stop turning.
Mazzoli’s score blends orchestral and choral writing with club rhythms and DJ textures, creating what she describes as ‘a dark parallel to our own world, devastating and gorgeous in equal measure. Swirling brass and winds mesh with exaggerated house music beats, Appalachian folk sounds unite with orchestral strings, and operatic vocals soar over a hallucinatory landscape.’
Leading stage designer Rebecca Ringst matches the ambitious score with cutting-edge immersive audiovisual design evoking a post-industrial town transformed into a fever dream.
Scottish Opera Music Director Stuart Stratford added: ‘Missy Mazzoli’s music has an immediacy that connects with contemporary audiences while remaining deeply operatic. After the success of Breaking the Waves, we knew we wanted to continue our partnership with her. This score is thrilling to conduct. It moves between intimate moments of devastating beauty and these massive, visceral soundscapes that put you right inside the experience of addiction. Working with Opera Ventures and our international partners allows us to take risks on work this ambitious.’
The cast is led by Argentinian mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack in her Scottish Opera debut as Dr Theresa Hart, alongside baritone Justin Austin (Rising Star of the Year at the 2024 International Opera Awards) as Lucky Mack, and Susan Bullock as Ivona Kowalski. They are joined by Scottish Opera Emerging Artists Edward Jowle and Luvo Maranti, and former Emerging Artists Catriona Hewitson, Lea Shaw, and Ross Cumming. The role of Noy is yet to be announced.
The production is inspired by Franz Kafka’s 1917 short story A Country Doctor and based on an original tale by Pulitzer Prize finalist and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Karen Russell. She is the author of short story, Proving Up,which was also made into an opera by Mazzoli and Vavrek in 2016.
Opera Ventures Productions has pioneered a new model for creating opera in the 21st century, bringing together international houses and festivals to share resources and risk. Founded by John Berry (former Artistic Director of English National Opera), Opera Ventures has previously commissioned and produced with partners including Scottish Opera, Greek (Mark-Anthony Turnage) and Ainadamar (Osvaldo Golijov), all of which have toured internationally. In an era when commissioning new opera has become increasingly rare, Opera Ventures has proven it is still possible, if you are willing to think globally.
Scottish Opera has been a key partner in this model, bringing seven years of collaboration with Opera Ventures to The Galloping Cure. As Scotland’s national touring company, Scottish Opera’s workshop and production skills are specifically designed to create sets that adapt to theatres of different sizes, making them the ideal partner for international touring productions. This expertise, combined with Scottish Opera’s track record of championing contemporary opera, has been crucial to bringing Mazzoli’s ambitious vision to life.
‘Commissioning new opera is one of the hardest and most essential challenges the art form faces’, said John Berry. ‘Opera can be as immediate and relevant as cinema, and The Galloping Cure reminds us of opera’s communicative power through the combination of music, theatre, and design. This piece exists only because ambitious organisations across continents have chosen to back a brand-new project with something urgent to say.’
Performances of The Galloping Cure are on 9, 11 and 12 August 2026, at Edinburgh International Festival.
Supported by a syndicate of donors including Sarah and Howard Solomon Foundation, Susie Thompson, Eli & Ashley Wald, Malcolm Herring, Sally Groves in memory of Dennis Marks and the New Commissions Circle.
Young Carers Action Day is an annual event that raises public awareness of young carers, the challenges they face and the extra support they need to balance their caring responsibilities and ensure they can have a Fair Future.
The day is led by Carers Trust in collaboration with its network of 135 local services that support unpaid carers. Young Carers Action Day is not only about celebrating their incredible contributions, but also about taking action to make sure young carers are given the support they need to thrive.
This year, young carers across Scotland are highlighting how caring impacts their education and calling for practical changes, including a designated Young Carer Lead in every school, college and university, to help ensure their needs are recognised, supported and understood.
Heavy caring responsibilities for young carers
Across the UK it’s estimated that over one million children and young people have caring responsibilities, with thousands in Scotland supporting parents, siblings or other relatives.
A recent UK wide survey by Opinium, published by Carers Trust, highlights the scale of responsibility many young carers hold; from helping relatives with personal care to managing medication and supporting household tasks. These findings mirror what young carers and services tell us every day.
The same research found almost half (44%) of young carers spend around 3 to 4 hours a day on their caring role, severely restricting the time they have for homework. And over one third (36%) told the survey caring had left them tired or worn out at school.
Impact of caring responsibilities on young carers’ education and attainment
Young carers in Scotland consistently tell us that caring has a significant impact on their learning. Many describe struggling to balance schoolwork with caring responsibilities, often feeling tired, stressed or unable to complete homework because of the demands at home.
Education staff, local young carer services and families also report that young carers may arrive late, miss lessons or find it harder to focus in class, not because of a lack of ability or motivation, but because of the pressures they carry.
These experiences show why greater recognition, flexibility and support in education settings are essential. Young carers are determined, capable and ambitious, but they should not have to overcome unnecessary barriers to succeed.
That’s why young carers across Scotland are calling for a Young Carer Lead; a designated member of staff who identifies and supports young carers in every school, college and university. Evidence shows that a trusted lead in education settings can make a significant difference, ensuring young carers are understood, supported and able to thrive.
Young carers take centre stage at Edinburgh Zoo
Carers Trust Scotland is partnering with The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo to host a Young Carers Action Day Hustings, a lively event bringing together over 150 young and young adult carers from across Scotland.
The hustings gave young carers the chance to speak directly with candidates ahead of the Scottish Parliament Election, ask questions and highlight the importance of Young Carers Action Day in their own words.
Alongside the discussion, attendees can enjoy a well earned break in a fun, supportive setting surrounded by others who understand their experiences. The RZSS Edinburgh Zoo event was the heart of the day, a chance for young carers to be heard, celebrated and connected.
Young carers were also involved in a Scottish Parliament exhibition and evening event. Head of External Affairs, Carers Trust Scotland, Paul Traynor said: “Young carers take on responsibilities far beyond what most of their peers will ever experience. Some of these tasks are incredibly demanding; physically, emotionally and mentally.
“Too often, we assume young carers are coping because they stay quiet, keep going and try to manage as best they can. But behind that strength can be exhaustion, worry and pressure no child or young person should carry alone.
“One of the biggest challenges we see is that many young carers aren’t recognised or identified early enough. When their caring role is invisible, so are their needs, and that’s when young people can slip through the cracks.
“Young carers tell us time and time again that being understood at school makes an enormous difference. When education settings know who their young carers are, recognise the realities of caring and offer flexibility and support, it helps young people feel seen, respected and able to focus on their own futures.”
Erin, a young adult carer, said: “I’ve been a carer from my mum since the age of 8. Young Carers Action Day is such an important occasion for us young carers as it is a day to give us a voice and it can make us finally feel heard.
“What decision makers do on this day has a lasting impact on us and our futures and that is something we are so grateful for.”
For thousands of years, people around the world have used fermentation and pickling to make and preserve food, handing the knowledge down through generations.
Whether you are a total beginner, or already surrounded by bubbling jars, come along to this celebration of human x microbe collaboration.
Edinburgh Agroecology Co-op, Grass Roots Remedies and Rhyze Mushrooms are hosting a fermentation and pickling Tasting Fair, tours and workshops, and opening our brand new food processing space.
The exhibition brings together work by five artists, MV Brown, Nina Davies, Gavin Gayagoy, Hardeep Pandhal and Gregor Wright, who all explore our relationship with technology and the internet and how, as a medium or material, its slippery nature creates spaces of inauthenticity where curated versions of ourselves blur and distort reality, and algorithms and applications construct fictional narratives or environments to play with or react against.
Spanning performance, moving image, sculpture and drawing each artist creates a user experience that highlights the friction existing between our physical body and its digital counterpart, with authorship and representation disrupted or rendered through computer generation.
Rooted in performance, MV Brown’s practice uses the human body and new technologies to explore the tensions that exist for the body within a digital realm.
Using avatars, prototypes, and ‘false-self’ hoods, MV extends and replicates their body to question how technological advances – often framed as enhancing cognitive and bodily capacities – mediate emotion, interaction, and the construction of identity as beings-in-the-world both online and ‘IRL’ (In Real Life).
Nina Davies’ artistic practice is heavily influenced by her former training and career as a professional dancer. Her work looks at how dance is disseminated, circulated, made, and consumed within popular culture with a particular focus on social media, and the dances derived from trends and films made for present-day digital platforms. Much like MV her work touches upon how bodies are evolving in a world dominated by synthetic media.
Multi-disciplinary artist and designer Gavin Gayagoy uses game design elements to explore how digital environments influence perception, truth, and identity as well as highlight the compulsive consumption of digital content and its impact on us.
Visitors are invited to interact with his work in the exhibition and explore a range of both familiar looking and futuristic landscapes. Through these fragmented 3D environments and limited game mechanics, Gavin questions the authenticity of our digital lives and the contradictory nature that being online can bring.
Hardeep Pandhal has also used the visual aesthetics of gaming in his work as a means to comment on cultural production, capitalism and racial stereotypes as perpetuated through everyday popular culture and categorization.
Whilst conservative opinions of gaming often focus on its contribution to societal ills, here the bleed between games and reality could be seen to provide a space where varying forms of alienation can be addressed and co-opted, creating a form of empowerment and a means to comment on societal inequalities in a transformative way.
Also included in the exhibition are a number of works by Gregor Wright. Predominantly a painter, Gregor has created a body of work that looks at current modes of image consumption as mediated by algorithms and advancing technology.
Presented together are a selection of Gregor’s recent drawings made using graphite pencil, crayon, acrylic and oil and one of his digital ‘screen-based paintings.’ With the rise of AI-generated artwork Gregor highlights the tensions that lie between traditional painting and the virtual digital representations that increasingly dominate our lives.
Launching in Edinburgh at the Collective Gallery, Calton Hill on Friday 20 March from 10.30am to 4.30pm, the exhibition will tour to arts venues, community centres, high streets and schools across Scotland.
Louise Briggs, Curator, Travelling Gallery said: “It has been interesting to think about our ever-increasing relationship with technology through the ideas and artworks of the five artists involved in the show.
“The exhibition is not meant as a criticism of technology but takes a closer look at its slippery nature where reality can be blurred and authenticity distorted. A number of the artists in the exhibition play with these ideas, whilst others push against them – but all in some way are using technology as a material or medium.
“The Travelling Gallery team look forward to introducing the artwork and ideas to audiences across Scotland as part of our Spring Tour and seeing how opinions and thoughts may differ geographically, generationally, and culturally.
“Everyone usually has an opinion on technology and its place in the world today, we look forward to some healthy discussions around it inspired by the work of this exciting group of artists.”
Culture and Communities Convener Margaret Graham said: “Featuring work by five talented artists, this exhibition offers an insightful look into our relationship with technology and the internet.
“The Travelling Gallery plays such an important role in ensuring that high-quality contemporary art is not limited to traditional venues. By bringing exhibitions into communities across the city, it helps widen access and encourage new audiences.
“I’m proud to support an initiative that broadens access to culture in such a practical and meaningful way, and I hope people will take the chance to step inside and experience the exhibition for themselves.”
The exhibition will run from Monday 23 March – Friday 19 June 2026. More information about confirmed tour dates and venues can be found here.
Review to examine how best to meet the needs of the future economy
A review of the publicly-funded contribution rates paid to help deliver modern apprenticeships (MAs) will be undertaken soon to ensure they continue to meet the country’s economy priorities and maximise public value.
Contributions are made to training costs for around 39,000 MAs each year from £90 million of Scottish Government funding. The review will look at the levels of contribution.
It will also assess how the current approach, delivered by Skills Development Scotland, operates across key sectors and age groups, while meeting the Scottish Government’s priorities for growing the economy.
Ministers committed to a review when Parliament was considering the Tertiary Education and Training (TET) Act – passed by MSPs earlier this year to simplify the funding system for post-16 education and skills. The first stage of this review will get underway later this month.
Higher and Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson said: “Apprenticeships help create positive futures for people, including many of our school leavers, as well as developing the skills required to meet the changing needs of the 21st century economy.
“The Scottish Government recognises that there are financial pressures surrounding the current apprenticeship model. That is why we are reviewing contribution rates, to look at whether current public funding for the Modern Apprenticeship programme is still appropriate and sustainable, as well as meeting our priorities and Scotland’s labour market needs.
“The Scottish Government will do more to help ensure that smaller employers can recruit more apprentices, for the benefit of their businesses and those in training.”
Scottish Training Federation Chief Executive Stuart McKenna said: “The Scottish Training Federation welcomes the Minister’s commitment to review funding rates for modern apprenticeships.
“To ensure the continued success of the programme, it is essential that we review the current funding model to ensure it remains fit for purpose.”
Many families are getting ready to celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend, but for too many female cats, motherhood looks very different.
Cats Protection is campaigning to ensure cats are not forgotten by decision‑makers in England. As part of our Cat Manifesto, we are calling on Westminster to introduce regulations on cat breeding, and to ban the breeding of cats with extreme characteristics.
A lack of breeding regulations leaves female cats at risk of being used as breeding machines, producing multiple litters a year in poor and sometimes dangerous conditions. These cats are often kept solely for profit, with little regard for their health or wellbeing.
Stronger safeguards would help ensure female cats are better protected, and that anyone breeding cats meets clear welfare standards.
Motherhood matters – for humans and for animals. This Mother’s Day, we are asking readers to join us in calling for change, to give cat mums and their kittens the best lives possible.
The Government has left cats behind by failing to include any regulation on cat breeding in the new Animal Welfare Strategy.
Readers can add their names to our open letter calling for urgent action here:
A pupil at an Edinburgh school has designed an eco-friendly guitar that can switch between acoustic and electric sounds, allowing musicians to change tone without needing multiple instruments.
The design uses interchangeable components to alter the guitar’s sound, removing the need to buy multiple instruments and helping reduce material waste.
Chester, aged 19, from Edinburgh, began developing the idea after noticing how expensive it can be for musicians to own several guitars to achieve different sounds.
He designed a single instrument capable of producing multiple tones while also using more sustainable materials, including FSC-certified wood and water-based finishes. The design also allows parts to be repaired or replaced rather than the whole instrument being discarded, helping reduce waste.
Chester said:“The guitar’s most unique feature is a removable modular block which houses all of the electronics and pickups. Different pickups create different tones, which is why musicians often need several guitars to achieve particular sounds.
“With this design, guitarists can swap components and customise the sound of the instrument, even mid-performance.”
Working on the prototype for more than a year, he experimented with a range of materials, from traditional timber to experimental resin, before refining the final design. The result is a fully functioning guitar that can be adapted for different styles of music.
Florence Chapman, Head of Faculty for Technologies and Creative Arts and Design Technology teacher at Merchiston Castle School, said:“This is a brilliant example of how the disciplines within STEM can work together to complement one another in producing a single creative outcome.
“Chester has used knowledge from subjects like maths and physics alongside design and music to create something genuinely innovative. Projects like this show how pupils can take an idea, test it, refine it and turn it into something real.”
Music lover Chester added:“I’ve played guitar for about six years and realised that musicians often need several guitars to achieve different sounds, which can be really expensive.
“I wanted to see if it was possible to create one instrument that could produce the sound of many guitars while also being more sustainable. It took a lot of trial and error, but seeing the final guitar working has been incredibly rewarding.”
The guitar has already been tested by fellow pupils and teachers performing classic rock tracks in the school’s music department.
Chester added:“I play in a band with my friends at Merchiston called Sleet. We play 80s and 90s rock music, including Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead and Red Hot Chili Peppers. It would be amazing to see John Frusciante play this guitar one day.”
Chester, a senior prefect at the school with a strong interest in both STEM and design, plans to study Design Engineering at university.
He hopes to continue exploring the intersection between design, engineering and music in the future.
To learn more about Merchiston Castle School, please visit:
Edinburgh’s pop-up arts festival announces final takeover of iconic factory with weekend headliners Jenny Hval and Valtos Presents: High Water Mark
Hidden Door is set to stage a final spectacular takeover of The Paper Factory, a massive industrial site in west Edinburgh, for the 2026 edition of the multi arts festival.
From Wednesday 3rd to Sunday 7th June 2026, the site will be reimagined as a living, evolving space, giving audiences one last chance to rediscover this iconic location before the festival moves on.
“Returning to The Paper Factory for a final year allows us to go deeper into the history and texture of the site,” said Hazel Johnson, Hidden Door’s Director. “We aren’t just putting on a show; we’re building a myth.
“The support from Creative Scotland allows us to develop an ambitious programme that will treat the space as a living, breathing canvas, where the work of our artists and performers becomes the architecture that shapes the festival.”
Friday and Saturday headliners revealed
Festival organisers have also revealed the weekend headliners who will take to the stage for The Paper Factory’s final shift.
On Friday 5th June, Norwegian singer-songwriter, record producer, and novelist Jenny Hval pushes boundaries with a live performance that demands to be witnessed firsthand, with her experimental, feminist and avant-garde work scooping several notable awards.
The night will climax with a special late night club presented by EPiKA, Edinburgh’s own femme techno collective.
On Saturday 6th June, Skye natives Valtos bring a dancefloor-ready take on their already unique sound with their acclaimed DJ/Live hybrid project High Water Mark, fusing folk and electronic beats for an energetic and dynamic experience.
The action will then move to the club space with Fred Deakin (Lemon Jelly/Club Life) taking audiences through the decades of his legendary Scottish club nights.
Creative collaborations
Once again, Hidden Door is working with a wide range of creative partners to build an eclectic programme offering something for everyone, including:
Five nights of music programmed in collaboration with the likes of Paradise Palms Records, Hobbes Music, 432 Presents and independent programmers Jacob Brailsford and Arusa Qureshi
10 emerging music acts selected from an open call co-curated with the National Centre For Music and Creative Edinburgh
Specially curated theatre, dance and spoken word performances scattered throughout the venue
A brand new collaborative installation from Tinderbox Collective, experimenting with electronics and sensors, microcontrollers, code and responsive visuals.
An evolution of Edinburgh International Mural Festival’s 2025 residency at The Paper Factory, which brought together mural artists from around the world to produce iconic large scale works
The festival’s full programme of music, art, performances and special events will be revealed in April.
The announcement follows confirmation of vital support from Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Fund, a major funding commitment that secures the future of the festival through to 2027 and enables the volunteer-run charity to embark on ambitious planning for 2026.
Hidden Door is committed to ensuring fair pay for all artists. The funding from Creative Scotland, alongside ticket revenue, donations and sponsorship, means the festival has created paid opportunities for thousands of artists and performers since 2010.
Hidden Door is a volunteer-run, independent charity that organises cultural events in Edinburgh.
It works to transform forgotten urban spaces into temporary platforms for new and emerging artists, musicians, theatre-makers, film-makers, dancers and poets.
Since its inception, Hidden Door has attracted over 70,000 visitors to its events and created a vibrant showcase for over 3,000 artists.
