Tag: Creative Edinburgh Awards

Creative Edinburgh Awards – Finalists Announced

  • Finalists Announced for the 15th Creative Edinburgh Awards, with Tickets Now on Sale
  • Join us on 13 November at Central Hall for a night of celebration, live music and dancing

Creative Edinburgh is delighted to announce the finalists for the 2026 Creative Edinburgh Awards.

Following over 140 nominations from across the city’s creative community, 32 individuals, organisations and projects have made the shortlist across eight categories, and tickets to celebrate with them at the 15th anniversary ceremony are now on sale.

Thinking about this year’s milestone Ola Wojtkiewicz, Executive Director at Creative Edinburgh, said: “As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Creative Edinburgh Awards, we’re proud of their role in building the city’s creative legacy – recognising local talent, amplifying ambitious projects and celebrating the people and places making a lasting difference to their communities.

“The Awards are about more than recognition; they bring together artists, communities, organisations and funders, strengthening the connections that help creativity thrive.

“This reflects our commitment to supporting creative entrepreneurship and contributing to Edinburgh’s Culture and Wellbeing Strategy.

“We’re equally proud of the longstanding partnerships that make the Awards possible – a testament to the power of a connected, collaborative city.”

Meet the finalists

Community Award

  • Pianodrome
  • Scottish Chamber Orchestra
  • Screen Education
  • Summerhall Arts 

Inclusion Award

  • Edinburgh Community Performing Arts
  • HIV Aloud: Raise the Curtain with Edinburgh Playhouse and Waverley Care
  • Out of Sight Out of Mind Exhibition
  • Screen Education Edinburgh

Collaboration Award

  • Dementia-Friendly Workshops with Space Beacon Club and Edinburgh International Festival
  • HIV Aloud: Raise the Curtain with Edinburgh Playhouse and Waverley Care
  • Manipulate Arts & WHALE Arts – Ocho Project
  • Starcatchers Productions Ltd

Development Award

  • Darren Wilkie
  • Fiona Linton
  • Hannah Ayre
  • Rachel Barlow

Festivals Award – Sponsored by The List

  • Edinburgh Arts Festival
  • Hidden Door
  • Manipulate Festival
  • Summerhall Arts 

Innovation Award

  • Heads on Crooked
  • The Pend
  • Trevor Jones
  • Where Are The Disabled Photographers?

Leadership Award – Sponsored by Screen Scotland

  • Jess Abrams – Lecturer in Community Music at Edinburgh College
  • Kat Brooks – Leader of The Phoenix Choir
  • Susie Gray – Executive Director of Premier Scotland
  • Suzanne Lofthus – Artistic Director of Cutting Edge Theatre

Student Awards

  • Floria Paul
  • The Edinburgh College Game Society
  • Romana Docherty
  • Lok Pui Lo

An evening to remember

The 2026 Awards will take place on 13 November at Central Hall, Edinburgh, and this year’s ceremony promises to be the most special yet.

The evening will be opened with a welcome speech from Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic, before we crown this year’s winners and celebrate fifteen years of creativity and innovation in the city. Our MC for the evening will be Katie Ailes of I Am Loud CIC, a talented spoken word artist.

When asked to give comment Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic, said: “Congratulations to all the finalists of this year’s Creative Edinburgh Awards. Reaching the shortlist from over 140 nominations is a real achievement and reflects the depth of talent and ambition within Edinburgh’s creative community.

“For fifteen years, these Awards have celebrated the individuals, organisations and projects that bring culture and creativity to life in our capital, and the partnerships that help that creativity flourish. I’m delighted to join the celebrations this November, and I wish every finalist the very best of luck.”

Tinderbox Orchestra have been commissioned, through a partnership with the National Centre for Music & Dunard Centre, to do two special performances on the night. Tinderbox Collective is a community of young people, musicians, artists and youth workers supporting their members to build confidence, skills, self-esteem, and professional experience. We’re thrilled to have them with us on the night.

The winners’ trophies have once again been designed by students at Edinburgh College who are ongoing collaborators of the Creative Edinburgh Awards. The students’ talent and work ethic never fail to impress, their designs are sure to look fantastic in the hands of this year’s winners.

Ticket holders will also enjoy benefits from our wonderful in-kind sponsors, Dishoom and Thistly Cross Cider.

Dishoom, the much-loved Indian restaurant and bar inspired by the Irani cafés of Bombay, will be serving a selection of mocktails alongside light sweet bites, while Scotland’s leading independent craft cider producer, Thistly Cross, will have options straight from the East Lothian coast.

Together they are making every ticket go further, with complimentary drinks that let guests toast the finalists, the winners and fifteen years of Edinburgh creativity without reaching for their wallets.

Hungry? Food will be available to buy from Grassmarket Community Project, who catered last year’s Awards and went down a treat with the community.

Get your tickets

Whether you’re cheering on a finalist, catching up with the city’s creative community or joining us for the first time to find out what’s happening in the city, we’d love to see you there. Tickets are limited, so don’t miss out and purchase yours today. We have kept the ticket price unchanged over the last three years to make sure that they are affordable for all. 

Get your tickets here.

Thank you to our sponsors

Brian Donaldson, Editor of The List, our Media Partner, said: “Within the vibrant cultural hub of Edinburgh, the Creative Edinburgh Awards play a vital role in highlighting the city’s talent and helping them make a breakthrough in their chosen field.

“The List is delighted to partner with the awards as they mark 15 years of celebrating Edinburgh’s grassroots projects and local artists.”

Creative Edinburgh would like to thank this year’s Awards sponsors for making the evening possible: Black Goblin, Bright Signals, Business Gateway Edinburgh, Creative Tech Scotland Gathering, The Edinburgh Minute, First Stage Studios, Leith Agency, Screen Scotland, The List and The Sunshine Agency.

Special thanks also go to our in-kind sponsors Dishoom and Thistly Cross Cider.

North Edinburgh Community Festival wins Creative Edinburgh Award

The North Edinburgh Community Festival is thrilled to announce that it has won the Creative Edinburgh Festival Award. This is a new category for 2024, which celebrates a festival’s outstanding contribution to Edinburgh’s vibrant cultural scene and its innovative approach to community engagement.

Festival Chair, Willie Black, and Festival Director, Adele Conn were joined on stage to accept the award by Jed Milroy from the Tinderbox Collective and Ryan McGlone from Granton Youth along with 6 young people who have volunteered at the festival since it started in 2022.

Jed and Ryan, play an integral part in the festival by encouraging participation through music, running both music stages and encouraging over 600 young people to participate in the festival.

Lennon Hutchison, youth volunteer, said “As someone who has volunteered at the festival for the last 3 years, I feel incredibly proud to be part of something so special.

“It was amazing to win this award and myself and my friends can’t wait for next years festival.”

“We are absolutely delighted to receive this award,” said Festival Director Adele Conn. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, and we are grateful to the community for their unwavering support.

“This recognition motivates us to continue creating a meaningful and inclusive festival that bring people together and acts as a year round catalyst for collaboration and change in North Edinburgh.”

The North Edinburgh Community Festival, held annually in May in West Pilton Park and the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, aims to benefit North Edinburgh communities by promoting pathways into employment, training, and recreation opportunities, addressing endemic challenges in the areas such as worklessness, low education attainment, and social isolation by providing a fun, free, family day out for new and existing residents to enjoy – promoting opportunities, creativity, enhancing community cohesion, reducing social isolation and celebrating the diversity of the area.

This year the festival had over 10,000 local people attend, 150 charities, organisations and groups; over 600 young people participating in music activities, and we provided over 3000 free hot meals on the day.

The award was presented at the Creative Edinburgh Awards ceremony last week, which honours the best in Edinburgh’s creative community, highlighting the projects, people and places that flourish across Edinburgh and continually ensuring its place on the cultural map, nationally and internationally.

Winning this award highlights the festival’s role in its commitment to North Edinburgh and helping this community to thrive. The festival has imbedded itself within the community and has a vital role to play.

The strength of the Festival lies in its collaborative working model – with involvement from residents, artists, the local third sector and public sector bodies. 

The diverse population of North Edinburgh includes families, individuals, young people, and children, all of whom stand to benefit from the festival’s offerings. By hosting a range of recreational, cultural, educational, leisure, and social activities, the festival aims to create opportunities for community engagement and personal development. 

The festival also proudly celebrates cultural diversity and serves as a vibrant tapestry of the many ethnic minorities residing in North Edinburgh. Recognising the unique challenges faced by these communities, it is even more important to provide resources and support services tailored to the needs of these communities. 

Willie Black, says: “As the Chair of the North Edinburgh Community Festival, I am thrilled and honoured that we have won the award for Best Festival in Edinburgh.

“This recognition is a testament to the vibrant spirit and hard work of our community. It highlights the incredible talent and dedication within North Edinburgh and showcases our ability to bring people together through cultural celebration.

“Winning this award means a great deal to our city and particularly to the community of North Edinburgh. It underscores the importance of cultural festivals in fostering community pride, cultural exchange, and economic development.

“However, it also reminds us of the crucial need for financial support to sustain these valuable events. Continued funding is essential to ensure that festivals like ours can thrive, grow, and continue to enrich the lives of everyone involved.”

Regarding the Festival’s future, our vision for the next five years is both ambitious and transformative. We aim to expand the reach and impact of the North Edinburgh Community Festival, making it an annual highlight that continues to bring joy, education, and support to our community.

We plan to increase our engagement with local schools and youth groups, offering more workshops and programmes tailored to the needs and interests of young people.

In addition, we aspire to create more year-round initiatives that address socio-economic challenges, such as community art projects, and job training sessions. We’re committed to fostering inclusivity and cultural exchange, ensuring that all residents, feel valued and supported.

We also aim to strengthen our partnerships with local organisations, businesses, and volunteers, to drive home positive change. Our goal is to make North Edinburgh a thriving, vibrant community where everyone has the opportunity to grow, learn, and succeed.

As a community festival, we rely heavily on funding. However, we remain optimistic that this award will help to raise awareness of the festival’s importance and the community’s desire for it.

We are hopeful that it will attract the financial support needed to sustain and grow the event.

Next year’s festival will be held on Saturday 17th May from 12 noon – 530pm.

Creative Edinburgh Award for North Edinburgh Community Festival

Ecstatic !! 🌟 WE WON!!! 🌟

On Friday night we won in the @creativeedinburgh BEST FESTIVAL category.

Our Chair, Willie Black, Festival Director Adele Conn, along with young people from @grantonyouthinsta and Ryan McGlone and young people from @_tinderbox and Jed Milroy and Lucy attended the award ceremony at Central Hall.

We are all immensely proud of the festival and want to thank each and every one of you who have participated in the festival or have visited the festival over the last 3 years. We couldn’t have won without you ❤️

Here’s to 2025 and a bigger, better, more diverse and inclusive festival!