Would you like to take part in a textile art project in your community?
Share and gain stitching skills, meet other people and exchange knowledge and stories in this fascinating project facilitated by local artist Tamsin Grainger.
Members of the Granton community are invited to participate in stitching / embroidering a large collective map of Granton featuring plants and wildlife from participants’ places of origin and Granton.
The final Granton Nature Map will be hung at Royston Wardieburn Commumnity Centre and Granton Hub.
You can meet Tamsin at the library for a starter session on 7th September at 6.30pm.
Please note – You do not have to be confident in sewing to take part.
Collective Gala is a free family-friendly day of celebration with creative activities for all ages. Explore newly commissioned artworks and performance by Scottish artists, join behind-the-scenes tours, shop with local makers, and enjoy creative play sessions for children.
The day will culminate in a celebratory procession inspired by Gala traditions. Saturday, 5th of September, from 11 am to 4.30 pm. FREE ENTRY!
GRANTON Youth is teaming up with National Galleries of Scotland for a brand new creative project for young people aged 12–18
Inspired by American artist and photographer Catherine Opie’s “To Be Seen” exhibition, we’re going to be exploring photography, identity, and creativity!
We’re looking for young people who are into art, photography, making stuff, being creative or just trying something different.
You don’t need to be an expert photographer. You don’t even need to know exactly what you want to make yet!
We’ll be experimenting with:
Portrait photography
What we choose to show / hide about ourselves
Props, clothing & fashion
Shadows & reflections
Creative writing
Identity, belonging & representation
A big group portrait
And loads of space to take things in your own direction
If this sounds like your, or someone you knows thing, DM us or email ryan@grantonyouth.com to get involved!
26 commissioners, producers and arts leaders from 13 countries will travel to Edinburgh to discover UK theatre and dance with the potential to reach audiences in their countries
26 leading international commissioners, producers and arts leaders will explore UK work at the Edinburgh Fringe and Edinburgh International festival.
The visit forms part of the British Council’s Edinburgh International Performing Arts Delegation.
More than four in five delegates from last year’s programme said they were likely to programme a UK production.
Organised by the British Council, the Edinburgh International Performing Arts Delegation (IPAD) will connect delegates directly with UK artists and performing companies.
Running from 19 to 26 August, the programme will give delegates access to performances across the festivals, alongside curated showcases, industry briefing and networking events.
Journalist Lyn Gardner, who briefed last year’s delegation, said UK companies can be disadvantaged in comparison to international counterparts who have more funding and time to develop their work.
Edinburgh IPAD helps address this imbalance by connecting UK artists and companies with international decision-makers, creating opportunities for new commissions, touring partnerships, re-stagings and other international collaborations.
Previous editions have already helped UK work reach audiences worldwide. Recent outcomes include a Japanese tour for Ramesh Meyyappan’s Love Beyond, performances of Emma Frankland’s No Apologies across the Western Balkans and in Brazil, and a Spanish-language production of Karis Kelly’s Consumed in Venezuela.
This year’s delegation includes representatives from Australia, China, Egypt, India, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, the Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Ukraine and Venezuela.
Among them are three delegates from Ukraine, including Kyrylo Beskorovainyi, co-composer and writer of multi-award-winning musical, The Tiger Hunters.
A full list of the delegates and biographies can be found here.
The programme builds on the success of Edinburgh IPAD 2025, which in just six days saw 24 delegates from 15 countries make 448 new connections with UK artists, companies and industry professionals, and generate 124 expressions of interest in programming 27 UK productions internationally.
More than four in five delegates said they were likely or very likely to programme a UK show following their visit, and more than half also expressed an interest in restaging productions or directing translated versions, creating long-term routes for UK work to reach international audiences without the financial and environmental costs of touring an entire company.
Every delegate surveyed said the programme had strengthened their understanding of contemporary UK performing arts, created new opportunities to connect with UK artists and made them more likely to pursue future collaborations. Delegates’ confidence in working with UK partners increased by 45%, while their understanding of the current UK theatre landscape rose by 53%.
Seung Mee Kim of South Korean performing arts company ARTIGOdescribed the programme as “the most productive time in Edinburgh I’ve ever had”, adding that it had helped her understand the arts scenes across all four UK nations and connect with the right people.
Edinburgh IPAD coincides with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival, as well as three curated national showcases: Made in Scotland, Cymru Wales in Edinburgh and Spotlight on Theatre and Dance from Northern Ireland.
Together, these events give delegates direct access to the breadth of contemporary performance being created across the whole of the UK and enable international commissioners to discover, connect with and champion work for audiences around the world.
Neil Webb, British Council Director of Theatre and Dance, said:“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival showcase some of the UK’s most exciting new performances.
“Edinburgh IPAD ensures their impact extends beyond August by connecting UK artists with international commissioners, creating lasting opportunities for their work to reach audiences around the world.”
PICTURE: Emma Frankland’s “No Apologies” was performed in Brazil and across the Western Balkans following connections made through previous IPAD programmes. Photo: Matt Crockett
Dig out your pencils and come out and play for a weekend celebrating nature and art in our community.
Whether you are a keen artist, or last drew at primary school, all are welcome to come and get stuck in with our art materials and activities. Get arty on Saturday and see the full exhibition of works on Sunday.
Activities include:
• Learning plant identification through sketching (workshop at 11am and 1pm)
• Design your own mythical beast of Granton
• Clay creature sculpting
• Ant’s eye view – get up close to tiny worlds
• Get imaginative with our art materials – stay and make for as long as you like
• Add your nature art to our exhibition
• Teas, coffees and snacks by donation
Click here for free Eventbrite booking.
Find us at Granton Hub, Maldevic House, Granton Park Avenue, EH5 1HS (We are wheelchair accessible).
Travelodge launches innovative bathroom trial as the nation’s top ‘bright idea’ spots are revealed
Striking while the shower is hot: Almost half (48%) of Brits say their best ideas flow when the water does
Majority of adults have up to four ideas every day – but 65% forget them before writing down
Top 10 most unexpected places of inspiration include the shower, while exercising and even while falling asleep
Travelodge is trialling waterproof notepads in selected hotel bathrooms to help guests capture their lightbulb moments
New research has uncovered the nation’s best ‘bright idea’ spots, with nearly half of UK adults (48%) reporting that their best ideas come in the shower.
With creativity striking the majority up to four times per day, Brits say their lightbulb moments are also likely to come during more unexpected moments such as when they’re falling asleep (34%), during or after exercising (10%) and even while tending to the garden (15%).
But while creative inspiration (55%), personal decisions (54%) and problem-solving (53%) are among the thoughts most likely to come to mind whilst showering, 65% say they forget their idea before they’re able to write it down.
This is particularly relevant for Britain’s business travellers. In 2025, an estimated 5.1 million business trips took place*, with 60% stating that the ability to capture ideas as they occur would benefit their careers.
To help guests strike whilst the shower is hot, Travelodge has created an innovative solution to maximise creativity, trialling waterproof notepads in the showers of selected hotel bathrooms across the UK.
Designed to capture those lightbulb moments, the waterproof notepads come as more than two-thirds (69%) believe that inspiration strikes in the unlikeliest of places, leaving many scrambling to hold on to their ideas.
Revealing the extreme lengths Brits have gone to keep their ideas top of mind, almost one in five (18%) admit to having repeated a mantra until out of the shower. A further 16% have created a memorable image, whilst 7% have written on a foggy mirror or glass.
The research, which explores people’s creativity, reveals that breakthroughs are most often made in the morning (24%) and late at night (22%).
Dr Jo Hemmings, a Behavioural Psychologist, said: “We tend to think creativity happens when we’re concentrating, but often the opposite is true.
“The best ideas frequently emerge when we step away from our screens and allow our minds to wander. Whether it’s in the shower, walking, on a train or gardening, those moments of mental downtime give the brain permission to make unexpected connections, which is where creativity thrives.”
The UK’s most unexpected places of inspiration:
Shower (48%)
On a walk (47%)
When falling asleep (34%)
In the car (28%)
Cooking (21%)
Gardening (15%)
When dreaming (14%)
When washing dishes (14%)
On a train (11%)
During or after exercise (10%)
On average, Brits travel for business four days a month, with four in ten (41%) agreeing they are more creative when away from home. The top three reasons for hitting the road for work include client meetings (22%), conferences or events (19%) and training (17%).
While on the road, business travellers are often struck with creativity, with three in five (64%) saying changing environments helps spark their imagination, suggesting that time away from the usual desk set-up can inspire fresh thinking.
A Travelodge spokesperson added: “Inspiration can strike at any moment and with Britain’s business community spending so much time on the road, our hotels are frequently the backdrop for those vital ‘lightbulb’ moments.
“We know how frustrating it is to lose a great idea before you can find a pen and paper, which is why we’re trialling new waterproof notepads. It is a simple and practical way to make sure our guests’ best ideas don’t go down the drain – so if you want to experience them for yourself, you better get a Travelodge.”
The shower notepads will be trialled at hotels in key business locations on Wednesday 8th, July, including London City, Edinburgh Park, Bristol Abbey Wood, Newcastle Quayside and Chester Central Bridge Street. The notepads can be taken home too so guests can capture their creativity wherever they go.
To get a great deal, check out Travelodge Business – search, book, manage and pay for hotels all in one place, whether you’re at your desk or on the road.
Have you experienced loss in the past two years? Join us for gentle, creative walks, designed especially for those navigating grief.
Together, we’ll explore the local landscape through art-making, reflection and connection.
Facilitated by Caledonia Funeral Aid’s Emma Ritchie and St Columba’s Hospice’s community artist Isla Macleod, you will be warmly welcomed to share space with others who understand and find comfort in nature and community.
HILLSIDE ART GROUP’s EXHIBTION RUNS UNTIL 31st OCTOBER
Hello friends,
I’m letting you know that our art group’s new exhibition, TOUCH WOODS, is in the last week
Thursday 2nd – Friday 31st October 2025
Art & Design Department, Central Library, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.
This time we’ve been exploring the theme of the forest. The works include paintings, clay footprints, sculptures, and imaginative tactile pieces. Visitors are welcome to touch and experience the art — something that is especially important to us as visually impaired artists.
It would mean a lot if you could come along, spread the word, or even bring a friend.
We have a selection of fridge magnets that are availible for donation and all proceeds will go to our materials fund.
Over 115 local primary school students aged between five and 11 years old are due to take part in a competition run by Fort Kinnaird to design a label for the jars of honey produced by its resident beehives.
The centre has teamed up with Niddrie Mill Primary School to host the contest, with pupils tasked with creating a label for the 100 jars of honey created by the beehives located in the service area.
Students are encouraged to put their creativity to the test, with the winner set to win a £100 voucher to spend at Fort Kinnaird and a £20 gift card for five runners up.
The competition follows pupils from Niddrie Mill visiting the beehives at Fort Kinnaird back in June, during which they learned all about the world of bees – including how they are essential to the local environment, how hives function, and what it takes to care for bees first-hand.
Fort Kinnaird runs the beehives in partnership with Colin Mackie, a local beekeeper who has tended to the beehives since they were established in May 2024.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Since our beehives were installed back in May 2024, they’ve provided fun and educational opportunities for our community and nearby schools like Niddrie Mill, while the centre’s wildflower areas support biodiversity by creating habitat for pollinators.
“We’re pleased to be continuing this with the competition and can’t wait to see all the designs the pupils of Niddrie Mill create – bringing to life the importance and impact of bees on our local environment.”
For more details and to plan your day at Fort Kinnaird, please visit:
Portrait photography
Props, clothing & fashion
Shadows & reflections
Creative writing
Identity, belonging & representation
A big group portrait
And loads of space to take things in your own direction
Thursday 2nd – Friday 31st October 2025
Art & Design Department, Central Library, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.
Hillside Art Group facebook page – 
