Join us next Wednesday (29th April) for a special evening of film, discussion and live performance at NEA, as part of the 2026 Folk Film Gathering!
For more info and to book your FREE ticket, visit:
Edinburgh has changed dramatically since the current community plan (LOIP) was last revised. We need people working in the third sector to share their insights at an in-person event:
Thursday 26th February, 9.30am – 12.30pm
at Norton Park Business and Conference Centre
AGENDA:
09:30am – 10:00am
Registration, breakout group signup and refreshments
10:00 am – 10:15am
Overview of the refresh of the Community Plan (2018-2028)
10:15 am – 12:15 pm
Facilitated Round Table Discussions
12:15 pm – 12:30 pm
Summary and close
Register: https://tinyurl.com/47vv5mn6
Our communities need change!
FESTIVAL OF POLITICS EVENT
MONDAY 16 FEBRUARY from 5.15 – 7pm
Join the Centre for Public Policy and the Scottish Parliament on Monday 16 February, for a free event at The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh – hear from a panel of experts as they explore how the next Parliament could redefine the path to net zero and the implementation of the Climate Change Plan.
Booking essential – book via the Scottish Parliament
As Scotland heads toward a pivotal Holyrood election in May 2026, join the panel of experts to explore how the next Parliament could redefine the path to net zero and the implementation of the Climate Change Plan.
As MSPs examine the plan ahead of dissolution, this discussion will delve into the political, economic, and social pressures shaping Scotland’s climate future, examine public attitudes to environmental policy in an election year, and highlight the importance of women’s role in driving Scotland’s green energy transition.
Chaired by Edward Mountain MSP, Convener of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Speaker biographies
Dr Hannah Salamon is a Research Associate at the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Public Policy with expertise at the intersection of gender, climate change policy, and equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Her work brings a gendered and EDI-focused perspective to climate governance and policy, including the role of women’s representation in shaping climate outcomes. As a ClimateXChange Research Fellow, she is currently working with the Scottish Government to investigate the socioeconomic benefits of nature connectivity.
Mark McGeoghegan is a Research Associate at the Centre for Public Policy, Associate Advisory Director at Ipsos, and Associate Member of the Centre on Constitutional Change. He is an expert in Scottish polling and politics who has written for The Herald and a range of other publications.
Professor Jaime Toney is a leading environmental and climate scientist. She is the Sustainable Futures Lead for Glasgow Changing Futures, directs the Centre for Sustainable Solutions at the University of Glasgow and leads GALLANT: Glasgow as a Living Lab. Her recent work focuses on systems approaches for sustainable solutions and puts co-production and partnership working at the core. She is passionate about enabling action and building capacity for change towards sustainable futures. Toney is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce and has held expert roles, such as, Advisor to Scottish Government.
Dr Dominic Hinde is a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Glasgow, author and climate journalist. He is an expert in transitions and recently completed ‘Drifting North’, an extensive multi-year ‘public sociology’ of climate and energy in Scotland, and works academically on the storytelling aspects of energy transition and climate impacts. He recently released the podcast ‘The Energy That Made Modern Scotland’ bringing alive the story of North Sea energy.
Join us for a relaxed and informal shared Open Book Reading Session where we will read aloud part of a book and poem, then an Open Book Lead Reader will help guide the discussion.
Tuesday 20th January at 6pm
Age 16+
This event is free although you will require a ticket which can be sourced through EventBrite:
Join MINDROOM’s group for neurodivergent young people
On Friday 22 August, the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics hosted Dreaming of a Fairer Future for Culture, an inspiring event exploring the role of creativity in building a more equal and hopeful Scotland.
Chaired by Foysol Choudhury MSP, the discussion brought together an engaging panel of voices from across Scotland’s creative sector, including Katie Goh, Matthew Hickman, Claire Dufour and Jen Collins.
Together, they reflected on how creativity can drive equity, collaboration and shared resources, reimagining artists, art workers and cultural organisations as vital partners in shaping Scotland’s future.
A moving film by Indra Wilson, commissioned by Culture Counts, shared voices and aspirations of some of the people living in North Glasgow: “I am a son, a brother and an uncle.” “I am the guitar that my mother gave me.” Everyone has a story, and artists and creative minds can help us to tell them in a meaningful way.
Artist and writer Harry Mould urges us to remember that culture “isn’t caviar, it’s salt. You sprinkle it on everything because it brings out the flavour.”
The event focused not just on creativity but also on equity, shared resources and seeing artists, art workers and organisations as viable partners and collaborators.
Building on this, the discussion turned to the importance of collective action and connectivity. Speakers highlighted the many artistic projects already thriving in village halls and community spaces across the country, and the need for better data to capture and sustain this work.
As one participant put it: “Voices need to be heard, not just individual voices, but collective voices. That is how we can rally behind these efforts and make a difference.”
Reflecting on the event, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “It was a privilege to chair this conversation, and to hear how deeply culture is rooted in people’s everyday lives, whether in community halls, local projects, or the shared stories that bind us together.
“When those voices unite, they do more than celebrate creativity: they challenge inequality, demand accountability, and help shape a fairer Scotland for all.
“I am grateful to everyone who shared their perspectives, and especially to Kathryn Welch of Creative Counts, whose vision and leadership were the driving force behind this important discussion.”
The event demonstrated that Scotland’s creative community continues to be a driving force for positive change, showing that culture is not a luxury, but an essential part of building a fairer society.
BYSTANDER INTERVENTION WORKSHOP IN LEITH
The increase in racial/hate motivated harassment and aggression in the last few years has made it clear that we need to get better at standing up for each other.
Join us Tuesday, July 8, at St James Church (11A John’s Pl, EH6 7EL) for a co-led workshop where we will share our experiences and knowledge to build and practice the skills needed to counter racist, sexist, transphobic and ableist harassment and violence in public spaces.
Hosted by Zionism Free Leith
COUNCIL HOSTS ACCESSIBLE HOUSING SUMMIT
An event held last week (Tuesday 22 April) at the City Chambers brought together the Council and partners to take steps toward building, adapting, and finding accessible homes across the Capital.
Hosted by the City of Edinburgh Council, the Accessible Housing Summit convened representatives from the third sector, housing associations and the private sector.
Through a series of roundtable discussions, participants explored three key areas: delivering new accessible homes, improving access to existing housing, and ensuring the best use of homes already available.
The event builds on insights from the 2022 Accessible Housing Study and feedback gathered from tenants, residents and partners gathered during consultations on the Council’s draft Local Housing Strategy.
In a tangible step forward, the Council recently began construction on a new residential development in Newington. Once complete, the site will provide 19 modern, fully wheelchair accessible homes available for social rent.
Attendees will now consider what actions can be taken forward to address improving access to information, advice on accessible housing and planning for new accessible homes in Edinburgh.
Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Lezley Marion Cameron said: “As Edinburgh’s population grows and changes, so do the housing needs of our residents. We must therefore strive to ensure that everyone – irrespective of their health circumstances and accessibility requirements – has a home they can live in with dignity and comfort.
“Whilst this is a national issue, the City of Edinburgh Council faces unique challenges, including being landlord of a high number of older, flatted properties which can often be harder and costly to adapt.
“It is vital for us to understand the nature, context, and complexity of the barriers to providing fully accessible housing and to work closely and collaboratively with our partners and organisations leading this crucial work to deliver the accessible housing our citizens need now and in the future.”
Safeguarding Scottish Dance Traditions for the Future
MONDAY 28 APRIL, 18:30
On the eve of International Dance Day, the Pomegranates Festival (25-30 April) will discuss and demonstrate through dance, the importance of safeguarding Scottish traditional dance in an international context.
Leading the discussion will be Steve Byrne Director of TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), and an expert advisor to UNESCO on intangible cultural heritage. Joining Steve will be Rachel Hosker of the Centre for Research Collections, University of Edinburgh, Árpád Vörös, recipient of a knighthood for his lifetime contribution towards Hungarian folk dance and Sebastian Wanless, Chair Elect of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.
The discussion will start with demonstrations of traditional dance accompanied by live music including Scottish Country Dance, Highland and Polonaise, Leading the display and accompanied on the bagpipes by Stephen Clark will be Eilidh Gammons, twice Junior World Champion in Highland Dancing, followed by Lily and Lucy Clark – all students at Helensburgh’s Margaret Rose School of Dance, run by Margaret MacInnes, a recipient of the British Empire Medal for services to Highland dancing.
Edinburgh-based members of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society Andrea Ritchie, Eilidh Garden, Faye McNeil, Rachel Shankland, Andrew Nolan, Jürgen Munz will perform a fine selection of Scottish Country Dances.
These will be followed by a short display of Polonaise(performed by members of Parzenica, Scotland’s Polish Folk Dance Group – Anthony Carter, Fiona Lynch, Natalia Nowak and Renata Grillanda.
The Polonaise was inscribed in UNESCO’s list of intangible heritage and list of humanity to be safeguarded in December 2023. It is hoped Scotland’s traditional dances will be put forward for inscription when the UK Government opens its list to nominations for intangible cultural heritage later this year.
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) encompasses the rich tapestry of traditions, expressions, and practices that communities inherit from their ancestors and pass on to future generations. It resides in the realms of knowledge, skills, rituals, music, dance, language, and other forms of expression and is a dynamic and living heritage that constantly evolves, reflecting the collective wisdom, creativity, and identity of diverse communities worldwide.
Wendy Timmons and Iliyana Nedkova, Festival Co-curators said: “We are delighted that this year’s Pomegranates Festival is themed around traditional dance and intangible cultural heritage, especially at a time when Scots are soon to be invited to nominate their favourite traditions to be included on an official living heritage list.
“Later this year, submissions for the list will be encouraged from all sectors of society, including the traditional dance communities and people who have brought dance traditions from overseas to the UK.”
Sebastian Wanless, Chair Elect of The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) said: “We are thrilled to participate in theFourth Pomegranates Festivaland to showcase Scottish country dance on the eve of the UNESCO International Day of Dance.
“For over a century, we have championed the vibrant tradition of Scottish country dancing—an energetic blend of lively music, joyful movement, and deep-rooted culture. More than just steps and tunes, Scottish country dance is a unique social phenomenon that welcomes everyone, everywhere.
“Together with dancers from around the world, let’s celebrate movement, culture, and unity in the lead up to this special day.”
Speakers:
Steve Byrne was appointed as Director of TRACS in 2023. A noted performer, researcher, folklorist and community activist, Steve trained at the School of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University, before embarking on a distinguished creative career. Steve is a founding member of Scottish folk band Malinky and has contributed to the digitisation of vital early recordings of Scottish music and storytelling.
Rachel Hosker is the University Archivist and Research Collections Manager. Rachel originally trained as an archivist, and now manages archivists, librarians and curators responsible for the University’s cultural heritage collections and welcomes IASH fellows to the Centre for Research Collections at the University. Rachel is Chair of the UK UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.
Árpád Vörös (Budapest) is a dancer and folk dance teacher. He was awarded a Knighthood of Hungarian Culture in 2020 for the care of Hungarian folk dance. From 1990, for ten years, he was a teacher at the Árpád Bókay Elementary School in Pestszentlőrinc, and founded the TÉBLÁB Dance Ensemble. Today, he is the president of the foundation that operates the school and a professional assistant and choreographer of several ensembles in Transylvania, Felvidék and Vojvodina, as well as an ethnographic researcher of the region.
Wendy Timmons (Chair) is a Senior Lecturer in Dance Science and Education at the University of Edinburgh, and co-producer of the Pomegranates Festival. She has many years of professional arts practice, and is well experienced in teaching and training dance artists, young dancers and dance teachers.
Alongside her teaching, research and programme development, Wendy has undertaken many knowledge exchange and applied Dance Science and Education research projects. She is currently Convenor for the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and the Health & Wellbeing Trustee at Dance Base.
The Pomegranates Festival (25 – 30 Apr) is the annual platform for the diverse 250+ individual and organisational members of the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland to teach, learn and perform in new dance theatre and screen dance shows, as well as new productions and residencies.
This is the fourth edition of Scotland’s annual festival of international traditional dance, initiated, curated and produced by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland. It is presented in partnership with TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Central Library, Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
In 2025 the Pomegranates Festival is funded by Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding through TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland); the City of Edinburgh Council and University of Edinburgh through the Edinburgh Local Community Fund.
For tickets and more information visit https://www.tdfs.org/pomegranates/
Host a Climate Bites Lunch with ECCAN
Bring our vibrant community to your space, spark conversations over great food, and connect your network with ECCAN’s work!
As a host, you’ll create a welcoming space for collaboration while receiving a hosting fee to support your efforts. Already provide community meals? We’ll also cover through an additional catering fee!
Interested? Learn more on our website https://tinyurl.com/22smudy2 or email edinburgh@eccan.scot.
Let’s grow the climate movement—one meal at a time! 
