Edinburgh College of Art – The NEN

The George partners with Edinburgh College of Art to pay tribute to Susan Ferrier

Students set to compete in art competition in homage to the 19^th century Scottish novelist who once lived in townhouse, now part of iconic hotel

InterContinental Edinburgh The George Hotel – part of IHG Hotels & Resorts – has launched a competition for students at the Edinburgh College of Art – University of Edinburgh offering budding artists the opportunity to paint a piece of history, marking the 200^th anniversary of the release of Susan Ferrier’s novel, ‘The Inheritance’.

Launched ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD), students from the renowned art school have been commissioned to create an exclusive piece of artwork which celebrates the novel, originally released in 1824 and considered to be the author’s greatest work, as well as the hotel’s unique connection to Susan Ferrier.

A novelist of the Scottish Enlightenment, who sold more books than Jane Austen in her lifetime, but whose legacy has been less known to 21^st century audiences, once resided in one of the townhouses which now makes up the InterContinental Edinburgh The George. A successful business woman and intellectual, Susan Ferrier challenged gender stereotypes of her time and was recognised for her writing by the likes of Sir Walter Scott.

Located at No. 25 George Street, the Ferrier family home was well known amongst Edinburgh intellectual circles during the 18^th century, with Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns frequently visiting. Scotland’s national bard even penned a poem to the Ferrier sisters.

‘The Inheritance’ tells the story of the young heroine Gertrude as she arrives in the Scottish estate of Lord Rossville to take up her position as his heiress, but finds herself in the middle of a gallery of humorous and eccentric characters — and at the centre of a mystery. The novel is concerned with questions of morality and education, in particular, a woman’s role in marriage and education.

The book also references national identity and the differences between Scottish and English cultures in the aftermath of the Union of 1707 and the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 and 1745.

To mark the bicentennial of the novel’s publication, InterContinental Edinburgh The George has worked closely with ECA to create a brief to help inspire students. As well as becoming part of the hotel’s heritage, the winning artist will also receive a purchase price for their artwork, which will be displayed within the hotel lounge for the months of July and August, before being permanently installed in the hotel’s Ferrier Suite.

An overnight stay in the Ferrier Suite and dinner in the hotel’s restaurant Le Petit Beefbar will also be included for the winning artist whose work will be chosen by a panel from both The George Hotel and ECA.

Stephanie Lee, Director of Sales at InterContinental Edinburgh The George Hotel, said: “Partnering with the Edinburgh College of Art on this innovative competition to pay tribute to Susan Ferrier while raising awareness of her wonderful work and talent mirrors InterContinental’s deep respect for the arts.

“Edinburgh has a long lineage of producing world-class creatives and the fact that one of its most talented daughters is celebrating a milestone anniversary, deserves to be commemorated.

“We’re excited to see the student’s interpretations of ‘The Inheritance’ and what it represents for them through their art. We’re even more excited to see the winning painting displayed in the Ferrier Suite for guests from around the world to see. We wish all students the best of luck and can’t wait to see the entries honouring Susan Ferrier’s life and work.”

Susan Mowatt, Head of School of Art, University of Edinburgh; “The Ferrier Painting Award launched by Intercontinental The George to celebrate the achievements of the novelist and publisher Susan Ferrier, is a brilliant opportunity for our art students which will see the selected painting commissioned and installed in the original Ferrier rooms. A really exciting public project.”

The competition, which is being run directly with students at ECA, will close in May 2024 with the winner being announced shortly afterwards.

Citizen Winter Warmer events: Stories and Scran

The Edinburgh International Book Festival has announced Stories and Scran will take place on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd December as part of the third season of Citizen Winter Warmer events: a community celebration bringing together local voices and authors and artists.

Audiences are invited to savour a sumptuous 3-course meal provided by the Scran Academy (included in the price of the ticket) and hear new writing from local people who have taken part in the Citizen project.

This year’s first event will take place at Fisherrow Centre in Musselburgh and will showcase the diverse voices and creative talent from local groups including illustrations from students at Edinburgh College of Art and the Book Festival’s own Adults Writing Group and The Citizen Collective. Special guests include Chitra Ramaswamy.

This will be followed on Saturday 2nd November with another Stories and Scran Winter Warmer event in North Edinburgh.

Join us at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre for tasty food and brilliant storytelling in a heart warming event at the heart of the community.

Savour a sumptuous afternoon-tea provided by Scran Academy (included with your ticket) and hear new writing from local people alongside special guests including including Kate Foster and Doug Johnstone.

This year’s North Edinburgh event showcases the diverse voices and creative talent from local groups including a film from the North Edinburgh Drama Group and the Book Festival’s own Adults Writing Group.

For more information visit: https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/stories-and-scran-2

Kimpton Charlotte Square launches free exhibition

Local artists work on display during the Edinburgh Festival

The award-winning five-star Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel is celebrating this year’s Edinburgh Festival by launching a new exhibition in partnership with &Gallery.

As the city welcomes visitors from around the globe for the world-famous Edinburgh Festival which celebrate arts and culture, the design-led hotel has unveiled a free art exhibition showcasing work from two local artists, Anna Somerville and Emily Moore.

Passionate about paint, mark making and colour, Anna Somerville creates expressive, painterly landscapes that conjure up hazy memories of places that she has visited. Her pieces on display at Kimpton Charlotte Square include ‘Highland Scape’, ‘Rapolano Neon Scape’ and ‘Tuscan Scape’.

Emily Moore’s paintings focus on the stark facades of modern tower blocks, inspired in part by a trip to Berlin, and latterly, places closer to home. The sharp lines of these modernist forms are overlaid with intricate patterns of leaves and tree branches.

Established in 2017, &Gallery is a contemporary visual art gallery located in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town and the well-known art gallery district. &Gallery curates a specialist programme of solo exhibitions of represented artists along with curated group shows.

Its emphasis is on abstract and minimal painting, drawing and sculpture, by artists at various stages of their career who are located in Scotland, as well as throughout the UK and worldwide.

Both artists are graduates from Edinburgh College of Art and regularly exhibit with &Gallery. The new exhibition will be displayed throughout the ground floor of the hotel including the lobby, The Garden as well as the bar and restaurant area. All work is available to purchase through the &Gallery.

Avril Nicol, owner of &Gallery said: “We have really enjoyed collaborating with the Kimpton for our exhibition taking place during the renowned Edinburgh Festival and following months. I

“t was a pleasure curating a selection of work to compliment Charlotte Square’s unique interior, and a great opportunity to highlight the work of two talented local artists.”

Kieran Quinn, general manager at Kimpton Charlotte Square said: “The Edinburgh Festival is a time for the world to celebrate our city, its culture, and the arts.

“It’s important for us to make the most of this special time, giving local artists access to our guests and ensuring our guests are surrounded by wonderful talent.”

Guests and members of the public are invited to see Emily and Anna’s work on display at Kimpton Charlotte Square from today (Monday 14 August) until November.

For artwork purchasing queries, please contact: info@andgallery.co.uk

Communities at the Festival

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL’s COMMUNITIES PROGRAMME

‘celebrating the diverse voices, stories and talent of local people, from across the city and beyond’ – NOELLE COBEN, EIBF Communities Programme Director

As a charitable non-profit making organisation, the work of the Book Festival stretches far beyond the month of August. Our Communities Programme runs year-round and is focused on inspiring and empowering people of all ages and backgrounds.

Our dedicated team work closely with local organisations to create tailored events and activities for a range of community groups throughout Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.

This year we have:

developed a new partnership with The Ripple Project to bring monthly author events to their social club for older adults
worked with young people and staff from NHS Lothian’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) on a three-day creative writing and illustration project
facilitated sessions with our Writer in Residence, Chris Barkley, for young people at The Alternative School at Spartans Community Football Academy
… and so much more.

As an outpouring of this year-round work, we run a series of events during the Festival that have been created both for and by those taking part in the programme. We can’t wait to share them with you!

STORIES AND SCRAN

Stories and Scran – Mon 14 Aug | 19:30 – 20:45

Stories and Scran returns for its fourth year – a joyful event celebrating the dynamic and thought-provoking work created by our Citizen participants.

The evening includes a sweet snack provided by Scran Academy (a catering social enterprise based in North Edinburgh) and readings and performances from local groups across the city.

Tickets are on a Pay What You Can basis.

LETTERS OF HOPE

Letters of Hope – Mon 21 Aug | 19:00 – 20:00

What would you tell an outsider about where you live? What hopeful things would you write to your future self?

These were two creative questions our writer in residence, Chris Barkley, has been exploring with young people from the Spartans Alternative School.

Featuring short film, music, and readings, this event celebrates the diverse voices and creative talent of local young people.

Tickets are on a Pay What You Can basis.

OUR CITY, OUR STORIES

Our City, Our Stories – Various dates | 18:15 – 19:15

Our City, Our Stories is an inspiring, recurring event, showcasing new writing from both professional and non-professional writers across our Citizen project (and other community-based groups including Intercultural Youth Scotland and Open Book).

Join to hear them perform their stories: a collective love letter to Edinburgh.

These events are free.

RETURN TO PLANET CITIZEN

Return to Planet Citizen – Sat 26 & Sun 27 Aug

Explore the weird, wonderful world of Planet Citizen in this multi-media installation. You’ll find artifacts, writing, and impressions of a planet as far away as imagination can take you.

Return to Planet Citizen was created by pupils from St. Thomas of Aquin’s RC High School and Tynecastle High School in collaboration with professional artists. Join free 20-minute tours of Planet Citizen every 30 minutes (last tour 15:30).

This event is free.

Beyond the Book Festival Village …

Aware that not everyone can attend Book Festival events in person, our Communities Team work closely with partners and institutions to bring events to groups who might otherwise be excluded. This is thanks largely to the support of the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

This August, author/illustrators Rob Biddulph and Nadia Shireen will visit the wards of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, for instance, and writers including Jenni Fagan, Doug Johnstone, and Alan Bissett will visit six prisons across Scotland.

We hope this newsletter has given you a taster for some of the amazing work our Communities Programme are involved in.

Find out more about our Communities Programme

Ocean-themed artwork made from recycled plastic to be unveiled at the National Museum of Scotland

The artwork Bottled Ocean 2123, which imagines the state of the oceans 100 years into the future in an immersive, undersea landscape crafted from recycled plastic, has been installed at the National Museum of Scotland.

The installation, created by the artist George Nuku with the assistance of around 400 people including museum visitors, staff and volunteers from youth and community groups across Edinburgh, will be unveiled to the public next month in the exhibition, Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania (12 August 2023 – 14 April 2024).

The artwork will address humanity’s unsustainable relationship with plastic, highlighting its impact on the natural environment and asking audiences to rethink their relationship with it. 

Artist George Nuku said: “Plastic is a fascinating material. We think of it as new, with all the things we use it for. But, in fact, when you think about how it is made, from material created during the Earth’s ancient processes, that simple plastic bottle is in a way one of the oldest things around.

“And if you think about it that way, like an ancestor, then maybe you can start to think about treating it with respect instead of throwing it in the ocean.

“With the help of hundreds of local people, we’ve taken a pile of trash and made something beautiful.”

Groups involved in creating the artwork included the Welcoming, an Edinburgh based charity supporting migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, as well as students from Edinburgh College of Art and children from Granton Youth, and Pilton Youth and Children’s Project.

Neil Hanna www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Dr Ali Clark, Senior Curator Oceania and the Americas said: “We’ve really enjoyed and appreciated working with George Nuku on the installation of Bottled Ocean 2123, and with the many local people and volunteers who have helped with its installation through our community outreach work.

“It makes a fantastic, thought-provoking artwork for the exhibition and we look forward to people’s reactions when it opens next month.”

The exhibition will delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic.  

This exhibition considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists.

It will also host the first display in Europe of a set of five kimono which make up an artwork entitled Song of Samoa, by internationally renowned artist Yuki Kihara, newly acquired by National Museums Scotland with the support of Art Fund.

Examples include work by master fisherman Anthony C Guerrero, who uses historic weaving techniques to make contemporary baskets from plastic construction strapping that is found littering Guam.  

Rising Tide also features historical material from National Museums Scotland’s collections, such as spear points from the Kimberley region of Western Australia made by Aboriginal men from discarded glass bottles. A recurring theme throughout the exhibition, these spear points demonstrate that Indigenous peoples in Oceania have always innovated, using materials found in their environment to make cultural objects.

Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania is part of Edinburgh Art Festival, taking place between 11–27 August 2023. 

edinburghartfestival.com/eaf-2023/ .

The exhibition is supported by a programme of events including a series of morning curator tours in August which take place before the museum opens to the public.

@edartfest 

#EdArtFest 

PICTURES: Neil Hanna

The Edinburgh International Book Festival announces partnership with Waterstones

The Edinburgh International Book Festival today announces a new partnership with Waterstones, the UK’s leading book retailer.

With 29 bookshops in Scotland and a total of over 300 shops across the UK, Ireland, Brussels and Amsterdam, the bookseller could not be better placed to help support the Book Festival as it manages the transition to a new site at the Edinburgh Futures Institute in 2024. The agreement is for 2023 with a view to a longer partnership.

Nick Barley, Director at Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “We are excited to be partnering with such a well-established organisation as Waterstones, and we’ve been hugely impressed with the local knowledge of the Scotland-based team -especially now that the much-loved Blackwells shops have been integrated into the Waterstones family.

“This knowledge is matched by the passion and professionalism of the head office team and I have no doubt this will be a fruitful partnership that’s good for readers, writers and publishers who love the Book Festival.

“As we enjoy one more year at the Art College before moving to our new home next year, it is reassuring to know that book signings and book sales will be in the hands of such skilled partners.

“Waterstones have a passion for books and bookselling – and I’m especially pleased that key members of the Scottish team will be on hand to help us create a shop that’s suited to Edinburgh’s unique literary heritage.”

In 2023 and while at its interim home of the Edinburgh College of Art, the Book Festival book sales and book signing set up will remain as it was previously, with signings in the Signing Tent after events and an onsite bookshop housed in the stunning fire station building at the entrance to the Festival Village.

Highly trained members of Waterstones staff from across Scotland will be given the opportunity to work in the Book Festival shops this August.

Angie Crawford, Scottish buyer for Waterstones, will play a key role in the partnership and will draw on a network of knowledge that has led to her being one of the most respected buyers in the country.

Meanwhile the Waterstone’s national event team, which has experience of delivering book sales for a number of other UK literary festivals, will oversee operations.

James Daunt, Managing Director at Waterstones, said: “We are thrilled to be able to support the Book Festival. It is the highlight of the bookselling calendar in Scotland and our Scottish booksellers could not be more delighted with this partnership.”

In 2023 the Edinburgh International Book Festival runs from the 12 – 28 August at the Book Festival Village at the Edinburgh College of Art.

The George Hotel Edinburgh partners with Edinburgh College of Art on new sustainable Christmas project

· Georgian property set to inspire next generation of the UK’s talent through sustainable Christmas campaign

· Students will work with Edinburgh College of Art’s talented team and guest lecturer and designer, Chloe Patience, to craft a collection of festive decorations using luxury off-cuts from Johnstons of Elgin

· Students will explore the history of Edinburgh and the Georgian period under a modern lens before decorations are unveiled at the hotel in late November

Luxury hotel, InterContinental Edinburgh The George, has launched a partnership with Edinburgh College of Art, to create a new collection of sustainable decorations for this Christmas.

Students from the BA(Hons) Textiles course will immerse themselves in the history of Edinburgh, the New Town, and the Georgian era when the hotel was built, to inspire their decorations, which will be unveiled on the hotel’s Christmas tree and around its luxurious Lobby in late November.

The partnership will forge ties with the next generation of the UK’s talent and emphasise the hotel’s commitment to sustainability. Johnstons of Elgin, one of Scotland’s oldest family businesses which celebrates its 225^th anniversary this year producing the finest cashmere, wool knitwear and accessories, has provided luxury off-cuts that will be used to craft festive baubles for hotel guests to enjoy this winter.

Johnstons of Elgin is committed to the regeneration of resources, and all its designs are made using natural, renewable fibres in its Scottish mills. 97% of its manufacturing waste is recycled into other products.

Students visited the hotel last month to unearth the stories from “The George” including tales of its former famous residents and guests: Susan Ferrier, Scotland’s answer to Jane Austin, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns. They also took in the striking features that still exist around the property, which first opened as a collection of Georgian townhouses in the 18th Century.

The students will spend five weeks designing the collection as part of their coursework, guided by Programme Director, Collette Paterson, and award-winning textile designer and guest lecturer, Chloe Patience.

Chloe launched the acclaimed hosiery and bodywear label ‘bebaroque’ in 2007 with co-designer, Mhairi McNicol. Together, they took the brand into the world’s largest luxury department stores including Harrods, Liberty’s and Selfridges, and their designs were worn by Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Chloe, based in Edinburgh, now runs her own freelance embroidery business, offering unique textile commissions.

FREE TO USE PUBLICITY PICS. 14/10/2022. Pics of The Intercontinental Edinburgh The George, launching a new partnership with Edinburgh College of Art (ECoA), and its BA Textiles students, to create a range of luxury and sustainable Christmas decorations for the hotel, using material cut-offs from Johnstons of Elgin. Pic shows the students getting a tour of the hotel, and sketching initial ideas in various rooms and areas of the hotel. Pic shows Catherine Liu, in one of the suites. Location: Edinburgh.

Stephanie Lee, Director of Sales at InterContinental Edinburgh The George, said: “The hotel has been part of Edinburgh’s fabric since 1775 and we are extremely proud of our heritage, but we are also focused on creating a modern space and experience for guests.

“These talented students will no doubt go on to make their mark on the world, just like the Georgian period did in Edinburgh, so it feels fitting to bring the two stories together for our guests to enjoy this Christmas.

“We are thankful to Edinburgh College of Art and Johnstons of Elgin for helping to bring together this project with a sustainable focus. As a historic property, we recognise our role in doing all we can to make small changes and these decorations will go on to be used for years to come.”

Collette Paterson, Programme Director BA(Hons) Textiles, said: “We are absolutely delighted to work with such beautiful Scottish materials and such an iconic Edinburgh hotel to allow our textiles students to bring their ideas, creativity and ingenuity to the forefront in such a celebratory way.

“Our students are incredibly excited to contribute to this initiative and to see the fruits of their labour displayed and celebrated in the hotel over the festive period.”

Students will return to InterContinental Edinburgh The George in late November, to decorate the tree, located in the hotel’s Lobby, with the collection before a festive evening hosted for family and friends to tell stories of their inspiration and final design concepts.

InterContinental Edinburgh The George has become a beacon for Christmas in the city, adorned with elegant festive decorations to create an impressive façade for locals and tourists, and a warm and welcoming interior that exudes Georgian charm.

For further information on InterContinental Edinburgh The George, visit:

edinburgh.intercontinental.com

Book Festival reinvents success with 2022 hybrid presentation

The overarching theme announced in June was All Together Now, and so it proved to be.

The 2022 Edinburgh International Book Festival saw families, adults and school pupils flock to the Book Festival’s new site at Edinburgh College of Art to enjoy a range of activities and events, browse the Festival’s independent Bookshop and relax in the grassy courtyard. What a Festival it was!

The Book Festival’s 2022 programme featured over 600 events, including 150 in the Baillie Gifford Children’s Programme and 18 created especially for schools. 200 of the events were livestreamed on the Book Festival website and many are still there to watch on-demand and will remain available until later in the year.

Book Festival audiences are well-known for snapping up tickets weeks in advance of August, however this year we saw a significant shift in booking behaviour. Whilst sales were steady throughout, it became clear that many people were choosing to book much later than they had done in the past – with the number of on-the-day bookers exceeding anything we’ve seen before.

Overall, 100,000 tickets were sold across the live and livestreamed events, with people watching from 65 countries.

With our new location at Edinburgh College of Art, the popular Pay What You Can ticket prices for all livestreams alongside 31 in-real-life events, plus an eclectic range of daily free author events across the 17 days, the 2022 Book Festival attracted a more diverse audience, with a greater proportion of new attenders alongside thousands of established festival-goers who were keen to return.

Another innovation, introduced in 2021, was a big outdoor screen in the grassy courtyard of the Festival village: we showed 45 events and anyone could drop in and watch for free.

Edinburgh International Book Festival director Nick Barley said: “My heartfelt thanks go to all the many individuals and organisations who have championed and supported the Edinburgh International Book Festival and given us the opportunity to innovative and create an ambitious new hybrid Festival which we can build upon in future years.

“This year was always going to be a bit of an unknown, but the overwhelmingly positive response we have received from audiences old and new, local residents, festival goers and authors and individuals from every corner of the world, has made it an absolute joy to deliver.

“We are under no illusions that this is only the beginning of our build-back journey, and our focus now is to consolidate and respond to what we’ve learned from this year as we plan our return to the Edinburgh College of Art and Central Hall sites in 2023.”

Whilst this year’s Festival may be over, you can relive the magic by watching a wealth of events online.

Many are available to watch until the end of the month and some for longer. You’ll find the video expiration date on the individual event listing – if there is no date listed, the video will be available to watch until the end of the year.

Catch up with the likes of Noam Chomsky, Philippe Sands, Diana Gabaldon, Alan Cumming, Douglas Stuart, Ottessa Moshfegh, Maria Ressa, Armando Iannucci, Anthony Beevor, Torrey Peters, Val McDermid, Janey Godley, Jessie Burton and many, many more …

See the list of events you can watch on catch-up

And look out for a very special event with the Nobel Prize-winning Turkish author Orhan Pamuk.

He comes to Edinburgh to talk about his new book on Friday 23 September. You can book tickets (and a copy of the book if you’d like one) for that event now on the website.

More information and book tickets for Orhan Pamuk.

Edinburgh International Book Festival: Get ready for the Baillie Gifford Schools Programme

There are just a few days to go until this year’s book events for schools begin!

The Baillie Gifford Schools Programme, which runs from 22 – 30 August, features a packed programme of free events created especially for schools, available in-person or remotely from your classroom.

And, if you are joining us remotely, events for schools are also available to watch at a later date on-demand, so you can catch up at a time that suits you and your pupils.

All schools’ events will be followed by an in-person book signing in our Signing Tent where authors are available to sign books, answer questions – and maybe even take a picture!

Read on for information on our learning resources, the Book Festival Village, Baillie Gifford Gala Day and discounted books for your school:

Learning lies at the heart of everything we do. We aim to foster a love of books, words and reading, and inspire people of all backgrounds and ages to explore new ideas and expand their horizons.

You’ll find lots of engaging learning resources which accompany Book Festival events on our Learning Site.

From celebrating difference, nature and feminism, to tackling climate change, sexism and mental health, the site is full of activities and resources to engage your class in discussion, spark new ideas and continue encouraging them to approach the world around them boldly and creatively.

Explore learning resources

Your visit to the Book Festival Village

All schools events take place at the Book Festival Village at Edinburgh College of Art on Lauriston Place, EH3 9DF. After two years online we can’t wait to welcome schools’ groups back onsite!

There is lots to see and do at the Book Festival, so read on to find out what more to expect:

To make sure everything runs smoothly, please plan to arrive around 20 minutes before your event is due to start. There are two entrances to our site, at 74 Lauriston Place, and just around the corner on Lady Lawson Street: if travelling by coach please ensure your driver is aware of the designated schools parking on Lady Lawson Street.

Head to our Schools Check-In Point at the entrance to the Edinburgh College of Art Main Building to be greeted by our Front of House team ,who will direct you to your venue and will give you your free books!

You are welcome to bring your own packed lunches and have a picnic in the courtyard at ECA. There are grassy areas as well as covered seating. We also have a café onsite which sells meals, snacks and drinks – there’s even rumours of a majestic pirate ship, sailing the grassy greens of the Courtyard…

Find more information about the Book Festival that may help you plan your visit, with particular relevance if you are required to carry out a risk assessment prior to your school’s visit, on the schools safety information sheet.

Baillie Gifford Gala Day is back!

Baillie Gifford Gala Day – exclusive to primary schools – returns on Tuesday 30 August for a day full of festival fun.

Alongside seven 45-minute events hosted by a range of novelists, writers and illustrators, onsite excitement this year includes festival team members, as well as pupils, dressed as their favourite animal; a chance to get up close and personal with some real-life critters and creepy crawlies; protest placard making sessions using recycled materials; and an Eco Marketplace where schools and pupils can chat to organisations fighting to protect our planet and find out how they can help.

Pupils attending in-person can also look forward to receiving a free book which they can get signed and a free goody bag to take home.

Authors taking part in Baillie Gifford Gala Day include: Polly Ho-Yen; Serena Patel; Kelpies Prize-winner Lindsay Littleson; journalist and presenter Nick Sheridan; David C Flanagan; author and climate campaigner Georgina Stevens; and editors of the Beano comic, Craig Graham and Mike Stirling.

Discounted Books for your School

We are offering 25% off any books ordered by schools through our independent online bookshop.

Visit the specially created Schools page to browse books in the programme and receive 25% off all orders placed. T

he offer applies to all books featured in the Baillie Gifford Schools Programme and the Baillie Gifford Children’s Programme and is valid until 30 September 2022.

To claim your discount simply enter the coupon code SC25BG22V at the checkout.

One more day before the 2022 Book Festival!

The 2022 Book Festival is almost here! The team is busily getting the very last few finishing touches perfect at the Book Festival Village at Edinburgh College of Art, and we can’t wait to welcome you back to our charming, leafy home in the heart of the city’s Old Town.

Scroll down to see what’s on during the opening weekend, event inspiration for the week to come, and a highlight of the many free activities and events on at the Festival Village.

There is so much to enjoy during the opening weekend of this year’s hybrid Book Festival as we welcome over 550 authors from across the world to share their stories, ideas, and perspectives. Hear from award-winning authors, inspiring poets, rising stars, famed musicians, and renowned thinkers, whether joining in person or from the comfort of your own home.

SATURDAY 13 AUGUST

Don’t miss award-winning Chilean author Nona Fernández as she appears at the Festival for the first time to discuss her novel The Twilight Zone. (12:15 – 13:15)
Join game-changing cartoonist Nick Drnaso as he discusses his latest graphic novel Acting Class and presents a short film showing him at work in his Chicago studio, commissioned especially for this event. (13:30 – 14:30)
Hear literary giant Ali Smith discuss her work, including her Seasonal Quartet and Companion Piece, with fellow Scottish favourite Val McDermid in an event sure to enrich and inspire. (17:30 – 18:30)
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright discusses her hilarious memoir, her life as the black sheep of a famous family, and her experiences with love, loss, motherhood, divorce and the music industry. (20:30 – 21:30)
Hear all about David Keenan’s hallucinatory new novel Industry of Magic and Light : part oral history, part occult detective novel. (20:30 – 21:30)

Saturday’s stellar line-up also features Jazz Money and Andrés N Ordorica, Nihal Arthanayake, Abi Morgan, Travis Alabanza and Mohsin Hamid, amongst many others!

SUNDAY 14 AUGUST

Join Sarah Smith for a production that uses a fusion of sign language, image and performance to tell the evocative story of a Deaf woman in Glasgow wrongfully accused of murdering her child – a turning point in the history of rights for Deaf people in Scotland. (13:00 – 14:00)
Join Malika Booker, Kayo Chingonyi, Salena Godden and Lemn Sissay to celebrate More Fiya, an incredible anthology of work by 35 Black British poets in a Pay What You Can event chock-full of spectacular talent. (17:00 – 18:00)
Author, artist and designer Osman Yousefzada takes a break from dressing the likes of Lady Gaga to speak candidly on his Pashtun upbringing and his teen years in London to raise the question: Can a person exist in the spaces in between? (18:15 – 19:15)
Hear from award-winning author Pankaj Mishra as he discusses his second novel, a gripping account of a group of friends in an age of upheaval and breakdown, in an event that is not to be missed. (19:00 – 20:00)
Join Pulitzer Prize-winning author Margo Jefferson as she examines how she shaped herself through jazz, seminal writers like W E B Du Bois and George Eliot, and fragments and words of those she loves and those she grieves. (20:15 – 21:15)

As well as Daniel Hahn, Merve Emre and Daniel Mulhall, Meg Mason, Kalynn Bayron and Renée Watson and Patricia Lockwood, to name a few.

The Book Festival Village at Edinburgh College of Art on Lauriston Place is open daily from 9.30am until late – and everyone is welcome, whether you have a ticket to see an event or simply want to grab a drink with friends, explore the brilliant Festival Bookshop, or watch free events on the big screen in the Courtyard.

There is much to see and do during your day at the Book Festival, with tons of free events to enjoy.

You can book tickets in advance – and, if spots for the day you were hoping to attend have sold out, we have it on good authority that it is worth it to ask our lovely Box Office staff on the day … You might just get lucky!

Great events are live-streamed onto our large outdoor screen every day of the Festival. Curious to see what’s on? Have a look at the schedule of screened events for this year’s Festival, then come along to the Festival Village, find a spot in the sun or shade, and enjoy.
Each day, a Festival author shares an unexpected inspiration or passion in Passion Projects, including Ali Smith,