Representatives from Public Health Scotland, RAMH, Penumbra, The Neuk, Cruse Scotland, Samaritans, See Me Scotland, Cosla, Voluntary Health Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University and VOX gathered to discuss the ongoing work being driven by the Mental Health Taskforce in response to the HMICS report on Mental Health.
Representatives agreed to participation in forming a new reference group, solely focused on providing Police Scotland with the voices of professional, expert and lived experience to support the development of new, and improved, person centred approaches across Scotland.
Representatives received a presentation from Police Inspector Suzanne Kelsey on the success of the Mental Health Pathway, a Scottish Government funded collaboration with NHS 24 and Scottish Ambulance Service, followed by the presentation and discussion around a collaborative approach to the development of a suicide bereavement support letter providing emotional and practical support for families bereaved by suicide.
The formation of a reference group will lend support and expertise to the current collaborative workstreams, governance structure and newly created Mental Health Taskforce established to address the 2023 HMICS Mental Health Report recommendations for Police Scotland.
Chief Superintendent Matt Paden who leads Police Scotland’s Mental Health Taskforce said: “The taskforce will establish and integrate referral pathways such as the NHS Mental Health Pathway and Distress Brief Intervention, as well as operational guidance on how to access community triage, so individuals in our communities get the most appropriate response from those best capable to provide the help they require and merit.
“The taskforce will also realign Police Scotland training to better equip our officers with the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to provide balance around the care, support and compassion in daily policing our communities.
“The success of these initiatives heavily depends on the support and engagement of our partners. There are excellent local examples, such as, but not limited, to Hope Point in Dundee, The Neuk in Perth and the community triage model in Lanarkshire which provide a fantastic support to our local communities in those areas.
“We want to enable similar efforts to be implemented nationally and our goal is to collaborate with partners to ensure that individuals have access to the most suitable assistance with our officers and staff equipped with the knowledge and tools to make that a reality.”
Thursday marked the first gathering of the Mental Health Reference Group who will support Police Scotland in providing a forum for multi sectoral collaboration.
Wendy Given from the Neuk was among those participating in the meeting. he said: “As a third sector organisation working closely with Police Scotland to provide mental health crisis support, it was great to hear about the work being done on pathways and to have the opportunity to represent the views of those using our services at The Neuk.
“Today was a great opportunity to explore potential gaps and work together on creating a more streamlined and effective response for individuals reaching out in mental health crises.
“We are pleased to be included in the formation of a Mental Health Reference Group to ensure that a cross-section of views informs the work they do. I would like to praise Police Scotland for their dedication to bringing about change that truly puts the person at the centre.”
Neil Mathers, Executive Director for Samaritans Scotland said: “This was a great opportunity to work with partners across the third sector to consider how we can better support people in our communities experiencing mental health crisis.
“It was hugely valuable to learn more about Police Scotland’s new Mental Health Taskforce and the progress being made with NHS24 to ensure timely and effective support to those in distress.
“At Samaritans Scotland we work to ensure fewer lives are lost to suicide. We believe it’s vital to work positively and collaboratively with Police Scotland and other partners to achieve this vision.”
100k visitors, almost 600 events, 100 sold out and 55 countries watch online
Over 100k visits were made to the Book Festival’s new home at Edinburgh Futures Institute from 10-25 August for first programme from new Director Jenny Niven
Authors, poets, politicians, musicians, thinkers and illustrators including Margaret Atwood, Richard Osman, Salman Rushdie, Blindboy, Sarah Pascoe, RF Kuang, Naomi Alderman, Jess Phillips took to stage and screen for almost 600 events
Over 200 events sold to 90% capacity or more
Audiences from 55 countries joined online for pay what you can events – many of which are still available to watch
Over 4,500 school children from 89 schools across Scotland were transported to the Festival (31 groups free of charge), to attend free events and take home a free book each
EIBF authors took part in 12 visits to hospitals and prisons across Scotland
Thousands of local residents were introduced to Edinburgh Futures Institute for the first time
Over 100k visits were made to Edinburgh International Book Festival’s new home at the newly opened Edinburgh Futures Institute from 10-25 August 2024, with ticket and book sales significantly up on previous years, and thousands of curious passers-by exploring and enjoying the new site, amongst the heart of Edinburgh’s festival action.
Future Tense, the first Book Festival programme to unfold under new Director Jenny Niven, tackled topics of global importance ranging from AI to the climate crisis, capitalism to the war in the Middle East, migration to inheritance, and more besides.
Legendary authors, writers, poets, thinkers and entertainers including Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie (who joined down the line), Richard Osman, Dolly Alderton, Alan Cumming & Forbes Masson, Phillipa Gregory, Jackie Kay, James O’Brien, Lemn Sissay, Elif Shafak, Louise Welsh, Raja Shehadeh, Marian Keyes, Roger McGough appeared on stage, alongside RF Kuang, Blindboy, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, Evie Wyld, Julius Roberts, and Samantha Shannon.
As well as greats from the literary sector, stars of music and film (Stuart Brathwaite of Mogwai, Esther Swift, Evelynn Glennie, Stuart Murdoch, Steven Moffat, Anjoa Andoh), theatre makers (including Grid Iron’s Ben Harrison), producers, publishers (many appearing as part of the Business of Books strand aimed at those in the industry, and artists (Ruth Millington, Kate Leiper) and actors also featured, bringing the multi disciplinary magic of the Edinburgh Festivals to life, right at the heart of the city.
This year saw a number of brand new types of events unfold, many celebrating cross-discipline collaboration, including the ambitious digital experience, Perambulations of a Justified Sinner and the intimate Have Lunch With… series at Elliott’s Studio, featuring chef-writers (Asma Khan, Sami Tamimi and Rachel Roddy). Clean Money: Can Fundraising Ever Be Ethical brought in audience members with a variety of views to discuss the detail and nuance of modern arts funding in a safe and supported space, and events including ThinkTanks offered audiences unparalleled access to world-class minds including Harold Hongju Koh, Ingrid Robeyns, Joseph Stiglitz and Ken Costa.
Voices from across the political spectrum also joined the conversation, with appearances from John Swinney, Jess Phillips, Caroline Lucas, Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan.
Jenny Niven, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the success of the Book Festival this year. Audiences have voted with their feet and we’ve seen full houses and brilliant, engaged crowds.
“Debate and discussion has been relished by audiences and authors alike proving the Festival is a truly important space for people to be inspired and come together.
“Edinburgh Futures Institute as a Book Festival venue has been terrific and we’re already looking at the ways we can build on what we’ve created for next year.
“We’re looking forward to beginning conversations in the Autumn with everyone who will be part of our story in our next glorious edition.”
WISHING my CITIZEN friends and colleagues good luck as they take to the stage at Edinburgh International Book Festival this evening.
They will be reading their stories about the old Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh Futures Institute, which was built on the grounds of the old Royal off Lauriston Place.
In spring 2024 EIBF called for people from Edinburgh to submit stories about the former Royal Infirmary, to capture and honour the experiences and memories that people connect with the building’s previous life.
Tonight’s local writers readers will joined by special guest Lisa Williams to perform their work and commemorate the building’s rich history.
The event is free – well worth seeing if you can make it along!
Enjoy tasty food and brilliant performances from local people. Returning for its fifth year, Stories and Scran celebrates dynamic, thought-provoking work created by our Citizen participants.
Expect diverse and creative talent from Project Esperanza’s Women’s Group, WHALE Arts, the Book Festival’s own Adults Writing Group, and Citizen Collective.
And Scran Academy are back to serve up delicious, sweet treats you can enjoy during the event.
Stories and Scran runs from 8 – 9.15pm at the Book Festival’s new home at Edinburgh Futures Institute on Lauriston Place.
2024 programme FUTURE TENSE as it enters new era at Edinburgh Futures Institute
Edinburgh International Book Festival announces programme of over 500 events, featuring authors from over 40 countries
The theme Future Tense explores how future-oriented and long-term thinking can bring imagination and perspective to urgent and complex issues including Data, AI and Complex Systems; Future Politics and Economics; and The Imaginative Realm
Additional programme strands include How to Live a Meaningful Life;Brilliant Fiction; and Voterama
It is the first year under new Director Jenny Niven and at Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI)
EFI is located in the extensively refurbished old Royal Infirmary building on Lauriston Place
2024 sees the welcome return of outdoor spaces hosting children’s events, food vendors, a buzzing bar and late-night events in the Spiegeltent
Digital events and workshops return for audiences worldwide
Edinburgh International Book Festival announces its 2024 programme with the theme Future Tense as it moves into a new era and home at Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI).
Taking place from 10-25 August the Festival is the first to unfold under the innovative Directorship of Jenny Niven in the state of the art surrounds of what was Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary.
Along with a change of location, the Festival has been refocused to put fresh perspectives, relevance and active learning in the spotlight, with over 500 events that will empower audiences by bringing new and often opposing points of view together.
In a present full of tensions and seemingly intractable issues, the Festival will create conversations aimed at finding new pathways to change.
In ‘Future Tense’, across six elements, we explore how future-oriented thinking, learning across generations and disciplines, and approaching change with curiosity, compassion and imagination, could help us untangle the huge systematic challenges we currently face, both as individuals and as a society.
And in an age when transparency is key, the programme will tackle topics that directly impact the Festival, from ethical funding to sustainability, as well as topics that impact those living locally and those living in crisis, both at home and across the world.
And at a time when so much information is gathered online and shared within the echo chambers of social media, this year’s programme offers audiences increased opportunity to engage and swap ideas and knowledge, in person, and interactively.
Jenny Niven, Director at Edinburgh International Book Festival, said:“I am enormously proud of the programme we have created for this year, our first Festival in our new home at the Edinburgh Future’s Institute.
“Our programme Future Tense speaks to the complexity of the moment we’re in, but hopefully also brings some optimism – the world is full of brilliant, insightful people working in so many imaginative ways. We’re excited to showcase some of that incredible thinking and writing – and the ways people are working together to solve problems and keep learning.
“It’s been an honour to engage with authors, publicists, poets, performers, artists and audience members since I took on this role, and all of these conversations have informed what you will find on site this summer.”
FUTURE TENSE comprises six sub-themes, each exploring and aspect of how we can, or should, change our individual and collective futures:
A TOAST TO THE FUTURE will bring a kaleidoscope of perspectives and expertise, from the hopeful to the momentous, at a special Gala event of readings from writers including Martin MacInnes, Naomi Alderman, Joelle Taylor, Richard Holloway, to EFI’s Chair in the Ethics of Data and AI, Shannon Vallor, who each explore their vision of the future in just 7 minutes.
FUTURE LIBRARY puts The Future Libraryproject centre stage in its 10th anniversary year. Not only does Margaret Atwood, who was the first contributor to this unique library in Norway which comprises work by authors that will remain unread for 100 years, explore her concept of ’Practical Utopia’, there will be a hands-on workshop alongside the announcement of the 2025 Future Library contributor.
GENERATIONS explores our responsibilities to those who come next and acknowledges that we can only plan effectively for the future by understanding what came before. Roman Krznaric and Ella Saltmarshe explore being ‘good ancestors’ and Wales’ first Commissioner for Future Generations shares how policy can support this. And, we’ve created a series of conversations which span generations, including poets Roger McGough with Hollie McNish, and foreign correspondents Allan Little and Jen Stout to hear fascinating insights and anecdotes from writers who share common ground.
AI, DATA AND COMPLEX SYSTEMS includes events like Writing the Wrongs of AI , featuring Pip Thornton, Sam Riviere and Heather Parry, which discusses the findings of a pioneering series of workshops EIBF and the Braid Fellowship have supported bringing together authors, publishers, legal and technical experts to confront the industry challenges and opportunities of the AI revolution; and Page Against the Machine, a fun interactive challenge where AI is put to the test live in the Spiegeltent, by both authors and audience members . Durham University also return with the ReaderBank: the world’s most ambitious study of reading, imagination, and health.
FUTURE ECONOMICS AND POLITICS will ask some of the hardest questions, including; How is capitalism changing? How are we going to finance the green tech revolution we need? With a more unequal world than ever before, how much wealth is too much? Featuring Nobel Prize winner Joseph E Stiglitz, BBC’s chief economics editor Dharshini David, Ken Costa, Ingrid Robeyns, and more, audiences can expect robust debate that allows for all perspectives to be heard.
THE IMAGINATIVE REALM speaks to the fact that sci-fi writers and authors of speculative fiction have been imagining the future for decades and are well placed to advise on where we may be heading. As engineers imagine the workings of new machines, authors, writers and poets imagine how these machines will and do impact the world around them, and audiences can expect the insights and wisdom of first-class writers from across these genres, including R F Kuang, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Irenosen Okojie.
Along with our hard-hitting programming, and in contrast to the seemingly never ending negative news cycle, How to Live a Meaningful Life invites authors and audiences to come together to explore what makes it all worth it, with a series of events delving into philosophy, joy and the utmost of pleasures – food.
We’ll reflect On Creativity with Rachael Sermanni, to On Paying Attention with Olesya Khromeychuk, and On Making It Count with Oliver Burkeman, among many more.
Part of How to Live a Meaningful Life, is Table Talks, a strand featuring the delicious combination of food demos, conversation and specially created menus in an intimate setting, delivered by some of the world’s best chefs and food writers.
Taking place at Elliott’s Studio just across The Meadows from EFI, audiences can expect experiences with the likes of Palestinian chef and author Sami Tamimi; Pam Brunton, head chef of Michelin Green Starred restaurant, Inver; first generation farmer and internet sensation Julius Roberts; Rachel Roddy – who writes delicious dispatches from her kitchen in Rome; owner of London’s Darjeeling Express restaurant (and one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People for 2024), Asma Khan; the person who transformed the mid-week meal with her one pan revolution, Rukmini Iyer; and eternally curious travel writer and critic Caroline Eden.
Of course, the Festival will continue to deliver once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to; see some of the world’s greatest novelists (Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Lauren Groff and Karl Ove Knausgård); hear from debut authors (Lorraine Kelly); glimpse the lives of famous faces from varying walks of life (including Front List appearances from James O’Brien, Alice Osman and Dolly Alderton); and not least the chance to have cherished copies of favourite books signed in person by many attending authors.
Poetry is in fantastic shape in this year’s line up too with Natalie Diaz, Michael Ondaatje, Ray Antrobus, Jenni Fagan, Sean Hewitt, Gerald Murnane, Andrew McMillan and Kathleen Jamie, and many more all on the bill.
With more people voting in 2024 than in a single year ever before in history. Voterama: Elections, Democracy and Geopolitics explores both UK and international politics and the changing face of democracy itself. Leading voices Jess Phillips, Caroline Lucas, Alistair Campbell will help unpack the UK election, and David van Reybrouck,
Ingrid Robeyns and Ed Wong broaden our horizons internationally. Marianna Spring illuminates misinformation and Mona Chalabi makes complex information visually stunning. In the 25th year of devolution Mark Drakeford and First Minister John Swinney swap perspectives; and Andy Burnham gives his view from the North.
Long standing friend of the Festival Raja Shehadeh, Nathan Thrall and Avi Shlaim share first hand perspectives on Israel, and Palestine, in what will undoubtedly be powerful conversations.
And in partnership with Beyond Borders Scotland, we look directly at peacebuilding and conflict resolution with those working first hand and at the highest level – exploring everything from the Islamic principles of peace-making, to UN diplomacy, and the impact on the climate.
Asking the hard question ‘how does conflict ever actually become resolved?’ audiences will hear from a range of experts including Mark Muller Stuart KC, Andrew Gilmour, and Ebrahim Rasool.
Marking the 200th anniversary of James Hogg’s seminal work The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, Justified Sinner 200 willre-examine this iconic story of the Calvinist Robert Wringham who believes that his place in Heaven is predestined.
At once a bold exploration of the darkest parts of the human soul, and a wildly creative novel, we have commissioned a series of equally bold reimaginings to explore its relevance and resonance today.
Kirsty Logan, Esther Swift, and folksinger Kirsty Law reset the text in a contemporary Scottish cult, acclaimed theatre company Grid Iron and Ray Interactive create an immersive walking tour through Edinburgh’s old town (featuring voiceovers from none other than Louise Welsh), Stewart Laing and Pamela Carter bring us Extraordinary Trash: A Theatre Essay revisiting their own iconic reworking of Hogg via Paul Bright, and there are a range of interactive, immersive experiences inspired by this title in August, none of which are to be missed.
And finally, making the most of our new location in the midst of the Festival City, the Spiegeltent returns by popular demand with Back to Ours – a strand of evening and late night events ranging from performance to poetry, comedy to podcasting, and everything in between.
Whether it’s belly laughs courtesy of BAFTA Best Comedy Writer awardee Jack Rooke (of Channel 4’s uproarious series Big Boys), being a book Weirdo with Sara Pascoe and Cariad Lloyd, rocking out to Festival favourites the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, or dancing the night away with a rollicking ceilidh to round the festival off, there is something for everyone to come back for.
For those engaging with the world of literary festivals for the first time and taking their first step in their writing career, the Festival continues to provide unrivalled resources and workshops aimed at demystifying the industry.
From discussions on AI, sustainability, audiobooks and pitching sessions, aimed at editors, publishers, festival organisers, translators, and other experts, this year’s programme features a dedicated three-day lineup of panels, showcases and receptions. Aimed at those working within the publishing industry this years’ Industry Days & Global Ink events also tackle one of the trickiest things for an author to do – take their work outwith the confines of their own country.
Finally, at a time when the amount and wide-ranging nature of the news can be overwhelming, the Festival introduces First Edition, a daily discussion of the morning headlines and issues of the day with a local member of the media, hosted in the Spiegeltent and free for all.
And the new (Lunch) Box Fresh sessions will take place at lunchtime and feature readings from new and vibrant talent in partnership with Scottish Book Trust, Glasgow Women’s Library, Scottish Poetry Library, and Jenny Brown Associates.
Alan Bett, Head of Literature and Publishing at Creative Scotland said: “This year marks Edinburgh International Book Festival’s first year in their new home and the inaugural year under Director Jenny Niven.
“Welcoming in this new era, the festival has curated a bold and ambitious programme engaging many of the critical issues facing the world today. To do that, they are bringing together international authors with both Scotland’s own world-renowned talent and our exciting emerging literary voices.
“The Futures Institute events will nurture a love of books and reading for all ages. Additionally, there are valuable programme strands highlighting the significance of community work, extending the festival’s influence beyond its new location.”
Our new site at EFI
Opened in 1729 Edinburgh’s old Royal Infirmary is one of the city’s most beloved buildings and with huge care, has been brought into the 21st century as Edinburgh’s Futures Institute, a futures-focused space for learning, research, and innovation at the University of Edinburgh, and new home of Edinburgh International Book Festival.
In addition to enjoying events in brand new, state-of-the-art theatres, audiences and visitors can find a plethora of places to read, relax, meet and converse throughout this grand and iconic building, as well as across the specially designed, grassy courtyard that unfolds at the south of the venue, making the Festival site a destination worthy of lingering this summer.
Located just off The Meadows in the leafy heart of the city, the Festival’s new home is a stone’s throw from key Fringe venues at George Square and the home of the Edinburgh International Festival at the Hub.
Do you have memories of The Old Royal Infirmary that you would like to share? We want to hear them!
The “Recycling a Hospital” project aims to reuse wood and slate from the reconstruction of the Old Royal Infirmary, the future home of the Edinburgh Futures Institute, to honour memories connected to the building.
Please join our Recycling a Hospital Community Poetry and Image Workshop where we hope to bring together people from the community with memories of the building (births, illness, recovery, and so on) that we can shape into text.
The New Real, a world-leading and Edinburgh-based AI research hub. has premiered its leading international AI Art award and commission that brings together the foremost institutions in both the AI and the arts, and announced UK and Netherlands-based Polish artist Kasia Molga as the winner ofThe New Real 2023 AI Art Commission: Uncanny Machines.
This award and commission gives artists an unrivalled opportunity to extend their practice by providing them a powerful and accessible generative AI tool, The New Real’s own AI Platform.
This is a fascinating and unique ‘tool box’ created with and for artists, to gain increased access and control over an AI model and to creatively explore AI.
This addresses limitations in the current crop of generative AI applications, in order to open new thinking which can lead to better art, and also provides a basis to probe and question urgent issues of today. Introduced as part of The New Real’s AI Art Programme: Uncanny Machines which explores the uncanny interplay of humans and machines, and the social implications of recent developments in AI.
The event culminates the EFI’s Love Machine season of events bringing into light the intimate relationships between humans and algorithms.
At this event the artist was joined by guest speakers; activist and self proclaimed cultural engineer Phoenix Perry, who shared insights into generative AI creative work, and leading academic in the fields of AI, Data Arts and Society, and Drew Hemment, who hosted a debate with Kasia Molga on the societal and ethical issues of digital reincarnations of deceased persons, a topic the art commission will explore.
The Open Call received a huge volume of outstanding submissions which the Jury whittled down to just five astonishing candidates who each received Development Awards. Kasia Molga is now revealed as the artist awarded the full commission allowing her to bring her concept to life.
The commission is designed to provide transformative experiences for audiences, fuelled by AI, and present an artwork that addresses key challenges in AI, such as consent, agency and confusion of humans and machines
In her project entitled How to find the Soul of a Sailor, Kasia Molga presents a very personal journey to find the soul of her father in data from a life spent on the seas. As a child, Molga travelled with her sailor father on merchant navy vessels. Her father often was the lone parent caring for her on board the ship.
They were two people who understood each other without words – sometimes Molga felt she could read her dad’s thoughts. He passed away quite unexpectedly 15 years ago leaving a huge hole in Molga’s heart and many diaries from his journeys.
Sometimes when Molga fears that her memories of being on the open sea with him are fading, she rereads his diaries trying to hang on to his voice.
In her commission, Molga will draw on her experiments using The New Real’s AI platform to recreate stories in his voice.
Having constructed a dataset from ships’ logs, her dad’s own diaries, and a British Library collection of maps from the Mediterranean Sea, Molga uses a Word2vec feature to explore, among others, whether AI can convincingly recreate a way of writing such that aspects of her dad’s personality can be ‘sensed’ and what are the implications and emotional effects of such a way of ‘resurrecting’ a person who is no longer with us. More on Kasia Molga’s project can be found here.
Announced earlier this year, The New Real 2023 Development Awards allowed five artists; Kasia Molga, Johann Diedrick & Amina Abbas-Nazari, Alice Bucknell, Sarah Ciston and Linnea Langfjord Kristensen & Kevin Walker, to conduct research and development (R&D) using The New Real’s AI Platform: a fascinating and unique ‘tool box’ created with and for artists, allowing them to manipulate a model, in order to enable profound artistic experiments with AI.
The output of the R&D phase is a visual presentation and talk. These five talks were screened at Inspace alongside this event.
The Uncanny Machines Art Commission will be presented later this year. Details to follow.
Drew Hemment, Director and Principal Investigator of The New Real, said: “We have achieved something truly unique in bringing together new ideas in both science and the arts to tackle urgent challenges just at the moment that Generative AI has exploded into the world’s consciousness.
“It is with huge pleasure we announce today that Kasia Molga has been awarded our coveted New Real 2023 Art Commission. Kasia blew us away with her vision and the intensely personal journey she wants to take with The New Real. She hopes to use AI to give new life to her father’s memories, and to bring a fresh perspective on the world’s oceans that he travelled his entire life.
“This is the next step in our journey to develop more fair and inclusive technologies, and to support artists to develop significant works.”
Winning artist, Artist Kasia Molga, said: “It is a huge pleasure and delight to work with The New Real, they are the leading group spanning the arts and AI in this way.
“This project is of the greatest personal importance to me. My dad’s diaries are extremely precious, and this is my way of showing my love for my father, and my shared concern for the ocean, his life’s passion.
“I’m excited to go to places I could not have imagined before using AI, and I can think of no one better to share this journey than The New Real.
“On one hand, this new body of work is about the transition of marine ecosystems. Yet it also probes the emotional implications of giving away data – almost fragments of personality – of departed loved ones and the ethics of AI in the context of digital afterlives.
“The work will use AI wisely to reveal unexpected interconnections between the words of those no longer with us and such large subjects as oceans and climate change.”
Free event at City Art Centre, Saturday 11 February 2pm
Are you a tech geek and love seeing Edinburgh represented digitally? Well this free event is just for you!
Join us for an event hosted by the Data Civics team at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. Liz McFall, Darren Umney and Vassilis Galanos will talk about their recent work exploring North Edinburgh through the ‘eyes’ of internet platforms including Instagram, Twitter, Google Earth, street photography and community archive.
The work was conducted with help from local organisations including Screen Edinburgh, North Edinburgh Arts, Granton Hub and Edinburgh Palette among others.
The aim is to use digital methods to show the vibrancy of the area from the perspectives of people who live, work and play there.
The event will showcase the Granton CivicScope website and its collection of photographs, films and maps of the past, present and future of the area, and give the audience a chance to add their own images to the collection.
Brutalist photographer Simon Phipps and Darren Umney will talk with Liz McFall, Kath Bassett and Vassilis Galanos about their recent work exploring North Edinburgh through the ‘eyes’ of internet platforms including Instagram, Twitter, Google Earth, street photography and community archive.
Complimentary refreshments will be served.
For more information and booking, follow this link:
A new organisation has launched to help Scotland’s beleaguered tourism sector make a sustained recovery driven by technological innovation.
Traveltech for Scotland will build a support network for travel technology pioneers whose ingenuity could help turn the sector around following the devastating impacts of Covid-19.
The venture will create opportunities for businesses, including digital tour operators, online booking providers and companies developing robotic devices that improve the hotel experience.
Traveltech for Scotland will foster an online community of entrepreneurs, promote industry events and create a digital marketplace to encourage growth in the sector.
It builds on the country’s traveltech leadership, demonstrated by pioneers such as flight-booking giant Skyscanner, hotel guest app provider Criton and trip-planning company Whereverly.
The £342,000 initiative – led by the University of Edinburgh and funded via the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise – will tap into Scotland’s research excellence and seek to nurture the country’s tech graduate talent.
Traveltech for Scotland involves two strands of the University of Edinburgh – its commercialisation service, Edinburgh Innovations, and the Edinburgh Futures Institute, which has a particular focus on harnessing big data and digitisation to promote social good.
Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism, Fergus Ewing, said: “The tourism and hospitality sector has been hit hard by this pandemic and we do not underestimate the crisis this has created.
“Protecting jobs and businesses is a key focus of the Scottish Government’s efforts to respond to the pandemic.
“As we start to see more and more of the sector re-opening, the launch of Traveltech for Scotland will support the sector further in its road to recovery. I welcome this innovative approach and look forward to seeing how the community is strengthened as a result.”
The Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, Steve Dunlop, is confident Traveltech can support economic recovery in communities that rely on tourism and help the sector to ‘build back better’ by developing sustainability and resilience.
Mr Dunlop said: “By bringing together our digital and visitor economies, there’s a real opportunity for the Scottish technology sector to lead the way in creating innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the tourism industry on a global scale.”
The newly appointed Director of Traveltech for Scotland, Joshua Ryan-Saha, of the Edinburgh Futures Institute, believes it is in moments of great crisis that new ideas are born.
He said: “The travel industry faces unprecedented challenges and we need to invest now in Traveltech to build a better, more resilient and sustainable future for Scotland’s travel industry.”
COVID-19 has impacted heavily on the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors, forcing redundancies and reduced operations for airlines, hotels, bars, restaurants and tech businesses, and leading to the cancellation of Scotland’s major events and festivals in 2020.
In 2018 Scotland’s tech industry was valued at £4.9 billion, with over 100,000 people employed in the sector. Demand for tech recruits continues to grow rapidly: it is estimated that Scotland needs around 13,000 new people to work in tech every year.
The CEO of the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), Marc Crothall, said the launch marks a vital step forward in providing Scotland’s tourism businesses access to new technology solutions, which can build customers’ trust around virus control and safety.
He said: “It will offer reassurance that challenges can be overcome to aid a sustainable recovery for the industry and, I hope, put Scotland on the map as a leading destination for travel technology.”
Traveltech for Scotland is initially a three-year project funded under Scottish Enterprise’s Cluster Builder programme – supported by the 2014-20 European Structural and Investment Fund through a programme of jointly funded projects with the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and managed by the Scottish Government.
A total of up to £342,000 has been allocated towards creating a Cluster Builder for traveltech in Scotland over three years. The ERDF contribution is up to £171,000.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has welcomed the boost. He said: “The creation of Traveltech is a positive move for Edinburgh’s tourist industry, which has been hit so hard by Covid-19 and lockdown.
“Social distancing has created many challenges for tourist businesses and the development of technology to allow companies to make a profit and keep people safe is welcome.”
We are pleased to announce the second half of Edinburgh Culture Conversations, a series of live, online events staged in conjunction with the Edinburgh Futures Institute debating the future role of arts and culture, and examining how the arts and creative sectors can help society recover from the effects of Covid-19.
The events bring together members of the public, artists, academics and cultural leaders to discuss how culture contributes to our lives and what it could do in the future.
Join us at 6pm over the next five Mondays, 03 August to 14 September, for weekly conversations to debate the value of creativity, not only to the arts, but also to society and the wider economy.
Hosted by Janet Archer, the University of Edinburgh’s Director of Festivals, Cultural and City Events, each panel features distinguished guests with a truly diverse range of professional, expert and practitioner experience and knowledge.
They include:
Lesley McAra, Director of the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute Dorothy Miell, Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Edinburgh Simon Brault, Director and CEO Canada Council for the Arts and Chair IFACCA: International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies Jackie Wylie, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the National Theatre of Scotland Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director and Lead Principal Dancer of the English National Ballet David Greig, Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive, Royal Lyceum Theatre Leonie Bell, Strategic Lead for Future Paisley and Director Designate, V&A Dundee Professor Siddharthan Chandran, Macdonald Chair of Neurology, Centre for Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh Imam Razawi, Director General and Chief Imam, Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society Amanda Parker, Director Inc Arts and Editor Arts Professional.
We are recording and uploading each event to our website so you can watch at any time. Ask us questions at the Live Events, comment on our Facebook page or write to us at festivals@ed.ac.uk with your responses, we’d love to hear from you on any of the topics we’re discussing.
The conversations have been organised by the University of Edinburgh Festivals Office and are being staged in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh’s new centre for interdisciplinary learning and research, the Edinburgh Futures Institute.
