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 Festivaldirector 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 …
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.
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.
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.
Returning for its third year, Stories and Scran celebrates the dynamic and thought-provoking work created by participants in Citizen, EIBF’s long-term creative programme offering local people a platform to explore identity and place.
Enjoy a snack and a diverse showcase of readings, stories and short films from communities in North Edinburgh and Musselburgh.
I’m delighted to be reading a short story at tonight’s Citizen event. Big question for tonight is: wellies or flip-flops with the dinner jacket?
Find out more about EIBF’s Communities Programme: ontheroad.edbookfest.co.uk.
I’ll also be reading LOST, my contribution to the Scotland’s Stories Now project, tonight at 5pm in the On This Day slot:
Scotland’s Stories Now: On This Day
This year, EIBF asked people across Scotland – of any age, background or ability – to submit their own stories responding to the prompt ‘On This Day’, to build a fascinating portrait of Scotland today.
Every day at 17:00 different storytellers from around the country share their work. Join us to hear their illuminating stories and have a go at writing your own.
Supported by EventScotland as part of the Year of Stories 2022.
The Cubes of Perpetual Light will play new music commissions inspired by the themes of sustainability and growth during the Festival of Politics and Edinburgh International Book Festival
Specially designed ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’ will come together in the Capital this summer to create a striking music installation featuring programmable light and quadraphonic sound.
The unique installation will appear in the iconic surroundings of the Parliament Garden in the Scottish Parliament, open to the public during the Festival of Politics, August 11-13 and Edinburgh International Culture Summit August 26-28.
A second installation will be installed during Edinburgh International Book Festival, 13–29 August.
The installation forms part of Dandelion, a major creative programme demonstrating the power of collective action through an ambitious ‘grow your own’ initiative that aims to reach communities across Scotland this summer.
Commissioned by EventScotland and funded by the Scottish Government, Dandelion is Scotland’s contribution to UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.
At the centre of Dandelion, is a meeting of art and science through the creation of hundreds of unique miniature ‘growing cubes’, called the ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’. The 1m x 1m cubes are designed to foster accelerated plant growing and have been developed to grow hundreds of seedlings under LED light, combining design craft, traditional horticultural expertise and technological innovation.
The Cubes aren’t just miniature growing laboratories however, they’re also the inspiration for new music which people are being invited to experience at festivals and venues across Scotland this summer, now arriving in Edinburgh.
The special installations are each unique, featuring a collection of cubes, with immersive lighting integrated with stunning quadraphonic speaker systems designed to best showcase the new music compositions playing ‘from’ the cubes. This is the only opportunity to hear these unique compositions in their entirety.
For those unable to visit the cube installations in Edinburgh, they will also be visiting Inverness Botanic Gardens, 15–29 August, and on display at V&A Dundee until 30 August. This activity forms part of a summer-long programme of art, music, food and science for everyone to enjoy.
Leading musicians from Scotland and beyond have created 13 new music commissions for the Cubes of Perpetual Light, all inspired by themes of nature and sustainability.
The aim of the commissions, which can only be heard at the installations, is to encourage listeners to think more deeply about how, where and why plants grow. Each new music piece is commissioned by Dandelion with additional support for international work from British Council Scotland.
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The Edinburgh installation includes 13 tracks of new music from artists:
amiina & Kathleen MacInnes: A gorgeous collaboration bridging the mighty North Atlantic, from the Outer Hebrides to Iceland. South Uist native Kathleen MacInnes, one of Scotland’s finest Gaelic folk singers comes together with amiina, from Reykjavik – a strings-and-electronica quartet whose packed portfolio includes many collaborations with Sigur Rós. This unique recording for Dandelion features Gaelic lullabies Crodh Chailein, Dhachaidh along with amiina composition blauwber’.
Arooj Aftab & Maeve Gilchrist: Arooj Aftab’s music is a breath-taking blend of Sufi mysticism, contemporary classical, jazz, ambient and much more – and this year, she became the first Pakistani woman to win a Grammy. Her stunning new album Vulture Prince features Edinburgh-born harper, composer and producer Maeve Gilchrist, and the pair are teaming up again to create new music for Dandelion.
Claire M Singer: Claire M Singer is an acclaimed Scottish composer and performer whose acoustic and electronic music draws inspiration from the dramatic landscapes of her native country. The Director of Organ Reframed, a festival of new music that reimagines the epic sound of the organ, she’s created a new multi-channel work featuring organs recorded in Aberdeenshire, Inverness, Stonehaven and Glasgow.
Vedanth Bharadwaj : Vedanth is a vocalist and composer born in Mumbai, India who trained in Classical music around the age of four, under Neyveli Santhanagopalan. He recorded two beautiful songs for Dandelion featuring himself on vocals, banjo and guitar along with Gurupriya Atreya on vocals. ‘Vrukshan Se Mati Le’ is a song written by Surdas (an Indian mystic poet from the 16th century). He writes about how one ought to learn compassion from trees. Trees neither love you more when you water them, nor do they hate you if you cut them down. It provides us shade, while bearing all the heat from the sun on its own head. If you throw a stone at it, it gives you a fruit! Lucky are we, to live in a world among trees. Surdas pleads to us to learn compassion from trees, or at least, from the indigenous people.
Craig Armstrong & Steve Jones: Craig Armstrong is a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy-winning Scottish born composer. Through his orchestral writing, electronic music and wide-ranging artistic collaborations in classical and film music, Craig Armstrong’s distinct compositional voice has received worldwide acclaim. For Dandelion he created ‘Endless (Study 1)’ with guitarist Steve Jones along with School of Scottish Studies field recordings from the 1960s to create a sense of limitless space and time for the listener.
Fergus McCreadie: Fergus McCreadie is one of the UK’s most exciting jazz musicians. Combining vital jazz sounds with influences drawn from Scottish traditional music, his brilliant third album Forest Floor came out in April to universal acclaim and has been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. His specially recorded Dandelion work ‘Life Cycle’ features piano and strings from Seonaid Aitken, Emma Pantel, Sarah Leonard & Juliette Lemoine.
Jason Singh: Jason Singh is a remarkable sound artist, beatboxer, producer and performer whose music is inspired by the natural world. Nicknamed “The Human Sampler” by Cerys Matthews, he’s worked with everyone from Sir David Attenborough to Talvin Singh. His composition for Dandelion, Droop, is a lament in response to our climate crisis. It is a collaboration between plant, humans and technology and has been created by converting the electrical signals generated by the Camellia plant into musical notes played through analogue and digital synthesisers.
Maya Youssef: Syria’s Maya Youssef is the ‘Queen of the Qanun’, an extraordinary 78-stringed Middle Eastern plucked zither. Her life-affirming music is rooted in the Arabic classical tradition but forges into jazz, Western classical and Latin music – as heard at the BBC Proms, WOMAD and now here on this special work for Dandelion: Back to Earth, Barley Blessing & Eastern Wind featuring Maya with Scottish musicians Innes White, Catriona Price, Craig Baxter, Alice Allen, Ciorstaidh Beaton and Arabic Nay player Moslem Rahal
Ravi Bandhu: Hailing from Sri Lanka, this acclaimed drummer, dancer and choreographer has taken his magnificent drum ensemble to stages as far afield as WOMAD in Reading and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
Trio Da Kali: In a unique African / Scots collaboration Trio Da Kali brings together Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté, Lassana Diabaté and Mamadou Kouyaté – three of the best new griot musicians from the Mandé culture of Mali – along with award winning Scots vocalist Kim Carnie & piper Ross Ainslie – to bring a fresh creative vibe to ancient traditions. These songs continue with the long-time folk culture of telling old stories from the past that pay tribute to the people who do good things for the community and talk about the importance of living in the present and enjoying what happens now.
Brian d’Souza: An award-winning sound artist aka Auntie Flo, DJ, producer and performer from Glasgow via Goa, Brian makes magic from a blend of electronic sounds and influences from around the globe. Winner of the 2019 Scottish Album of the Year Award for Radio Highlife, he recently debuted immersive installation The Soniferous Forest and for Dandelion has composed ’Spring Symphony (Sage, Basil, Mint and Lavender)’ – a biophilic soundscape that harnesses the power of nature through sound. It was created by using a Plant Wave device to pick up electromagnetic activity from the different plants which translated each into MIDI notes. These notes then literally ‘played’ samples of various traditional instruments from the Hebrides – including Clarsarch, Whistle, Flute, Pipes and Fiddle.”I then let the plants play… totally naturally to produce a kind of ‘acoustic ecology”.
Manu Delago: There’s no sound in music quite like the hang, a melodic percussion instrument invented only 20 years ago – and there’s no better exponent of it than Manu Delago, who’s performed with the likes of Björk, the Cinematic Orchestra, Ólafur Arnalds, Nitin Sawhney and Anoushka Shankar while making a succession of brilliant solo records.
Pàdruig Morrison: Accordionist Pàdruig Morrison was brought up surrounded by the culture, the music and the language of the Gaels. After bedding in the first Cube of Perpetual Light on the remote Hebridean island of Heisgeir, where his grandparents set up a pioneering experiment in sustainable living, Pàdruig is now making new music to help them grow.
This follows Dandelion’s latest project taking the Cubes of Perpetual Light on tour across Scotland throughout the month of August, traveling on specially designed electric cargo bikes.
The tour visits schools, parks, venues and Dandelion Unexpected Gardens where the commissioned music can be heard.
Music Director for Dandelion, Donald Shaw said: “Just as plants can grow from tiny seeds, great music can grow from small ideas that we nourish till they bloom into full art forms.
“The cubes can demonstrate accelerated growing in a wide range of settings, both the expected and unexpected. Placed in a particular environment they create a micro-world within a world, allowing musicians and listeners to imagine a sonic landscape that surrounds us, providing a space for contemplation and for us to imagine a future where we sow, grow and share differently.”
The Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament said:“The Festival of Politics is all about opening the doors of the Scottish Parliament to people across the country with a variety of things on offer – from debate and discussion to exhibitions and music.
“The cubes of perpetual light is an example of how sustainability and art can come together to grab people’s attention and make people stop and think. I hope many people will take the opportunity to join us.”
Marie Christie, Head of Development, Events Industry at VisitScotland said:“It’s fantastic to see so many incredible artists create new music inspired by Dandelion’s urgent themes of sustainability and our connection to the natural world.
“By fusing new music and new technologies, the cubes create unique ways for audiences to engage and connect with these issues. It’s wonderful to see the cubes travel to Edinburgh to be part of the city’s world-leading festivals, where audiences from Scotland and all over the world can experience them.”
Martin Green, Chief Creative Officer, UNBOXED said: “Dandelion is a brilliant coming together of artists, designers, technologists and scientists to make something special and important about what we eat, how it grows and how everyone can get involved in growing, wherever they live.
“Through the growing cubes, music and many opportunities to participate in growing initiatives, Dandelion is designed to inspire people to create a sustainable future. Dandelion is one of five UNBOXED projects taking place in Scotland this year as part UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK – a year-long celebration of creativity across the four nations.”
Dandelion is a joyous Scotland-wide celebration of sowing, growing and sharing. Commissioned by EventScotland and funded by the Scottish Government it is part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK. Dandelion reimagines our relationship with food and the planet and the way we celebrate it together.
This year Edinburgh International Book Festival is hosting several Communities Programme events as part of the August Book Festival, as well as organising several off site visits and screenings.
Read on to find out more about how you can get involved …
With Edinburgh International Book Festival starting in just a month, we are looking forward to returning to Edinburgh College of Art for a summer packed with events, performances, interviews and workshops.
We will be welcoming authors from all over the world to the Festival, with over 600 events planned, many of which are hybrid and can be watched online for free. There is going to be something for everyone!
Our full programme is now available to browse online, but in this post, we wanted to focus on how the Communities Programme is shaping up over the month of August. As always, we are planning to do a series of events inspired by the themes of our Citizen project, which explore community, place, identity, belonging and what citizenship can look like in today’s world.
Through our Story Nation programme, we are taking the joy of the Book Festival to those who otherwise cannot access it, through a weekend of events at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People as well as author visits to six Scottish Prisons, a local high school and the Streetreads Library, a dedicated place for readers who are experiencing homelessness.
The Birks Cinema in Aberfeldy will be screening five of our events for free to their local audiences, as a way of counteracting digital exclusion in rural areas.
We are also delighted to present our Scotland’s Stories Now project each and every day at the Festival, and we are so grateful to EventScotland for funding this project as part of their Year of Stories 2022.
We are really looking forward to welcoming many of our Communities Programme participants from across Scotland to celebrate their creativity with us the Book Festival.
Monday 15 August, 7.30 -8.30pm
Stories and Scran
We are delighted to announce the return of Stories and Scran for its third year. The Scran Academy will be catering a meal for our community participants before they take to the stage for a special showcase of the creative and thought-provoking writing they have created over the past year.
Event attendees will also get to sample some delicious sweet treats while they enjoy a diverse showcase of readings, poetry and song from communities in North Edinburgh and Musselburgh.
While sitting on a train, bus or tube, have you ever wondered about all of the complicated stories of your fellow passengers’ lives unfolding around you?
One Day Ticket takes this idea and elaborates it, creating a series of narrative snapshots as seen from a train carriage with an unknown destination. This collaborative work for the stage is written by Citizen participants with our Communities Writer in Residence, Eleanor Thom.
The cast of this collection of poignant and humorous human stories will perform with scripts in hand.
Everyone has a story to tell; through stories we can make sense of our world. Earlier this year writers Andrew O’Hagan, Eleanor Thom, Ryan Van Winkle, Mae Diansangu, Roseanne Watt, Bea Webster and Siân Bevan collaborated with community groups across the country to collect Scotland’s Stories Now.
At the Festival, we are sharing the tales, poems, conversations and words from the people who took part, as well as several of the stories submitted to our Open Call, inspired by the prompt ‘On This Day’.
Following two years of disruption in schools, we’re bringing together education pioneers to imagine the creative, bespoke settings needed to support young people.
Our panellists include founder of The Black Curriculum campaign, Lavinya Stennett; Emma Easton, school manager at The Spartans Alternative School, Ian Midwinter, CEO of Scran Academy, and Alexander Boys, a former member of The Citizen Collective, our writing group for 16-18 year olds.
What would the planet look like if you designed it? This is the question Ryan Van Winkle, our Schools Writer in Residence, has been exploring with local pupils at St. Thomas of Aquin’s RC High School as part of Citizen.
Drop in anytime between 11am at 5pm to explore the world they created in a multi-media installation, or come and join our free 30-minute tours at 11am, 2pm or 4pm. Featuring work from Natalie Doyle, Faith Eliott, Lotte Fisher, Caitlin Hynes, Seamus Killick, Emily Randall and Natasha Russell.
This year, we asked people across Scotland – of any age, background or ability – to submit their own stories responding to the prompt ‘On This Day’.
What resulted was a fascinating portrait of Scotland in the here and now. Throughout the Festival, different contributors from around the country will be sharing their snapshots of life through the power of words. Join us to hear their illuminating stories in a free daily session at 5pm in our Storytime Yurt.
We hope you enjoy the Book Festival this year and look forward to welcoming you at Edinburgh College of Art, 74 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, EH3 9DF, or chatting to you online in the event chat and Q&A sections, if you are planning to join us virtually.
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Citizen is our long-term creative programme working in partnership with organisations across Edinburgh and Musselburgh, offering local people a platform to explore identity, connection and place. It is supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery and the PLACE Programme administered by Creative Scotland.
Our Story Nation project aims to bring the spirit of the Book Festival to audiences who, for various reasons, cannot access our physical events. It aims to combat isolation and create rich opportunities for engagement with the written word among vulnerable or unheard communities, enthusing and empowering readers across Scotland.
Scotland’s Stories Now is supported by EventScotland, as part of the Year of Stories 2022.
Edinburgh International Book Festival Programme launched
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All Together Now is our rallying call in 2022. This year’s vibrant programme builds on the hybrid format we’ve developed over the past two years, with live, in-person events, many of which are also available to stream or watch at a later date.
Packed with events for adults and with a stunning programme for children and young people, this year’s Book Festival celebrates the imagination, ideas and issues at the heart of books and stories, offering new perspectives on the world around us.
We return to Edinburgh College of Art but with a new site layout to accommodate more events and bigger audiences. You’ll find more than 600 events in this year’s programme featuring over 550 authors, performers, musicians and thinkers from 50 countries.
The big outdoor screen returns for free screenings of selected events, and a range of new theatres and creative workshop spaces host daily events for adults and children in the bustling Book Festival Village.
There’s also the Baillie Gifford Storytime Yurt, dedicated to children’s events and activities, the iconic Wee Red Bar, a great space for performances and writers events, and our biggest new venue, Central Hall, located just off Lothian Road, is a five-minute walk away.
Like last year, we have hybrid events in Central Hall, the Baillie Gifford Sculpture Court and Baillie Gifford West Court theatres, with live audiences as well as multiple cameras.
Amongst the hundreds of authors taking part this year are Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, Vietnamese American poet Ocean Vuong, Outlander writer Diana Gabaldon, as well as Noam Chomsky, Jack Monroe, Alexander McCall Smith, Denise Mina, William Dalrymple and Armando Iannucci.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joins us for two events, interviewing acclaimed novelist Louise Welsh about her new novel The Second Cut, and screen legend Brian Cox about a life on the Scottish stage and his role in television hit series Succession.
For younger readers there are events with some of the world’s best known children’s authors including Jason Reynolds, Cressida Cowell, Julia Donaldson, Michael Morpurgo and doctor turned writer and comedian Adam Kay.
Nick Barley, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “We’ve learned a great deal in the last two years, so that alongside the return of our full-scale in-person festival we can also offer the accessibility and international reach of live-streamed events.
“The world has changed immeasurably since 2019: we’re learning to live with the effects of the pandemic and war in Europe – but we’re also beginning to imagine what a better future should look like.
“Exploring these issues in inspiring conversations with scientists, historians, poets and novelists is exactly where the Book Festival comes into its own. I’m thrilled that thanks to Baillie Gifford, every young person coming to a Schools event gets a free ticket and a free book this year.
“With all online events and a selection of our in-person theatre tickets also available on a Pay What You Can basis, we’re doing everything we can to make the festival accessible to everyone.”
Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020 winner Maggie O’Farrell launches her hotly-anticipated novel The Marriage Portrait. Also launching new books are some of the world’s best-loved thriller writers: Val McDermid follows up last year’s bestselling 1979 with 1989, the latest in her series chronicling modern Scotland, while Irvine Welsh talks for the first time about his new crime novel The Long Knives.
The most recent winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Abdulrazak Gurnah, talks about his novel Afterlives. Among other leading writers discussing their new books are Booker Prize winners Marlon James, Damon Galgut, Howard Jacobson and Julian Barnes. Douglas Stuart is back on home soil with Young Mungo, the follow up to his Booker-winning first novel Shuggie Bain. And the great Irish writer Anne Enright returns to reflect on finding influence and inspiration in Ireland.
Two more Irish writers making a welcome return to the Book Festival are Colm Tóibín – the new Irish Laureate for Fiction who was recently awarded the David Cohen Prize for a lifetime of achievement – and Small Things Like These author Claire Keegan. Also, Monica Ali introduces her first novel for a decade. Appearing via screen link from their home countries are Helen Garner from Australia, and Jonathan Franzen, A M Homes and Jennifer Egan from the USA.
Artistic boundaries will be crossed in events featuring world-famous musicians including Martha Wainwright, Jarvis Cocker, Vashti Bunyan, and Deacon Blue’s Ricky Ross, who share stories of their journeys through the world of music; while writer Sinead Gleeson discusses This Woman’s Work – the anthology she coedited about women and music, whilst screenwriter Abi Morgan and actor Alan Cumming discuss their luminous memoirs about their fascinating lives.
Questions around the role of Europe and the impact of war remain front of mind. Chernobyl expert and bestselling Ukrainian historian Serhii Plokhy discusses Ukraine’s position at the crossroads of Europe and Russia, while Gideon Rachman, Andrew Wilson and Lea Ypi come together to investigate the rise of authoritarian leaders. Historian Antony Beevor talks about his new book exploring the dramatic story of Russia’s revolution that continues to influence the modern era.
In a story from closer to home, Norman Scott shares his own perspective on his affair with politician Jeremy Thorpe in the 1970s, and a subsequent failed assassination attempt. Meanwhile we explore the relationship between money and power in the post-pandemic world and rising inequality in the UK, in events featuring leading economists Mariana Mazzucato and John Kay; historian Adam Tooze and journalist Oliver Bullough.
Poetry heavyweights, alongside up-and-coming talent, also feature this year with the likes of American poet Ada Limón, while P J Harvey will be in conversation with fellow poet and editor Don Paterson. We also welcome Edinburgh Makar Hannah Lavery, and Michael Pedersen with special guests Shirley Manson and Charlotte Church. And Lemn Sissay, Malika Booker, Kayo Chingonyi and Salena Godden will take the stage together to celebrate the work of Black British poets.
Black perspectives take centre stage in non-fiction events: Howard W French presents a revised history of modern civilisation from the point of view of Africa and its people in conversation with Olivette Otele. Tsitsi Dangarembga from Zimbabwe and Esi Edugyan from Canada join us to discuss their essays on race and representation, and Lord Simon Woolley, founder and director of Operation Black Vote and the first Black man to lead an Oxbridge college, talks about his own inspiring life story with Baroness Lola Young.
The Book Festival features a range of LGBTQIA+ voices. From the continuing fight for equality, recognition and belonging, to tender tales of love against the odds, these stories get to the heart of issues affecting the queer community.
Participants include Imogen Binnie, Torrey Peters and Shola von Reinhold who join Harry Josephine Giles to talk about the evolution of trans literature, and award-winning poet and performer Joelle Taylor who inspires audiences to use personal experience and perspectives to create new forms of poetry.
It’s an unprecedented year for performance at the Book Festival. This is Memorial Device is a full theatre production of a new play based on David Keenan’s novel of the same name, and is presented throughout the Book Festival. Graham Eatough’s adaptation is the latest development in a long-term partnership between the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and the Book Festival.
Performance events also include a series entitled Scotland Through Time – supported through the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund – looking at Scotland’s past, present and future through new books. Sarah Smith presents Hear No Evil; the new memoir by Chitra Ramaswamy, Homelands, is brought to life using a mixture of images, sound and performance; Deep Wheel Orcadia is a performance written in Orkney dialect and based on the verse novel by Harry Josephine Giles. International performances include the premiere of a major touring production of theatre, music and image, based on Faïza Guène’s bookDiscretion, directed by its English translator Sarah Ardizzone. And Philippe Sands is joined by RSC and Bridgerton actor Adjoa Andoh to present an illustrated performance of his book The Last Colony.
Stories are part of Scotland’s DNA and with support from EventScotland as part of the Year of Stories 2022, the Book Festival champions books by globally-acclaimed Scottish authors. Amongst the many highlights is Ali Smith with her latest work, Companion Piece; Richard Holloway, who has spoken at every Festival for the last 23 years, returns for an on-stage discussion with his friend, the artist Alison Watt, and the newly-knighted Ian Rankin returns for a conversation with Sam Baker about Murder Island, William McIlvanney and his upcoming Rebus novel.
We welcome firm favourites in the Baillie Gifford Children’s Programme including bestselling author-illustrator Cressida Cowell, Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson, British poet Dean Atta, author Juno Dawson, comedy writer and former doctor Adam Kay, and celebrated comedian and cartoonist Henry Packer.
Michael Morpurgo returns with Carnival of Animals, a musical event for the over fives and, for the first time, the Book Festival hosts the YA Book Prize Ceremony. Also appearing are authors Sinéad Burke, Rosie Jones, Jason Reynolds, Humza Arshad, Elle McNicoll, Ross Montgomery, and Aisha Bushby with their own books and stories in a series of lively events.
Our flagship Citizen programme, which has brought local communities in North Edinburgh, Musselburgh and Tollcross together through shared creativity, showcases some of the inspirational work created by the groups: participants share their own stories in events including at a community meal.
In a separate project, the Citizen Writers’ Group, led by author Eleanor Thom, presents One Day Ticket – a brand new play that takes the audience on a journey through the memories of Edinburgh in a script-in-hand performance by seven actors.
Citizen is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and through the PlaCE Programme.
This is just a small sample of the many joyful, inspirational and thought-provoking events in our programme this year.
The 2022 Edinburgh International Book Festival runs from Saturday 13 to Monday 29 August 2022. Audiences can enjoy live events in person, or online from home, and relax and chat with fellow audience members at our Festival Village at Edinburgh’s College of Art on Lauriston Place – entry to our Festival village is free.
The Pensioners Christmas Party was the social event of the year for the Doocot’s senior citizens. The Big Do(o), if you like.
Call him a bad-tempered auld bastard -and many did! – but Big Dick knew how to put on a do for his regulars – and it was all free.
Soup, turkey and all the trimmings, Christmas pudding followed by tea and coffee was the menu every year, all prepared by Dick’s wife Maggie with the help of Doocot staff.
And if the food was good, the entertainment was just as fine. There would be two turns, usually a comedian and a band or singer. And just to make the afternoon go with a swing, the partygoers were issued with vouchers for free drinks.
One year, never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it, Dick booked local ventriloquist Harry Lamb to entertain his punters. Harry was a hugely popular turn on the club circuit across central Scotland, his blue material in constant demand for stag nights and smokers.
Harry lived in Drylaw and he knew many members of his audience. Years of experience in the clubs had given him the ability to pick out a likely victim, usually someone who had had slightly too much bevvy and was getting quite loud – and on this particular afternoon Harry was spoilt for choice!
He singled out auld Tommy as his target, and went through his usual routine – which he, and doubtless many of his audience, could recite backwards – while he awaited his chance.
When Tommy stood up to make his way to the toilet, Harry seized his opportunity.
“TOMMY … OH, TOMMY …”, Sonny Boy, the ventriloquist’s dummy called through the darkness.
Tommy stopped in his tracks and turned.
“TOMMY … have you pished yersel’, Tommy?” the dummy asked.
“Naw, I’ve no’!”, Tommy shouted back indignantly, checking the front of his trousers just to make sure.
“Are you pished, Tommy?” asked the dummy.
“Naw, I’m no’ drunk!” Tommy shouted back.
“You must be daft, then?”
“Naw, I’m no’ daft, either!” Tommy was getting riled now.
“Then why the fuck are you standing arguing wi’ a wooden dummy?”
The audience loved it as Tommy stormed off to the toilets, seething.
For years afterwards, whenever Tommy turned up he would be subject to quiet wee ‘TOMMY … OH, TOMMY’ remarks from his mates. The story was even recounted at Tommy’s funeral, where Dick gave a fine oration before rushing back to the Doocot to make sure everything was just right for Tommy’s funeral tea.
There was no doubt ex-policeman Dick could be a hard bastard when he had to be, mind. Punters who had seen him in action were sure never to cross him. Dick’s reputation and no-nonsense attitude ensured that there was seldom any trouble in the Doo’Cot – and on the odd time there was, Big Dick was more than able to handle it.
Usually, a warning word or a long hard stare was enough, but, very occasionally, he was called into action from behind the bar. Ejecting wrongdoers, Dick was efficient, ruthless and, some reckoned, a sadistic bully. He was no spring chicken, but he still had it … and, just for insurance, he also had his trusty Alsation dog and his ex-service truncheon behind the bar.
But keeping order was only part of Dick’s role, important though that was in a pub in a tough working class neighbourhood. It took a special person to run a pub like the Doocot and even his fiercest critics grudgingly had to admit there was no-one better suited to the role.
He kept the riff-raff out, and he looked after his beer. The Doocot’s heavy was only bettered by that legendary pint served up at The Gravediggers – and some loyal Doocot regulars argued that it was even better.
And if Dick usually looked miserable, sometimes angry – a face like a well-kept grave, someone quipped – he had his reasons for not always appearing like a ray of sunshine behind the bar.
Frequent meetings with the brewery meant the writing was on the wall for The Doocot, and for Dick himself. Scottish & Newcastle Breweries was selling off it’s pub chain, and The Doocot was being sold off to Yorkshire brewer Samuel Smith’s.
Dick knew that Smith’s ran a different style of boozer, a style that did not suit him and a type of boozer that would not suit most of his regulars either. Smith’s had taken over the Cramond Inn, another local pub, and had immediately taken out televisions and the juke box. Dick knew his own punters: they would hate it.
Dick was too long in the tooth to learn new tricks and, in all honesty, too tired now to try something new. A Samuel Smith’s would not work in Drylaw, he had argued forcefully – but the brewery bosses were not interested. All they could see were £ signs.
Dick decided he had no option but to retire, but he would leave it for a while to break the news to his clientele. First, he had one last Pensioners Party to organise …
ALEC and his cohorts sat at a long table in The Bird Cage, the Doocot’s lounge bar. The Christmas party hats were now worn at a jaunty angle, and there was a warm fug created by beer fumes and the smoke of pipes, fags and cigars.
The windows were running with condensation and the temperature was dropping sharply outside. It had been a memorable afternoon – although, after all the drink they had consumed, it was doubtful that any of them would remember too much the following morning!
The lights had been dimmed and vocal duo Jim and Tonic were entertaining the punters with a selection of Christmas hits
“Anybody want another drink?” Alec asked, shouting above ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day’. Only Bobby said aye, the rest had had enough.
Archie had had more than enough: his head was down in his plate of Christmas pudding and his new Christmas tie was ruined.
Alec made his way unsteadily to the bar. “Two nips of Grouse please, darlin’”
Big Dick was serving at the other end of the bar, but he must have heard Alec above the hubbub.
“Who are the nips for?” he asked.
Alec, half-cut, thought maybe Dick was going to pay for them. “Me and Boaby. On the house? Make them doubles!”
“No chance. Nae nips for Bobby, Alec. I’ve been well warned by his missus – don’t let him get started on the nips. Tell him he can have one last pint, but he’s no’ getting a nip in here.”
“So much for the season of goodwill to all men!” Alec said. He threw back his whisky in a oner before returning to break the bad news to Bobby.
Bobby, not unexpectedly, did not take the refusal well. “Dick’s a miserable bastard. Is he scared of women or something? I’m the boss in my hoose, I wear the troosers! I decide what I have to drink; nobody else!”
While not quite drunk enough to challenge Dick, Bobby worked out a plan to get his nip. He called over auld Paddy the Potman.
Paddy collected empty glasses and emptied ashtrays when the pub was busy and Dick would pay him with a couple of drinks.
“Paddy, can you do me a wee favour?” …
It was a good hour later that Dick noticed Bobby was missing.
“Where’s Bobby? Is he away to the Ferry Boat in the huff?” Dick asked Alec.
Alec was guttered and the long table was beginning to look like a casualty clearing station. “I couldnae tell you, Dick. I haven’t seen him. Great party, mate!”
Dick looked under the table and checked the toilets, but there was no sign of Bobby.
Dick called The Ferry Boat and Bobby’s house, but without success. There was no option: Dick put on his coat on and went outside. It was snowing quite heavily now. Bobby lived just five minutes up the road, but he was pretty drunk; surely he couldn’t have got lost?
Dick checked out the chip shop next door Groathill Fish Bar and yes, a seriously pished Bobby had bought a fish supper some time back; a peace offering for his wife, apparently.
There was a tell-tale trail of dropped chips in the snow and halfway along Easter Drylaw Place, Detective Dick got his man. He spotted a pair of legs sticking out from a privet hedge alongside a discarded fish supper.
And while it’s not impossible that more than one person came to grief in Drylaw hedgerows that night, it was, of course, Bobby. Flat on his back, covered in a thin film of snow, snoring.
“Look at the state of you, man! Come on, get up!” It was awkward, but Dick was able to drag him back through the hedge and get him onto the pavement.
“Can you get up?”
“Fugg off, ya big bastard. Ge’ yer fuggin’ hands off me! I’ll have you now!”
“Have me? Ye cannae even stand!”
With that, Dick hauled Bobby upright and slung him over his shoulder. Bobby protested feebly – he also accused Dick of stealing his fish supper – but he was powerless as Dick marched through the thickening snow towards Bobby’s house.
They passed one of Dick’s regulars on the way: “Is that you oot delivering Christmas presents, Dick? Nice night for it!”
It was treacherous underfoot and Bobby was a dead weight but Dick got the ‘Christmas Present’ home.
Bobby’s wife Violet was, to put it mildly, slightly displeased but between them Rose and Dick were able to get Bobby onto his bed.
“How on Earth did he get in that state, Dick?
“The staff were well told no’ to serve him any nips. He must have been getting somebody else to buy them for him. I’m sorry about this, Violet. I tried to keep an eye on things but we were really busy. I’ll try to find out what happened.”
“Och, it’s no’ your fault, Dick. He’s auld enough and ugly enough to look after himsel’. He’ll pay for it tomorrow, though!”
Dick turned to go back to the Doocot, but paused.
“Oh, Violet, could you do me a wee favour? Could you keep this between you and me? Dinnae tell Bobby how he got home … I don’t want the boys in the pub thinking I’m a soft touch. That would never dae.”
And with that Dick set off through the snow back to The Doocot.
Do you have a story to tell or a memory to share about North Edinburgh Arts or the local area? We’re collecting local stories before North Edinburgh Arts closes for refurbishment.
Join writers Eleanor Thom and Luke Winter in the Story Wagon, a beautiful, purpose-built storytelling and writing caravan, situated in the North Edinburgh Arts Garden tomorrow – Wednesday 17 November, drop-in between 10am and 2pm.
Citizen is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and funded through the PLACE Programme, a partnership between the Scottish Government— through Creative Scotland — the City of Edinburgh Council and the Edinburgh Festivals.
This is part of its manifesto to use storytelling to improve literacy skills, while preserving and enriching cultural heritage through collaboration.
As part of the visit, the programme has brought together the city’s literary sector and cultural partners – Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) and Scottish Storytelling Centre – and showcased the exciting work and projects taking place in Edinburgh.
During the three-day programme Story Valley partners visited Edinburgh College to see the project in action, share best practice and explore potential collaborations, visited the Scottish International Storytelling Festival and spoke to representatives from innovative projects happening across the city.
The programme was topped off by a light spectacular on Thursday (28 October) as the Granton Gasholder, recently brought to life in partnership with Edinburgh College, as part of the £1.3billion Granton Waterfront project, was lit up in Story Valley colours.
The City of Edinburgh Council, Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Donald Wilson, said: “As the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, we’re very proud to be hosting the Story Valley partner cities in Edinburgh for the first time, sharing ideas, inspiring one another and working together with the ultimate goal of improving literacy across Europe through the wonders of telling stories of our past.
“Through this visit’s programme our Edinburgh partners have captured our Scottish culture and Edinburgh’s passion for its literary and cultural heritage while also showcasing our world-renowned Storytelling Festival. Everyone has gained a lot from this experience and I’m sure will be taking a lot away with them while planning the next gathering to progress the initiative.”
Ali Bowden from Edinburgh City of Literature, said: “We’re really pleased to be working with Edinburgh College, the Council and our sister Cities of Literature on Story Valley.
“Edinburgh has a strong storytelling tradition and it’s great that the students and organisations working on this project are finding new ways for storytelling to make a difference in people’s lives.”
Edinburgh College Assistant Principal of Curriculum for Creative Industries, Jakki Jeffery, said: “We’re really excited to welcome our partners from Leeuwarden, Ljubljana and Nottingham to Edinburgh as part of the Story Valley project and are looking forward to showcasing the work of Edinburgh College’s Creative Industries faculty and sharing examples of good practice between the VET and further education institutions.
“Partners will have the opportunity to work on each of the Intellectual Outputs face-to-face for the first time and to meet some of our staff and students involved in the project to see first-hand what they have been working on.”
The Edinburgh International Book Festival has teamed up with The Brunton Theatre and North Edinburgh Arts to host a weekend of inspiring creative activities and conversations.
The second Citizen Winter Warmer presents two days of heart-warming, interactive and fun events celebrating local community voices and creating opportunities for new stories to be heard.
Featuring fun-filled afternoons of art and stories for families and an evenings of celebration featuring local residents side-by-side with professional writers, the Citizen Winter Warmer will take place on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 November 2021 and is part of Book Week Scotland.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Citizen project is supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery and through the PLACE programme.
Noëlle Cobden, Communities Programme Director at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said “We’re delighted to be working with our partners North Edinburgh Arts and The Brunton on our Citizen Winter Warmer.
“Through our year-round Communities Programme, the Book Festival provides a platform for local people to share their stories, helping to bring us together in challenging times.
“The Winter Warmer all is about celebrating community and connection, spreading a little bit of light in the darkest point of the year, and we hope that everyone, whether or not they’ve been to a Book Festival event before, feels welcome to join us either in Musselburgh or North Edinburgh.”
The Citizen Winter Warmer is all about sharing stories from local communities and, prior to the event itself, writer Luke Winter is joined by Citizen Writer in Residence Eleanor Thom as they park the Story Wagon outside each venue (Tuesday 16 November at The Brunton, Musselburgh and Wednesday 17 November at North Edinburgh Arts, 10.00am to 2.00pm each day).
Local residents are encouraged to drop in, have a chat and tell their stories to Luke and Eleanor.
The Winter Warmer kicks off on Friday 19 November at The Brunton in Musselburgh, moving to North Edinburgh Arts in Muirhouse on Saturday 20 November.
The Great Big Story Show presents two afternoons of family entertainment, with the fun-loving duo Macastory bringing their hilarious songs and stories to the stage.
Writer Luke Winter creates a fresh story live on stage from audience suggestions and much-loved children’s authors Maisie Chan and Elle McNicoll read from their brand-new book The Very Merry Murder Club – packed with Christmassy crimes, festive foul play and murderously magnificent mysteries – perfect for inquisitive kids!
In Musselburgh on Friday author Christopher Lloyd also joins to explain how to stand up for the environment with his beautifully illustrated nature book It’s Up to Us, while at North Edinburgh Arts on Saturday illustrator Eilidh Muldoon creates a beautifully illustrated map of North Edinburgh featuring all the audiences’ favourite places.
Audiences can tuck into two evenings of terrific tales and delicious food as the Book Festival’s Citizen participants share stories of life in Musselburgh and Muirhouse, and writers explore what community means today in the popular Stories and Scran event.
The evening offers a sumptuous three course meal provided by the Scran Academy, a social enterprise catering company supporting vulnerable young people, and brilliant new writing inspired by the surrounding areas from local people who have taken part in Citizen’s creative conversations and workshops.
In Musselburgh the writers from the community will be joined on stage by the award-winning author of Scabby Queen, Kirstin Innes, and poets JL Williams and Andrés Ordorica, who share their own powerful writing and discuss their views on community, identity and home.
At North Edinburgh Arts the evening is hosted by Scran Academy founder, social entrepreneur, youth leader and campaigner John Loughton. The local community writers are joined by the award-winning poet, playwright and author of Luckenbooth Jenni Fagan, as well as poets Courtney Stoddart and Ryan Hay, who share new work and reflect on what community, identity and home mean today.
In 2019, local photographers Karmen Bermudez and David Coxon took to the streets around North Edinburgh Arts to shoot the urban landscape, capturing incredible images which inspired short written responses from visitors to that year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.
As part of the Citizen Winter Warmer celebration in north Edinburgh, a free exhibition titled Who Lives in a Place Like This? showcasesthese photos and the writing inspired by them, returning to the community that birthed them along with words and images created by young people from The Alternative School at Spartans Community Football Club which offer a vital snapshot of their lives and a sense of their world and their community.
Michael Stitt, Chair of Brunton Theatre Trust, said “The Brunton is dedicated to bringing the very best theatre, music, dance, comedy, children’s theatre, film and live screenings to East Lothian for the enjoyment and enrichment of as many people of all ages, as possible.
“Situated within the heart of the vibrant and creative community of Musselburgh, the breadth of our programming is ambitious and takes account of the interests of all communities we serve. We also have an exciting creative participation programme.
“We are delighted to be working in collaboration with our partners Edinburgh International Book Festival to deliver the Citizen Winter Warmer programme that supports creative activities with local communities.”
The Citizen Winter Warmer is part of Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Citizen project– an ongoing programme of events, festivals and residences taking place around Edinburgh and the Lothians throughout the year, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and through the PLACE programme.
Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery said: “I’m delighted that players are supporting the Citizen programme, helping bring communities together and hearing their stories. The Winter Warmer is an opportunity for us all to learn more about this city and its residents.”
As part of the Winter Warmer, featured children’s authors Christopher Lloyd, Maisie Chan and Elle McNicoll will be visiting local schools. Children will get to explore their fascinating stories through a mix of interactive activities, readings and Q&A sessions led by the authors themselves.
Tickets to all events at The Brunton, Musselburgh are available through http://thebrunton.co.uk or on 0131 653 5245 (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm).
Tickets to all events at North Edinburgh Arts are available through http://northedinburgharts.co.uk or on 0131 315 2151 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm).
