New project follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature and the City of Edinburgh Council
Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature and Edinburgh Trams have launched Tramlines, a new partnership bringing poetry and literature into everyday public spaces across the city.
The initiative will see poems displayed throughout Edinburgh’s tram network, celebrating the city’s literary heritage while introducing thousands of passengers to poetry as part of their daily journeys.
The project features a selection of work by established, emerging and historic poets connected to Edinburgh. The project was partially inspired by London’s Poems on the Underground project, which is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary.
The project includes the winning poem from the inaugural Tramlines Poetry Competition, which invited emerging poets to create work for public space and everyday readers. The winning entry, Timelines by Stephen Deazley, was selected by a panel for inclusion.
Other poets featured in this iteration include: Norman MacCaig, Robin Robertson, Stephanie Green, Zain Rishi, Hannah Lavery, Jess Brough, Bridget Khursheed, Valerie Gillies, Wilfred Owen, Carolina Oliphant, Robert Burns, Dorothy Lawrenso, Jeda Pearl, Medha Singh, Vicki Feaver, Màrtainn Mac an t-Saoir/Martin MacIntyre and Theresa Muñoz.
Tramlines is also a celebration of a new Memorandum of Understanding between Edinburgh City of Literature and City of Edinburgh Council. Signed as Edinburgh celebrates more than two decades as the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, the Memorandum of Understanding recognises this vital partnership.
It reaffirms a shared commitment to maintaining Edinburgh’s UNESCO designation, nurturing the city’s literary life, raising the profile of literature across communities, and strengthening Edinburgh’s reputation as a leading international city of culture and ideas.
The Rt Hon Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, said: “Edinburgh’s reputation as a City of Literature has been built over generations by writers, readers, publishers, libraries, festivals and communities across the city.
“This partnership is about building on that remarkable legacy and creating the conditions for our literary life to continue to flourish. Projects like Tramlines show how literature can be part of everyday life, reaching people in unexpected places and reminding us that stories belong to all of us.”
Dr Harriet MacMillan, Director of UNESCO Edinburgh City of Literature, commented: “We are delighted to formalise our longstanding relationship with the City of Edinburgh Council through this Memorandum of Understanding.
“It reflects our shared ambition to embed literature and storytelling across the life of the city and to ensure that Edinburgh continues to lead internationally as a UNESCO City of Literature.
The launch of Tramlines is a wonderful example of that ambition in action, bringing poetry directly to residents and visitors as they travel through the city. We’re thrilled to see the insightful, inspiring and moving words of some of Edinburgh’s outstanding poets appearing across the tram network, and we hope they encourage moments of reflection, connection and discovery for everyone who reads them.
“We hope that this will be the first of many iterations of Tramlines – we have so many wonderful Edinburgh poets to celebrate!”
Sarah Boyd, Chief Executive of Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams, said: “We are proud to support this initiative in partnership with Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature.
“We hope these poems, including Stephen Deazley’s winning entry, inspire moments of reflection, creativity and enjoyment for our tram customers as they travel across the city.
“Edinburgh’s rich literary heritage deserves to be preserved, celebrated and shared with future generations.”
