A Matter of Precedents by Annette Krauss opens on 1 June, as a research resource in the Library.
This collaborative long-term research project reflects on Collective’s move to the City Observatory and explores the site’s designation as a ‘common good asset’.
The project launches with two walking conversations on 1 & 2 June led by Annette Krauss and other artists and cultural thinkers, and will visit common good sites in Edinburgh.
18 June – 4 September
backwash, an exhibition of new work by Camara Taylor, opens in the Hillside on 18 June. The exhibition consists of new video and mixed-media work relating to the artist’s ongoing conversation with Scottish waterways and a collection of public papers spanning several centuries. Camara Taylor is a participant in Satellites, Collective’s development programme for emergent pracitioners based in Scotland.
25 June – 18 September
On 25 June The Beast by Ruth Ewan will open in the City Dome.
A new animation, presented alongside archival material, focuses on the Scottish/American steel magnate Andrew Carnegie and his namesake Diplodocus carnegii. The exhibition explores intersecting ideas around power, exploitation, culture and the history of capitalism. The animation has been co-written with Marxist magician and professor of theatre studies Dr Ian Saville.
More than 70,000 ‘Big Lunches’ and events planned across the country
Activities for children released including Colour a Corgi
Big screens will be set up outdoors in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff so thousands of people can come together to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next month.
Screens broadcasting the events will be placed in The Mall in London, Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens and in Cardiff’s Bute Park.
From street parties and ‘Big Jubilee Lunches’ happening across the UK, to London’s Trooping the Colour, Service of Thanksgiving, concert and pageant, the nation and commonwealth will come together over four days to mark The Queen’s 70-year reign.
The screens are organised by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) which today is launching an activity pack for children to help them learn about The Queen’s reign, including articles about how the country has changed in the last seven decades, opportunities to colour in a corgi or crown and bunting to decorate for street parties.
More than 70,000 Big Jubilee Lunches are planned in the four UK nations over the weekend, with an expected ten million people set to sit down with their neighbours on Sunday 5 June, to celebrate Her Majesty’s momentous jubilee.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “In less than a month we will come together as a nation and Commonwealth to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s 70-year reign. No other British monarch has reached this milestone and we will celebrate it with tradition, pomp and circumstance.
“I hope that people and communities across the country will come together to pay tribute to Her Majesty – whether that be to watch on big screens or toasting Her Majesty at a Big Jubilee Lunch with their neighbours or coming together in their local village hall.
In London, screens broadcasting the BBC’s live feed will be placed down The Mall and in St James’s Park for members of the public to watch the events taking place across the Bank Holiday weekend.
In Edinburgh, screens will be placed in Princes Street Gardens with thousands able to host picnics and watch the celebrations with a backdrop of Edinburgh Castle and entertainment provided by the Royal Marines and local performers.
The Welsh Capital is also inviting families to bring their Jubilee Picnic and enjoy an afternoon in Bute Park. The beautiful Grade I listed park in the heart of Cardiff’s city centre will provide the perfect venue for an afternoon of Jubilee celebrations as families are invited to enjoy the Jubilee Pageant on a large screen along with entertainment from the bandstand.
In Northern Ireland, a design competition will see primary school children create a ‘snapshot of Northern Ireland’, with the winning entry to be manufactured into a rug by leading company Ulster Carpets and sent to Her Majesty the Queen.
In addition, The Queen and other members of the Royal Family will receive Northern Ireland Platinum Jubilee Hampers showcasing over 50 top quality local food and drink producers, and representing the appreciation of the people of Northern Ireland for Her Majesty’s dedicated service.
Events taking place in London will be broadcast on TV networks BBC, Sky and ITV. In a further move to mark the occasion, the BBC is offering local communities a special one-off TV Licence dispensation so they can screen it on a big screen they organise themselves.
The plans will allow those celebrating with events arranged in town halls, community centres and streets to show live programmes throughout the weekend without needing to purchase a licence.
UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “Watching the celebrations on the big screens the UK Government is setting up around the country is a great way for people to really get involved and soak up the atmosphere of this fabulous occasion.
“We’re looking forward to a great family-focused event in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh where people can bring a picnic, enjoy the weekend’s festivities and raise a glass to Her Majesty to mark her 70-year reign.”
BBC Director-General Tim Davie says: “I am delighted we are helping to bring people together to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and I’m looking forward to seeing our coverage on big screens up and down the UK, as we mark this wonderful occasion.“
The North Edinburgh community came out in force yesterday to enjoy the North Edinburgh Community Festival at West Pilton Park.
More than fifty local organisations contributed to a memorable day of music, food, arts and crafts, entertainment and information.
Local activist Willie Black, who chairs the Festival organising committee, said the hard work involved in staging the event had proved worthwhile.
“Covid has meant that it’s been a long time since our community has been able to have a party so it was great to see local folk coming out in huge numbers to enjoy themselves.
“Today has been a celebration of everything that makes North Edinburgh special and I’d like to thank each and very individual and organisation who contributed so much to making the festival such a huge success.”
Are you ready for our next big event? We certainly are!
Celebrate RE’BEL-TANE with us on April 30th! We have a number of exciting family friendly activities lined up for you, head to our website (link in bio) to take a closer look at what you can expect.
We are also super excited to have our beloved Hingabootery Café back open and running again which means we will be able to cater to all your coffee, tea and ice cream needs
The Royal Highland Show will take to the small screen to livestream this year’s 200th anniversary event across the globe.
In what has been described as a ‘game changer’ for the Royal Highland Show, organisers have successfully secured £200,000 of funding from the Scottish Government to drive this ground-breaking initiative.
The funding will be administered by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, on behalf of the Scottish Government.
The free-to-view RHS TV will see a dynamic mix of live and pre-recorded content broadcast throughout the four days, featuring the perfect balance of livestock judging, equestrian classes, culture, interviews, food & drink and of course, the grand parade. Presenting RHS TV in the mornings will be Dougie Vipond, with Sarah Mack taking the reins in the afternoons.
Not only beamed across the globe, RHS TV will also be transmitted across the showground on giant screens throughout the four days. The content captured will be available to watch back on the Royal Highland Show YouTube channel.
The exciting announcement follows on from the success of the Royal Highland Showcase in 2021, which saw a total audience of 345,701 viewers watch the action online from across 97 countries.
Bill Gray, Chairman of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), organisers of the Royal Highland Show, said: “This is a hugely exciting announcement which will allow us to bring the best of food, farming, and rural Scotland to audiences across the globe.
“The value the Show brings to the economy and also to Scotland the brand is reflected in the level of support we have received from the Scottish Government, for which we are very grateful.”
The announcement is just one of many exciting new initiatives planned to make the 2022 Show, which marks 200 years since the first Show took place, a spectacular event.
Bill added: “RHS TV also presents great opportunities for sponsors and exhibitors to extend their reach beyond the 200,000 people expected to attend the event.
“This is yet another way in which we can add value and also generate revenue which allows RHASS to fulfil its charitable activities.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “The support of the Scottish Government has ensured the organisers of the Royal Highland Show are able to continue to embrace innovation and build on the success of last year’s Showcase with RHS TV.
“Scotland is the perfect stage for events and the dynamic mix of live and pre-recorded content to be broadcast via RHS TV will enable audiences both around the world and at home to connect, enjoy and share in the memorable experience that is the Royal Highland Show, one of the country’s much loved major events.”
Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “I know how important events like this are to farmers, crofters and rural communities more generally. As the Royal Highland Show celebrates its 200th anniversary this year I’m delighted that this important and high profile event will be welcoming people in person again.
“The Show, which brings together Scotland’s world famous food and drink, traditions and culture to be enjoyed by attendees from around the world, will once again support Scotland’s events supply chain which has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic.
“I am delighted that Scottish Government funding will enable the Royal Highland Show to showcase online all that rural Scotland has to offer and celebrate, significantly increasing the reach of this event and enabling people across Scotland and all around the world to experience the rich variety of activities the Show has to offer.”
Supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, the Royal Highland Show will take place at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, on 23-26 June 2022.
Tickets, including for car parking, must be pre-purchased online this year and no tickets will be available to buy on the gate. Tickets are limited in number this year with sell out days anticipated, so it is advised to purchase early. Children aged 15 and under go free when accompanied by an adult (free ticket must also be reserved in advance).
For further information and to purchase tickets please visit:
Calling All Musicians * Calling All Musicians * Calling All Musicians
Tuesday the 21st of June will be Make Music Day and Edinburgh City Libraries are calling out to all musicians, groups, ensembles, choirs, orchestras to join us. The service will be putting together a varied program to fill midsummers day with music:
‘In 2019 we ran successful programs of events in Central, Morningside, Craigmillar and Stockbridge Libraries (see poster below).
With a range if groups performing Opera to Klezmer, recorder solo’s to the Rolling Hills Chorus. In 2020 and 2021 we were forced online with a curtailed but no less interesting program of events with choirs, instrumentalists and the Libraries staff singing the Make Music Day anthems Bring Me Sunshine and Stand By Me.
Make Music Day started life 40 years ago in 1982. In France under President Mitterrand’s Socialist Party Maurice Fleuret , was appointed as Director of Music and Dance at the French Ministry of Culture with a responsibility for festivals and events.
He immediately saw that there was a discrepancy in the number of children and adults able to play musical instruments and the numbers who actually participated in any form of music making.
Fete da la Musique was born. His, Fleuret’s, statement rang loud “Music is everywhere and the concert is nowhere” and mission statement for day became, amateur and professional musician should give of their time freely and that all performances should to be free to attend, forty years on those statements are pretty much the same.
Year on year the festival grew and not just in France, by the early 90s the festival had become an event in approximately 80 countries and this year that number stands at 126 countries around the world. The 21st of June was chosen as it is normally the longest day of the year or the summer solstice.
If you wished, and some people do, you could have musical events from the early hours when the sun rises to when it sets late in the evening, and those performances could be anywhere street corners, driveways, concert halls, Libraries, Bandstands, telephone boxes. Anywhere and everywhere, performed and watched by anyone and everyone.
In that spirit, this year we are back and able to welcome musicians into the building to perform and we will welcome audiences to the Library to watch live music.
Please get in touch with us and give us a description of what you do or what you would like to do on the 21st of June, if you are able to link us to any online examples of your previous work, would be useful, but certainly not essential.
* Calling All Musicians * Calling All Musicians * Calling All Musicians!
The National Climate Campaign empowers underserved communities across Scotland with climate change knowledge
Building on their success during COP26, where they first united under the banner ‘Scottish Science Centres Together for Climate’, Science Centres in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dundee have once again joined forces to form the National Climate Campaign (NCC).
Together, the centres aim to continue the legacy of COP26 by informing, inspiring and empowering a diverse audience to tackle the climate crisis and ensure the discussion on climate change remains open.
Working together to further climate science education in their communities, the National Climate Campaign saw each science centre deliver a coordinated and interactive campaign of over 89 events, reaching over 13,000 members of underserved and underrepresented audiences by the end of March 2022.
The programme strived to make science more relatable and helped learners develop their science skills to understand the world around them.
The four science centres offered a programme of events tailored to different groups local to them, from both within the walls of their centres and outside in the community.
Glasgow Science Centre reached over 3,000 school pupils in remote, rural and deprived areas by providing access to their online and interactive ‘Learning Labs’, while also facilitating transport and visits to the centre from a variety of community groups, including Glasgow Disability Alliance, Yorkhill Green Space and African Challenge Scotland.
The centre has brought together partners in science education to deliver the learning and engagement programme– including providing film screenings of The Ants and the Grasshopper in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful.
In addition, Glasgow Science Centre organised litter pickings and climate café sessions, shining a light on the importance of science in the community and engaging with groups who are often the most affected by changes in our climate.
Stephen Breslin, CEO of the Glasgow Science Centre said:“We set up the National Climate Campaign to ensure that there is a legacy of climate engagement left behind after COP26.
“We hope that by providing communities across Scotland with our knowledge and resources, we can act as a magnet for climate engagement and help empower young people to make considered decisions and learn what climate change means for them.”
A spokesperson for the NSPCC, who took part in visits to Glasgow Science Centre as part of the National Climate Campaign said:“Having the opportunity to go to the Science Centre inclusive of travel and lunch was invaluable to the families, as travel and access to food are barriers that are often forgotten about when providing activities free of charge to the public.’
“The visit to the centre allowed the children to broaden their horizons around science, a topic which has so many elements, but isn’t always understood. Some of the children linked their school eco projects to the work at the science centre and shared this with the community team.
“The families expressed how much they enjoyed the experience, pointing out that they wouldn’t be able to afford the trip on their income and that both children and adults alike, learned so much and had a great day out.”
A highlight from Aberdeen Science Centre’s 20-event programme was last month’s Supper and Science Evening, where families came together to cook an evening meal at Northfield Academy.
While the meal was cooking, Science Centre staff ran a series of climate-themed workshop activities, including one where they recreated an oil spill with feathers and soap, to give the children some hands-on climate science experience.
In Edinburgh, Dynamic Earth delivered a packed programme of events including the delivery of STEM kits to a local children’s hospital. The boxes contain a variety of activities and experiments for young people on earth and environmental sciences with connections to climate change and marine environments.
Alongside their 10 in-person events and digital programme, the centre have also been running climate change workshops with community audiences, including the Edinburgh Young Carers Project Care for Carers, the Citadel Youth Centre and family learning activities with local primary schools.
Over 1,000 primary school pupils took part in Dundee Science Centre’s experiments and challenges during COP26 Schools Week, while the centre has created 150-climate themed community kids for young people, containing a mini solar-powered windmill as well as other items to show how environmental sciences connect to climate change.
Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said:“Young people have been among the strongest voices calling for urgent global action to address climate change.
“This campaign will make sure that young people in communities across Scotland continue to play a key role in our journey to becoming a net zero nation, delivering a lasting legacy for COP26, and making their voices heard loud and clear.”
Kostas Minas, Head of Education and Learning at Aberdeen Science Centre said: “We are excited to be part of the National Campaign, which we hope will engage our local communities on what we can all do to help the environment and how our actions impact the planet, whilst demonstrating how science can help us understand our world and feel empowered by knowledge.
“We’re grateful to be able to work so closely with Scotland’s three other science and discovery centres and I’m sure this campaign will leave a legacy of collaboration between the organisations.”
Eilidh Massie, Marketing Director at Dynamic Earth said: “It is so important for people to not only learn about our amazing planet, but also to understand that the Earth’s climate system is something we have taken for granted for too long.
“At Dynamic Earth we’re committed to reminding people, young and old, that we need to act now before the damage is irreversible.
“It has been a fantastic opportunity to work collectively with Scotland’s Science Centres as part of the National Climate Campaign to further these messages.”
Carlene Cura, Development and Fundraising Advisor, Dundee Science Centre said:“As COP26 approached, the climate emergency dominated the news and will, quite rightly, remain high on the news agenda.
“Now and in the future, Scotland’s Science Centres have a responsibility and an opportunity to bring these important global topics down to a grassroots level, into our local classrooms, community centres and homes, from city centre flats to rural communities.
“We see it as a privilege to take these important messages, make them accessible and relevant to all and shape fun and engaging activities around them, creating impactful, memorable activities for our audiences and helping them understand and explore the role they can play in our futures.
“It’s particularly important that these messages reach underserved communities who may not typically visit a science centre or have the digital resources to access our activities online, but whose potential to make a difference is exactly the same. That’s where our community outreach box has been extremely valuable, giving individuals and families the chance to get involved wherever they live, and whatever barriers they might face.”
For more information on the National Climate Campaign and Scottish Science Centre’s climate change education programming visit:
Collective is now open from Tuesday – Sunday, 10am—5pm
Visit Collective this Easter break to experience a range of creative workshops suitable for children of all ages – from workshops celebrating rainwater in partnership with Edinburgh Science Festival, to drop-in creative sessions exploring our PLAY programme, and a final weekend of activities inspired by our current exhibition H-E-L-L-O by artist Cauleen Smith.
Edinburgh Science Festival: Rain Harvest
9–10 April 11am—12.30pm & 2—3.30pm £5 | Book in advance
Join in with the 2022 Edinburgh Science Festival and explore the beauty and vitality of rainwater in this hands-on, sensory workshop that blends art, science and play.
11–22 April Tuesday – Sunday, 10am—4pm Free | No booking needed
Throughout the Easter holidays, families are warmly invited to drop in to Collective and join us at our Play Shelter and Hillside spaces to take part in a range of art activities related to our year-round Collective Play programme.
Collective PLAY Weekend: Vibrations
23–24 April, 11am—4pm Free | No booking needed
Join us for a final Easter holiday weekend of free outdoor play and creative activities for children and families, inspired by our current exhibition H-E-L-L-O by Cauleen Smith.
A limited number of quiet slots are available on 23 April for families and children with autism or sensory learning disabilities.
The National Climate Campaign empowers underserved communities across Scotland with climate change knowledge
Dynamic Earth have delivered a packed programme of events and experiences exploring climate change including the delivery of STEM kits to a local children’s hospital, as part of a National Climate Campaign uniting Scotland’s Science Centres.
The kits, designed for young people, contain a variety of activities and experiments focusing on earth and environmental sciences, with connections to climate change and marine environments.
These boxes give young people the chance to explore connections between ocean depth and pressure, experience augmented reality colouring-in, build their own rope and more, bringing science directly to them wherever they are.
Alongside their STEM kit distribution, Dynamic Earth delivered a series of in-person events and digital programmes reaching over seven thousand people as part of a campaign, building on the legacy of COP26 alongside Scotland’s other science centres.
The centre has been running climate change workshops with community audiences and family learning activities with local primary schools, reaching groups including the Edinburgh Young Carers Project Care for Carers and the Citadel Youth Centre.
Brought together by Glasgow Science Centre, the centres have joined forces to inform, inspire and empower a diverse audience to tackle the climate crisis and ensure the discussion on climate change remains open.
Working together to further climate science education in their communities, the National Climate Campaign saw each centre deliver a coordinated and interactive campaign of over 89 events, reaching over 13,000 members of underserved and underrepresented audiences by the end of March 2022.
The programme strived to make science more relatable and helps learners build up their science skills to understand the world around them.
Elsewhere in Scotland, Glasgow Science Centre have been hosting weekly community visits and film screenings, shining a light on the importance of science in the community and engaging with groups who are unlikely to visit Glasgow Science Centre regularly and can be most affected by climate change and its effect on lifestyle.
In total Glasgow Science Centre have facilitated 16 community group visits this year to the Science Centre, including visitors from Glasgow Disability Alliance, Yorkhill Green Space and African Challenge Scotland.
They have engaged 374 people who may have not visited the centre before, while also offering 3,000 primary school pupils in remote, rural and deprived areas access to their online interactive ‘Learning Labs’.
A highlight from Aberdeen Science Centre’s 20-event programme was last month’s Supper and Science Evening, where families came together to cook an evening meal at Northfield Academy.
While the meal was cooking, Science Centre staff ran a series of climate-themed workshop activities, including one where they recreated an oil spill with feathers and soap, to give the children some hands-on climate science experience.
In Dundee, the team created 150 climate-themed community kits for young people, containing a mini solar-powered windmill as well as other items to show how earth and environmental sciences connect to climate change and marine environments, while also engaging over 1,000 primary school pupils in activities during COP26 Schools Week.
Eilidh Massie, Marketing Director at Dynamic Earth said: “It is so important for people to not only learn about our amazing planet, but also to understand that the Earth’s climate system is something we have taken for granted for too long.
“At Dynamic Earth we’re committed to reminding people, young and old, that we need to act now before the damage is irreversible.
“It has been a fantastic opportunity to work collectively with Scotland’s Science Centres as part of the National Climate Campaign to further these messages.”
Stephen Breslin, CEO of the Glasgow Science Centre said:“We set up the National Climate Campaign to ensure that there is a legacy of climate engagement left behind after COP26.
“We hope that by providing communities across Scotland with our knowledge and resources, we can act as a magnet for climate engagement and help empower young people to make considered decisions and learn what climate change means for them.”
Environment Minister, Mairi McAllan said: “Young people have been among the strongest voices calling for urgent global action to address climate change.
“This campaign will make sure that young people in communities across Scotland continue to play a key role in our journey to becoming a net zero nation, delivering a lasting legacy for COP26, and making their voices heard loud and clear.”
For more information on the National Climate Campaign and Scottish Science Centre’s climate change education programming visit:
Are you ready for our next big event? We certainly are!
Celebrate RE’BEL-TANE with us on April 30th! We have a number of exciting family friendly activities lined up for you, head to our website (link in bio) to take a closer look at what you can expect.
