Tag: ideas

Call for residents to shape how Visitor Levy funds are spent in their communities

First phase of Your Voice: Visitor Levy is now open for ideas until 6 December 2026

Residents across Edinburgh are being asked to share their ideas for how some of the funds raised through the Visitor Levy should be spent in their local areas, as the Council launches Your Voice: Visitor Levy.

Each of the Council’s 17 electoral wards will benefit from a share of £1.7m over three years, allowing the benefits to reach every part of the city. Residents will directly decide how to spend the portion of Levy income in their local ward via a new online voting portal.

The initiative is a new Participatory Budgeting programme, which gives residents the chance to suggest ideas and vote on how public money should be spent. Visitor Levy funding must be reinvested in facilities and services used by visitors, helping to improve Edinburgh for residents, workers and students too.

The share of the fund that each ward will receive is influenced by local needs and population, with areas of greater economic need getting a slightly larger share.

Culture and Communities Convener Margaret Graham said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to help shape how a portion of Visitor Levy funding is invested in neighbourhoods across the city.

“We want to hear directly from local people about what matters most in your communities – and encourage visitors to see more of the Edinburgh’s wonderful neighbourhoods beyond the city centre.

“The ideas you share now will help community groups in your area develop proposals that reflect genuine local priorities and deliver things that benefit both residents and visitors.

“We know communities themselves are best placed to identify local needs and opportunities, and we’re keen to make participation easy as possible with plenty of opportunities to participate and have your say.

“Whether it’s improving parks and public spaces, supporting cultural activities, celebrating local heritage, or creating new opportunities for sport and physical activities, now is your chance to tell us what would make the biggest difference where you live.

“These suggested themes are just a starting point, and we’re looking forward to seeing the first sets of project ideas emerge and take shape in every corner of the city.”

The first stage of the initiative opens today with a call for communities and residents to say how they want the money to be spent in their area.

Step 1: Tell us your ideas (9 November – 6 December 2026)
Before applications open, we want to hear from local people about what matters to them most. Ideas shared will help community groups and charities put forward projects that reflect real local needs.

People can take part in two ways:

  1. Submit ideas online: tell us what kind of projects you want to see funded in your local community.
  2. Invite the Your Voice team to a meeting: community groups with a meeting or network event between 9 November and 6 December can get in touch at yourvoice@edinburgh.gov.uk, and a member of the team will attend to explain the project and collect ideas.

Potential projects could include:

  • Community and public art
  • Cultural events and performances
  • Sport events and physical activities
  • Improvements to parks and public spaces
  • Heritage and community history projects

These are just suggestions, and everyone who takes part will also be given the opportunity to suggest other types of projects.

Next steps

4 January – 6 March 2027: Applications open. Community organisations and charities will apply for funding in response to the ideas and priorities local people have shared.

May – June 2027: Residents vote. Local people will decide which proposals they want to see funded in their ward.

June – July 2027: Awards made. Successful applicants with the highest number of votes will receive the funding.

Find out more

Your Voice: Visitor Levy is funded by the Edinburgh Visitor Levy, which came into effect in July.

The initiative has been designed to empower the city’s local communities, increase civic engagement and improve Edinburgh’s neighbourhoods in a way that addresses local priorities.

In accordance with the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act (2024), funds raised by the levy must be reinvested in local facilities and services substantially used by business and leisure visitors. However, participatory budgeting may also benefit residents and those who work and study in Edinburgh.

The levy’s agreed investment programmes are worth over £90 million over the next three years and have been designed to sustain and enhance Edinburgh’s reputation as one of the most beautiful and enjoyable destinations in the world.

Projects already operating include:

  • The new £3.8m The Small Scale Accessible and Sustainable Capital Fund to support improvements to Edinburgh’s public cultural and heritage buildings.
  • The £2.62m Innovate Fund to provide extra support for all eligible cultural and arts organisations – including those operating at a local community level – to improve resilience, support programming innovation and enhance cultural output.
  • The launch of the Edinburgh Visitor Economy Improvement Fund (EVEIF) grant funding programme to support businesses in strengthening the city’s visitor economy, helping the sector respond to changing market conditions, rising operational pressures and evolving visitor expectations by encouraging partnerships, innovation and knowledge‑sharing between organisations.
  • A £132,000 contribution towards Edinburgh’s Festival Carnival and Mardi Gras events, which took place over the weekend of 18/19 July, providing an early demonstration of the Council’s intent to reinvest the levy’s funds into experiences that everyone can enjoy, whether they are visitors or residents.
  • Funding ten festival city ambassadors to help visitors find their way around the capital this summer, and work alongside the Council’s partners to make sure Edinburgh remains a vibrant and inclusive place.
  • Partnering with Police Scotland to create a City Centre Policing Unit, increasing public safety in the city centre and freeing up existing resource for frontline officers to be more present across other areas of the city.

A full list of the projects is available on the Visitor Levy section of the Council’s website.

Leith wants your big ideas for its 900th birthday

Three £3,000 commissions are up for grabs now, with bigger opportunities ahead if Leith becomes the UK’s first Town of Culture in 2028

Leith is calling for ideas to help shape how the town celebrates its 900th birthday in 2028, with three £3,000 commissions available now and the potential for much larger projects if its UK Town of Culture bid is successful.

“Big Ideas. Leith Style.” is deliberately simple: no lengthy application forms and no need to be an established arts organisation. If you have an idea rooted in Leith, you can pitch it in writing, by voice note or short video.

Ideas could become projects, events, collaborations, conversations or acts of creativity: big or small, loud or quiet. They might draw on Leith’s football, food, music, memories, shipbuilding, golf, street art or community life, and could happen anywhere from a stage to a pub, playground, bowling club, church hall, theatre, café or kitchen.

Three £3,000 Countdown Commissions

Three projects will each receive £3,000 to take place in January and February 2027, marking one year until Leith’s 900th birthday.

Projects should celebrate an aspect of Leith’s culture, heritage or identity, bring people together and leave something behind, whether that is skills, relationships, confidence, memories or knowledge.

The commissions are open to people based in Leith, including individuals, community groups, charities and social enterprises, cultural organisations, businesses and informal networks. Partnerships are encouraged.

Bigger ideas for 2028

The call is also looking for ambitious ideas that could form part of Leith’s programme in 2028.

Local, national and international artists, creatives and organisations can submit ideas, provided they are rooted in Leith and create meaningful opportunities for local people and organisations.

If Leith is named UK Town of Culture 2028, successful projects could receive between £15,000 and £150,000 towards their development and delivery.

The strongest ideas will feel unmistakably Leith: made with people rather than for them, reaching beyond the usual audiences and leaving something lasting behind.

Susie Gray and Jenny Mungall, co-Directors of Leith Culture Partnership, said: “Culture isn’t something Leith is short of – it’s all around us. In the pubs, the bowling clubs, the church halls, the streets, artists spaces and renowned kitchens, and it has been for 900 years.

“This call is about finding the people who can tell our story brilliantly and backing them. We want ideas from everyone, locals with things to say and dreams for Leith and those who have been captivated by Leith’s character and spirit far and wide.”

Got an idea? Send it in

There is no complicated application form. Simply tell the team what your idea is, what part of Leith it celebrates, who you would work with, who it is for and why it matters.

Ideas can be submitted in writing, by voice note or short video by the end of the day on 6 November 2026.

A new Leith People’s Forum will review ideas in November, with shortlisted applicants invited to talk through their ideas further.

Email: hello@leith2028.com

Instagram: Leith2028

Brainwaves in the Bathroom

Travelodge launches innovative bathroom trial as the nation’s top ‘bright idea’ spots are revealed

  •  Striking while the shower is hot: Almost half (48%) of Brits say their best ideas flow when the water does
  • Majority of adults have up to four ideas every day – but 65% forget them before writing down
  • Top 10 most unexpected places of inspiration include the shower, while exercising and even while falling asleep 
  • Travelodge is trialling waterproof notepads in selected hotel bathrooms to help guests capture their lightbulb moments

New research has uncovered the nation’s best ‘bright idea’ spots, with nearly half of UK adults (48%) reporting that their best ideas come in the shower.

With creativity striking the majority up to four times per day, Brits say their lightbulb moments are also likely to come during more unexpected moments such as when they’re falling asleep (34%), during or after exercising (10%) and even while tending to the garden (15%).

But while creative inspiration (55%), personal decisions (54%) and problem-solving (53%) are among the thoughts most likely to come to mind whilst showering, 65% say they forget their idea before they’re able to write it down.

This is particularly relevant for Britain’s business travellers. In 2025, an estimated 5.1 million business trips took place*, with 60% stating that the ability to capture ideas as they occur would benefit their careers. 

To help guests strike whilst the shower is hot, Travelodge has created an innovative solution to maximise creativity, trialling waterproof notepads in the showers of selected hotel bathrooms across the UK.

Designed to capture those lightbulb moments, the waterproof notepads come as more than two-thirds (69%) believe that inspiration strikes in the unlikeliest of places, leaving many scrambling to hold on to their ideas. 

Revealing the extreme lengths Brits have gone to keep their ideas top of mind, almost one in five (18%) admit to having repeated a mantra until out of the shower. A further 16% have created a memorable image, whilst 7% have written on a foggy mirror or glass. 

The research, which explores people’s creativity, reveals that breakthroughs are most often made in the morning (24%) and late at night (22%). 

Dr Jo Hemmings, a Behavioural Psychologist, said: “We tend to think creativity happens when we’re concentrating, but often the opposite is true.

“The best ideas frequently emerge when we step away from our screens and allow our minds to wander. Whether it’s in the shower, walking, on a train or gardening, those moments of mental downtime give the brain permission to make unexpected connections, which is where creativity thrives.” 

The UK’s most unexpected places of inspiration:

  1. Shower (48%)
  2. On a walk (47%)
  3. When falling asleep (34%)
  4. In the car (28%)
  5. Cooking (21%)
  6. Gardening (15%)
  7. When dreaming (14%)
  8. When washing dishes (14%)
  9. On a train (11%)
  10. During or after exercise (10%)

On average, Brits travel for business four days a month, with four in ten (41%) agreeing they are more creative when away from home. The top three reasons for hitting the road for work include client meetings (22%), conferences or events (19%) and training (17%). 

While on the road, business travellers are often struck with creativity, with three in five (64%) saying changing environments helps spark their imagination, suggesting that time away from the usual desk set-up can inspire fresh thinking. 

A Travelodge spokesperson added: “Inspiration can strike at any moment and with Britain’s business community spending so much time on the road, our hotels are frequently the backdrop for those vital ‘lightbulb’ moments.

“We know how frustrating it is to lose a great idea before you can find a pen and paper, which is why we’re trialling new waterproof notepads. It is a simple and practical way to make sure our guests’ best ideas don’t go down the drain – so if you want to experience them for yourself, you better get a Travelodge.”  

The shower notepads will be trialled at hotels in key business locations on Wednesday 8th, July, including London City, Edinburgh Park, Bristol Abbey Wood, Newcastle Quayside and Chester Central Bridge Street. The notepads can be taken home too so guests can capture their creativity wherever they go.

To get a great deal, check out Travelodge Business – search, book, manage and pay for hotels all in one place, whether you’re at your desk or on the road. 

Muirhouse Millennium Centre: We Want Your Ideas!

💬 We Want Your Ideas! 💡

We’re planning ahead and want to know. What would YOU like to see happening at the centre?

Whether it’s kids’ activities or adult only sessions, now’s your chance to help shape what we offer.

🎤 Karaoke night?

🧘‍♀️ Mindfulness or fitness sessions?

🎨 Art for adults?

🎮 Gaming clubs for kids?

🍿 Movie nights, pamper days, anything fun?

Nothing is too silly to suggest if you’d come along to it, let us know!

We’re using our resources carefully and want to put on things you actually want so if you don’t speak up, we’ll just go with what we think sounds fun 😜 (and then you’re not allowed to moan if we plan karaoke every week 😆)

Pop your ideas below or message us privately we’re all ears!

Let’s build a space that works for everyone. 💛

#LIFTCommunity

#YourCentreYourSay

#TellUsWhatYouWant

North Edinburgh Community Festival 2023: Public Meeting on Thursday

Our inaugural festival in May was amazing & the community of North Edinburgh came out in your droves! #northedinfest Now we want to make the festival better!

We need your help to shape next year’s festival. Come to our Public Meeting!

Register here

https://eventbrite.co.uk/e/north-edinburgh-community-festival-open-public-meeting-tickets-469049508707

Rebuilding a fairer Scotland after COVID-19

Expertise and experience wanted to help tackle poverty and inequality

Ideas are being gathered to drive a fairer recovery in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Organisations and community groups are being asked to share ideas and evidence based on their experiences of responding to the pandemic, and their engagement with people with lived experience of poverty and inequality.

Responses will help inform the work of the Scottish Government’s Advisory Board on Social Renewal, which is tasked with building on the positive policy and practice shifts seen during COVID-19 to tackle disadvantage and poverty, and advance equality and social justice.

Analysis of responses will feed into the board’s discussions, and a report on the outcomes will be published later this year. 

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the health, wealth and emotional wellbeing of our communities is vital to inform our response to and recovery from the pandemic. We also know particular groups have been disproportionately impacted by the crisis.

“That’s why we established the Social Renewal Advisory Board to focus on reducing poverty and disadvantage and advancing equality across a range of issues.

We now want to hear from the many organisations and community groups working on social renewal that will have adapted, changed and repurposed in light of COVID-19. There is significant learning on this to be shared and we want to capture that expertise.

“Our call for ideas and evidence will help us drive forward our ambitions on creating a fairer, more equal society and ensure that the voices of those with lived experience are heard.”

The call for ideas and evidence will run until 16 October.

Find out more about how to take part here

Business is booming for Blackwood Award winner

THE designer of a pioneering spoon which allows people with disabilities to eat without spilling has paid tribute to a leading housing care and housing provider for the honour which propelled his invention into worldwide success. Grant Douglas, who has cerebral palsy, won the Blackwood Design Award in 2015 for his S’up spoon – an innovative design which uses a ‘lid’ to ensure its contents don’t spill. Continue reading Business is booming for Blackwood Award winner

Still time to take part in Drylaw Parish Church survey

How could Drylaw Parish Church be used? The church’s community survey will be closing very soon, so please spare five minutes to fill it in and share your ideas.

Click on this link to be taken to the survey

– https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SQLPPYK

and be entered into a prize draw to win a £25 Marks & Spencer voucher.

The draw will take place shortly after the survey closes.

Do You Have Designs To Help People With Disabilities?

A LEADING housing and care specialist has launched its annual search to find the brightest and best new innovations to help those with disabilities. The Blackwood Design Awards seek to celebrate the brilliant new designs, technologies and adaptations which help people with disabilities to live life to the full. Continue reading Do You Have Designs To Help People With Disabilities?