It’s that time of year again!
The AGM is on Monday, 9 November at 18:00.
If you would like to help shape the future of the centre, maybe you would like to join the Management Committee. Or maybe you have a skill that you can share?
Come along and tell us about it!
A drop-in day of hands-on fun activities at the Wee Museum of Memory will gather Leith’s stories, priorities and big ideas for the town’s UK Town of Culture bid
Leith residents are being invited to help shape the town’s bid to be UK Town of Culture 2028 at The Leith Imaginarium, a (free) drop-in public event at the Wee Museum of Memory, Ocean Terminal, on Sunday 25 October from 12 – 4pm.
Leith is one of 15 places shortlisted from nearly 400 applications for the new national competition, run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which will name the UK’s first Town of Culture. In 2028 Leith also marks 900 years since its first written record.
Leith’s waterfront and working docks. In 2028, Leith will mark 900 years since its first written record as the community bids to become the UK’s first Town of Culture.
The bid team is developing its plans now, and the Leith Imaginarium is a chance for the people who know Leith best to help decide what goes into them.
Visitors of any age – from 3months to 103 – can bring their stories, their priorities and their big ideas for Leith in 2028 and what comes next, through hands-on activities including a chance to be Mayor of Leith for a moment, sofa conversations about Leith’s past and future, and a giant illustrated interactive map of Leith to mark places that need a bit of care as well as hidden gems and favourite spots.
The ideas gathered will help inform the final bid, which is being built from the ground up by Leith residents in the newly formed Leith Culture Partnership, with the backing of more than 80 local and national organisations and public figures.
Leith Theatre hosts an Edinburgh International Festival performance. Cultural venues, artists and community organisations from across Leith are helping shape the town’s bid to become the UK’s first Town of Culture in 2028.
Susie Gray and Jenny Mungall, co-ordinators of Leith’s bid for UK Town of Culture said: “This isn’t about bringing ‘culture’ to Leith. It’s about celebrating what’s already here, backing the creativity and communities that make this place special, and giving Leithers a real say in what comes next.
“Whatever the result, 2028 will be a special year as Leith celebrates 900 years and looks forward to the future.
“The ideas and relationships coming out of the process of this competition belong to this place, and we want to keep building on them to preserve what makes Leith so distinctive and celebrate living in such a brilliant place.”
For anyone who can’t make it there are other ways in which to find out more and have a say in Leith’s plans for 2028.
The team are hosting drop-in sessions at Printworks Cafe on Constitution Street on Friday 16 October from 9 to 11am; Leith Library on Monday 19 October 6.30pm to 8pm and other locations to be announced.
Follow @Leith2028 on Instagram for the latest news.
Posters and postcards have also appeared across Leith inviting people to have their say and linking to a survey which can be found here.
The team of Leith residents behind the bid has formalised as Leith Culture Partnership, chaired by born and bred Leither, and Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive of National Theatre of Scotland Liam Sinclair.
Securing a future for the arts at Summerhall
Summerhall is far more than a building. It is a distinctive cultural and community asset in Edinburgh, a home for artists and audiences, and a place where creativity, innovation and collaboration thrive.
Its contribution to Edinburgh and Scotland’s cultural identity, creative economy and international reputation must be fully understood and recognised in any plans for its future.
Summerhall Arts wants to remain at Summerhall and will support a viable proposal that secures our future and enables us to continue delivering our year-round programme of arts and cultural activity.
Our ambition is to see Summerhall continue as a thriving cultural destination, protecting the building’s unique character while enabling its artistic contribution to grow. We recognise that any future proposal must be financially realistic and operationally sustainable.
For Summerhall Arts, viability also means having sufficient affordable, appropriate and usable space to continue supporting and nurturing the wider community, artists, presenting work and engaging audiences throughout the year.
Why Summerhall Arts matters
Supported by Creative Scotland multi-year funding, Summerhall Arts has established itself as a leading supporter of the arts in Scotland, both locally and nationally. Building on Summerhall’s legacy of diverse performance and exhibitions, Summerhall Arts has developed new and exciting professional artist development opportunities for emerging and established artists.
Our work extends beyond presenting performances and exhibitions. We provide opportunities for artists to develop their practice, support new creative work and contribute to a wider ecosystem of festivals, theatres and cultural organisations across Scotland and beyond.
The 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe showcased Summerhall Arts’ international significance, featuring work from 24 countries and a record-breaking number of award-winning shows and audience numbers. This reflects the importance of Summerhall as a cultural destination that connects Edinburgh with artists, audiences and creative communities from around the world.
The spaces within Summerhall are central to this work. Their individual character, facilities and flexibility enable a diverse programme of artistic activity that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere. Any plans for the future must fully recognise the relationship between the building, its spaces and the cultural activity they make possible.
What does a viable future look like?
We want to work constructively with AMA to help establish a viable, sustainable future for the arts at Summerhall.
For Summerhall Arts, this means securing enough affordable, appropriate and usable space to continue delivering our year-round programme successfully. It means ensuring that the practical needs of artists, performances, exhibitions and professional development are properly understood and reflected in future plans.
We believe there is an opportunity to develop a model that combines appropriate investment in the building with a sustainable programme of arts and cultural activity and community spaces. Achieving this requires a full understanding of the existing spaces, their cultural significance and their role in supporting the site’s activity.
Summerhall Arts is ready to contribute its experience and knowledge to this conversation. We want to be part of a constructive process that recognises the realities of developing a viable proposal while protecting the cultural purpose that makes Summerhall so important.
Repair, not demolish
We are concerned that the current plans appear to earmark some of Summerhall’s most distinctive spaces for demolition. These spaces are not simply parts of a building. They are integral to Summerhall’s identity, character and cultural offer. Their loss would have implications for the arts activity that takes place across the site and for the wider experience of artists, community and audiences.
We believe the potential for repair, renovation and continued cultural use deserves serious consideration as part of the search for a viable long-term solution.
Preserving Summerhall does not mean preventing change. It means recognising what makes the site special, understanding the value of its existing spaces and exploring how they can be maintained, adapted and used sustainably for the future.
Edinburgh’s reputation as the world’s festival city rests in part on distinctive cultural spaces such as Summerhall. Protecting these places helps sustain the city’s cultural identity and its ability to attract artists, audiences and visitors from across the world.
Have your say: help shape Summerhall’s future
The consultation is an important opportunity to ensure that the cultural significance of Summerhall and the needs of Summerhall Arts are properly understood by AMA as it develops its plans.
We encourage artists, audiences, cultural organisations, supporters and everyone who values Summerhall to participate. Please explain what the site means to you, why its spaces matter and why retaining an established thriving arts presence should be central to its future.
Your feedback can help demonstrate that Summerhall’s value extends far beyond the property itself. It is a cultural and community asset that supports artists, engages audiences and contributes to Scotland’s artistic life, locally, nationally and internationally.
We want to be able to count on your support not only during this consultation, but throughout the future stages of the process. A strong collective voice can help ensure that the search for viability fully considers the cultural activity the site supports and the space required to sustain it.
To view the current plans and submit your feedback, visit the consultation website:
https://summerhallconsultation.co.uk/index.php
Looking to the future
We believe Summerhall can continue to be a place where artists create, audiences discover new work and Scotland’s cultural reputation flourishes.
With a shared commitment to finding a workable solution, there is an opportunity to protect the site’s distinctive character while securing its continued contribution to cultural and community life.
Sam Gough, CEO of Summerhall Arts, says: “Whilst our intention is to remain here and work with AMA to continue the provision of arts within Summerhall, the future space needs to be viable, and we are hopeful that the plans will provide that.
“We are encouraging all those who love Summerhall and its spaces to contribute to the consultation, to help the developers understand how important they are to what makes this already thriving arts centre what it is.
“At the moment, I have not seen anything that demonstrates this.
“So many of the beautiful, special parts of Summerhall, such as the historic Anatomy Lecture Theatre, the unique Dissection Room, Tech Cube 0 and the ever-so-wonderful Royal Dick pub, are earmarked for demolition.
Our message is ‘repair, not demolish’. Edinburgh’s name as the world’s festival city rests partly on places like Summerhall. Developers, like arts organisations, are remembered for what they leave behind, and I would much rather AMA be remembered as the owner who protected it.”
Summerhall is an asset to Edinburgh and to Scotland.
We want to work towards a future that protects its cultural and community spaces, sustains the arts, health and wellbeing and enables Summerhall Arts to continue its work for generations to come.
Pilmeny Development Project are having an induction session on Tuesday 20th October 5-6.30pm.
If you are interested, please contact Mary:
Applications to stand as a candidate in the next Scottish Youth Parliament elections are still open. If you know a young person who’s looking to expand their network, explore their interests and build their confidence, encourage them to apply.
Becoming an MSYP gives young people the opportunity to represent their peers, develop new skills and get involved in the issues that matter to them.
You can find further information on our website here:
Would you like to help shape how Scotland’s institutions are held accountable for racism?
ELREC is the Edinburgh hub for the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS). We believe that people with direct, lived experience of racism in Scotland are the true experts, and their knowledge belongs at the centre of our scrutiny work.
Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS)
The Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS) is a community-rooted anti-racism organisation set up to scrutinise and hold public bodies in Scotland accountable for tackling systemic racism and advancing racial equity through evidence-based change. It’s hosted by the University of Strathclyde in partnership with the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER), and funded by the Scottish Government.
It’s anticipated AROS will eventually become fully independent, and it will be guided by an independent Board.
Join Our Experts by Experience Panel (EEP)
The EEP gives those most impacted by racism a formal, structured role in shaping how AROS holds institutions to account. This isn’t consultation on the side it’s community voice shaping accountability, not just informing it.
EEP members will also play a vital part in the co-design of AROS’s Digital Interactive Library, by ensuring that anti-racist research, resources and data are accessible for everyone in Scotland.
Why join?
· Your lived experience is expert knowledge, and it matters.
· You’ll hold a role within AROS’s governance.
· You’ll help shape real, systemic change, not just offer input.
· Your expenses will be covered and your time is paid.
· You’ll benefit from development opportunities.
Who can apply?
There’s only one requirement: a genuine interest in creating a difference and supporting systemic change through lived experience. That’s it. If that’s you, we want to hear from you.
How to apply
To apply, please complete the form linked below by this Wednesday
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx…
If you need any support to complete the application, or require it in an accessible format, please get in touch: mrostami@elrec.org.uk
MONDAY 31st AUGUST 6.30pm at ROYSTON WARDIEBURN
NEXT MEETING MON 31 AUG – INCL. OUR AGM!
All welcome at our monthly meeting on Monday 31 August, 6.30pm at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. This is our first meeting back since the summer break and will also include our Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Do feel free to come and raise issues for discussion. If you’d like to attend online, please get in touch for the MS Teams link.
Alternatively, we can raise any issues for discussion on your behalf. Simply email engagement@grantoncc.scot
Please find information below and attached about free courses this term for adults in North Edinburgh:
FIRST STEPS
Following on from the success of last term the First Steps course will now be on a Tuesday morning. Highlights last term included: visits to Edinburgh College, Lauriston Farm; Fresh Start; Granton Community Gardeners; and information sessions at the community centre on:
Sessions start on Tuesday 8th September, but folk can join throughout the term.
We’ll meet at Royson Wardieburn Community Centre, as well as having sessions out and about. Please see the poster for more information and how to book a space.
ADULT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (AAA)
Five local people completed their AAA at a variety of levels last term. We’re going to stick with a time and venue that worked so it will be Thursday mornings again at Muirhouse Library.
Any adult who would like to gain a qualification by reflecting on current or recent learning or volunteering is eligible (SCQF levels 2-6 available). The course starts Thursday 17th September. Please see the poster for more information and how to book a space.
SOCIAL HISTORY
We have limited places available in the Social History group at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, starting back on Thursday 24th September.
Social History is how your life was growing up. What were the formative things that shaped your life? What was the world of work like in the past? How have we got where we are today?
The group will build on their recent work and publication OUR HEALTH, OUR NHS. The group meets on Thursday mornings – prior booking is essential.
SCOTTISH HISTORY
We have limited places available in this group at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, starting back on Tuesday 13th October.
An introduction to some of the key events in Scottish History. Visits to the Museum of Scotland to see Scottish History for ourselves. Scottish history is your past seen in the light of today. See you, See me. We are the future of Scottish History. The group meets on Tuesday mornings – prior booking is essential.
If anyone wants to book a space or wants more information, please do get in touch.
Best wishes
Tim Randall
Development Officer (CLD – Adult & Family Learning)
Wider Achievement & Lifelong Learning I Education I Children, Education & Justice Services
Community groups and organisations from across the city are being invited to register by Saturday 15 August to take part in the 2026 Edinburgh People’s Procession.
The People’s Procession takes place on Sunday 13 September 2026 and forms part of the spectacular Edinburgh Riding of the Marches, an annual event celebrating Edinburgh’s heritage while showcasing the city’s vibrant communities, culture and future. The procession gives local organisations the opportunity to raise awareness of their work and celebrate their contribution to life in the capital.
Organised by Edinburgh March Riding Association, with support from the City of Edinburgh Council, the procession will bring together more than 600 participants representing groups and organisations from across the city.
Participants will travel from Holyrood, near the Scottish Parliament and Palace of Holyroodhouse, along the Royal Mile to St Giles’ Cathedral ahead of the arrival of the Riding of the Marches cavalcade later that afternoon.
The Riding of the Marches will once again be joined by the Lord Provost Rt Hon Cllr Robert Aldridge, alongside the Edinburgh Captain and Lass, who will lead the cavalcade of 280 horses and riders up the Royal Mile watched by an audience of thousands.
City of Edinburgh Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said: “I’m delighted to see the return of the People’s Procession for 2026. The enthusiastic response to last year’s inaugural procession demonstrated the pride, diversity and community spirit that make Edinburgh such a special city.
“The procession is a fantastic opportunity for local groups and organisations to come together to celebrate the invaluable work they do and be part of one of Edinburgh’s most unique and historic events.
“I look forward to seeing even more community groups represented this year as the People’s procession continues to grow and become an established part of Edinburgh’s Riding of the Marches.”
Further information on the event including expected timings and the registration form is available via the events Eventbrite page.
FESTIVAL OF POLITICS – SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
MONDAY 17th AUGUST 5.30 – 6.30pm
With growing polarisation, mistrust, and a sense of being left behind for many communities, how can Scotland bring diverse voices together, move from division to empathy, and ensure community voices are at the heart of decision-making?
Come along and take part in this free panel discussion at the Scottish Parliament on 17 August: https://ow.ly/zmb450Zx3oS
(featuring The artwork of Gerard M Burns)
Chair:
Katie Hagmann MSP, Convener, Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
Panellists:
Dr Hayley Bennett is Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on the design and delivery of social security, labour market programmes, and anti-poverty initiatives for the working-age population in the UK.
Gerard M Burns is an artist and studied drawing and painting at the Glasgow School of Art, graduating in 1983. Burns has had a successful teaching career, leaving his post as Principle of Art at Glasgow’s St Aloysius College to focus full time on painting. He has completed commissions for a number of private and commercial collections, notably his painting The Rowan which hangs in the Scottish Parliament.
Professor Dr Nasar Meer FRSE is Professor of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow and Academic Chair of the Stuart Hall Foundation. He has been a Commissioner on the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Post-COVID-19 Futures Inquiry, a Member of the Scottish Government COVID-19 and Ethnicity Expert Reference Group. He has previously held a Minda de Gunzburg Fellowship at Harvard University, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the UK Academy of Social Sciences, and a past recipient of the RSE Thomas Reid Medal.
Yuliia Hryshchenko is the founder of SCIO Music & Art Centre Nightingale. After fleeing Ukraine with her three children in 2022, she rebuilt her life in Scotland and turned her family’s journey into a mission to make arts accessible to every child.
She believes creativity can heal, build confidence and strengthen communities.
