Isuzu UK announced as the Official Commercial Vehicle Partner for Scottish Cup
The eagerly anticipated Fourth Round takes place between January 21-23
Agreement further demonstrates Isuzu UK’s support and commitment to football in the UK
Isuzu UK has announced a new multi-year partnership with the Scottish FA as the Official Commercial Vehicle Partner for the Men’s Scottish Cup.
With this new partnership, Isuzu UK is further expanding its role as the driving force behind domestic football with a partnership already in place in England, with the Isuzu FA Vase and Isuzu FA Trophy and with the Irish Football Association.
The Scottish Cup first began in the 1873-74 season and is the second oldest competition in association football. The first final was held on March 21, 1874, at the original Hampden Park with Queen’s Park emerging victorious against Clydesdale.
Celtic have won the trophy more times than any other club with 40 titles to their name, the most recent coming in 2020. Their Glasgow rivals Rangers are not far behind with 34 Scottish Cup triumphs.
The next round of this season’s competition is being held on the weekend of 21 January, with the Semi-Finals set for Saturday, 29April and Sunday, 30April 2023. The final will be held on Saturday 3 June 2023 at the National Stadium, Hampden Park.
The Pick-up Professionals at Isuzu dealerships across Scotland will be getting actively involved with their local clubs, with some having already started making preparations for local sponsorship deals and promotional matchday activations.
William Brown, Managing Director, Isuzu UK said “We are extremely proud to announce our new partnership with the Scottish FA and the Scottish Cup.
“This agreement further demonstrates our commitment to domestic football and is also the last piece of the puzzle which now provides us with sports sponsorship across the whole of the UK.”
Michael Paterson, Head of Marketing and Partnerships, Scottish FA commented “We are delighted to welcome Isuzu UK as the Official Commercial Vehicle Partner for the Men’s Scottish Cup.
“Our flagship tournament boasts an illustrious history and, with a bumper Fourth Round weekend to look forward to in January, it is a hugely exciting time to welcome on board such an iconic and established international brand.
“This prestigious competition has given us so many unforgettable moments over the years and we look forward to sharing some more alongside the team at Isuzu UK.”
– St Andrew’s Day celebrated with launch of partnership between iconic Scottish brands Johnnie Walker Princes Street x Harris Tweed Hebrides
– First whisky finished in special casks in one of the world’s smallest warehouse in city centre cellar goes on exclusive sale at Johnnie Walker Princes Street
Johnnie Walker Princes Street is celebrating St Andrew’s Day with the launch of a highly desirable new whisky, complete with luxury packaging created in collaboration with legendary Scottish textile house,Harris Tweed Hebrides.
Marking the first ‘Johnnie Walker Princes Street Collective’ – a series that brings together the world’s leading Scotch whisky with Scotland’s best creative forces to create unique and collectable whiskies – the Johnnie Walker x Harris Tweed collaboration features a beautifully designed bottle of the Johnnie Walker Limited Edition Princes Street Blend, accompanied by a bespoke Harris Tweed carry bag.
The whisky represents a world first, having been matured over the past year in hand-selected American oak casks in the Whisky Makers Cellar at Johnnie Walker Princes Street. The cellar, holding just 26casks, is unique amongst bonded warehouse in Scotland, tucked beneath one of Edinburgh’s most famous streets.
30th November 2022, Edinburgh – Johnnie Walker Princes Street is celebrating St Andrew’s Day with the launch of a highly desirable new whisky, complete with luxury packaging created in collaboration with legendary Scottish textile house, Harris Tweed Hebrides.
Photograph: Mike Wilkinson…30/112022
Issued on behalf of Diageo.
Copyright: Mike Wilkinson.
Credit: Mike Wilkinson.
07768 393673
mike@mike-wilkinson.com
www.mike-wilkinson.com
Launching the new whisky, Barbara Smith, Managing Director of Scotland Brand Homes at Diageosaid: “Our collaboration with Harris Tweed has been an exciting way to celebrate the first experimental bottling finished here in our cellar at Johnnie Walker Princes Street.
“The partnership brings together two iconic Scottish brands, and the resulting collection embodies our shared heritage and passion for blending – whether that’s liquid, or thread. We’re sure it’ll provide festive gift inspiration for whisky and style lovers alike.”
George Harper, Johnnie Walker Whisky Specialist who created the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Collective bottling, added: “This particular blend was experimental in many ways, and it was exciting to use a completely different type of ‘warehouse’ for the final year of maturation.
“The unique finishing process has further enhanced the flavours of the liquid and we are really pleased with the end result, and I am sure consumers will love it too.”
Mark Hogarth, Creative Director, Harris Tweed Hebrides: “We have been hugely excited about this project with Johnnie Walker and feel a lot of synergy between our two brands.
“While Johnnie Walker carefully blends liquids to create flavour, so do we at Harris Tweed, expertly weaving different shades of wool to produce colour and pattern.
“This particular plaid brings Edinburgh and Harris together, all wrapped up in luxury, craftsmanship and time; elements that are also reflected in the exquisite liquid that George and his team have created.”
The unusual maturation conditions of the cellar, which is warmer than traditional warehouses, enhanced the impact of the wood, pulling in all the oaky flavours, leading to a rich and creamy oak nose, a palate of honeysuckle and red berry flavours and a long and fruity finish with warming wood smoke.
30th November 2022, Edinburgh – Johnnie Walker Princes Street is celebrating St Andrew’s Day with the launch of a highly desirable new whisky, complete with luxury packaging created in collaboration with legendary Scottish textile house, Harris Tweed Hebrides.
Photo shows George Harper, Johnnie Walker Whisky Specialist who created the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Collective bottling (L),
Mark Hogarth, Creative Director, Harris Tweed Hebrides (R) and Emma Walker, Johnnie Walker Master Blender (centre).
Photograph: Mike Wilkinson…30/112022
Issued on behalf of Diageo.
Copyright: Mike Wilkinson.
Credit: Mike Wilkinson.
07768 393673
mike@mike-wilkinson.com
www.mike-wilkinson.com
In designing the bespoke plaid for the collaboration, the Harris Tweed Hebrides team drew inspiration from their home in the Outer Hebrides, and the home of Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh to create a vibrant blend of the two Scottish locations.
The bag has been created in partnership with BeYonder, a charity specialising in ethical manufacturing. As part of the project, BeYonder engaged textile students from Glasgow City College to help manufacture the bags.
Those who’d like a chance to try the whisky before they buy should book themselves on Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s Whisky Makers Cellar experience or 1820 bar for a chance to enjoy it in a highball, cocktail, or dram.
The Johnnie Walker x Harris Tweed Hebrides collection will be available to purchase from 1st December exclusively at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, Edinburgh.
Johnnie Walker Limited Edition Princes Street Blend + Harris Tweed carry bag (£169)
The project, which began in 2018, has led to the development of a 16-week neonatal training programme, which aims to empower and upskill nurses at a hospital in Hanoi.
This teaching provides staff with crucial in-depth knowledge about theory and evidence-based practice, enhancing their confidence and improving their communication and leadership.
Maggie Reid, Business Development and Relationship Manager at Edinburgh Napier University, who supported the coordination of the knowledge exchange activities, said: “Since launching the partnership and education programme, we have witnessed a reduction in infection rates, an improvement in infection control practices, and most importantly, a 42.2% reduction in infant mortality at the VNC hospital and it continues to reduce as we teach.
“To date, over 70 nurses have taken part in the programme, and are finding their voice and have become excellent advocates for the babies in their care. They say this course has given them not only knowledge and deeper understanding, but also the confidence to speak up in the best interest of the babies and their families.
“In a very short time, these nurses have flourished through education and are making a real difference and have ensured there are systematic changes in clinical practice to the benefit of the baby and mother. These shared efforts for positive change have also received recognition from the Ministry of Health in Vietnam.
“This collaboration and the projects that stem from it, really highlight the power of partnerships and the importance of the role of the knowledge exchange professional in allowing this partnership to realise its objectives. The positive societal impact of knowledge exchange cannot be underplayed.”
The PraxisAuril KE Awards celebrate the people who initiate and deliver impact from research through a diverse range activities.
Edinburgh Napier has been shortlisted in the Place-based Knowledge Exchange Initiative of the Year category, an award that recognises the success of a place-based KE initiative which demonstrates the value it can have locally. This award also highlights and acknowledges the importance of the KE teams that support the academics and industry partners to realise these projects.
Linda Wallace, Head of Knowledge Exchange at Edinburgh Napier University said: “This knowledge exchange partnership has been a real success story for Edinburgh Napier and has demonstrated the wide reach and positive impact our knowledge exchange activities and partnerships can have on a global scale.
“This project supports Edinburgh Napier’s mission to advance knowledge and deliver impact that influences professional practice and policy and drives key societal change. We are delighted that since this KE partnership was initially established, we have secured further KE projects, with a further three neonatal courses in the pipeline and two more within midwifery.
“The success of this knowledge exchange model has allowed other academics and leadership teams at Edinburgh Napier to see the impact and benefits knowledge exchange projects can make to the individual, the school and the institution, as well as those within their community and further afield. We are delighted this project is receiving national recognition by being shortlisted for a PraxisAuril KE Award.”
The KE Awards are supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and work with Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT), the TenU, the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) and SETsquared to increase support and publicity for the important and impactful achievements of the KE profession.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony that will celebrate and showcase the KE sector in Manchester on 29 November 2022.
InnoScot Health and Heriot-Watt University are set to further solidify their partnership with representatives from both organisations set to perform a joint presentation explaining the classification of medical devices and related regulations to a range of businesses.
The two organisations recently signed a five-year agreement which will see Heriot-Watt University’s Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) collaborate with InnoScot Health to help bring new ideas and innovations from healthcare professionals to life.
In a further step in the organisation’s relationship, InnoScot Health’s Head of Regulatory Affairs Elaine Gemmell and Prof. Marc Desmulliez, Manager of the MDMC will help to lead a free online event entitled ‘‘What is a medical device?’ which is taking place on Thursday 22 September at 10am.
The combined technical seminar will feature Elaine, Marc, and also Ms Melissa Siah, Director of Syntacog.
Together, the trio will be presenting on:
The legal definition of a medical device
The classification of a medical device and its impact on the regulations that need to be satisfied by this device
Case studies of devices which lie at the boundaries between classes of devices
The presentation of a software that automatically provides information on the classification of a medical device and lists the regulation documents to be filled in. A live demonstration of the software will also be provided
Elaine said: “We expect this combined technical seminar to be of interest to manufacturers with little prior knowledge and experience of medical devices, as well as established businesses seeking more information on the automation of classification of medical devices.
“Joining the event will allow you to better understand the definition of a medical device, its classification, and the resulting medical device regulations for which the device needs to comply to.
“Before the pandemic, there was already movement towards increased governance around medical device innovation. Now, however, far-reaching new regulations are having a significant impact on everyone involved with medical devices – from their manufacture to their use.
“A strong understanding of regulatory compliance must therefore be intertwined with the development process early on when attempting to harness the true potential of new innovations.
Elaine joined InnoScot Health, formally Scottish Health Innovations, in 2002 and helped establish the organisation. With more than twenty years’ experience in medical device development, she is a certified ISO 13485 /ISO 9001 Lead Auditor and has experience of regulatory approval and CE, UKCA marking for medical devices.
Joining SHIL spinout company, Clear Surgical, as a Director, Head of Regulatory Compliance and laterally Chief Operating Officer, she has helped to establish the company with ISO 13485 accreditation and launch two innovative devices onto the market.
Prof. Marc Desmulliez has been involved in medical devices manufacturing for over 15 years. From his previous research interests in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS), and in collaboration with his former PhD student, Dr. Suzanne Costello, he developed some in situ sensors to look at the gas and moisture ingress in encapsulated packages.
The work culminated in a monograph (“Hermeticity Testing of MEMS and Microelectronic Packages, Artech House Pub.). His current research interests include microwave sensing and nature inspired engineering.
Melissa Siah co-founded Syntacog, a regulatory startup in mid-2020. The company subsequently won the regulatory challenge in the 2021 Singapore Airlines AppChallenge and more than £500k in Innovate UK grant funding to develop its regulatory compliance technology.
Melissa’s passion for making regulations easier to understand comes from a decade in regulatory law and policy with the Australian government, and seven years leading the development of legal tech and AI products in the UK and Australia.
The webinar will be hosted on Zoom, with a link provided to attendees following registration here.
Johnnie Walker Princes Street and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society have announced an exciting new partnership that will see Edinburgh’s most exciting whisky experience support the festival as an Official Partner Destination.
Since launching in September 2021, Johnnie Walker Princes Street has quickly become a must-visit destination for both locals and visitors. With iconic views of Edinburgh Castle and the cityscape, guests visiting the attraction are guaranteed a five-star experience.
Boasting personalised immersive tours, two stunning rooftop bars, a dedicated events space and spectacular retail store packed with exclusive items, Johnnie Walker Princes Street offers festival goers eight floors of whisky adventures in Edinburgh’s West End.
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the partnership brings together the world’s premier arts festival with the world’s best-selling Scotch whisky.
As Edinburgh plays host to artists and audiences from around the world this summer, Johnnie Walker Princes Street will welcome them for an experience that will invigorate their senses in August, and beyond.
As part of the partnership, Johnnie Walker Princes Street will feature across the Fringe venues map – a core navigation tool to ensure audiences enjoy their visit to Edinburgh and are able to easily find the wealth of Fringe venues across the city.
You can find this navigation tool in the back of the programme or collect a handy pocket version from the Fringe Shop during the Fringe.
In line with the net zero targets recently set out in the Fringe Society’s future development goals, Johnnie Walker Princes Street are also supporting the delivery of the Fringe’s e-ticketing journey, a significant digital development for 2022.
Barbara Smith, Managing Director of Johnnie Walker Princes Street said: “The Johnnie Walker Princes Street team is delighted to be coming on board as Official Sponsorship Partner of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in its momentous 75thyear.
“2022 is a big year for us too, as we’ll enjoy our first full summer in Edinburgh. Our location in the heart of the West End is perfect for festival goers and what’s more they’ll get the perfect view of the city in full swing from our rooftop bar.”
Shona McCarthy, CEO at The Edinburgh Fringe Society said: “We’re delighted to expand our previous partnership with Johnnie Walker into an exciting new one with Johnnie Walker Princes Street.
“We’ve watched the development of the attraction over the last few years, and it’s a fantastic addition to Edinburgh’s visitor offer. Through the support of this partnership, we have been able to make improvements to our ticketing experience this August, and also bring back the popular Fringe venues map.
“We look forward to working with Barbara and the team at Johnnie Walker Princes Street during the busy weeks ahead, and into 2023 and beyond.”
Dobbies Garden Centres, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, has marked its partnership with Waitrose by opening its first foodhall in Edinburgh.
Featuring the supermarket’s wide range of high-quality food, grocery products, and everyday essentials, the Waitrose foodhall is one of more than 50 that are to be launched at Dobbies’ stores across the UK and which will bring Waitrose to 20 new towns and cities.
Shoppers at Dobbies’ Edinburgh can choose from an extensive selection of products including the essential Waitrose range, which is the biggest value tier of any supermarket, plus its premium range – Waitrose No. 1 – and Waitrose Duchy Organic. Ready meals, free-from and vegan ranges, prepared fruit and vegetables, snacks and cupboard staples will also be available.
Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said:“Through a shared commitment to great value, quality and sustainability, Waitrose was the natural grocery partner for us as we continue to build on the success of our foodhalls in recent years. I am sure our first Waitrose foodhall at our flagship store in Edinburgh will prove popular with our customers.
“Our foodhalls are integral to our garden centre ranges and the experience of our customers, and we look forward to introducing Waitrose’s offering across our network of UK stores.”
To find out more about the partnership, visit www.dobbies.com.
Cancer Research Horizons, the innovation engine of Cancer Research UK, the world’s largest independent cancer research organisation, is renewing its partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s flagship Venture Builder Incubator which supports the commercialisation of data-driven PhD research.
Cancer Research Horizons, through its Entrepreneurial Programmes, will sponsor ten places for cancer-related research projects from across the UK to take part on this 16-week programme which aims to drive academic entrepreneurship by supporting PhD students and early career researchers to develop their business ideas, build their skills and secure funding.
In 2021, the first year of the Cancer Research Horizons collaboration, eight companies operating in the field of cancer were selected as start-ups for the incubator.
For the second year running, Cancer Research Horizons’ continued support for PhD students and researchers will play an important role in accelerating the commercialisation of ideas aimed at conquering cancer.
Laura Bernal, Venture Builder Incubator Programme Manager, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Cancer Research Horizons again this year.
“Our Incubator programme is designed to help fledgling entrepreneurs across all sectors of business build their skills and take their businesses to the next level and through continuing to build our relationship with the brilliant team at Cancer Research Horizons, we can ensure that we are supporting the commercialisation of vital research across 10 cancer-related projects this year.”
The Venture Builder Incubator, delivered by the Bayes Centre, the University of Edinburgh’s world-leading innovation hub for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, on behalf of the University’s five Data-Driven Innovation Hubs and Edinburgh Innovations, the commercialisation service of the University, will start later this year and builds on the success of the previous cohorts which have seen considerable success, attracting £1.8m in funding in the last 12 months.
Previous oncology-related ventures focused on developing early diagnosis tools and less invasive testing to enable improved outcomes for people affected by cancer. They included: OncoAssign, a precision medicine startup integrating AI and onco-diagnostics to deliver accurate treatment prediction; 10zyme, a start-up devising a simple method of detecting cancers through urine or saliva samples; ForceBiology, developers of a versatile, more accurate and cost-effective high throughput drug-screening platform for cancer and Therapevo, a screening platform striving to fill the gap between research and the medical testing of new therapeutic strategies.
Commenting on her experience as a participant in last year’s cohort, Estefania Esposito, Co-founder of Therapevo, said: “Being introduced to a network of Venture Builder cohorts past and present was invaluable.
“They all had different backgrounds, and even when they had similar backgrounds, they all added something: an experience, an idea or an opinion.”
Dr Alessia Errico, Associate Director of Search and Evaluation, and Entrepreneurial Programmes Lead at Cancer Research Horizon said: “We want to inspire the next generation of scientific entrepreneurs in the field of cancer research as well as inspiring cultural change within the industry, so working alongside Edinburgh University and their Data Driven Innovation programme provides us with the perfect platform to do this.
“Supporting entrepreneurs on the journey from an ideation to venture creation is one of the most important things that we can do, so we are excited about what this next year will bring.”
The Venture Builder Incubator is designed to help fledgling entrepreneurs across all sectors build their skills and take their businesses to the next level. Start-ups are chosen after an application process which is open to PhD students, early career researchers and academic staff from the University of Edinburgh or Heriot-Watt University, as well as early career researchers focused on cancer-related projects from across the UK.
Each startup is provided with £2,000 as well as business support through a series of workshops, networking events, mentoring, peer-to-peer learnings and access to the University of Edinburgh’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and its data expertise.
The early bird deadline for applications is Friday 22nd July and those entering before this date are guaranteed application feedback and the chance to resubmit their proposal and an invitation to a Bayes Centre Community Event.
The final deadline for applications is Friday 9 September.
This year’s celebration of street performance will feature new locations across the city centre, supported by a new Street Performer Charter, and partnership with TikTok
Today, 22 June, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to launch a revamped and expanded street events offering for 2022, in the festival’s 75th anniversary year.
In addition to the long-established performance areas on the Royal Mile and the Mound Precinct, this year’s street events will also take place at new locations in EastPrinces Street Gardens, St Andrew Square, Multrees Walk, and Cathedral Square outside St James Quarter.
Visitors to the street events will be able to follow a route taking in each of the performance sites following a map within the official printed Fringe programme. The street events will be delivered by Unique Events, who are managing the programme on behalf of the Fringe Society, for the second year.
The return of the street events programme is being supported by EventScotland (part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate), and Creative Scotland, and the launch follows last week’s announcement of the Fringe Society’s new partnership with TikTok, which supports the expanded street events programme.
With activation planned across these sites, TikTok will provide a ‘taster stage’ in both St Andrew Square and Cathedral Square, where artists from registered Fringe shows can perform short snippets of their shows, giving festivalgoers a free taste of their performance.
TikTok will live stream from these stages, enabling artists to be found by digital audiences from around the world. On the Royal Mile, two new screens will stream the TikTok content, and will also be available free to registered artists to promote their show digitally, via digital posters on the screens.
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society, said: “We are excited to reveal our new and expanded plans for this year’s Street Events, one of the most visible aspects of the Fringe, enjoyed by audiences every year. The new route will allow audiences to meander through Edinburgh’s majestic Old Town and New Town, while enjoying artists in different locations.”
As part of today’s launch, the Fringe Society has also published the Street Performer Charter, a set of values shared by the Fringe Society and the street performing community, as represented by the Street Performers’ Council.
The Charter, which includes commitments from the Fringe Society and street performers, will facilitate fair, open decision making between the two groups. Among its various commitments, the Charter works towards increasing accessibility of street events, taking social responsibility for pay, sustainability goals, and improving health, safety and mental wellbeing among street performers.
Shona McCarthy continued: “I’m incredibly pleased to see the publication of the new Street Events Charter, developed in collaboration with the Fringe Society, and the street performer community.
“The Fringe and street events are within each other’s DNA and part of the cultural heritage of beautiful Edinburgh. This collective step establishes a great template to work more collaboratively at ensuring the Fringe is the best possible version of itself for the next 75 years, both for artists and residents.”
A spokesperson for thestreet performing communitysaid: “The street performer charter marks a new chapter in what we anticipate will be an artist-led street festival for the people of Edinburgh and its many visitors to enjoy.
“We are excited to be working with the Fringe and their partners, to keep alive the long history of street performance that is at the heart of the Edinburgh Fringe, as we celebrate 75 years.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “As one of Scotland’s most recognisable cultural assets, EventScotland is delighted to be supporting the return of the Fringe street events. It is an integral part of the festival, providing audiences with the chance to connect with performances and get a taste of the Fringe for free.
“Scotland is one of the best places in the world to experience events, and after the challenges of the last two years, now is the time to plan and enjoy experiences like the street events that stir the emotions and elevate your mood.”
James Stafford, Head of Partnerships & Community at TikTok, said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is a unique moment that brings together emerging artists in a celebration of creativity.
“Our partnership places TikTok’s global community at the heart of the iconic festival, and celebrates our joint belief that creativity is for everyone. TikTok is the home of entertainment and creativity and I know our community will welcome the opportunity to discover new artists, collaborate, and be inspired.”
Nick Peel, Managing Director at St James Quarter, said: “St James Quarter is a welcoming cultural and lifestyle hub for art, culture and fashion and we’re passionate about supporting Edinburgh’s world-renowned cultural offering and its vibrant events calendar.
“It’s a privilege to be working with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and we look forward to hosting some of the amazing street events on Cathedral Square.”
TikTok and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society have announced an exclusive new partnership that will see the entertainment platform become the first Official Virtual Stage to the world’s premier performing arts festival.
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the partnership brings together the Fringe’s rich heritage, with TikTok’s thriving global community, aiming to showcase the magic and creativity that artists from around the world bring to Edinburgh’s stages to an even wider audience.
Every year, Edinburgh plays host to this iconic cultural event, as the eyes of the world look to the Fringe for the next generation of performance talent. This year, these vibrant and creative communities can also be discovered on TikTok throughout August and beyond.
As the Virtual Stage, TikTok will bring the creative artistry of the Edinburgh Fringe to the community, livestreaming performances from across the festival’s venues and from TikTok’s virtual stage in app. An Edinburgh Festival Fringe Hub will also host all the latest #EdFringe content in one place for the TikTok community to discover.
Over the past four years we have seen creativity in every form thrive on TikTok, from the emergence of community curated musicals, which have generated over 890 million views in app, to comedy which has played a pivotal role on TikTok, with over 1.6 billion views of the #Comedy hashtag, TikTok has supercharged the careers of comedians like Munya Chawawa, Abi Clarke and SugarCoatedSisters. TikTok is a hub for creativity and has become an essential platform for emerging talent.
Alongside the virtual stage, two digital screens on the Royal Mile, the heart of Scotland’s historic capital, will showcase TikTok content. These screens will offer a platform for emerging comedy, music and theatre talent on TikTok, while also helping festival goers discover new artists and spotlight the must-see shows from the Fringe.
TikTok will also co-host the Official Taster Stage with the Fringe, with a TikTok installation on the Mound Precinct for festival goers, performers and the Edinburgh community alike to experience.
TikTok creators will be invited to the festival, performing live on stage and bringing the Fringe experience to life. In addition, TikTok will be working directly with Fringe artists and performers, offering a programme of bespoke workshops and performer education, so artists can continue to utilise the platform to reach larger audiences and test new material.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe and TikTok share the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves freely and creatively. This partnership forms part of TikTok’s broader commitment to breaking down the barriers to entry within the arts and the entertainment industries, which has also seen it partner with the Cannes Film Festival, Eurovision and the Hay Festival.
James Stafford Head of Partnerships & Community at TikTok said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is a unique moment that brings together emerging artists in a celebration of creativity.
“Our partnership places TikTok’s global community at the heart of the iconic festival, and celebrates our joint belief that creativity is for everyone. TikTok is the home of entertainment and creativity and I know our community will welcome the opportunity to discover new artists, collaborate, and be inspired.”
Shona McCarthy, CEO at The Edinburgh Fringe Society said:“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is an annual phenomenon like no other, one of the world’s great celebrations of performing arts and creativity, and we’re delighted to be partnering with TikTok in our 75th anniversary year.
“TikTok’s expertise in the creative spaces make it the perfect partner for our Official Virtual Stage. We look forward to joining artists together with TikTok’s unique virtual creativity, bringing the Fringe to a new global audience.
“For the Fringe it’s about offering anyone a stage and everyone a seat, and this partnership will allow us to offer this to audiences wherever they are in the world”
A new partnership between ENABLE Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University and global professional services firm, EY, has set out to create equality across those accessing higher education opportunities.
Whilst 45% of all Scotland’s school leavers go to university, only 8.6% of school leavers who have a learning disability go on to higher education. Now, ENABLE Scotland’s Breaking Barriers programme is working with young people who have a learning disability to ensure they have the support required to access university life, can undertake work experience opportunities with a leading global employer, and graduate with a university qualification from a world-class academic institution.
Breaking Barriers, a ground-breaking initiative established by ENABLE Scotland in 2018, has partnered with some of Scotland’s highest profile corporate employers and has named EY as its newest official partner alongside Edinburgh Napier University – expanding its reach across the East of Scotland.
A cohort of young people from the East of Scotland are already undertaking studies and will now start work placements at EY. Anna Taylor (17) and Jaymes Doyle (18) from Edinburgh are working towards obtaining an Accreditation in Applied Business Skills from Edinburgh Napier University.
On her experience with Breaking Barriers so far, Anna Taylor said: “It has been really refreshing to meet different people who have the same anxieties and barriers as I do and who understand how you feel.
“It is a very unique experience; I have the support I need but also get to pursue something that was previously outside of my comfort zone.
“I am looking forward to my work placement with EY to see how the topics we have covered with Edinburgh Napier apply in a real life work setting.”
James Doyle added:“Breaking barriers has benefited me a lot as I have learned how to be in a university environment and have found a new interest in banking and business. I feel like I have been helped with my confidence and social skills a lot.”
ENABLE Group CEO and co-founder of the Breaking Barriers programme, Theresa Shearer, spoke at the 2022 Harkin International Disability Employment Summit in Belfast yesterday, discussing the Breaking Barriers programme and the charity’s goal to ensure further education is made more accessible for those with a learning disability.
Theresa Shearer said:“I am delighted that we are building on the success of the Breaking Barriers programme and making it possible for even more students who have a learning disability to access the life-shaping experience of university that is a rite of passage for so many, yet it is currently available to so few disabled young people.
“Breaking Barriers demonstrates how the public, private and third sectors can work collaboratively to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in education and the workplace, and I am excited to welcome Edinburgh Napier University and EY as the programme’s newest partners, advancing our shared ambition of a truly inclusive society for all.”
Professor Nazira Karodia, Vice Principal of Learning and Teaching at Edinburgh Napier University said: “We are delighted to welcome our ENABLE students to The Business School, where our vision is to be the Business School for empowerment, enterprise and employability for all.
“Our ethos as a university is to be the home for difference makers and our position as the number one modern university in Scotland reflects our success in providing students with a positive learning experience, and our close industry links.
“Not everyone has an opportunity to change the world, but everyone can make a positive difference to the world around them: working with fantastic partners like ENABLE and EY is truly helping break barriers faced by young people with learning difficulties.”
Ally Scott, EY Scotland Managing Partner, said: “Breaking Barriers is an inspiring initiative that EY is delighted not just to support, but to work with to give these remarkable young people the skills for a successful and fulfilling career.
“This is a great example of Scotland’s strong ecosystem between education, industry and the civic community in action, and I look forward to celebrating their graduation with them in the summer.”
The Breaking Barriers programme originated in the West of Scotland and has entered its fifth consecutive year, delivered in a partnership between ENABLE Scotland, the University of Strathclyde Business School, ScottishPower and STV.
Such is the success of the programme that many former graduates have gone on to shape their chosen career path and secure employment and additional training opportunities in fields such as filmmaking, para-medicine, cyber security, financial services, digital music, and fashion.
The expansion of the programme is supported by Edinburgh City Council through the Young Person Guarantee.
