Cashback for Creativity film premieres next week

Criminal profits have been put to good use with the launch of two short films created by local young people. Screen Education Edinburgh (SEE) (formerly Pilton Video) will be screening ‘Danny’ and ‘The Clock Strikes Fate’ at North Edinburgh Arts Centre on Tuesday 18 September at 6.30pm.

SEE worked with young people from the outset on the projects which were made possible through funding from the Cashback for Creativity programme, a fund which takes cash confiscated from criminals and ploughs the money back into the communities they prey upon.

Cashback for Creativity (formally Creative Identities) is Creative Scotland’s programme that provides young people across Scotland with access to high quality dance, film and music activities, funded by the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities programme which reinvests the proceeds of crime back into communities to benefit Scotland’s young people.

As part of the scheme, Screen Education Edinburgh are running an intensive programme of short film making for young people aged 12- 19 across the City of Edinburgh, with priority given to those living in areas of deprivation.

In North Edinburgh, a series of taster workshops took place in partnership with Broughton High School, Community Organisation for Race Equality, Muirhouse Youth Development Group and Pilton Youth and Children’s Project, leading to the most interested young people moving forward to form a core filmmaking group based at SEE. Learning the skills of screenwriting, acting, camera, sound and editing, the group have completed two short film’s ‘Danny’ and ‘When The Clock Strikes Fate’.

The two films will be premiered on Tuesday 18th September at 6.30pm at North Edinburgh Arts Centre to an audience that will include the cast and crew, their families and friends, invited guests and members of the public. The event will also feature a ‘making of’ documentary and a question and answer session with the young people involved followed by a small reception.

Seats are free and available on a first come, first served basis; so turn up early on the night to guarantee a seat!

SEE’s Creative Manager Graham Fitzpatrick said: “The project was a fantastic opportunity for North Edinburgh youngsters to learn how to make films, with two outstanding and mature dramas being produced. We look forward to the premiere and supporting the group as they build on the experience to produce more shorts, whilst the programme also rolls out to East and West Edinburgh from now until Christmas.”

North Edinburgh Theatre’s back!

Hello all wonderful North Edinburgh Theatre folk,

This is just a wee reminder [as if you need it!] that we start Workshops again at North Edinburgh Arts this Friday 14th September 6 – 8pm. and next Saturday 22nd September 12 noon – 2pm. We shall meet every other Friday and every other Saturday so that everyone can come to the Workshops according to their commitments. There will be a crèche for every Workshop, but please make sure you book it with Sandra beforehand 0131 315 2152 and admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

We have so much to talk about, so much fun to have, so many plans to make, so much theatre to create – YIPPEE  I am really looking forward to working with you all again. We also have some new participants to welcome!

Please let me know which Workshops you want to come to – Fridays and/or Saturdays. Of course you can come to both, we shall be covering the same material at the Friday and Saturday Workshops but you always create different work, so it will be really interesting.

In the meantime, if you have any questions please just get in touch. For those folk who do not have internet, please can you make sure they know what’s happening? I will also post this on Facebook.
Take care and see you soon!

Stephanie Knight
North Edinburgh Theatre project

North Edinburgh Theatre's back!

Hello all wonderful North Edinburgh Theatre folk,

This is just a wee reminder [as if you need it!] that we start Workshops again at North Edinburgh Arts this Friday 14th September 6 – 8pm. and next Saturday 22nd September 12 noon – 2pm. We shall meet every other Friday and every other Saturday so that everyone can come to the Workshops according to their commitments. There will be a crèche for every Workshop, but please make sure you book it with Sandra beforehand 0131 315 2152 and admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

We have so much to talk about, so much fun to have, so many plans to make, so much theatre to create – YIPPEE  I am really looking forward to working with you all again. We also have some new participants to welcome!

Please let me know which Workshops you want to come to – Fridays and/or Saturdays. Of course you can come to both, we shall be covering the same material at the Friday and Saturday Workshops but you always create different work, so it will be really interesting.

In the meantime, if you have any questions please just get in touch. For those folk who do not have internet, please can you make sure they know what’s happening? I will also post this on Facebook.
Take care and see you soon!

Stephanie Knight
North Edinburgh Theatre project

The Fringe – what’s hot and what’s not?

This year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe guide runs to 376 pages, packed with a cornucopia of comedians, dance troupes, musicians, actors and novelty acts – good, bad and downright dire – all vying for your attention at 378 official venues.

Choosing just what to go and see – and, more importantly, what to avoid! – is tough, so perhaps you can help. Let us know what’s worth seeing – we’ll publish your reviews on the blog. And if a performance is truly awful, it’s best that we know that too!

Enjoy the shows!

The Fringe – what's hot and what's not?

This year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe guide runs to 376 pages, packed with a cornucopia of comedians, dance troupes, musicians, actors and novelty acts – good, bad and downright dire – all vying for your attention at 378 official venues.

Choosing just what to go and see – and, more importantly, what to avoid! – is tough, so perhaps you can help. Let us know what’s worth seeing – we’ll publish your reviews on the blog. And if a performance is truly awful, it’s best that we know that too!

Enjoy the shows!

Granton youth production’s on the Fringe

Granton Youth Theatre will be performing their powerful production ‘Just Like Everybody Else’ at the Holyrood Road’s Bongo Club this weekend.

The drama was devised and developed by Granton Youth Centre participants and the group’s performance was highly praised when ‘Just Like Everybody Else’ premiered at North Edinburgh Arts Centre in April.

Jut Like Everybody Else can be seen at The Bongo Club, Holyrood Road on Saturday and Sunday at 2.30pm. Tickets are only available at the venue box office or through www.thebongoclub.co.uk . The performance is suuitable for ages 12+.

Granton youth production's on the Fringe

Granton Youth Theatre will be performing their powerful production ‘Just Like Everybody Else’ at the Holyrood Road’s Bongo Club this weekend.

The drama was devised and developed by Granton Youth Centre participants and the group’s performance was highly praised when ‘Just Like Everybody Else’ premiered at North Edinburgh Arts Centre in April.

Jut Like Everybody Else can be seen at The Bongo Club, Holyrood Road on Saturday and Sunday at 2.30pm. Tickets are only available at the venue box office or through www.thebongoclub.co.uk . The performance is suuitable for ages 12+.

Triumphant Technophonia!

Triumphant Technophonia! Local students perform Olympic music

Disabled musicians using new technology took centre stage with City of Edinburgh Music School students when they performed Technophonia, an orchestral arrangement to celebrate the Olympics, to great acclaim recently. 

The disabled musicians played specially designed, weird and wonderful instruments – with brilliant names like skoog, soundbeam and brainfingers! – which detect tiny movements, making it easier for people with disabilities to perform. The ensemble rehearsed weekly at Broughton High School, home of the renowned City of Edinburgh Music School, the new wave instruments playing in harmony with the conventional.

The children have been working with the charity Drake Music Scotland, established in 1997 with the ethos that ‘disability is no barrier to making music’. DMS’s Thursa Sanderson said: “We had no pre-existing link with the school, but our artistic director knew Tudor (Morris, head of the City of Edinburgh Music School).  When we were applying for the New Music 20×12 funding for the commission, we thought it would be great to approach Tudor and ask if pupils from the City of Edinburgh Music School would like to be involved as they are recognised as the best young players from Edinburgh and the surrounding area.”

She went on:  “It makes a huge difference for our young musicians with disabilities to play in an ensemble with them, because they rarely, if ever, get the chance to play or perform along with their peers, so it is a great experience for them. I think it works both ways, as it opens the eyes of the CEMS students to the technology and what you can do creatively with it, allowing them to see how young people with disabilities are able to play music – they just need the right resources and support.”

Tudor Morris said: “We were delighted to be involved in this initiative with Drake Music Scotland. It has been an incredibly rewarding project and a really great experience for our students.”

Scots composer Oliver Searle (pictured above) was one of twenty composers commissioned to write a twelve-minute piece to celebrate the Cultural Olympiad. He said: ”Part of this project was trying to write specifically for these instruments so you could say: this is a skoog piece, this is a piece for soundbeam and chamber ensemble, or this is for brainfingers. Not only have we used these instruments, but there are also solos for them!”

The soloists were Anthony Swift and Chris Jacquin, who both have cerebral palsy, and Stephanie Forrest on soundbeam, brainfingers and skoog respectively.

Andrew (15) said: ”When I was wee all I wanted to do was play an instrument. It’s just so amazing to get the opportunity to show people what I can actually be capable of.”

Pic: BBC

Technophonia, Scots composer Oliver Searle’s specially commissioned piece, was premiered in Edinburgh’s Queens Hall on 15 June, followed up with a Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on 22 June before a gala performance at London’s Southbank Centre on 15 July as part of the New Music 20×12 Weekend Celebration.

The performances received great acclaim. Triumphant Technophonia!”, “momentous achievement”, “brilliantly conceived” and “astonishing demonstration” were just a few of the many glowing comments on the three performances.

Technophonia demonstrated just  how technology can aid disabled musicians perform on an equal footing with their peers, and that skoogs, soundbeams and brainfingers could become a regular sight in orchestras and bands. And yes, that disability is no barrier to making music. Congratulations to all concerned – bravo!

GYC’s Fame Academy needs YOU!

Granton Youth Centre have been developing their arts provision over the last couple of years and have created two successful pieces of theatre – Split Second and Just Like Everyone Else. Fame Academy is the latest opportunity for local young people to create their own piece of theatre that could potentially become as successful as previous productions.

The project offers young people aged 12+ the chance to try out various art forms including drama, music, film and set and costume design.

Heather Marshall explained: “GYC needs you! We’re looking for young people aged 12+ who would like to create their own show. Rehearsals will take place at GYC and will include: 

Theatre

Music

Movement

Film Set

Costume design 

You can sign up to perform or help backstage:

Monday 2 July 1-4pm Thurs 5 July 1-4pm

Monday 9 July 1-4pm Thursday 12 July 1-4pm

Monday 16 July 1-4pm Thursday 19 July 1-4pm

Monday 23 July 1-4pm Thursday 26 July 1-4pm. 

This is your opportunity to create a brand new show!”

i@grantonyouth.com

GYC's Fame Academy needs YOU!

Granton Youth Centre have been developing their arts provision over the last couple of years and have created two successful pieces of theatre – Split Second and Just Like Everyone Else. Fame Academy is the latest opportunity for local young people to create their own piece of theatre that could potentially become as successful as previous productions.

The project offers young people aged 12+ the chance to try out various art forms including drama, music, film and set and costume design.

Heather Marshall explained: “GYC needs you! We’re looking for young people aged 12+ who would like to create their own show. Rehearsals will take place at GYC and will include: 

Theatre

Music

Movement

Film Set

Costume design 

You can sign up to perform or help backstage:

Monday 2 July 1-4pm Thurs 5 July 1-4pm

Monday 9 July 1-4pm Thursday 12 July 1-4pm

Monday 16 July 1-4pm Thursday 19 July 1-4pm

Monday 23 July 1-4pm Thursday 26 July 1-4pm. 

This is your opportunity to create a brand new show!”

i@grantonyouth.com