Our work with Communities

The International Festival works with people of all ages across Edinburgh throughout the year. In Learning and Engagement, we are inspired by Patrick Geddes who said 'Think Global, Act Local'. We want to ensure that the citizens of the city can share in our international celebration of the arts each year.

We deliver a wide range of projects with Edinburgh communities, but here are a few of our highlights!

Culture Club

Culture Club brings different communities in Edinburgh together to share a meal and attend a performance together. The meals are hosted in a different community hub each time, with communities that are tied together by location, shared experiences or interests. So far, we have presented Culture Clubs across Edinburgh from Oxgangs to Craigmiller via Gorgie, Morningside and Leith.

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A gallery carousel of 6 items

Group sat at a table talking with one woman smiling and standing at the head of the table — © Credit : Ryan Buchanan

People sat around tables talking and smiling — © Credit : Ryan Buchanan

Group of people sat at a table talking with flowers in the middle and plates and cups on the table — © Credit : Ryan Buchanan

Group stood in the Lyceum Theatre's lobby attending the Culture Club — © Credit : Ryan Buchanan

Group of woman standing and smiling while at the Culture Club — © Credit : Ryan Buchanan

Jackie Kay stood in front of white board smiling at a gathered group of people — Poet Jackie Kay CBE talking to a Culture Club group before they went to enjoy a performance of Red Dust Road, a play based on Kay’s memoir
© Credit : Beth Chalmers

Amplify

Amplify was a project created with the young people of Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre, delivered in partnership with Vox Liminis. The project was designed to give the young people at Goodtrees a platform to share their stories through music. The young people wrote and professionally recorded an album, exploring a range of issues that were important to them, including bullying, violence, mental health and the brilliant work that the young people do at Goodtrees. They worked with Screen Education Edinburgh to create a music video, learning a range of different skills throughout the project.

Listen to their songs

Festival Favours

In 2021, 32 groups across the city were given their own piece of the Festival. Through Festival Favours, we reconnected with and built new relationships with groups spread across Edinburgh, including charities, clubs and societies, as well as community centres, care homes and social spaces.

Each group received a bespoke celebration moment in which an artist or creative visited them in person or connected with them digitally, bringing joy and creativity to the group’s participants and activities.

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Children sit on the floor and practice spinning colourful plates on sticks — Children from The Ripple participating in a circus skills workshop with Tim Parfitt

A man plays a banjo to a group of children and their mothers gathered in front of a colourful mural. — Oi Musica playing for families from Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre
© Credit : Jess Shurte

A group of women standing outside i a leafy park stretch their arms up towards the sky. — Families from the Oxgangs Walking Group participating in a movement workshop with Curious Seed
© Credit : © Beth Chalmers

A group of families in a park shown with exercise balls following along a workshop — Families from the Oxgangs Walking Group participating in a movement workshop with Curious Seed
© Credit : Beth Chalmers

Boys wearing face coverings and hoodies clap their hands and follow along with a workshop — Young people from Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre enjoying a performance from Oi Musica
© Credit : Jess Shurte

A girl in a pink playsuit cartwheels over a row of colourful blocks, with children playing in the background. — Children from Venchie Children and Young People’s Project participating in a circus skills workshop with Tim Parfitt

Kadamati

During the Year of Young People, we brought 17 groups of young dancers from across Scotland together to perform in Akram Khan Company's Kadamati at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Nine leading Scottish dance artists worked with the groups, teaching them the choreography before they met together to perform during the Festival, under the backdrop of Arthur’s Seat.

We have continued to collaborate with Akram Khan Company, delivering a nation-wide digital project connected to Chotto Xenos, and a community dance project for people of all ages connected to Jungle Book reimagined.

We’re always up for a chat!

If you would like to hear more about our projects or speak to us about working together, please contact Caroline Donald, Head of Learning and Engagement, by emailing us at engage@eif.co.uk.

Learning & Engagement Partner

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