Culture Partners
The Culture Service works with a variety of external agencies such as:
Scottish Enterprise - This is Scotland’s main economic development agency and a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. To deliver a significant, lasting effect on the Scottish economy, they work effectively with partners in the public and private sectors to identify and exploit the best opportunities.
ETAG - This is the umbrella organisation for the tourism sector in Edinburgh. Their aim is to create a strong tourism community that works together to deliver growth for your business, a great experience for the visitor and economic benefits for the city and Scotland as a whole.
Event Scotland - Working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. Through funding and developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors.
Creative Scotland - Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. They enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life. They distribute funding from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery.
Scottish Government - The devolved government for Scotland has a range of responsibilities which include: health, education, justice, rural affairs, housing and the environment. Culture, creativity and a rich, diverse heritage sit at the heart of Scottish life and play a critical role in the economy, communities and almost everything we do. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting, developing and advocating Scotland's culture, heritage and creativity, and ensuring that culture reaches a wide audience at home and abroad.
Essential Edinburgh - To ensure that Edinburgh city centre excels as a place to work, a place to do business, a place to shop and a place to visit.
The City of Edinburgh Council Grant Funded Organisations 2020/23
STRATEGIC PARTNERS:
Artlink - Artlink is an innovative arts organisation that tackles inequalities. They use involvement in the arts to build individual potential and address social issues that affect some of the most marginalised people in our community. They bring people from very different backgrounds together to work in creative partnership and promote practical change within our communities. They work with a wide variety of partners in the arts, health and social care as well as collaborators who have lived experience of disability, their carers and families. Together they ensure that the artistic practice is of the highest quality and remains relevant to ever-changing needs and aspirations.
Centre for Moving Image (The Filmhouse and the Edinburgh International Film Festival) - Scotland’s leading independent cinema, celebrating world cinema in all its brilliance and diversity. Filmhouse is home of the Edinburgh International Film Festival which is the longest continually running film festival in the world and has a reputation for debate, discovery and the development of new talent.
Dance Base - Dance Base is on a mission to get more people dancing. The organisation exists to encourage and celebrate the potential for dance in everyone. Their mission, as a National Centre for Dance in Scotland, is to offer a vibrant and uplifting focal point for dance as an art form, a way to exercise, and a way of life. They reach out to inspire wellbeing and creativity, and cultivate a future for dance in local, national and international communities.
Edinburgh Art Festival - Edinburgh Art Festival is the platform for the visual arts at the heart of Edinburgh’s August festivals, bringing together the capital’s leading galleries, museums and artist-run spaces in a city-wide celebration of the very best in visual art. Each year, the Festival features leading international and UK artists alongside the best emerging talent, major survey exhibitions of historic figures, and a special programme of newly commissioned artworks that respond to public and historic sites in the city.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society - For three weeks in August the Edinburgh Festival Fringe opens the doors, streets and alleyways of an entire city to an explosion of creative energy from around the globe. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is the organisation that underpins the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The founding principle at the heart of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is to be an open access festival that accommodates anyone with a desire to perform and a venue willing to host them. No single individual or committee determines who can or cannot perform at the Fringe. The Fringe Society is the custodian of the Fringe’s core values of open access and freedom of expression.
Edinburgh International Book Festival - The Edinburgh International Book Festival is one of the largest public celebrations of the written word in the world and a key event in the city’s festival season. For 17 days every August it brings together over 900 writers, poets, politicians, illustrators, musicians and thinkers from around the world to share stories and ideas and discuss the things that shape our lives. From Nobel prize-winners and household names to the literary stars of tomorrow, the Book Festival offers an inspiring and surprising range of events for all ages, from babies to adults. Around 240,000 visits are made to the Book Festival’s home every year, a specially created tented village in the leafy green space of Charlotte Square Gardens and along the west end of George Street, in the heart of historic Edinburgh – the world’s first UNSESCO City of Literature.
Edinburgh International Festival - Established in 1947 as a world class cultural event to bring together audiences and artists from around the world, the International Festival is about the people who come together here in Edinburgh to create incredible experiences. Together they are a state of the art, world class cultural event which over its 70 years has gone from strength to strength. As such a vibrant, innovative, energetic organisation, the International Festival contributes to many aspects of life, be it cultural and economic, education and society and enhances the lives of people not just in Edinburgh and Scotland, but around the world.
Edinburgh Science - (formally the Edinburgh International Science Festival), was founded in 1989, is an educational charity that aims to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to discover the world around them. They are best known for organising Edinburgh’s annual Science Festival: the world’s first public celebration of science and technology and still one of Europe’s largest.
Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival - The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (EJBF) is Scotland’s flagship jazz and blues event, attracting audiences of 70,000 people with a distinctive, world class programme that appeals to a broad range of the public. In addition to its programme of around 150 concerts over ten days annually in late July. The Festival promotes the Edinburgh Festival Carnival, The Mardi Gras and is developing education and participation programmes and community projects.
Edinburgh Printmakers - Established in 1967 as the first open access studio in Britain, Edinburgh Printmakers is an organisation dedicated to the practice of fine art printmaking. They are committed to providing high quality, low cost printmaking facilities for artists.
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop - Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop brings together professional artists, first-time participants, adult learners and young people on their learning and education programmes.
Festivals Edinburgh - Building on a culture of collaborative working the Directors of Edinburgh’s leading Festivals came together in 2007 to formally establish Festivals Edinburgh with a mission to support Edinburgh’s Festivals in sustaining and developing their position as the world’s leading festival city through development and delivery of collaborative projects and initiatives which support growth, product development, leadership and audiences and acting on behalf of and representing the collective strengths of the Edinburgh Festivals.
Imaginate - Imaginate is the national organisation in Scotland, which promotes, develops and celebrates theatre and dance for children and young people. They want more children in Scotland to experience work that is deeply engaging, innovative and inspiring. They believe that all children deserve the opportunity to develop their creativity, emotional intelligence and reach their true potential.
North Edinburgh Arts - North Edinburgh Arts offers local residents a place to relax, explore, learn, meet, share, volunteer and have fun in. Over 17 hours of creative workshops are on offer each week, most with a family focus, alongside a wide range of other events from singing groups, to dance shows, circus skills workshops, community theatre to film clubs. The venue is also home to Licketyspit Theatre Company and Muirhouse Youth Development Group, both reaching out to the most disadvantaged children and families in the area.
Stills Gallery - Stills is a centre for photography based in the heart of Edinburgh. They offer exhibitions and production facilities as well as a range of engagement opportunities for anyone to discover, enjoy and understand photography. Stills was established in 1977 and since that time it has become a champion for the important and powerful role that the medium of photography plays in the world today.
GROUPINGS:
Theatre
Capital Theatres - Capital Theatres operates three busy theatre venues in Edinburgh: the Festival Theatre, the King’s Theatre and The Studio. Operating as a registered Scottish charity, they present world-class shows to entertain and inspire audiences of all ages.
Royal Lyceum Theatre Company - The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company is Scotland’s leading producing theatre. With a strong reputation for excellence in classical, contemporary and community work. The Lyceum is committed to developing Scotland’s considerable indigenous talents while presenting the best of international drama.
Traverse Theatre - The Traverse is Scotland’s foremost theatre company dedicated to new writing. They champion creative talent by placing powerful and contemporary theatre at the heart of cultural life – producing and programming urgent and diverse work spanning theatre, dance, performance, music and spoken word.
Lung Ha Theatre Company - Lung Ha Theatre Company has a sixty strong team of performers with a learning disability. The Company has worked with over three hundred performers with a learning disability creating over forty original productions. They have worked with some of the leading artists and creative organisations across the country and also toured internationally to England, France, Ireland, Poland, Sweden and Finland.
Edinburgh Performing Arts Development (EPAD) - Edinburgh Performing Arts Development (EPAD) is a support programme for professional independent performing arts companies and artists based in Edinburgh. EPAD supports Edinburgh’s professional performing arts sector to develop, share resources and build better connections through three areas of focus - Space, Support and Networking. Their aim is to help the performing arts sector in Edinburgh be better connected, more self-sufficient and stronger.
Literature
TRACS - Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland was set up in 2012 to represent Traditional Arts in Scotland. It brings together the Traditional Music Forum, the Scottish Storytelling Forum and the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland to provide a common platform and collective voice for all working in this field. TRACS is based at the Scottish Storytelling Centre where it supports a year round programme of arts activities, as well as the annual Scottish International Storytelling Festival.
Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature - The Edinburgh City of Literature Trust is a development agency for Edinburgh as a City of Literature, sharing Edinburgh’s astonishing literary legacy with the world, telling the story of the city’s history. The Trust advocates literature as a civilising influence globally, and curates literary listings to show the public what’s on.
Scottish Poetry Library - The Scottish Poetry Library is a unique national resource and advocate for the art of poetry, and Scottish poetry in particular. They are passionately committed to bringing the pleasures and benefits of poetry to as wide an audience as possible.
Scottish Book Trust - The Scottish Book Trust is a national charity that believes books, reading and writing have the power to change lives. A love of reading inspires creativity, improves employment opportunities, mental health and wellbeing, and is one of the most effective ways to help children escape the poverty cycle.
REVENUE PARTNERSHIP FUNDING:
Queens Hall - The Queen’s Hall is Edinburgh’s premier independent mid-sized live music venue, hosting world-class artists from all musical fields: classical, jazz, folk and roots, rock and pop and Americana.
Scottish Chamber Orchestra - The internationally celebrated Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) is made up of a unique collection of talented musicians who inspire and connect with people of all ages. The SCO's aim to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to hear live orchestral music by touring the length and breadth of Scotland and around the world as proud ambassadors for Scottish cultural excellence. The SCO makes a significant contribution to Scottish life both on the concert platform and beyond, working in schools, universities, hospitals, care homes, places of work and community centres through the SCO Connect creative learning programme.
TRANSITION FUNDING (2020/21)
Scots Fiddle Festival - The Scots Fiddle Festival was launched in 1996 with the aim to promote and sustain traditional fiddle music. The festival brings people together from all over the world, both performers and audience members and continues to inspire thousands of people to enjoy and take part in traditional music each year.
Scottish Indian Arts Forum - The Scottish Indian Arts Forum has been promoting Indian culture and arts, in and around Edinburgh, through different music and dance events around key Indian festivals since its inception in August 1994.
Buidhnean cultarach Gàidhlig ann an Dùn Èideann / Gaelic cultural groups in Edinburgh
Tha mòran bhuidhnean a’ tighinn còmhla ann an Dùn Èideann gus cànan is cultar na Gàidhlig a shònrachadh is a bhrosnachadh. Seo roghain dhiubh.
Many groups in Edinburgh meet to promote and celebrate Gaelic culture. Here are some of the main opportunities to get involved.
Bothan Dhùn Èideann
Gàidheil a’ bhaile mhòir a’ tighinn còmhla turas gach mìos airson ceòl is cràic. Fàilte ron a h-uile duine.
The capital’s Gaels gather every month for music and a chance to catch up. All welcome.
Cearcall Còmhraidh Dhùn Èideann/Edinburgh Conversation Circle
Buidheann chàirdeil, shocair far an cuirear fàilte air luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig aig gach ìre.
A friendly, welcoming group for Gaelic speakers at all levels.
Còisir Ghàidhlig Lodainn/Lothian Gaelic Choir
Tha Còisir Ghàidhlig Lodainn a’ coinneachadh a h-uile seachdain is sùil aca an duaisean mòra a’ Mhòid – a choisinn iad iomadh turas - a bharrachd air spòrs, fearas-cuideachd agus cothrom seinn ann an consairtean is cèilidhean eile. Taic ri faotainn le Gàidhlig.
Lothian Gaelic Choir meet once a week to prepare for Mòd competitions – where they have enjoyed significant success - to sing for fun in good company and to prepare for a host of concerts and ceilidhs. Gaelic tuition available.
Comann Tìr nam Beann
Tha Comann Tìr nam Beann a’ brosnachadh cànan is cultar na Gàidhlig tro chèilidhean is eile. Fàilte ron a h-uile duine.
Comann Tìr nam Beann promote and celebrate Gaelic language and culture through ceilidhs and much more. All welcome.
Fèis Dhùn Èideann
Tha Fèis Dhùn Èideann a’ tabhann prògram de chlasaichean ciùil, dràma is seinn fad na bliadhna, is fèis deireadh-sheachdain a h-uile Gearran.
Fèis Dhùn Èideann offers a year-round programme of song, music and drama classes, plus a weekend Fèis (Festival) every February.
Prasgan
’S e còisir choimhearsnachd a th’ ann am Prasgan a bhios a’ tighinn còmhla airson chonsairtean is tachartasan eile. Fosgailte do fileantaich, luchd-ionnsachaidh agus dhaibhsan aig a bheil ùidh sa chànan.
Prasgan is a community choir that comes together for concerts and other events. Open to fluent speakers, learners and those with an interest in the language.
Seachdain na Gàidhlig/Edinburgh’s Gaelic Festival
Fèis Bhliadhnail a’ dèanamh fèill air coimhearsnachd Gàidhlig Dhùn Èideann. Fàilte ron a h-uile duine.
An annual festival celebrating Edinburgh’s Gaelic community. All welcome.