Stories

“When I explore Edinburgh’s northeast coast, it’s not as a tourist, but as someone looking to deeply connect with the landscape. This project with EAF and Rhubaba is about slowing down and engaging with the environment through photography, analogue film, audio, reflection, or any chosen medium. It’s an invitation to immerse yourself in the textures, sounds, and stories of this space.”

– Chantelle Gomez, mixed-media artist & photographer

EAF and Rhubaba’s Refractions: New Conceptions of Film + Photography, is a co-created programme of free workshops and events to connect marginalised artists with creativity through film, theatre, photography, ceramics, writing, and more. Refractions is the culmination of a long-term partnership, creating year-round space to share creativity in community, and explore new mediums with queer joy and skill exchange.

Images: Ellie Morag, Chantelle Gomez, Elle Haswell, and Zachary Ryan.

“Working at Oaklands School has taught me how everyday items can create an inclusive and engaging environment for pupils with special needs. Simple objects like sensory toys, fabrics, or songs spark joy and help students connect with activities – Andy dances when his favourite song plays, and Chaimaa lights up at the sight of colourful fabrics.

Niamh, the arts facilitator for our sessions with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, tailored these activities to each pupil, using repetition and sensory cues to provide structure and encourage engagement. It’s incredible to see how these immersive, multi-sensory sessions make performances accessible, ensuring every pupil can participate in a meaningful way.”

– Gwen Twynam Perkins, Class Teacher at Oaklands School

In 2024, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society brought the Fringe experience into Oaklands additional needs school as part of its Engagement and Access work. The Fringe Society and the Oaklands school, along with artist Niamh O’Loughlin, curated an interactive show drawing on the importance and exploration of objects, with a multi-sensory approach to ensure all additional needs were met. These photographs depict the freedom and creativity of this project and the inclusive joy that came from it.

“Children’s rights are important because you basically survive on them. If you didn’t have those rights, then things would go wrong. If you didn’t have the right to education or to know about your rights, you’d be clueless.

Creative Encounters is fun because it’s not common that children get to make big decisions. It’s usually adults who get to do this stuff, but we should get to do it more because it’s creative… and no offence, but adults are usually boring.”

– Reel, Forthview pupil and self-proclaimed Imaginate expert

Imaginate is the national organisation in Scotland, which develops, presents and celebrates theatre and dance for children and young people. As well as producing the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, Imaginate develops exciting schools projects, runs a schools’ touring programme all over Scotland, and supports artists to make inspiring work for young people.

Over the last two years, Imaginate has been taking a child’s rights-based approach and is trying to make the views of young people central to the organisation. Creative Encounters is its flagship schools project piloting this new approach.

“The Beacon Club is all about making a real difference for older adults, especially those feeling lonely or dealing with dementia. It’s not just a day centre – it’s a lifeline where people can connect, have fun, and rebuild their confidence. Members love coming each week; it’s something to look forward to, a reason to dress up, and a place to make friends and try new things. It’s a bright spot that helps them handle the ups and downs of ageing with a bit more joy and support.”

– Seraph Davidson, Beacon Club Project Manager

The values of discovery and connection guide the work of Edinburgh International Festival – both on and off stage. Their multi-year Community Connections Hub partnership with Space @ The Broomhouse Hub builds co-created programmes rooted in the community's ideas, which in turn shape the future of the International Festival. The Beacon Club is a shining example of this collaboration, using music to spark joyful connections with people living with dementia and facing social isolation.

“Hair empowerment in the Black community is important as it’s not something often spoken about in mainstream media, with representations of Black hairstyles in these contexts being more tailored to a certain image of what is deemed "acceptable" by European beauty standards. When it is, there is sometimes a belief that our hair is too difficult to manage or unprofessional due to lack of awareness of different hair styles/types, resulting in discrimination.

Taking space to speak about why we choose to wear our hair in certain hairstyles and the best products for our hair is important as a lot of us have our own personal journeys to figure this out; when sharing our knowledge with each other and intergenerationally, it is especially valuable, so we know we're not alone in this.

In teaching younger generations this, we hope to instil more confidence in experimentation of different hairstyles, with healthier hair practices for different hair types, and know our hair is always respectable and beautiful.”

– Rianna Andrews, HAIR Project Coordinator

HAIR (Heritage, Attitude, Identity and Respect) is a project between Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (producers of the Edinburgh Festival Carnival), Passion4Fusion, and St Augustine’s RC High School. The project centres on Black Hair stories, exploring key historical and political moments up until the present, and how these are diverse representations of 'Blackness'/Black Culture. Thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project explores themes through different mediums such as dance, spoken word and film as well as being the inspiration for Carnival costumes.

“The Twins of Edzell is a story that resonates deeply with me. It’s about a mother raising twin boys who are both deaf, and the rejection they face from the villagers because of their differences. The villagers can’t or won’t accept the twins, simply because they can’t understand them.

This rejection eventually leads to the boys attacking the villagers – a powerful and dramatic shift in the story. It’s a folklore tale that speaks to the dangers of exclusion and ableism, and it really hits home for me, especially considering the persistent prejudice against deaf people in society.

That’s why I use storytelling in my teaching. It’s a way to bridge the gap and make sure that deaf children are involved and included. Folklore allows us to explore many different themes and perspectives that have been passed down through generations. Through all of this, my goal is to show children that they are not isolated, that their voices – whether they are spoken or signed – are powerful and meaningful.

In my teaching and storytelling, I use Visual Vernacular, which combines facial expressions, body language, and hand shapes to add tone and emotion to a story. This is a form of storytelling that’s unique to the deaf community, and it’s more than just miming – it’s a way of truly embodying the story, making it come alive in a way that spoken language can’t.” 

– Tania Allan, BSL folklorist and storyteller

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is the world’s largest celebration of storytelling, anchored in Scotland, a nation of storytellers. The Festival takes place in October each year, as the seasons change and inspired by the Scottish ceilidh tradition – a community gathering full of tales, anecdotes, music and song.

Their Sensing Stories project is an inclusive series of storytelling sessions for groups interested in using storytelling as a wellbeing tool and for developing performance skills

Video Credit: The Twins of Edzell BSL translation/performance by Tania Allan, from Erin Farley’s, Angus Folk Tales. Produced by Solar Bear through the Solar Flares: Deaf Heritage project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.