This summer young people from Edinburgh and East Lothian will be exploring their local area through arts activities, increasing confidence and resilience as they prepare for high school.
Our new partnership project Dear Lothian is the latest programme created as part of our group support for young people, Pupils Know How. In partnership with the University of Edinburgh Museums Service, Historic Environment Scotland, Scran, Museums & Galleries Edinburgh and St Cecilia’s Hall, this 6-week summer arts programme is designed around arts, culture and heritage activities taking place across both local communities. Through each session, young people will explore their local area, strengthen their relationship and sense of belonging with their communities, and increase confidence and resilience as they prepare for the transition to high school.
People Know How’s team of Youth Workers will be directly supporting the young participants, while representatives from each of our partner organisations will deliver and run sessions focusing on different areas of the arts and local historical knowledge.
“Supporting young people to develop key life skills and realise their full potential is one of the priorities in the University Museum’s Engagement Plan. The Dear Lothian project will provide a creative vehicle for the young participants to gain confidence and further develop a sense of place, while contributing to place-making, in their own communities.”
Dear Lothian will open with a walking tour of Edinburgh City Centre, taking in some highlights of the city including the Scott Monument, City Arts Centre, St Cecilia’s Hall, Old College and George Square. In the weeks following, the young people will explore the grounds of Edinburgh Castle through photographs old and new, design a landscape painting taking inspiration from the City Art Centre’s current exhibitions, create a soundscape of their surroundings using the Sound Library at St Cecilia’s Hall and listen to and learn how to record oral histories with the University’s European Ethnological Research Centre.
Family, friends and the wider community will have the opportunity to enjoy the creative outputs of the project, as the young people will organise an exhibition on our very own canal boat, All Aboard, which we have newly acquired in partnership with Polwarth Church.
“We are delighted to be working in collaboration with all these wonderful organisations. The opportunities provided through this partnership to our young people are fantastic, and we are all very excited to see the finished result!”