Edinburgh People's Festival 2003

Press Release

News From The Edinburgh People's Festival

PDF IconDownload this press release as a PDF file


Mon 28th July 2003 For Immediate Release


Edinburgh People's Festival Launches Week of Attractions


As the world's largest arts festival descends on Edinburgh a newcomer has entered the field at the last minute. The International Festival, the Film and TV Festival, the Book Festival, the Jazz Festival, Tattoo and Fringe will be joined this year by the Edinburgh People's Festival. The 15,000 performers in the city centre during the month bringing all their colour, noise, military pomp, congestion, human and vehicular, frenetic leafleting and general '24/7 activity' are, according to Colin Fox of the Edinburgh People's Festival, in stark contrast to 'the silence in the schemes'. '


The Edinburgh Festival brings all the famous names to our city. 'Budweiser, Becks, Nokia, Orange, Easyjet, Starbucks, Nestle, Heinekein, Carlsberg, Fosters, Bacardi, you name them, chances are they are sponsoring something. Oh and of course let's not forget the banks, the Royal Bank of Scotland for example are also 'in on the act', this is, after all, a financial celebration too. More than £200 million pounds will be spent on shows, in bars and hotels and shops. No wonder many refer to this one as the 'hug money festival'. [As opposed to hogmanay!]


'Normally however none of the 20,000 shows are seen in 'the schemes'. No leaflets are distributed there. No students uni-cycle up the Gilmerton Road. No fire-eaters are found in Fernieside. Furthermore the escalating price of tickets now leaves many people feeling more and more excluded.


This year is an exception however. There's a jingle and a jangle going on out at the Jack Kane Centre in Craigmillar, up in Gilmerton Friendly Halls, down in Leith and over in Wester Hailes. 'A courageous band of community activists and performers have dared say it doesn't have to be silent in the schemes. They have given birth to the Edinburgh People's Festival.


In fact it is more of a rebirth, a 'reformation' if you will. Fifty years ago artists like Hamish Henderson, Ewan McColl and Hugh Macdiarmid joined activists like Councillor Jack Kane and others to found the Edinburgh People's Festival.


They were stung into action by what they saw as an elitist and inaccessible official event. They went on over four years [1951-1954] to produce some of the most innovative and inspiring work seen anywhere. We believe the criticisms they levelled at the Festival in 1951 are as valid today.'


The Edinburgh People's Festival begins Sunday 10th Aug at the Jack Kane Centre in Craigmillar. An array of events will take place at various locations across the city over the week. ENDS


Contacts ; Colin Fox,MSP, Edinburgh People's Festival Tel 0131 348 6389 [mobile] 07790 581 883


Note to Journalists: The Edinburgh People's Festival 2003 runs Sun 10th August to Sat 16th August at various events across the city. All tickets cost £2. More than fifty entertainers [comics, musicians, bands, singers, poets, artists and photographers, actors and writers] are involved. The complete programme of events is available at - www.edinburghpeoplesfestival.org.uk.