Edinburgh locals and those with a connection to the city are invited to share stories and memories of the former Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, now redeveloped as the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute (EFI), as part of a new participatory writing project, Words from the Wards, at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF).
Alongside the public submissions, Words from the Wards will also feature contributions from leading Edinburgh writers and artists, including Dr Gavin Francis, Michael Pederson, Hannah Lavery, Sara Sheridan, Lisa Williams and Kirstin Innes.
Submitted stories will be published at www.ontheroad.edbookfest.co.uk, creating a time capsule of memories about the Old infirmary through the eyes of those who worked and visited there throughout the years. A selection of the submitted stories will be read by their authors, alongside the professional writers, at special events on-site at EFI during the Festival.
During EIBF there will also be a tie-in with EFI Culture and Community team’s ongoing Recycling a Hospital project, which will see a new object created from materials preserved from the building’s original interiors and poetry written by community members, installed within the space. The object, called ‘The Spirit Case’, will become a hub for gathering further stories, with EIBF visitors invited to engage with the existing stories and contribute their own reflections.
EIBF takes place in August at the city’s McEwan Hall, in a new partnership with Edinburgh Fringe producer, Underbelly, and has announced its first author events for 2024, with a brand-new series called The Front List, that will showcase a programme of writers with nine events in the Edinburgh venue, just a short walk from the wider EIBF site at EFI.
From opening with Scottish comedy favourites, now legends of stage and screen, Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson, who will be speaking about their much loved characters in Victor and Barry’s Kelvinside Compendium to closing with events spotlighting Thursday Murder Club author Richard Osman and mental health activist Matt Haig with among an array of big names, a live screening of Salman Rushdie.
EIBF Director, Jenny Niven said “We are absolutely thrilled to be presenting such a stellar line-up in a venue that will enable us to welcome more people than ever before, in partnership with our friends at Underbelly. These are just the first of our 2024 events, with a further incredible 500-plus still to be announced. Our Front List line up gives a taste of what’s to come ranging from history to mystery, hope to romance, politics to comedy – and featuring some of the best interviewers in the business, including Mishal Husain and our very own Jackie Kay. This marks the first release of events as we open an exciting new chapter for the Book Festival – we can’t wait to welcome audiences this August.”
Chairs for these events include Jackie Kay, Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Wren James, Mishal Husain, and Chitra Ramaswamy, with more to be confirmed.
Most events in this series will be streamed live and made available on-demand for digital audiences, and all events will be BSL interpreted and captioned.
Tickets for The Front List events will go on sale to the public at 10am on Thursday 25th April, with tickets available to book at https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on and https://underbelly.co.uk/.
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 