Leith submits its application to become the UK’s first-ever Town of Culture, with a people-powered bid that puts community, creativity and local pride at its heart.
For the festival, Leith has been the site of installations, electrifying performance, thought-provoking talks, celebration and cultural exchange. From Lewis Walker’s electrifying performance Bornsick at FirstStage Studios closing EAF25, to EAF24’s opening with Mele Broomes’ performance through warm temperatures journeying through Custom Lane; from Prem Sahib’s vibrant installation Liquid Gold at Bard, to the Haven for Artists’ buzzing launch of acclaimed anthology I Will Always Be Looking For You: A Queer Anthology On Arab Art — the festival’s ties to Leith have only gotten stronger.
This historically autonomous port town, whose motto is ‘Persevere’ and whose independence has been contested across its nine centuries, has an incredibly rich heritage, and a distinct modern culture and attitude to life. A vibrant swagger that is modern Leith, and on which a community-led bid aims to shine a spotlight.
The proposal for UK Town of Culture 2028 has been developed from the ground up by a collective of volunteers based in Leith – residents, artists, cultural organisations, schools, community groups and independent businesses who want to celebrate its identity and its creativity, while making sure that more people feel welcome, included and proud of where they live.
Over 70 organisations and public figures including Leith Theatre, Hibs FC, Leith School of Art, Grid Iron Theatre Company, Historic Environment Scotland, Unique Events, Forth Ports, FirstStage Studios, Coburg Studios, Leith Civic Trust, Leith Community Centre, Leith Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, VOCAL, Citadel, EHFM, Leith Academy, The Royal Yacht Britannia, Leith Library and many others have signed up to back the bid, alongside its three community councils, elected officials, and with the backing of City of Edinburgh Council as accountable body.
The bid area spans the community council areas of Leith Central, Leith Harbour & Newhaven, and Leith Links, home to around 50,000 residents and one of the most diverse, densely populated, and fast-changing areas in Scotland.
Leith is internationally recognised for its creative energy, food scene and waterfront – ranked fourth coolest neighbourhood in the world by Time Out in their influential annual list of 2021, and 16th in 2023. The home of The Proclaimers whose “Sunshine on Leith” remains the people’s anthem, Irvine Welsh and Trainspotting, undisputed Lightweight Champion of the World Ken Buchanan, Scottish Colourist JD Fergusson, and pioneering physician and suffragette Grace Ross Cadell; the place where a cure for scurvy was found, the site of the UK’s first vertical whisky distillery, where the first set of rules for golf were written, and where the first ship to cross the Atlantic purely using steam was built. Leith is a place rich with culture, innovation and history.
It is also an area of sharp contrasts where pockets of significant deprivation sit alongside rapid development. The partnership bid seeks to address these tensions, widening opportunity, creating pathways, building skills development and employability in order to protect what makes Leith distinctive while building a stronger future for its communities through a celebration of culture, investment, pride and developed partnerships.
Leith’s Town of Culture plans, designed following a round-table session with interested residents and organisations, include large-scale public moments on the waterfront; a year-round rhythm of community-led festivals and commissions; a £1 million Community Culture Fund empowering grassroots organisations; what the team are calling “Sunshine on Leith”- public-realm legacy improvements; and long-term investment in skills, access and cultural infrastructure.
The events, it proposes, would draw not just pride, but also a reflection on the history that has brought it to this point, a story which included the transatlantic slave trade, industrial decline and an amalgamation into the city of Edinburgh that Leithers voted overwhelmingly against back in 1920.
Participation is central. Should Leith be shortlisted, people of all ages will help shape and curate the programme through participatory forums, youth leadership, and neighbourhood-based activity. Accessibility is embedded from the outset, with a commitment to free and low-cost events, inclusive design, clear access information, and partnerships with local and national access organisations.
The bid also looks forward – positioning Leith as a cultural gateway once again. Building on its working port and growing role in green energy, the programme connects industrial heritage with a sustainable future, supporting local makers, creative businesses and pathways into work across culture, events, hospitality and the screen industries.
If shortlisted, Leith is ready to move quickly into a development phase, formally establishing the partnership as a charitable delivery body and continuing deep engagement with communities to co-design the final programme.
Those behind the bid say the process itself is already having an impact. “This bid has been built by the people of Leith, for Leith,” said a spokesperson for the partnership. “It’s about confidence, connection, care for our place, and fun! – and about showing what culture can do when it’s led locally, shared widely, and rooted in everyday life. Leith has never stood still. In 2028, we hope to stand tall as the UK’s first Town of Culture.