The motto of Edinburgh, as you might still see it, I think, carved over the old castle gate, is "Sic Itur ad Astra" - "This way to the stars."

G K Chesterton

Search for:

Below is an alphabetical list of some of the key literary organisations that are based in Edinburgh, with a brief description of what they do.  This list will be expanded over the coming weeks to include every relevant organisation based in the city - if your company isn't listed, get in touch.

 

BooksFromScotland
www.booksfromscotland.com

The best of Scottish books online: a new information and bookselling site dedicated to Scottish books and writers. It offers the very latest info, extracts from interesting, topical books, interviews with Scottish authors and poets, guides to book events across Scotland, a map of Scottish book locations, the inspiration behind the publishing, and much more.

 

Edinburgh International Book Festival
www.edbookfest.co.uk

This is the main festival in August for book lovers. From its 1983 debut it has grown to be the largest and most dynamic festival event of its kind in the world.  The 2006 festival was hugely successful with events for all age ranges and writers from all over the world.  Over 200 Scottish authors were represented alongside Nobel Prize winners Harold Pinter, Seamus Heaney and Joseph Stiglitz.  Highlights included Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy from Franz Ferdinand giving a master class on song writing to a packed teenage audience and Al Gore, former Vice-President of the United States, discussing the threat posed by climate change.

You can visit their website for programme details, sign up for email updates or download and listen to a range of podcasts of this year's events.

 

Edinburgh Writers' Museum
www.cac.org.uk

Nestled in the heart of the city in the quaint Lady Stair's House, built in 1622, sits The Writers' Museum. Their permanent collection is dedicated to the lives and work of Scotland's great literary figures: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. The Stevenson collection is the finest in the UK, and alongside the rich collection of portraits, manuscripts and personal affects you'll find a rolling programme of temporary exhibits featuring other key Scottish writers. Admission is free so visit them at Lady Stair's Close, in the Lawnmarket, just off the Royal Mile.

 

Scottish Arts Council - Literature Department
http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/1/artsinscotland/literature.aspx

The Scottish Arts Council is the lead body for the funding, development and advocacy of the arts in Scotland.  They aim to know and compare attitudes towards and practice in the arts in different countries, to build an international network of partnerships to promote and develop the work of Scottish artists and arts organisations, and to offer opportunities for Scottish audiences to enjoy the work of international artists. The Literature Department's budget is used to support a number of development initiatives and literature organisations, and to fund programmes for writers, publishers and readers including the Scottish Book Awards and Writers' Award Scheme.

 

Scottish Book Trust
www.scottishbooktrust.com

Scottish Book Trust is Scotland's national agency for reading and writing. They are committed to the promotion of reading and books so visit their website to find out about the great range of schemes they run. They have information about writers based in Scotland and a whole lot more to do with books and live literature in the Scottish capital and the country as a whole.

 

Scottish Poetry Library
www.spl.org.uk

The Scottish Poetry Library is the place for poetry in Scotland, for the regular reader, the serious student or the casual browser. Since its foundation in 1984 it has amassed a remarkable collection of written works, as well as tapes and videos.The emphasis is on contemporary poetry written in Scotland, in Scots, Gaelic and English, but historic Scottish poetry and contemporary works from almost every part of the world feature too. All resources, advice and information are readily accessible, free of charge, in person. Visit the Scottish Poetry Library at 5 Crichton's Close, just off the Canongate, Edinburgh.

 

Scottish Publishers Association
www.scottishbooks.org

The Scottish Publishers Association was founded in 1973, by a group of 12 publishers as the Scottish General Publishers Association. The aim of the Association was the collaboration of gathering information, marketing, and of exhibiting at book fairs around the world. At present, membership stands at almost 80 publishers, and the services offered are many and varied.

 

Scottish Storytelling Centre
www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk

A light, modern and sensitively designed 'house of stories' now replaces the original Netherbow Arts Centre at the site of the city's Netherbow Port. The new Storytelling Centre joins the 15th century John Knox House with an intimate 99-seat theatre, café, education room and stunning exhibition space. The building houses a diverse programme of public events supported by friendly staff, as well as two permanent exhibitions; Scotland's Stories and John Knox House: Inside History.