our news and events

A pre-club brew of Theatre, Dance, Spoken Word, Music in bite size portions, mixed together with Sounds and Visuals, in a dressed space.

Outlandish is the love child of Wave Theatre and Edinburgh Mela, who between them produce and promote an astonishing range of artistic work for a contemporary, culturally and socially diverse Scotland.

Created to provide a showcase for a new generation of performing artists to dream, explore and flourish, each event is unique bringing together the talent that is HERE, in Edinburgh, at that time – whether they originate locally, elsewhere in Scotland or from across the UK.

Thu 26 November: 7pm-11pm: £5 on the door

North Edinburgh Arts Centre:  15a Pennywell Court: Edinburgh EH4 4TZ: Tel. 0131 315 2151

“Art and creativity in a chilled environment”… “It’s like  Andy Warhol’s Factory”… “A cool evening”.

Consultancy for Organisational Development

Call for Tenders

The Edinburgh Mela is currently engaged in a programme of rapid development of both its established festival, but also a role to support, promote and develop cultural diversity within the arts and cultural sector. Recent developments have included significant programme and management development within the festival, commissioning opportunities and residencies for minority ethnic artists as well as scoping work to engage others in participation and learning opportunities. It has been recognised that there is a significant requirement for organisational development to underpin this work and to allow for the organisation to best support current developments and new opportunities.

The Edinburgh Mela is requesting the submission of tenders from experienced consultants to address the following aims:

• To undertake a thorough governance and constitutional review of the organisation and to make recommendations on the constitutional arrangements.

• To do this following a thorough consultation exercise with stakeholders and professional bodies.

• To develop documentation that can support the governance arrangements for the organisation.

• To review existing and required policy for the organisation and to work with the Director to devise a number of business planning sessions.

There is a budget of up to £10,000 available for this work, which includes payment for any professional legal advice required.

Consultants who wish to receive the Full Tender Brief should contact Liam Sinclair, Director on liam@edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Festivals Edinburgh is the high-level organisation created

and driven by the Directors of Edinburgh’s Festivals, to take

the lead on their joint strategic development and maintain

their global competitive edge.

Head of Development – initially a 12 month contract

Salary £40,000 per annum

A new, unique and high-profi le opportunity to contribute to

the development of the Edinburgh Festivals, creating

innovative corporate partnerships and developing exciting

new approaches to income generation. An ambitious role

with massive impact, enabling transformative projects to

drive the future success of the world’s festival capital.

CRM and Digital Marketing Manager

Salary £25-28,000 per annum

An incredible opportunity for a creative and commercial

marketer to play a key role in the fi rst-ever joint festivals

marketing strategy. You will develop our global online

presence; innovatively maximise creative, listings and other

content in a multi-platform environment; and manage a

comprehensive CRM strategy to drive acquisition and

increase revenue, conversion and loyalty.

Job Descriptions on www.edinburghfestivals.co.uk/jobs

Closing date 9th October 2009

Contact  staff@festivalsedinburgh.com or 0131 529 6757

Published Date: 10 August 2009

By Jan Fairley

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PILRIG PARK, LEITH

THIS gem of a multicultural festival was buzzing. Happily returned to Pilrig Park, its programme of music,

dance, craft and food stalls was a kaleidoscope for the senses. In the big top, an early highlight was Yatra,whose eclectic fusion of Taiko drumming, south Asian and Scottish traditional music featuring Indian dancers, has matured, with fluent exchange among all involved for their Homecoming commission.

The laid-back jazz styles of Singapore’s New Asia group set a cool mood. In contrast, Gol brought politics to the fore, playing against dramatic recent images from Tehran. Their music gained gravity with Azeri singer Aidin Poori and Ilhan Barutcu on Turkish flute, complementing Vosough Ahmadi’s delicate dulcimer sounds.

Bhangra queen Mona Singh then got the public dancing, hooting carnival horns as they did so.

Outside Garden Stage acts included pin-up soul singer Anshul Tomer (with a Michael Jackson lookalike doing a stunning Billie Jean tribute). Three dazzling Bollywood tribute sets by the Desi Bravehearts delighted an enormous family audience.

The Zawadi Women’s Choir showed the strength of the local community with their African songs, as did the shifting samba rhythms of the Pulse of the Place. Sword-swallowing magician Jardu was a hoot, drawing a woman from the audience to magic away her gold ring and watch into a closed tin can.

Creativity was abundant at the food stalls, where a man deftly made naan breads in a charcoal oven. I ate some with spicy chicken, then explored the Forest Workshops, where a group made a yak herder’s hut and kids were weaving Chinese dragonflies and making Nepalese kites. Now there’s diversity in action!

A cricket match on Friday (August 7) between Edinburgh’s Iman cricket players and a Scottish president’s select kick starts this year’s Edinburgh Mela festivities which takes place this weekend at Pilrig Park.

Cllr Steve Cardownie will bowl the first ball at the Mela cricket match, organised by the Edinburgh Mela and the City of Edinburgh Council Sports team, who are project managing the event in partnership with the Iman Cricket Club.

The Mela Cricket match will take place at Leith Academy Park from 4pm on Friday August 7, where Edinburgh-based Iman cricket club take on a president’s select featuring several Saltires cricket players as well as Edinburgh rugby players/staff.

Alongside the match on August 7 there will be musical entertainment from Pulse of the Place samba band as well as several sporting come and try stations. Cricket Scotland and Edinburgh Rugby team will be holding stalls at the event and food will be served courtesy of Mrs Unis.

Cllr Steve Cardownie, Chair of the Mela Board, said:

“I think the idea of a community based cricket match between local youngsters, professional cricket players and members of the Council is a fantastic way to begin this year’s Mela Festival.”

In addition to the main cricket match, the Mela Tapeball Cricket Tournament runs from 10am -3pm at Academy Park. This youth tournament will feature three local teams and is being organised by the Edinburgh club. Spectators are encouraged to come along and watch the future stars of Scottish cricket as they play in this newly established tournament.

All other Mela events will take place at Pilrig Park from Friday the 7^th with Sakhian Ladies night kick starting the festivities at Pilrig Park at 6pm.  Over the weekend of the 8^th and 9th Pilrig Park activities will take place from 12 noon on wards.