At the Edinburgh International Festival, our values of discovery and connection shape our work – both on stage and off stage. We want to build deep relationships with communities across the city to explore what these values mean for Edinburgh’s citizens. We are now inviting notes of interest for an Edinburgh-based community centre to partner with us and form our first Community Connections Hub.

The Community Connections Hub will be a partnership between International Festival and a building-based community organisation. The collaboration will take place across 18 months in 2024/25.

What will the Community Connections Hub partnership look like?

This partnership will be a collaborative process, entirely shaped by our shared ideas and activities. The open call is live for 6 weeks to give you time to contact us with questions and chat about how this partnership could work for you.

There are many possibilities of what the partnership could look like, and we’re excited to talk these through with you.

To get the ball rolling, here are some ideas for partnership activities:

• Welcome International Festival artists into your centre.
• Create a new series of classes in consultation with the community.
• Skills development in collaboration with your team and International Festival staff.
• Provide space for different community groups to come together to take part in fun International Festival activities.

Who are we looking to connect with?

• We are looking to work with a building-based Edinburgh community organisation.
• We will work with a central contact at your community centre who is able to establish different types of connections to local communities.
• To facilitate the partnership most effectively, we’re looking to work with an organisation which has at least one salaried member of staff.
• As part of the International Festival programme in August 2024, we hope to bring some of our artists and events outside of our concert halls and theatres. We would love to invest in your community centre to create a home for these moments with you.

What will the benefits be for the community centre and the local community?

• Across the duration of the partnership, the International Festival will invest in the centre and the community. Venue hire fees will be covered by us and we will use local suppliers to support the wider community.
• The community centre will be supported in the delivering the partnership by the International Festival’s Community Connections Manager and wider team. We will work closely with your team to identify opportunities for skills sharing and development (e.g. fundraising, website development or practical help with your spaces).
• There will be opportunities for Edinburgh-based groups of people to visit your space, share joyful moments and learn more about your centre’s work.
• Our team are keen to be involved in supporting your programmes and getting to know you and your community. There will be opportunities for you to feedback on our work and influence future International Festival programmes.

What benefits will there be for the Edinburgh International Festival?

• We aim to have the deepest possible engagement with the broadest possible audience. We recognise that building deep relationships across communities is the best way to make this ambition possible.
• We will work with you to welcome international artists to Edinburgh, celebrating local and global connections. We will be able to create opportunities to connect communities with each other and the world through shared cultural experiences.
• Through working with you, we will strengthen our relationships and build new connections. We will work together to monitor and evaluate our experiences, ensuring community voice is taken forward into our future planning and strategies.

Key dates

• Open call opens: Monday 18th March 2024
• Open call closes: Friday 3rd May
• Community Connections Hub announced: End of May 2024
• Consultation & Relationship Building: June-July 2024
• Experiencing the International Festival: August 2024
• Evaluation & Planning: September – October 2024
• Programme of Community Connections activities: October 2024-December 2025

How to register your interest

Registrations of interest for the first Community Connections Hub partnership closed on Friday 3rd of May 2024. Keep an eye on our website to find out who our 2024/25 Community Connections Hub partner will be! If you are interested in finding out more about working with Edinburgh International Festival, please email [email protected]