Edinburgh 900

Push the Boat Out is thrilled to be part of the celebrations for Edinburgh’s 900th anniversary. Our Edinburgh 900 programme focuses on our Disrupting the Narrative festival theme. This will offer celebration, discovery and fresh creative perspectives on Edinburgh’s heritage, inclusively telling and adding to its story through a multi-faceted event series. Inspired by a new poetry project created by Hannah Lavery  as part of a Museums and Galleries Edinburgh project intended to decolonise Edinburgh’s collections and key heritage sites, Disrupting the Narrative examines how colonial history has shaped the city, its institutions and people.

With several events across the festival you can take part in many ways. Once the festival is finished we’ll also host a recording of our flagship Disrupting the Narrative performance (this will also be livestreamed), and a digital exhibition of the Blue and Salt of the Lies we Believe and associated poems on this dedicated website.

Friday 22nd November, 8.30pm

Our flagship event in the series is a theatrical performance from Hannah Lavery, Jeda Pearl, Shasta Ali, Niall Moorjani, and Alycia Pirmohamed. Freshly set to music by Niroshini Thambar, the poets’ work decolonises Edinburgh’s historic collections and key heritage sites. Together, they illuminate how colonial history has shaped the city, its institutions, and its people. 

Watch the free live stream here during the festival.

22nd to 24th November

This photography exhibition responds to the words and poems of the Disrupting the Narrative writers. Through conversations with the writers and explorations of the places and experiences held within their work, Kat Gollock curates a visual response to the poetry and ideas that make up the Disrupting the Narrative project.

The digital exhibition and accompanying poems will be available to view here from 25th November 2024.

Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th November, 1pm

Lisa Williams, poet, author, and founder of the Edinburgh Caribbean Association, will lead this Black History Walk and share some specially written poetry as we explore the histories of The Royal Mile and surrounding areas. These little-known stories of Edinburgh’s many visitors and residents of African, African American and Caribbean heritage may surprise some; what tales lie behind the cobblestones of The Royal Mile?

Friday 22nd November, 5.30pm

In partnership with the Tinderbox Collective and Bee Asha, SCOREScotland’s young people have created a vibrant spoken word and music performance that considers what it’s like to grow up as a young person of colour in Edinburgh today. Find out more about our work with SCOREScotland on our Engagement page.

Saturday 23rd November, 4:30pm

Join renowned poet and playwright, Hannah Lavery, as she hands over the baton of Edinburgh Makar to the ever-effervescent Michael Pedersen. Hannah and Michael will discuss their own work including Hannah’s recently published, Unwritten Woman, as well as what holding the position of Makar means to them and how the city influences their work.