Winter Windows are here to offer A Festive Welcome to every single Elf and Grinch out there!

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE / 27.11.2018

40 winning festive Winter Windows from 200 entries from schools unveiled!

Winter Windows is back! This special creative project conceived by Underbelly in 2014 as part of Edinburgh’s Christmas encourages Edinburgh’s young and budding artists to showcase their talents to residents and visitors outside of the classroom and in our streets and community hubs.

This year, Winter Windows will be displayed in front of City Chambers, in ’s White Park, on Great Junction Street by Library, on Main Street in Kirkliston and at Goodtrees Community Centre in .

Each stained-glass window is designed around the theme of A Festive Welcome. This year’s Winter Windows is working with the support of the City of Edinburgh Council department of Arts and Creative Learning.

All 40 winners received their awards at a special reception at the City Chambers in Edinburgh on Tuesday, 26 November. Images from the reception available here.

Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, Directors, Edinburgh’s Christmas said: “Congratulations to all winners of this year’s Winter Windows! We hope communities around Edinburgh will enjoy the inspiring artworks produced by the city’s budding artists. Inclusivity and accessibility lie at the very heart of Edinburgh’s Christmas and what better theme to represent that at Winter Windows than A Festive Welcome!”

The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Frank Ross, said: “Edinburgh’s Christmas is a chance for us to celebrate our city and where better to do this than in the hearts of our communities. In Gorgie and Leith, Kirkliston and Gilmerton; this Winter Window display will be enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of residents.

“Plus, with all artworks designed around the theme ‘a festive welcome’, it’s a joy to see many of them displayed outside the City Chambers. This is where new citizens and dignitaries are officially welcomed to the city and they too will have the chance to enjoy and take pride in our school children’s art. All of the pupils have done an outstanding job!”

Winter Windows are on display around Edinburgh from 16 November until 26 December. Free entry.

/ENDS

The following pupils’ windows have won Winter Windows 2019:

Displayed in City Chambers Quad, Royal Mile

Brooke Benson, Sighthill Primary School

Charlotte Spence, Portobello High School

Demi McGill, Granton Primary School

Dua Fatima, Canal View Primary School

Eoin Harrison, Primary School

Kanishkhar Suresh Babu, Gylemuir Primary School

Lev–Jacqueline Hu, Primary School

Mahiya Syed, Ferryhill Primary School

Michael Antoniuk-Cara, Primary School

Niamh Pollock, St Mark’s RC Primary School

Sean Paterson Garrett, Braidburn School

Stefania Lesniewska, Victoria Primary School

Stephen Lindsay, Rowanfield School

Sufian Mahmood, Nether Primary School

Theo McGowan, Primary School

Dawid Matuszczak / Dawid Stepien / Blythe Anderson, Oaklands School

Displayed on Main Street in Kirkliston

Amelie Barr, Sighthill Primary School

Blair Watson, St Margaret’s RC Primary School

Jac Hobbs, Forthview Primary School

Salma Werfali, Education Centre

Scarlett Uroda, Kirkliston Primary School

Erin Tocher, Royal High School

Displayed at Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre in Gilmerston

Andrew Nelson, Primary School Isla Murdoch, Preston Street Primary School

Marc Conner, School

Owen Emslie, Stenhouse Primary School

Paulina Kuraj, St John’s RC Primary School

Elise Taylor, Pentland Primary School

Displayed on Great Junction Street in Leith

Aleksandra Dajer, St David’s RC Primary School

Hannah Cartwright, Hermitage Park Primary School

Jasmina Jadrna, Wardie Primary School

Odile Hannah, Parsons Green Primary School

Zorka Mitrovic, Bun-sgoil Taobh na Pairce

Remy Pearce, St Mary’s RC Primary School

Displayed in White Park in Gorgie

Harrison Stewart, Murrayburn Primary School

Kelsie Spowart, Primary School

Maja Piasecka, St Joseph’s RC Primary School

Mustafa Ezzo, Braidburn School

Robin Thoms, Roseburn Primary School

Sofia Robertson, Dalry Primary School

A number of special commendations were awarded, including for Mahiya Syed (Ferryhill Primary School) from Arts and Creative Learning at the City of Edinburgh Council, Sean Paterson Garrett (Braidburn School) from Edinburgh’s Christmas and Erin Tocher (Royal High School) from Lord Provost.

The winning designs are all available to print.

Edinburgh’s Christmas, 16 November 2019 – 4 January 2020 www.edinburghschristmas.co.uk Twitter @EdXmas Facebook.com/EdinburghsChristmas Instagram @EdinburghsChristmas

IMAGES HERE Full listings here.

For further information on Edinburgh's Christmas, please contact: Susie Gray or Magda Paduch at The Corner Shop PR [email protected] / 07834 073 795 [email protected] / 07583 164 070

About Underbelly Underbelly is a UK based live entertainment company. Their events and festivals division operates one of the largest operations at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, selling over 460,000 tickets for over 200 shows, in 22 venues over 25 days in 2018.

2018 was the sixth year Underbelly produced Edinburgh’s Christmas for City of Edinburgh Council which saw 771,074 tickets sold to visitors from more than 40 countries, and the second year of producing Edinburgh’s Hogmanay also on behalf of City of Edinburgh Council, which welcomed 160,000 over 3 days.

2019 marks the eleventh year of Underbelly Festival on the Southbank - one of the biggest multi-arts offerings in London and London’s original pop-up festival, with over 140 shows programmed over 6 months on the South Bank.

Underbelly also produces Christmas in Leicester Square, Udderbelly Festival in Hong Kong, West End Live in Trafalgar Square for Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre. In 2018 Underbelly sold over 1.5 million tickets to their various events.