Edinburgh, UNESCO City of Literature

Ian Campbell, English Literature and I have been on the Steering Committee, chaired by James Boyle, which suggested to UNESCO that there should be a designation of City of Literature, and that Edinburgh should be the first such designation. As was widely reported in the press, UNESCO awarded the designation (which is a permanent designation akin to World Heritage Site) immediately on receiving the application in October.

Each organisation involved has been asked to commit to activities for the City of Literature project. The attached chart shows the many activities in the University which are relevant to the City of Literature, in effect, the University provides scholarly underpinning to the project. Many of these activities are what the University already does, a number are new activities. All of these activities have been discussed with the person or organisation named. Where new funding is required, this is noted, and it is understood that the University will not provide extra funding, except where indicated. It is proposed to offer these activities to the City of Literature Steering Committee as the University’s commitment to the City of Literature—the Steering Committee is putting together a programme and many of these University activities could be included in that programme. The University will benefit from being associated with the City of Literature; and the designation itself is likely to bring attention, excellent publicity and economic impact to the City and to the University from within the UK and from overseas.

James Boyle, who is now in charge of the Cultural Commission, has been impressed by the work which the University has carried out for the City of Literature, and has requested that the University carry out a similar “audit” or review of the University’s involvement in culture as an input to the work of the Cultural Commission. The field covered by the Cultural Commission is enormous, and the University carries out a very diverse range of activities which could be called “culture”. It is probable that the University can only select or sample its cultural activities. Mapping cultural activity could contribute not only to the Cultural Commission, and its work with “cultural entitlements” but also to the University’s Community Strategy, and lead to a better understanding of the University’s cultural activities, its relationship to the City and to the national institutions, and an understanding of the University’s cultural impact or cultural transfer. The work will be carried out in the same way as the work on the literary activities, by bringing together a small group (from the College of HSS, the Library, Museums and Galleries, the Principal’s Office, and CPA), who will gather information largely as paper exercise, and then contact those who are responsible for the activity to confirm the accuracy, and to seek further ideas for inclusion. The completed work will be brought to CMG for approval before passing to the Cultural Commission.

CMG is asked to 1. Support and welcome the designation of Edinburgh as the first City of Literature project and to agree that the list of University activities can be passed to the City of Literature Steering Committee. 2. Agree to the proposed work on a cultural audit of the University.

Sheila Cannell Director of Libraries Draft activities for Edinburgh City of Literature. Fourth draft 18.10.04

Introduction

The University of Edinburgh is pleased to submit the activities listed below to the Edinburgh City of Litera programme. Many of Edinburgh’s great writers have had close associations with the University of Edinburgh. reflects the University's existing role in providing the intellectual lifeblood and scholarly underpinning which permeates much of Edinburgh's literary activity and its international links.

In recognition of this role, the vast majority of the activities below are ongoing rather than new, but some activities are new. new annual lecture under the banner of the City of Literature in association with the Edinburgh International Book Festival courses to support the Edinburgh City of Literature, explore the production of a publication about the University's literary links thr Press and provide the Playfair Library as a venue for events.

The activities below are arranged by the following headings: ? Teaching and learning, ? Support for creative writing ? Publicity for Edinburgh City of Literature events ? Support for events in the local community ? University events ? Book awards and prizes ? Publishing ? Book awards and prizes ? Libraries ? Venue for events ? Links to other Universities

Activity Existing Requires initiative change of direction but not funds

Learning, teaching and research The University of Edinburgh teaches and carries out research on many topics of relevance to EcoL, Yes adding to the intellectual output of the interpretation of Scottish and world literature and history, and its relationship to the world. Many of the programmes, particularly research programmes, attract an international clientele.

There are many current research initiatives by individual members of staff within the Department Yes of English Literature and the School of Scottish Studies. Research programmes include: ? STAR

? Enlightenment project

? Carlyle letters

? History of the Book in Scotland (Centre for the History of the Book) ? Scottish-Irish Project ? BOSLIT (Bibliography of Scottish Literature in Translation), joint with NLS

The University teaches and researches Scots and Gaelic language, history and culture, and Scottish Yes ethnography and folk culture. Gaelic and Scots literature in all its richness is at the heart of the work of the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures. Many of the programmes, particularly research programmes, attract an international clientele. The Office of Lifelong Learning provide a number of courses of great relevance to Literary Yes Edinburgh and Scottish literature and world literature and from 2005 will tailor one of its courses specifically around “Edinburgh City of Literature” and develop a specialist course as part of the tourist guide in-service training on literary Edinburgh. The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities is investigating the possibility of running a Yes scholarly conference on literary Edinburgh in 2-3 years time, emphasising the infrastructures (commercial, publishing, intellectual etc) in which writing takes place in Edinburgh.

Activity Existing Requires initiative change of direction but not funds

Support for creative writing The University Writer in Residence scheme, run jointly with the Scottish Arts Council, has had a Yes very distinguished history from 1975-2004, which has enabled the interaction between distinguished writers and University community at large. From the first Writer in Residence, Sorley Maclean, the list has included Alan Massie, Liz Lockhead, Andrew Greig, and many other influential writers. They passed on their advice and encouragement to a number of currently established writers in Scotland. SAC funding was withdrawn in 2004; the Principal has agreed to fund for 2 years to support EcoL. The University Writers in Residence and previous Writers in Residence form a group of influential writers in Scotland. Former students of the University—whether they went on to be Writers in Residence of not—add to the influence of this group, with Brian McCabe, Ron Butlin, Andrew Greig and Ian Rankin among leading names. Duly encouraged, any or all of them might contribute to an “Edinburgh” anthology, but this would require to be funded. The University has courses in Creative Writing at both Honours and MSc level. Although the MSc Yes is only in its third year, it has already fostered young writers who have won literary awards. The Scottish Universities International Summer School runs an intensive 3-week long summer Yes school on creative writing, covering a wide range of genres, and attracting an international audience. The School’s academic programme has attracted university teachers, postgraduates and students from 30 or more countries around the world for the last 50 years. Each year the programme has included a programme of readings introducing, or re-introducing, international audiences to contemporary Scottish literature. Featured writers have recently included Alasdair Gray, Irvine Welsh, Kathleen Jamie, Andrew Greig, Irvine Welsh, Ron Butlin and James Kelman. The Office of Lifelong Learning has two creative writing fellows, financed by the Royal Literary Fund. The Office of Lifelong Learning offers 30 courses annually (plus intensive summer schools) in all Yes aspects of creative writing (short stories, biography, screen writing, script writing), and students perform their work, as well as publishing in-house Activity Existing Requires initiative change of direction but not funds

Publicity for ECOL and ECOL events Former students form a vast diaspora taking their experience of Edinburgh and of Scottish literature Yes across the world. ECOL can publish an article in Edit, the UoE alumni magazine, which will reach 134k alumni Yes interested in developments in Edinburgh in some 230 countries The University, as one of the largest employers in Edinburgh can provide an outlet forEcoL Yes publicity. The University of Edinburgh Journal is sent to all members of the Graduates Association (2500), Yes regularly carried items of interest to EcoL and could be used a vehicle for publicity for EcoL.

The Friends of Edinburgh University Library holds a series of events of relevance to literary Yes Edinburgh, some of which are held in collaboration with other bodies,e.g. Scottish Poetry Library The University can provide a list of experts in literature for media Yes

Support for events in local community Members of the University make and will continue to make significant intellectual contributions to activities and projects of the literature projects and organisations in Scotland. Illustrative examples include: ? Member of staff have worked as readers and advisers for contemporary Scottish authors. Yes ? Broadcasting and other media involvement on Scottish literary topics Yes ? Membership of editorial boards of learned journals and literary magazines Yes ? Individuals in the University have strong involvement in societies, and the University Yes sometimes hosts, societies which bring lay persons and scholars togethere.g. Association for Scottish Literary Studies, Carlyle Society, Scott Club, Stevenson Club, Stevenson Society, Hogg Society ? Involvement with literary organisations in Edinburgh, e.g. Scottish Poetry Library, Yes National Library of Scotland, Writers’ Museum, Saltire Society

Activity Existing Requires initiative change of direction but not funds

University Events The University has many events which can be badged with EcoL. Some illustrative examples, Yes referring to autumn 2004 are given below. This indicates the richness and diversity of events in the University. Many of these events attracted an international audience and brought visitors to Edinburgh. The University CPA will monitor initiatives which could be badged EcoL, and pass information to the EcoL team. Some events are about Scottish literature, others demonstrate the strong links between Edinburgh and other countries ? The University organised a South African Writers’ Festival in Edinburgh, October 2004 Yes ? The National Identity and Cultural Exchange in Ireland and Scotland conference took Yes place at the University of Edinburgh, 9- 11th September 2004. ? The European Association of Sinological Librarians met 8-10 September Yes ? Professor Dennis Walden gave the Blackwell’s lecture: “Writing, Representation and Yes Postcolonial Nostalgia” New initiatives will include: The University will consider a new annual lecture in support of ECOL, in conjunction with EIBF

2005/2006 is the 500th anniversary of printing in Scotland and events are planned around this. Yes In 2005, the Saintsbury conference (supported by the Saintsbury Winery of California) will be held Yes in Edinburgh, on the theme of Literary History, or possibly “Literary history one hundred years after Sainsbury”. George Saintsbury was a highly distinguished Professor of English Literature in Edinburgh at the turn of the 19th/20th century, producing pioneering work in literary history in French and English. He was also a renowned amateur of wine, after whom the Saintsbury Winery is named. An Edinburgh City of Literature panel might well be included in this event There are a number of regular lectures, which could be advertised in association with EcoL: ? The Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott Club Lecture in association with the University of Yes Edinburgh ? Gifford lectures, often on a literary theme, published by EUP, on a book-by-book basis, Yes subject to each Gifford lecturer’s agreement Activity Existing Requires initiative change of direction but not funds

…………University events (continued) ? Enlightenment lecture series Yes ? Centre for the history of the book lecture series Yes

? The Office of Lifelong Learning organises the annual Town and Gown lecture with the Yes City of Edinburgh; the topic and speaker differ each year, but it would be possible to arrange a suitable lecture for EcoL (the speaker is a distinguished scholar in the University) A number of important special events are planned in the longer term: ? Centre for the History of the Book seminar series to be on theme of literary/bibliographic Yes Yes history of Edinburgh in 2005-2006 ? Conference on Edinburgh and the historical book trade in 2006 Yes

? An exhibition about William Drummond of Hawthornden is planned, in conjunction with Yes the National Museums of Scotland for 2005

Book awards and prize James Tait Black book award to be rebadged as “the University of Edinburgh James Tait Black Yes awards, an event of the ECoL”, to be jointly promoted. The annual James Tait Black Prize for fiction is the oldest and (intellectually) the most prestigious literary award in Britain. Past winners include D.H. Lawrence, E.M. Forster, Lawrence Durrell, Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith. There is also a biography prize of equal distinction, recently won by Martin Amis and Robert Skidelsky. Readers and assessors for the prize include postgraduate students in the Department of English Literature The Martha Hamilton Trust makes prizes available each year for the best pieces of creative writing Yes produced in an Office of Lifelong Learning course. This could be rebadged in the same say SUISS has the annual John McGrath award, in memory of the playwright, which has already Yes attracted theatre scholars from Russia, the Ukraine, and Nigeria

Activity Existing Requires initiative change of direction but not funds

Publishing Edinburgh University Press, which publishes many books and periodicals of Scottish and Yes international interest is a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Edinburgh. It is the third largest independent university press in the UK and the leading university press in Scotland. Books and journals published by the Press enjoy the highest academic standards through the scholarly appraisal of the University Press Committee and the Press has a reputation for high quality content and production of academic books and journals in the humanities and social sciences and of Scottish academic titles. Edinburgh University Press has made a lasting contribution to international literary culture as the publisher of the authoritative editions of the classic works of Sir Walter Scott, James Hogg, Robert Louis Stevenson and James Boswell and of scholarly books of literary criticism of British, European, American, Islamic and African writing.

In addition to its Critical Editions of Scottish literary texts, Edinburgh University Press has a programme of literary reference works, including The Edinburgh Companion to Postcolonial Literatures in English; The Edinburgh Companion to European Postcolonial Literatures; The History of Scottish Literature; The Edinburgh Companion to Scottish Culture and is planning a multi-volume series, ‘The Edinburgh Critical History of Twentieth-Century Literature’. The Edinburgh History of the Book in Scotland is due to be published by EUP in 2006-2009, with Yes the editor and many contributors from the University. The Edinburgh Companion to twentieth century literatures in English is due to be published by Yes EUP in 2005. This is an international project, mostly involving scholars in the US and in Britain, and edited from Edinburgh and Ohio. Edinburgh University in association with Duke University, USA, has been responsible since 1960 Yes for the definitive edition of the collected letter of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle, now in its 34th volume. Members of University staff are closely involved with Canongate Publishers Yes UoE will explore publishing a book about the literary contribution of the University past and present, tied to an exhibition by 2007. This could be tied to the Writer in Residence scheme.

Edinburgh University Press is developing a range of books on Creative Writing, including The Yes Handbook of Creative Writing. Activity Existing Requires initiative change of direction but not funds

Libraries Edinburgh University Library is a centre of excellence for contemporary and historical Scottish Yes literature Access to Edinburgh University Library is available for any interested person. Yes Edinburgh University Library has already and will continue to digitise Scottish literature resources Yes for web publishing for wide access, e.g. the Sir Walter Scott Digital Archive (http://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/, and the Henryson material on the Britain in Print website (http://www.britaininprint.net/). The University of Edinburgh houses what has been described as "Scotland's National Library of Yes Oral Literature in Gaelic and Scots" in the internationally-known School of Scottish Studies Archives. Tales and songs and a wealth of material on the community contexts in which they were transmitted is to be found in the many thousands of hours of recordings made throughout the country from 1951 to the present. These analogue tapes are to be digitised for preservation and access purposes, and an on-line catalogue made available, through an innovative Heritage Lottery Fund-supported project (Tobar an Dualchais/The Kist o Riches), commencing shortly. A selection of this material has been and continues to be published in our archive-based publication TOCHER as well as in SCOTTISH STUDIES, our academic journal, and in the SCOTTISH TRADITION CD Series (Greentrax Recordings). A selection is also available, with sound originals available on RealAudio technology, on our PEARL and Tiriodh websites.

Venues for events The University can provide appropriate venues, with historical connections, for ECoL events. It will make the Playfair Library available for ECoL events on 3 evenings per annum at no cost for the hire of the room. Other costs,e.g. catering must be met. The University will sign appropriate buildings with literary connections Yes Links to other universities The University will act as a conduit to other Scottish universities through appropriate Yes organisational structures, e.g. Universities Scotland, Scottish Consortium of University and Research Libraries, Scottish Committee of Professors of English, Scottish Universities International Summer School