The Edinburgh Reporter August 2024

1515

By OLIVIA THOMAS

AT THE HEART of this year’s Edinburgh Deaf
Festival, which runs in tandem with the Fringe,
will be the story of one of the city’s most
pioneering but least known historical figures.
Alesander Blackwood (pictured right)
(1805-91) was the son of a city haberdashery
owner and became deaf aged seven after
catching scarlet fever.
It was a time when deaf people’s prospects
were often bleak.
Blackwood made it his life’s work to change
this, becoming the pastor of the world’s first
deaf church, which originally met in Lady
Stair’s Close, in 1830 and founding the world’s
first deaf-led benevolent society in 1835.
That organisation grew into Deaf Action, the
charity now based in Albany Street, which runs
Edinburgh Deaf Festival and whose mission is
to “support and celebrate deaf people”.
The Ghost of Alexander Blackwood is the work
of an all-deaf team - the writer Nadia Nadarajah,
director Benedetta Zanetti, producer Jamie Rea
and actors Connor Bryson and Amy Murray.
Performances will be in British Sign Language,
but will be fully accessible to hearing audiences
through sound design and creative captioning.
Philip Gerrard, CEO of Deaf Action, said:
“Blackwood was a deaf pioneer, and an
important figure in the campaign for deaf
people to have equal access and opportunities.
“Our organisation, and this festival, keep that
spirit alive. This year’s event will be a bright and
vibrant celebration of deaf theatre, comedy,
cabaret and wider culture with lots for deaf and
hearing audiences to enjoy.”
Deaf Action will also launch an Alexander
Blackwood trail.
This will be the third Edinburgh Deaf Festival,
and in its brief history it has done much to
improve access by providing a diverse array of
shows and events that reflect deaf people’s
experiences and the UK’s vibrant deaf culture.
This is vital for a group which is still very
much marginalised.
Funding challenges mean it was a struggle to
stage a festival this year, and the programme

has been slimmed down.

And the future is in doubt – despite the

recommendations of its own staff, Creative

Scotland has repeatedly refused the three-year

funding that would make it sustainable.

Gerrard added: “A funding crisis created

doubts about whether we could hold a festival

in 2024, but we managed to survive ... for the

moment.

“Without continued support, the progress we

have made could be lost, pushing deaf

audiences and creatives back into the

margins.”

Deaf-led arts receive less support than

other marginalised groups, despite promises

in the Scottish Government’s 2023-2029 British

Sign Language (BSL) National Plan.

This stated that the government would

collaborate with Creative Scotland and would

give deaf people “full access to the cultural life

of Scotland, and equal opportunities to enjoy

and contribute to culture and the arts”.

The 2024 festival (9-18 August) offers a lively

programme of comedy, cabaret and dance and

guided tours.

Workshops will allow participants to discover

more about everything from photography to

deaf history. There are children and young

people’s workshops on art, interactive

storytelling, TV production and more.

An “Interpreter on demand” service allows

deaf people to arrange an interpreter or captioner

for Fringe shows that are not accessible.

https://edinburghdeaffestival.com

Deaf Festival fights

to beat cash crisis

COLLABORATION between YMCA

Edinburgh and The Scottish Design

Exchange (SDX) is helping women

suffering from trauma, isolation and

loneliness - with a prescription for

art learning rather than pills.

The two bodies are running a

series of arts and crafts workshops

for people referred to them by

healthcare professionals of all kinds

and housing officers.

SDX, which has retail outlets on

George Street and The Royal Mile,

provides the materials and resources

for the classes and pays artists to run

classes encouraging those attending

to develop their creative side. The

classes have a therapeutic side to

them and get around the stretched

budgets for health and social care.

Maureen McGonigle, adult and

families co-ordinator at YMCA

Edinburgh said the impact has been

“profound”. And SDX founder Linzi

Leroy said the success highlights the

vital role community partnerships

play in addressing social issues.

As well as painting, there are

classes to learn crochet, language,

sewing and food.

Art therapy is a prescription for success

Play tells story of deaf rights pioneer

Performers show the BSL sign for Festival

Philip Gerrard, CEO of Deaf Action