Photo by Eoin Carey
Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature and National Library of Scotland celebrate anniversaries with reimagined Story Shop
Keira Brown
Communications
Edinburgh City of Literature Trust
08 July 2025
Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature and the National Library of Scotland have reimagined popular writer development programme ‘Story Shop’ to celebrate the Library’s centenary and the 20th anniversary of Edinburgh’s designation as the first UNESCO City of Literature. The reimagined Story Sessions will take place during the Fringe in August, with emerging Edinburgh writers encouraged to apply for a slot.
Story Shop was launched in 2007, giving authors the chance to perform in live storytelling events at the Edinburgh International Festival Bookshop, first featuring celebrated authors including Lin Anderson, Gavin Inglis, and former Edinburgh Makar Ron Butlin. It moved to the Book Festival’s Spiegeltent in 2009 and applications opened to new and emerging writers. Story Shop became a launchpad for writers including Heather Parry, Kirstin Innes and Martin MacInnes. The opportunity to read new work at the largest celebration of the written word became one of the most sought-after writing opportunities in the literary calendar.
Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature and National Library of Scotland are bringing back this fantastic event in a fresh format and are looking for emerging writers to apply to the new Story Sessions.
Selected authors will engage with the National Library of Scotland’s ‘Dear Library’ exhibition. They will share some of the stories that shaped them as authors, before performing in the Library’s transformed exhibition space. The exhibition celebrates the power of books and the value of libraries across the country, with items highlighting librarians and libraries in popular culture, protest banners and badges reflecting libraries under threat, vintage film footage bringing past libraries to life, and lots more.
The exhibition is named for ‘Dear Library’, the poem by former Makar, Jackie Kay, whose literary archive was acquired by the Library last year.
Dear Library Story Sessions is a development opportunity and showcase for writers based in Edinburgh that are comfortable performing and sharing the books that have inspired their writing. Produced by Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, it takes place 12 – 14, and 19 - 21 August, Tues – Thursday, at midday – free and ticketed – in the National Library’s exhibition space. Dear Library Story Sessions is ticketed on the Fringe programme online.
Submissions for writers to apply close on Sunday 20 July 2025. You can find out more information about the Story Sessions callout and how to submit via the website: https://cityofliterature.com/nls-story-sessions-callout/
“Story Shop holds a very special place in the heart of many of the city’s writers. We thought that our 20th anniversary as the world’s first City of Literature was the perfect opportunity to engage with a new cohort of literary talent. Our city has an unparalleled literary heritage, held by the National Library of Scotland; we are so excited to find diverse new voices who will become part of this tradition.”
“The National Library of Scotland is a home of writers' archives and a treasure trove of stories, so we're delighted to be collaborating with Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature on the upcoming Story Sessions. Our exhibition 'Dear Library' will provide a unique backdrop for this event series. Guest writers will be nestled amongst the books in our pop-up reading room - it's sure to be a memorable experience for all.”
