Celebrating Scotland's Ancient Capital
Events in Dunfermline, plus the upcoming Meadows Festival
This weekend (1 - 2 June) will see The Bruce Festival return to Dunfermline’s Pittencreiff Park after a decade-long hiatus. Organised by
, the festival will include a range of family-friendly activities and events marking the 750th birthday of Robert the Bruce, including music, storytelling, jousting, falconry, market stalls and more.Last night, ahead of the festival weekend,
held a civic reception at the Glen Pavilion, introduced by the city’s Lord Provost. It was a pleasure to be invited to speak at this event. I spoke about my work to make Scottish history more accessible, including creative projects such as The Illustrated Declaration of Arbroath and my most recent project, the Atlas of Scotland.
I also spoke about map-making as a way to understand history, and Dunfermline’s role as Scotland’s ancient capital.
Dunfermline gained official city status in 2022, making it Scotland’s 8th city. Speaking to people at the civic reception, it’s clear there’s a new buzz about Dunfermline. People are noticing more visitors, more interest in the city’s history, and more self-starting local initiatives.
, founded by Billy George, is a great example of a small group of people who took the initiative to start promoting and celebrating their city. They can see the potential in Dunfermline and want to make it better. As Billy writes, ‘We need to start thinking and acting like a city.’ I think there are lessons here for the whole of Scotland.The Meadows Festival
In other news, this weekend (1 - 2 June) I’ll be back at the Meadows Festival in Edinburgh, selling my illustrated books, prints and cards. This will be my second year with a tent at the festival (I wrote about how much I enjoyed it last time). Sadly I’ll miss the Bruce Festival in Dunfermline - if only I could be in two places at once!
