There are days when even the most enthusiastic arts activist can feel uninspired. If you’re having one of those days – even if you’re not having one of those days – I’d recommend spending 15 minutes watching this great film by Plum Films https://vimeo.com/52005912.  ‘Arts the Catalyst: The Craigmillar Story’  tells the story of the Craigmillar Festival Society (1962 – 2002).  Craigmillar is a large estate in Edinburgh whose residents demonstrated just what can happen when creativity is released in a community. The film won the Saltire Award for best documentary at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

Andrew Crummy, son of Helen Crummy, who was one of the people at the centre of the development of the Festival Society, is writing a chapter for our book ‘Culture, Democracy and the Right to Make Art’.