Thursdays (17 July to 31 July)
10:30am – 2:00pm
For children and young people in North Edinburgh
Led by Project Esperanza in partnership with NEA
Led by Project Esperanza in partnership with NEA
The Pop-Up Culture Lab is a weekly creative drop-in where young people explore culture, identity, and social connection through different expressive art forms. Open to all children and youth in the North Edinburgh community, this program makes space for self-discovery and storytelling through music, drama, poetry, visual art, and comics with an emphasis on learning from one another’s experiences.
Each Thursday focuses on a different theme and art form.
The lab will be a shared space where children from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds can engage with universal themes like belonging, fairness, self-worth, friendship, and justice. Through guided prompts, creative play, and gentle conversations, the lab supports reflection while sparking joy and imagination.
Each Thursday focuses on a different theme and art form, allowing for flexible attendance while maintaining a cohesive through-line across the summer.
| Date | Theme | Art Form | Creative Focus |
| 17th July | This Is Me | Music & Poetry | Youth remix Afrobeat, pop, or folk lyrics to write personal anthems. Optional spoken word prompts like “A Letter to My Future Self” or “I Am From…” |
| 24th July | Print Your Power | Visual Arts: Printmaking & Collage | Create mixed-media posters using bold words, textures, and symbols to celebrate identity, family, or values like fairness, peace, or pride. |
| 31st July | Our Stories, Our Rights | Comics & Zine-Making | Design mini-comics or zines telling a story about justice, kindness, or a dream for the future – rooted in personal experience or imaginative worlds. |
