Five things you need to know today
Eric Liddell Community summer appeal, new IKEA related exhibition and notes on the upcoming Licensing Sub-Committee
IKEA Museum's Magical Patterns opens today at Dovecot
This exhibition looks at the way the furniture shop where you wear out your shoes has supported experimental designers in the last six decades. There are 180 fabrics on show in the exhibition which is part of the 2025 Fringe. Dovecot is the first venue to exhibit the collection which has been shown at IKEA Museum in Älmhult, Sweden.
The exhibition is ambitious and unique as it shows off the IKEA textlle department showing how IKEA put Swedish design on the map. Many artists have been involved including heritage Swedish designers such as Inez Svensson, Göta Trädgårdh and Sven Fristedt, through to modern design icons such as Zandra Rhodes and Marimekko.
In a bid to meet increased demand for textile design, IKEA hired Danish textile artist Bitten Højmark in 1962, and Inger Nilsson in 1965. The pair introduced new technology, including the first Swedish version of the Natural Colour System, and bold patterns, in an age when textiles mostly came in shades of grey.
Developed by physicist Tryggve Johansson at Sweden’s National Defence Research Institute, the Natural Colour System uses a scientific approach to describe and communicate colours accurately, ensuring colours can be effectively produced on different materials and products.
Anna Sandberg Falk, Curator at IKEA Museum said: "We’re thrilled to share this exhibition with more people by bringing it to Edinburgh’s esteemed Dovecot Studios. Magical Patterns is a joyful and nostalgic journey emphasising the strong IKEA identity, which the textiles department contributed to.
"They were a bold team that truly dared to be different, and in retrospect, we can see that those risks were worth it, as several patterns have become incredibly popular. The stripy banana pattern RANDIG BANAN, for example, was initially hidden away under a table at the stores’ textile departments when it launched in the late 80s, but then it became a big hit in the 21st Century and continues to inspire designers today."
Celia Joicey, Director of Dovecot Studios said: "We are delighted to showcase Magical Patterns, the IKEA Museum’s first-ever touring exhibition at Dovecot. Our appreciation of art, design and textile makes this a natural collaboration, perfectly aligned with Dovecot’s tradition of creating contemporary tapestries. This exhibition highlights the important role pattern and textile play in shaping the spaces we live in."
For the first time, the exhibition highlights the work of 10-gruppen – a collective of ten Swedish designers, founded in 1971. The collective
went against the small-flowered textile design norms of the early Seventies in favour of bright colours and bold patterns, which has continued to influence designers since, and define textiles at IKEA.
https://dovecotstudios.com/exhibitions/ikea-magical-patterns
NYO2 coming to the Festival
This month, 89 "outstanding" teen musicians from the United States come together as Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 (National Youth Orchestra 2). This was created in 2016 for outstanding American instrumentalists, ages 14–17, and NYO2 is one of Hall’s three acclaimed national youth ensembles that convene each summer in New York City for concerts at Carnegie Hall and tour performances. Following an intensive two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY) and a performance in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage on Sunday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m., NYO2 will embark on an exciting tour, performing two concerts as a resident orchestra at the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival.
This summer marks NYO2’s debut performances in Europe, following the orchestra’s first international concerts in 2023. On Sunday, August 3 at 7:30 p.m., Rafael Payare leads NYO2 in Jimmy López’s Perú Negro, Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 featuring cellist Alisa Weilerstein as guest soloist, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. The following day (Monday, August 4), NYO2’s Resident Conductor José-Luis Novo and British conductor/composer Greg Lawson lead the orchestra in a Family Concert, featuring Scottish folk tunes and American classics. Joined by musical storyteller Lucy Drever, NYO2 will perform music by Copland, Joplin, Bernstein, Price, John Williams, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and much more in a program recommended for ages 7–11.
NYO2 musicians will be welcomed to the magnificent city by Edinburgh International Festival's Youth Collective and will connect with other Scottish young musicians. Cultural exchange is a key component of all three national youth ensembles programs, as these talented young players act as dynamic musical ambassadors for their country
Licensing Sub-Committee meets on Monday
While the City of Edinburgh Council is in recess this month, the first committee meeting "after recess" takes place on Monday 21 July of the Licensing Sub-Committee under the Convenership of Cllr Joanna Mowat.
On the agenda a variety of requests are made for licenses to trade in premises in many areas of the city.
An application for a house in multiple occupancy used as temporary accommodation for 24 homeless people has been lodged for 2 Minto Street and the owner has been invited to make representations to the committee in person. The previous licence has lapsed. None of the appendices on any of these reports have been published online so it is difficult to know what the problems are - but in this case it appears that the property does not conform to "tolerable standards" and that some of the bedrooms and the kitchen may not meet the size requirements. Landlords of such properties receive substantial sums which are ultimately paid by the council for each person who lives in the property. Council inspectors have visited this property.
Some of these licensing applications - such as permission to use Level 6 at St James Quarter for an outdoor bar area are specific to August.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival has requested permission to show uncertificated films during August - and they have received consent for this in previous years.
One item on the agenda is to consider the parades which will use part of the High Street during August. The council has limited powers to control such parades - only being able to halt any taking place if it would cause public disorder or risk to public safety.
There are plans by Support Palestine to hold parades on every weekend in August, and by the Provincial Grand Black Chapter of Scotland to hold a march on 9 August for the Annual Relief of Derry Celebrations. The meeting might hear representations from the bodies planning to hold the parades.
It is not possible to watch a licensing type of meeting online as there are no provisions to webcast these. But t is possible to go and watch proceedings from the public gallery at the City Chambers.
There are also two applications to suspend a private hire driver license from two drivers - but these matters will most likely be heard in private and few details are given.
16 and 17 year olds to get the vote at UK elections
As promised in their 2024 manifesto, the UK Government has announced that it will enable 16 and 17 year-olds to vote the next General Election. It has already been possible for this age group to vote in some Scottish and Welsh elections. A bill will be introduced at Westminster to allow the changes to be delivered - the first major change since the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 in 1969.
In the announcement the government said: "As part of the plans, the government is going further to make sure eligible voters are not deterred from voting, by expanding voter ID to permit the use of UK-issued bank cards as an accepted form of ID at the polling station. This is alongside harnessing more digital options to support voters and polling station staff, including allowing accepted IDs such as the Veteran Card and UK driving licence to be used at polling stations when they become available in digital format.
"A new digital Voter Authority Certificate will also be created to ensure Electoral Registration Officers can meet the digital needs of voters, reduce printing costs and ensure faster delivery."
Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said: “For too long public trust in our democracy has been damaged and faith in our institutions has been allowed to decline.
“We are taking action to break down barriers to participation that will ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy, supporting our Plan for Change, and delivering on our manifesto commitment to give sixteen year olds the right to vote.
“We cannot take our democracy for granted, and by protecting our elections from abuse and boosting participation we will strengthen the foundations of our society for the future.”
Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said: “Participation is a vital sign of the health of our democracy. If fewer people vote, our democracy becomes weaker. The measures outlined by the government today are vital steps to ensure barriers are removed to voting and more people can exercise their fundamental democratic right.
“Bringing in votes at 16 will end the absurd and unfair situation where teenagers can already vote in Wales and Scotland but not in England and Northern Ireland purely by dint of where they live.
“Voting at 16 will also help more young people to cast that all-important, habit-forming vote at a point when they can be supported with civic education.
“Moving to automatic voter registration (AVR) will make life simpler for everyone, it is common sense, and it helps strengthen our democracy. It will make the process of voting more straightforward and is one less thing on the to-do list for voters.
“Crucially, it will also help enfranchise the 8.2m [1] people missing from the electoral register and bring the UK’s registration system in line with the many countries that already have AVR, such as Sweden, Germany and South Korea.
“We welcome the plans to expand the types of accepted ID voters can use on polling day. Since voter ID came in, people have been turned away more than 40,000 [2] times from polling stations and not returned, so it is vital we give the public as many options as possible to ensure they can cast the vote they are entitled to.
“It is also encouraging to see the government is tightening up rules around political donations. It is important that loopholes are closed so that foreign funds cannot distort our politics.”
Eric Liddell Community launches new appeal
The Eric Liddell Community has launched its 2025 Summer Appeal, calling on the public to support former unpaid carers facing emotional and social challenges after their caring role ends.
In Scotland, 1 in 8 people provide unpaid care to loved ones with dementia, disabilities, or long-term illness. But when that role ends - when their loved one passes away or moves into a care home - carers are often left with deep grief, isolation, and a loss of identity.
The funds raised will support Transition Talks, a unique part of the charity’s befriending service that provides 3 to 6 months of one-to-one emotional support for former carers. Trained volunteer befrienders offer regular companionship through walks, coffee outings, museum visits or simply listening - helping people rebuild confidence and reconnect with the world.
Hannah Rees, Fundraising Relationships Officer at The Eric Liddell Community, said: “No one should have to face life after caring alone. Transition Talks offers meaningful connections at a time when many former carers feel very lost and lonely. In 2024, we delivered over 2,500 hours of emotional support through our befriending services - but with funding cuts across Edinburgh, we need the public’s help to keep this vital support going.”
Your donation could help provide:
£7 – a coffee and conversation during a Transition Talks session
£25 – a meal out for a befriending match
£40 – a month of emotional check-ins and support for a former carer
Hannah Rees added: “Your kindness can help someone feel seen, heard, and valued at a moment of deep personal loss. Together, we can offer comfort, connection and community to those who’ve given so much to care for others.”
To donate to the Eric Liddell Community Summer Appeal please visit: The Eric Liddell Community Summer Appeal.
