City Observatory, 38 Calton Hill
Sat 5 Sept · 11:00
Join us for our third Gala up the hill! On this page: Our Gala Artist Play sessions Crafters and Stallholders Gala Schedule Inspired by traditional Scottish Gala day celebrations, Collective Gala invites audiences of all ages to experience our unique site on Calton Hill and engage with our wide-ranging programmes. This year, we will be joined by Edinburgh-based artist Debjani Banerjee, whose new commission and performance will be centred on storytelling and Tarot. Play sessions will be facilitated by our Lead Play Artist, Kat Stanley. You can also join behind-the-scenes tours of our heritage observatory, shop with local makers, and explore exhibitions by Katie Paterson and Richard Maguire. Access information Find out more about accessing our site at Collective Gallery here Gala schedule View the full Gala schedule Read Introducing our Gala Artist: Debjani Banerjee Debjani Banerjee is an artist based in Edinburgh. Her practice spans sculpture, textile, moving image, performance, dance and sound to create playful, humorous, and nuanced representations of cultural plurality, the mystic, the feminine and of broader human experience. Banerjee’s practice is rooted in collaboration, learning, and exchange. She has a strong interest in workshops, participatory methods, and archival research, using these approaches to create spaces for shared knowledge and collective engagement. Moon Plates, 2026 Glazed stoneware ceramics. Photo: Laura Cullen দেবী (Devi ), screenprint (2019), reproduced in 2026. After the poster for Devi (1960) by Satyajit Ray. Installation view, Jalsaghar, Bluecoat, Liverpool, 2026. Photo: Rob… Shiva Fountain (detail), 2026 Ceramic, enamel paint, water pump; wood, spray paint. Installation view, Jalsaghar, Bluecoat, Liverpool, 2026. Photo: Rob Battersby Artist-run Play sessions For this year’s Gala, we’ll be joined by our Lead Play Artist Kat Stanley for drop-in Play Sessions inspired by Debjani Banerjee’s commission and performance. The Play sessions will reimagine familiar Scottish Gala Day traditions through the visual language of tarot. Drawing on recognisable motifs such as the Gala Queen, banners and processions, we will create a playful celebration that honours Gala Day as a rite of passage for children transitioning into a new year, or leaving primary school. Belfast-born artist, performer and early-years play worker Kat Stanley specialises in the careful curation of spaces that nurture and encourage innate creativity. After completing a masters in contemporary art practice at the University of Edinburgh, Kat co-produced grassroots queer performance collective ‘Fruit Salad’ as well as developing an exciting arts and engagement practice. Interested in performance, costume, painting and film, and entranced by the intricate beauty of folklore and ritual practices, Kat immerses themselves and others in the otherworld through acts of creativity and worldbuilding. Find out more Crafters and Stallholders We’re excited to welcome a number of local crafters, artists and makers to this years’ Gala, including… Knot Unknot Wearable textiles inspired by science and maths Find out more The Marshmallow Lady Artisinal marshmallows, handmade in Edinburgh Find out more Cool Dudeles Hand-painted earthenware pottery Find out more Out of the Blueprint Eco risograph print studio based in Leith Find out more Earlob Funky handmade earrings and accessories Find out more Black Bear and Pine Hand-poured candles inspired by the Canadian Wilds Find out more Aku Ceramics minimalist, small-batch handmade ceramics Find out more Second text box Alternative Image Gallery Show more You might also like Apply now Apply now Button
Not the same tradition as the lineage above — a genuinely different thread to pull, if you want one.