The Good Egg Project events and opportunities round-up 🐣 May 18-June 21

Hi! Hello, and welcome to The Good Egg Project newsletter!

Here are the top links from our last events and opportunities newsletter:

• The Chicken Coop Writing Group is back at Lost in Leith on Tuesday, May 26, find out more information below and book tickets on Eventbrite

• Leith Write Club returns on Saturday, May 30, read on for more information or follow Leith Write Club on Instagram

• Lavender Menace’s Queer Books Archive Fundraiser is still open to donations, help support their work to protect queer history. You can make a donation on Crowdfunder

If you’re an event organiser, host, or community member with something to shout about, please submit your listings with this Google Form and I’ll add them to the newsletter across the month!

Submit your listings

The Illustrated Freelancer’s Guide fifth edition released

One of my favourite freelance resources, The Illustrated Freelancer’s Guide has been updated for 2026/27. If you don’t know about the IFG, here’s a little more about the book from Creative Scotland’s website:

‘The Illustrated Freelancer’s Guide is a practical resource for the increasing number of artists, makers, writers and other creatives working freelance in Scotland today, now updated for 2026/27.

This essential resource has been created to fill an information gap for creative freelancers to understand their rights and best practices in avoiding and addressing difficult situations.

This easy to reference guide, written by Heather Parry and illustrated by Maria Stoian, uses a highly visual combination of comics and text to highlight key issues, model scenarios and educate creative workers about how to protect themselves with regards to payment, copyright and creative work in general.’

The IFG has been invaluable to me as I’ve grown my freelance practice in Scotland since I started working here again in 2020. It’s a resource I’ve shared with friends and fellow freelancers over the last few years, and if anyone is considering going freelance or who needs a refresh about freelance practice, including Making Tax Digital. The IFG is available to download or in physical copy from this list of stockists.

Get more details about the updated guide on the Creative Scotland website

TypeMenace All-Night Bookshop

The All Night Bookshop is BACK and this time TypeWronger is sharing 50% of the night's profits between 9pm-11am with Lavender Menace! They're calling this mashup TypeMenace, because they didn't feel Lavender Wronger was the right vibe...

Once again they'll be switching the shop stamp to their All Night purple branding, and you can also get the timestamp to prove you were buying books at 3am!

Follow TypeWronger on Instagram for more information coming soon

Sign the open letter for Basic Income for Artists Pilot in Scotland

Artists are calling for signatures to put pressure on the newly elected Scottish Government to create our own Basic Income for Artists pilot scheme, following in the footsteps of Ireland. In 2026, after the success of the pilot scheme, Ireland has chosen to make its Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent.

The Basic Income Network Scotland (BINS) has this to say on its open letter hosted on Action Network:

‘A new Scottish Parliament has been elected. Now is the moment. We must make sure a basic income for artists pilot is delivered in this Parliament.

The SNP have been re-elected. They said if this happened they would deliver a basic income for artists pilot. Over 300 artists, arts organisations, academics, think tanks and campaigners have signed our open letter.

Add your name. Tell Scotland’s political parties and cultural institutions to deliver a basic income for artists.’

BINS also writes that with growing pressures on artists, including the spiralling cost of living, demanding and oversubscribed grant applications, lack of investment in community art projects, and the loss of arts spaces, now is the time to hold the SNP to their word and provide long-term support to our arts and culture workers.

Read more about the Basic Income for Artists campaign on Action Network

Bright Futures Sci-Fi Book Club
Monday, May 18, 7 pm, Lighthouse Books, West Nicholson Street, Edinburgh

The May meeting of Bright Futures will be discussing Star Maker by Olaf Stapledo. Driven out into the night by the bitterness of his life, an Englishman finds himself contemplating the night sky - its immensity, its mystery. Without explanation, he suddenly finds himself floating out into its depths. There he explores strange worlds, links with other conscious beings, and witnesses the birth and death of civilizations. As the scope of his experiences expands, the universe itself is revealed to him - its startling origins, its potential fate, and our place within its vastness.

One of greatest and most influential science fiction novels ever written, Olaf Stapledon’s philosophical masterwork is the ultimate exploration of the cosmos.

Book tickets on the Lighthouse Books website

StoryTree Issue 3 Launch
Wednesday, May 20, 6.30 pm, The Bungalow, Shuttle Street, Paisley

StoryTree invites you to celebrate the launch of its latest issue. The night will be filled with performances from the talented artists from Issue 3. Those who attend the launch night will receive an exclusive discount code to get 10% off the magazine. This event is free with the option to donate. All donations will be split equally among the performers!

Hosted by Georgia Francis, the event also features Issue 3 contributors: Kike, Gilad Zinman, Jack Hinks, Katie Rose, Ashley Bell, Cat Cochrane, Emily Christie, Siying Wu, Dev McMath, and Beth Rose.

Find out more on Facebook

Hot Seats - Recovery Group
Wednesday, May 20, 7.30 pm, Tron Theatre, Trongate, Glasgow

This event brings together individuals with lived experience who have completed an 18-week Hot Seats programme. Using fictional characters, participants explore and challenge negative internal dialogue with a focus on achieving more positive life outcomes. All sessions take place within a fully anonymous setting, where no personal history is disclosed. This approach creates a safer, less emotionally charged environment, enabling deeper reflection, stronger engagement, and meaningful personal insight.

The evening will consist of a live script reading by participants (approximately 45–60 minutes), followed by a 30-minute Q&A where audience members can hear directly from participants and the delivery team about the programme, its impact, and how it supports positive change.

Book tickets on the Tron Theatre website

The Story Sessions
Friday, May 22, 6 pm, Tribe Porty, Windsor Place, Portobello, Edinburgh

Head down to Portobello for an evening of storytelling; a space to gather, connect, and be inspired by true stories from our community with The Story Sessions.

The Story Sessions is all about sharing real experiences: a place where voices are heard and celebrated. Storytelling is one of the oldest ways we connect as humans. Stories have the power to make us laugh, cry, reflect, and feel less alone. Through sharing and listening, we make sense of the world and discover authentic connection with each other. Whether you come to share your story or simply to listen, you’ll find a welcoming community ready to embrace and uplift you.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Tales at the Lighthouse
Sunday, May 24, 4 pm, Lighthouse Books, West Nicholson Street, Edinburgh

Go along to the next installment of Edinburgh’s premier storytelling open mic night! Tales at the Lighthouse is primarily a night of amazing open mic storytelling, but other art-forms such as poetry, comedy, music are also welcome! All they ask is your work has a narrative focus.

TATL is here for stories: new stories, old stories, folk stories, myths, legends, made-up stories and stories true to life - bring them, bring them, bring them! It’s a safe space to tell new work, or try storytelling for the first time; TATL is for everyone but as a BPOC, Queer-run night know, our sweet BPOC and Queer humans, you are so welcome. Sign ups happen in advance, so please email niall.moorjani@gmail.com if you would like a slot.

Book tickets on the Lighthouse Books website

Scrap Night - Scrapbooking, Junk-Journalling & Craft Club
Monday, May 25, 6 pm, Finn’s Place, Ledard Road, Glasgow

A communal craft space to make art and make friends. Drop into Finn’s Place anytime between 6-9 pm to craft in company. Scrapbooking, Junk Journalling, and collage making supplies are provided but of course feel free to bring along your own project to work on if you prefer! All are welcome.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Loud Poets Open Mic
Monday, May 25, 7 pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh

Join the Loud Poets for some fist-thumping, pint-drinking, side-tickling, award-winning poetry! Poets are invited to share their work at their regular open mic. All styles of poetry are welcome and with a different feature performer every time, this event offers a supportive, creative environment for all.

To sign up to perform, please fill out the sign-up form for the date on which you’d like to perform. Two spots are always left open to be filled by random draw from poets who sign up on the door. Slots are five minutes and poets are welcome to perform as many or few poems as you would like within that time. You are welcome to go under the five minutes, but please do not go over out of respect to your fellow performers.

Find out more about the open mic on the Scottish Storytelling Centre website

The Chicken Coop Writing Group
Tuesday, May 26, 6 pm, Lost in Leith, Commercial Street, Leith, Edinburgh

Join me and the Good Eggs for an evening of writing, book swapping, and (optionally) sharing your work. Writers of all levels and genres are welcome at this monthly group. I’ll guide you through open-ended, multi-disciplinary writing exercises and exciting and supportive sharing sessions. From short story writing or poetry to creative non-fiction or copywriting (plus everything in between), you'll find something to spark your creativity at the Coop.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Drafted! Open Mic
Wednesday, May 27, 6.30 pm, The Canons’ Gait, Canongate, Edinburgh

Drafted! Open Mic returns to The Canons’ Gait, this month they’re featuring author of Spiral Heart, Mike Yuill. Entry is free, but donations are welcome to support Drafted! If you’d like to sign up for the open mic, you can sign up with this Google Form. Thanks to Drafted!’s Lloyd Robinson for sharing this event with us!

Follow Drafted! on Instagram to stay up to date with their events

Sad Song Club
Wednesday, May 27, 7 pm, Sketchy Beats, Great Junction Street, Leith, Edinburgh

The Sad Song Club invites you to celebrate sadness. You can share your songs, poems and other miserable art, or just go hang out. Original content preferred, covers also welcome, and you can experiment with new material or practice old favourites - just keep it sad and have fun. Sign ups will be open on the night from 7 pm.

Find out more on Eventbrite

Storytelling Through Miniatures: Using Small Objects to Tell Big Stories
Thursday, May 28, 6.45 pm, Citizens Theatre, Gorbals Street, Glasgow

Alex Bird leads a workshop all about the miniature worlds within our own. This workshop is all about the miniature worlds within our own and is a chance to play, explore and create using the smallest of things to tackle universal subjects. Join Tortoise in a Nutshell’s Co-Director, Alex Bird, and collaborate in a session aimed at discovering the joy and imaginative potential of working with miniatures. A session designed for people with or without experience of working with small-scale design.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Auld Alliance Comics Festival
Starting Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, various times, Instituit Français Ecosse, West Parliament Square, Edinburgh

The 730th anniversary of the historic treaty between France and Scotland was celebrated with a special Comics Weekend organised by the French Institute in partnership with La Belle Adventure bookshop in 2025. The event proved to be a great success, bringing together the French and Scottish communities around a shared love of comics. The IFE is delighted to bring this wonderful event back. The festival will welcome renowned French and Scottish comics creators, along with an artist alley, talks, signings, and more. Thanks to La Belle Adventure for sharing this with us!

Find out more on the Institut Français Ecosse website

Guid Crack: Voices of Change
Friday, May 29, 7.30 pm, The Waverley Bar, St. Mary’s Street, Edinburgh

Scotland’s oldest storytelling night opens its doors to some west coast hijinx to celebrate the opening of Village Storytelling Festival 2026. In line with their festival theme, Voices of Change, they’ll be telling and asking for stories, songs and anything else in this celebration of the power of using your voice to disrupt, dismantle and deconstruct.

Another fun and friendly session of Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling club held upstairs in the Waverley Bar, with the usual open-floor section for anyone to share a story, song or poem around the theme or otherwise.

Find out more on the Scottish Storytelling Centre website

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Leith Write Club
Saturday, May 30, 2 pm, Leith Library, Ferry Road, Leith, Edinburgh

The first rule of write club is: I before E except after C. The second rule of write club, is write whatever you want! Write club is an informal space for writers to share work and get feedback on whatever it is that you’ve been working on.

If you have any questions about the space or the event, you can contact Samuel at:
writeclubleith@gmail.com

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Postcards for Abortion Rights
Sunday, May 31, 10 am, Lighthouse Books, West Nicholson Street, Edinburgh

For too long women in Scotland have had to settle for a system of abortion law that doesn’t put their needs, health and rights first. Women in Scotland deserve a modern abortion framework that is in sync with the realities of modern healthcare, upholds human rights for all those that need abortion and prevents harmful police investigations and prosecutions. Lighthouse are hosting a second creative collage session around abortion rights, where you can write a postcard or craft your own unique cards:

1) to send to Parliamentary candidates and Scottish political parties, in support of decriminalising abortion in Scotland.

2) to send to abortion care providers in Scotland to thank them for showing up for patients when we need them most and if you want. share your experiences of abortion.

You can simply write a letter in company, collage a card with some information from the Let’s Change The Act campaign, craft a piece of art inspired by thoughts of bodily autonomy, and feminist activism - it’s really up to you. No artistic skill or knowledge needed, just a willingness to add your voice or your story to efforts to change the act - we’ll help with the rest!

Book tickets on the Lighthouse Books website

Scottish BPOC Writers Network Group Online Book Launch
Sunday, May 31, 6 pm, Online

Celebrate the Scottish BPOC Writers Network authors who have recently self-published or published with an indie publisher. SBWN is excited to come together to enjoy their work! This event features authors Michael Fellowes and his novel Scarlet and the White, poet Mohammed Salihu with his poetry collection Voices from the Soil: Wounds and Wisdom, and Yasmin Hanif with her picture book Abdullah’s Bear Needs a Name! Katie Goh is the host for this event. Tickets are £10/£6 for members and £12 for Allies and Friends of SBWN. Thanks to SBWN’s Naliah King for sharing this event with us!

Book your tickets on the SBWN website

Cabaret & Raffle Night
Sunday, May 31, 7 pm, Lighthouse Books, West Nicholson Street, Edinburgh

An evening of performances and a raffle to fundraise for a trans artist's gender-affirming care! Elsa’s got a gorgeous lineup of folks performing poems, stories, and maybe even a little drag in a cabaret hosted by the incredible storyteller, writer, and performer Niall Moorjani! There will also be some prints and trinkets for sale, as well as a raffle with a host of delights donated by local artists and businesses.

There will be limited in-person tickets, but there will also be a livestream on YouTube on the night, so be sure to select the livestream option if you can’t make it to Edinburgh, or if you’d rather watch from the comfort of your own home. You can find out more about Elsa’s fundraising journey on GoFundMe.

Book tickets on Citizen Ticket

Write More at Argonaut Books
Wednesday, June 3, 6.30 pm, Argonaut Books, Leith Walk, Leith, Edinburgh

Argonaut’s regular positive-peer-pressure writing and admin space isn’t a led writing workshop; it’s spot to chat, throw ideas around, get some feedback on a draft, network, or just knuckle down, stick your headphones in, and get something done!

They split the space into two groups - happy to chat or heads down - so you can go along and share what you’re working on and get some feedback on projects of any kind. For your ticket price you get: bottomless tea/coffee/hot chocolate, access to WiFi (or blocked entirely from the WiFi if needed, they’ll even look after your phone for you), and a 10% discount on books on the night if you want to give yourself a little treat for a job well done.

Book tickets on the Argonaut Books website

Write!
Wednesday, June 3, 7 pm, The Stove Network & Cafe, High Street, Dumfries

Join The Stove at this monthly creative writing workshop with author Karl Drinkwater. For this session they ask you to bring in an example of a few lines of poetry or paragraph of prose (written by someone else!) that you love. Bring an example along, and be ready to explain why you like it, or why you think it is good.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Philosophy & Hope Book Club
Monday, June 8, 7 pm, Lighthouse Books, West Nicholson Street, Edinburgh

Lighthouse is hosting its first-ever Philosophy Bookclub, where you will be reading contemporary philosophers that concern themselves with the social!

The overarching theme will be readings that engage in social critique that can help take us towards new forms of social hope. You’ll be reading authors that offer powerful critiques of institutions, big tech, political concepts, and late-stage capitalism that, ultimately, seek to re-evaluate the now in order to re-envision the future.

Book tickets on the Lighthouse Books website

Storytelling Through Language - Body, Voice and Words
Thursday, June 11, 6.45 pm, Citizens Theatre, Gorbals Street, Glasgow

Join Tawona Sithole for a workshop exploring storytelling through body, voice and language. In this workshop you will explore storytelling through the body, voice and language. Based on the ngano storytelling tradition of Zimbabwe, you will work together to bring storying to life - through spoken word, dance and movement, music and song. You will work with known stories and also make story in the room. Be prepared to have a go at speaking languages other than your own, and also to bring your own heritage languages to share. Most importantly, don’t forget to bring your fun side!

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Reading and conversation with Franky Cannon and Rosa Campbell
Thursday, June 11, 7 pm, Argonaut Books, Leith Walk, Leith, Edinburgh

This book party at Argonaut bookshop in Leith will feature a reading and conversation with Franky Cannon and Rosa Campbell, to celebrate Franky's new book, Vernal Thaw: a Novel of Love at a Slant; a queer, sexy, dark story. Thanks to Franky for sharing this event with us!

Book tickets on the Argonaut Books website

Culture Matters: Does Scotland need a basic income for artists?
Friday, June 12, 5.45 pm, Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Chapel Lane, Glasgow

This event will discuss the rising interest in Scotland for a basic income for artists. Following Ireland’s decision to make their pilot BIA scheme a permanent policy commitment, and the news of its economic return, there have been mounting calls to support the development of an equivalent policy in Scotland.

The discussion will be chaired by Mark Banks, professor of Creative Economy and Head of Cultural Industries at University of Glasgow. Mark will be joined by panellists Kate Oakley, Professor of Cultural Policy, Paraic Mc Quaid, Lecturer in Cultural Policy at Institute for Art, Design & Technology, Dublin, Cleo Goodman, founder of Basic Income Conversations, LJ Findlay-Walsh, Artistic Director, Take Me Somewhere, and Briana Pegado, Former Chair of the Fair Work Taskforce for Scotland.

Get tickets on Ticket Tailor

Edinburgh Sparks
Thursday, June 18, 7 pm, The Canons’ Gait, Canongate, Edinburgh

Join Maggie and the Edinburgh Sparks for the next instalment of this open mic for genre writers to share their work as flash fiction, short extracts, scripts or non fiction. Message Maggie on Instagram to get a spot.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Rainbow Verses: A Night of Queer Poetry from Indie Presses
Thursday, June 18, 7 pm, Lighthouse Books, West Nicholson Street, Edinburgh

Indie Bookshop Week would be incomplete without an indie press extravaganza, and Lighthouse Books is giving it a Pride twist by serving up three sensational poets for a truly unmissable night!

They’ll bring you readings from Kym Deyn and their newest collection Folkish, alongside, Nathan Evans performing from Homography and last but by no means least, gorgeous local talent Zain Rishi, with Noon.

Book tickets on the Lighthouse Books website

From Our Kitchens
Friday, June 19, 3 pm, Kinning Park Complex, Cornwall Street, Glasgow

Join Dr Noby Leong and Abie Soroño for an afternoon of cooking, conversation and communal sharing at Kinning Park Complex, Southside Glasgow. Noby will demonstrate how to cook rendang, one of Malaysia and Indonesia’s most iconic curries — teaching techniques to master spices and make bold, balanced dishes. He will also explore the history of rendang and how spices trace the movement of people across the world.

Attendees are also warmly welcome to bring a dish from their own culture to share. They encourage vegan dishes where possible, so that everyone can enjoy what’s on the table together. This free event is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Attendees will get to sample rendang as well as various other Southeast Asian snacks. Dietary requirements will be gathered in advance.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Funded Spaces on Moniack Mhor’s June Retreat

Apply with this Microsoft Form

Tolka Journal

Tolka publishes all forms of non-fiction: personal essay, memoir, reportage, travel writing, auto-fiction, and the writing that falls in between. The word count for work is 1,000–3,000 words and all submissions should be previously unpublished. They are happy to consider simultaneous submissions but ask that you notify us should your work be accepted elsewhere.

Tolka offers contributors a flat fee of ‎‎€600, which they pay prior to publication. Contributors also receive a copy of the issue in which their work is featured, and are invited to read at our launch. Tolka only accepts submissions through its website and publishes work by Irish and international writers. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, May 31.

Read the full guidelines on the Tolka Journal website

The Moth Short Story Prize 2026

Read the guidelines on The Moth website

Push the Boat Out x Little Sparta Residency

Learn more and apply on the PTBO website

Push the Boat Out x National Theatre of Scotland Commissions

Find out more and apply on the PTBO website

I hope you find something to enjoy, learn at, apply or submit to in this newsletter. There are lots of incredible events and opportunities happening across the country right now.

If there’s something I’ve missed or that you’d like to shout about, you can submit your listings with this Google Form and I’ll add them to the newsletter across the month.

I’m fully in third trimester mode at university, which means writing (and editing, oh boy, the editing) the first 20,000 words of my novel-length project for submission!

To help me get through assessment season in April, I took part in Women Who Write’s Spring into Summer challenge and had a blast. It was cool to be held accountable and know I was writing alongside 150+ other writers for the month. The challenge introduced me to Pacemaker, which has been a huge help in breaking my writing goals into manageable chunks. Not only did Pacemaker help me smash my Spring into Summer goal, it’s been so good for minimising my overwhelm and panic as I take on my first full-length project.

Anyway, long story short, I’m really enjoying the full-length writing process so far. So, let’s hope it continues as this process unfolds.

I hope to see you at the next Chicken Coop Writing Group, where I’ll potentially share another excerpt from the project. It was so nice to hear the first excerpt out loud and see people react in real time. A huge boost, that I’m excited to experience again.

Until next time, take care of each other,
Naomi

P.s. If you know someone looking for a creative, curious, and hilarious community of writers, please share this newsletter with them to connect them with more opportunities and events for writers based in Scotland.