The Good Egg Project events and opportunities round-up 🐣 April 13-May 17

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

I would normally put in top links from our last newsletter, but that was for my research project survey, which is now closed! So, let’s dive right into what’s going on in Scotland’s writing world!

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

Lavender Menace, Scotland’s only queer books archive, is at risk of closing. Lavender Menace shared this on Instagram:

We’re about to run out of funding, and without urgent support from our community, we may not be able to continue. It’s now or never.

💜 Our initial goal: £5,000 This will quite literally buy us time by helping us stay open while we secure long-term funding and build a stronger future.

📚 What is Lavender Menace? We are Scotland’s only queer books archive, born from Edinburgh’s lesbian and gay bookshops of the 80s and 90s. Our collection holds 3,500+ queer titles, dating back to 1864.

But we’re more than an archive. We’re a living, breathing community space — hosting author events, workshops, book clubs, and providing a welcoming third space for LGBTQ+ people to connect.

✨ What people say:
* “Without doubt, one of the most meaningful and rewarding endeavours that helped me feel a part of a community.”
* “[Their] open door policy…makes them irreplaceable.”
* “...an entire room of queer literature… breathtaking.”

🌈 Why it matters:
By supporting Lavender Menace, you help:
* Preserve queer history and out-of-print literature
* Keep a vital LGBTQ+ community space alive
* Ensure our stories are not lost or forgotten

📲 How to help:
* Donate via the Crowdfunder (link in bio)
* Scan the QR code in our posts
* Become a Menace with a monthly donation
* Volunteer your time and donate your skills

Every contribution makes a difference - thank you so much for your support!

Donate to Lavender Menace on Crowdfunder

Scotland’s Trade Union Congress (STUC) is calling on all political parties to put Fair Work in the creative industries at the heart of their election campaigns. They’ve set up this petition on Megaphone. The petition pages goes into more detail about the campaign, stating:

Following the work carried out by the STUC and Trade Unions within Scotland’s Culture Sector, the Scottish Government commissioned two Independent reports into Creative Scotland and Fair Work within Scotland’s cultural and creative industries.

These reports proposed a combined total of 52 recommendations to improve the conditions of the estimated 90,000 workers across Scotland.

None of the 52 recommendations were enacted before the Scottish Parliament session ended for the 2026 elections.

We need all political parties to pledge the immediate adaption and implementation of the recommendations as soon as possible following the election period.

Why is this important?

Scotland stands at a crossroads. Our creative industries contribute over £5 billion to our economy and are the heartbeat of our national identity, yet the workers behind this success are being pushed to a breaking point. Following the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections, we call on the next Scottish Government to move beyond “slogans” and immediately implement the 16 recommendations of the Culture Fair Work Taskforce and the findings of the Independent Review of Creative Scotland

The implementation of recommendations from the Independent Review of Creative Scotland (November 2025) and the Culture Fair Work Taskforce Report (December 2025) represent a defining moment for Scotland’s cultural identity and economic resilience.

The Creative Industries are crucially important to Scotland’s economy and wellbeing, the reports make clear that Scotland’s creative industries must change if we are to protect and enhance the lives and livelihoods of the workers within them.

We cannot claim to value “Scottish Culture” while the people who create it lack sick pay, maternity leave, and financial security. We call on all parties contesting the 2026 election to commit to the full, funded implementation of these reports in the first 100 days of the new Parliament

Sign the petition on Megaphone

With so much happening, I might have missed something, but if you’ve got an event you’d like to include in the newsletter updates, please use this Google Form to submit your listings.

Speakin’ Weird
Monday, April 13, 6.30 pm, Gaelic Lane Cafe, Gaelic Lane, Aberdeen

Join hosts Hannah, Esmond and Aron for a night of Spoken Word goodness. This month’s headliner is the winner of this year’s Loud Poets Aberdeen Slam, Fiona Robertson! Entry is £5 or £3 for concessions, students, and unwaged people. Sign up for the open mic on the night - poetry, prose, comedy, rap, theatre - show Speakin’ Weird what you can do with 5 minutes and a mic!

Get more information on Facebook

Loud Poets Open Mic
Monday, April 13, 7 pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh

Join the Loud Poets for some fist-thumping, pint-drinking, side-tickling, award-winning poetry! All styles of poetry are welcome and with a different feature performer every time, this event offers a supportive, creative environment for all. There are limited sign ups on the door, so get down early to put your name in the draw. You can also sign up for future Loud Poets Open Mics with this Google Form.

Learn more on the Scottish Storytelling Centre website

Tarot as your Creative Compass
Wednesday, April 15, 7 pm, Online

Laura Lodahl is a coach, writer, nature lover and tarot enthusiast who has created their first online course combining tarot, coaching, and writing to support creatives of all levels and disciplines—whether you’re just starting out or feeling ready to reconnect with your flow. It’s designed to help you move through blocks, build confidence, and create with more clarity, ease, and intuition. Book quickly as Laura is keeping the group intentionally small so it stays a supportive, personal, and intimate space. Thanks so much to Laura Lodahl for sharing this with us!

Get more information and book tickets on Eventbrite

Poetry at Sweeney’s
Wednesday, April 15, 7.30 pm, Sweeney’s on the Park, Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow

Sarah Heitler has taken over hosting Poetry at Sweeney's from Meron. The night will continue as before and starts at 7.30 pm on the third Wednesday of every month. Sarah is welcoming prose and poetry for the 5-minute slots. Beginners and first timers are warmly encouraged.

Follow Poetry at Sweeney’s on Instagram to stay up to date with future events

Rock the Boat
Thursday, April 16, 7 pm, Wee Red Bar, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh

Push the Boat Out’s open mic is back this week! Join hosts Cathrine Wilson-Garry and Julia Sorensen for an evening of poetry. This month, they’re featuring poet Wendelin Law. Sign ups for Rock the Boat are still open and you can sign up to the open mic with this Google Form.

Find out more on Instagram

Edinburgh Sparks
Thursday, April 16, 7 pm, The Canons’ Gait, Canongate, Edinburgh

Edinburgh Sparks is an open mic for genre writers to share their work as flash fiction, short extracts, scripts or non fiction. Sparks welcomes work of all genres and types of prose. This month, they’re welcoming spacial guest David Goodman, who’ll be reading and sharing his top writing tips. If you want to read contact Edinburgh.Sparks@hotmail.com

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Ariana Reines: A Fierce Feminist Poetry Night
Thursday, April 16, 8 pm, Pianodrome Bruntsfield, Montpelier Park, Edinburgh

Join Lighthouse Books for an Edinburgh launch of one of their most anticipated books of 2026: The Rose by Ariana Reines! The Rose navigates the intersection of power and surrender. Drawing on the history of ‘romance’ as the troubadours knew it, and the titular flower’s ancient allegories for sexuality and mystery, award-winning poet Ariana Reines plunges into feminine archetypes to explore masculine pain.
Tickets are £4 and (as always) Lighthouse has limited free spots. Thanks so much to the Lighthouse Books team for sharing this with us!

Book your tickets on the Lighthouse Books website

Poetry at Inn Deep
Monday, April 20, 7.30 pm, Inn Deep Bar, Great Western Road, Glasgow

Host Sam Small is back with Poetry at Inn Deep this month. You can message Sam directly on Instagram to secure a spot.

Follow Poetry at Inn Deep on Instagram to stay up to date with their events

Wild Edinburgh - An evening with Keith Broomfield
Thursday, April 23, 7.30 pm, The Wee Bookshop Dollar, Bridge Street, Dollar

Join The Wee Bookshop team for an evening with local author Keith Broomfield as he introduces his new book Wild Edinburgh. Through stunning photographs Keith will give you a fascinating insight into the hidden wildlife of Edinburgh, the city of his childhood, revealing the remarkable animals that exist beyond our everyday view; an inspiring celebration of urban nature.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Introduction to Clowning
Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, 10 am, Summerhall, Edinburgh

Join Ali Stockford and Hame-ish’s Mairi-Claire Traynor for an introduction to clowning. Clowning is a state of playfulness that allows you to experience a child-like, naïve and vulnerable state of being. Paradoxically we grow, learn and are strengthened through reconnecting playfully with what makes us most vulnerable. This approach to clowning is not a technique but a personal journey towards finding one’s own unique way of being a clown, by listening and being receptive, essential skills for any creative and imaginative expression. It is only when we let go our control over things that we begin to be surprised by the depth of what reveals itself to us.

Book tickets on Nose to Nose

Write Club
Saturday, April 25, 2 pm, Leith Library, Ferry Road, Leith, Edinburgh

Write Club is a monthly multidisciplinary writing group hosted at Leith Library. If you write stories, poems, songs, comics, plays, essays, or anything else, you’ll be in good company! Write Club has dates up to August, so you’ll be able to get your writing fix over the summer.

Follow Write Club on Instagram to stay up to date with their events

Feminist Lino Printing
Sunday, April 26, 2 pm, Graft, Holyrood Road, Edinburgh

Creativity can be a powerful way of exploring our relationships with our bodies, taking time to think about what and how we want to represent them. Join hosts Eleanor and Jo for an afternoon of creativity and trans-inclusive feminism. You’ll do some grounding and word association exercises to get you thinking, before moving on to lino printing with all tools, materials, and tuition provided. At the end of the workshop there will be time to share any thoughts that have come up during the workshop, maybe about your relationships to your bodies, the workshop process, or anything else.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

The Chicken Coop Writing Group
Tuesday, April 28, 6 pm, Lost in Leith, Commercial Street, Leith, Edinburgh

Come down to Lost in Leith for another egg-cellent Chicken Coop Writing Group. We’ll have prompts to get your creative juices flowing, a book swap to find your next favourite read, and our usual crowd of hilarious and supportive writers.

Book tickets on Eventbrite

Haiku Deathmatch
Wednesday, April 29, 6.30 pm, The Canons’ Gait, Canongate, Edinburgh

Drafted! is back with another slam, this time, they want you to bring your best Haikus!

Sign ups are open to perform, put your name in the ring with this Google Form. Thanks to Team Drafted! for sharing this with us!

Get more information on Instagram

Sad Song Club
Wednesday, April 29, 7 pm, Sketchy Beats, Great Junction Street, Leith, Edinburgh

Go celebrate sadness with host and organiser Dan Collins. Sad Song Club welcomes sad songs, poems, stories, and more. Sign ups are open on the door and donations are welcomed to support Sketchy Beats.

Follow Sad Song Club on Instagram to stay up to date

Loud Poets Spoken Word Showcases
Multiple dates starting Thursday April 30, 7 pm, various locations

The Loud Poets are going on their next Showcase tour across Scotland. This month, they’re welcoming 2022-24 Birmingham Poet Laureate, Jasmine Gardosi, as touring poet. The Showcase weekend kicks off at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Thursday, April 30, and features Jake Wild Hall, Natalie Elizabeth, and Beth Rose. Then they’re off to Glasgow for a Showcase on Friday, May 1, at Civic House with Len Pennie and RJ Hunter. The weekend wraps up on Saturday, May 2, in Aberdeen at the Lemon Tree with Biff Smith and Jo Gilbert.

Find out more on the I Am Loud website

Loud Poets Masterclass with Jasmine Gardosi
Saturday, May 2, 3 pm, Lemon Tree, West North Street, Aberdeen

Don’t miss this exclusive two-hour masterclass with award-winning poet and performer Jasmine Gardosi! Repetition is an underrated and under-used technique in poetry, especially when we want to lift our work beyond the page. This workshop will introduce you to examples of repetition in poetry and equip you to lean into the technique with full commitment and courage. You’ll learn the fundamentals of beatboxing as tools to help you disintegrate words that have power over us, and feel comfortable with deconstructing language. You’ll create pieces that don’t just sound compelling in a performance context, but launch the meaning and message of your poems beyond the book, and into the audience.

Book tickets on the Aberdeen Performing Arts website

thi wurd Live Literary Event
Saturday, May 2, 7pm, Glasgow University Union, University Avenue, Glasgow

thi wurd returns with a live event at Glasgow University Union. There will be the usual readings of fiction and poetry, as well as a film screening and live music. Tickets are £10 and everyone is welcome.

Book tickets on thi wurd’s website

Howl Prose and Poetry Open Mic
Sunday, May 3, 3 pm, Osteria Baubau, South St. John’s Place, Perth

Howl’s first birthday is coming up and hosts Natalie and Paul say the best presents would be your presence. The first half of the event is their usual open mic, and the second half is time for socialising and eating birthday cake. You can message Natalie and Paul on Instagram to sign up for a slot.

Follow Howl on Instagram for more information

Kelvingrove Writers
Monday, May 4, and Monday, May 18, 6 pm, Dram, Woodlands Road, Glasgow

Kelvingrove Writers’ relaxed and creative community of writers are meeting up again in May! Join host and organiser Jess for an evening of getting words on paper and meeting other writers.

Follow Kelvingrove Writers on Instagram to stay up to date with their events

What is… Traditional Storytelling?
Thursday, May 7, 6 pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh

Storytelling comes in all shapes and sizes, but how do we know what makes it ‘traditional’ or not? Join Orkney storyteller Tom Muir as he brings a fresh Northern sea breeze to this sometimes misty matter at Edinburgh Tradfest 2026. If you’re joining the event in-person, stay on afterwards to hear Tom in action at one of the Storytelling Centre’s regular celebrated Hearth Fire Sessions.

Book tickets on the Scottish Storytelling Centre website

The Graveyard Shift
Thursday, May 7, 7 pm, Athletic Arms, Angle Park Terrace, Edinburgh

Join Stuart Kenny, David Bleiman, and Jay Whittaker for the next instalment of The Graveyard Shift featuring poets Annie Brechin, author of How to Make Love, and Ross McCleary, author of Endorse Me, You Cowards! The evening will also feature music by Grant B. Roberston. There is a limited number of open mic spots, email David, Jay, and Stuart at diggersgraveyardshift@gmail.com to apply for one.

Find out more and support the Graveyard Shift on Ko-Fi

Hearth Fire Sessions
Thursday, May 7, 7.30 pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh

Join host Dougie Mackay as he invites a different selection of Scotland’s finest storytellers, songwriters, musicians, and performing artists to each session, creating an innovative showcase of Scotland’s contemporary culture. In May, Dougie is welcoming storytellers Riikka Palonen and Tom Muir and musician Danica Boyce for a special Tradfest session.

Book tickets on the Scottish Storytelling Centre website

What is… Scots in Traditional Arts?
Saturday, May 9, 1 pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh

Throu the Scottish Leids Act last year, Scots (alang wi Gaelic) wis gien lang socht offeicial kennin as ane o Scotland’s national leids. Lairn mair aboot its cultural kist o riches, fae medieval makars tae Bothy Ballads, wi Scots spikker an sangster Steve Byrne leukin at the Scots leid’s kenspeckle place in oor Tradeitional Airts.

With the passing of the Scottish Languages Act last year, Scots (along with Gaelic) finally got its long-overdue official recognition as one of Scotland’s national languages. Come and learn more about the cultural kist o riches, from the medieval makars to the Bothy Ballads in this session led by Scots speaker and singer, Steve Byrne, as he takes you through Scots’ central place in the Traditional Arts in Scotland.

Book tickets on the Scottish Storytelling Centre website

Ekphrastic Poetry Workshop
Wednesday, May 13, 10.30 am, Sir Duncan Rice Library, Bedford Road, Aberdeen

Ekphrastic poetry involves the translation of a visual artwork into vivid, evocative words, whether it be a painting, sculpture, photograph, street art and more! In this creative writing workshop, poet Stewart Sanderson will explore the process behind some of his ekphrastic poetry before participants have a go at writing their own piece inspired by paintings included in the Aberdeen Artworlds exhibition in the Sir Duncan Rice Library.

Book tickets on the WayWORD website

Vernal Thaw: A Novel of Love at a Slant
Wednesday, May 13, 7 pm, Typewronger Books, Haddington Place, Edinburgh

Join Franky Cannon for a free, celebratory book launch at Typewronger Books. Franky is launching their book Vernal Thaw: A Novel of Love at a Slant. If you like dark, strange, sexy literary fiction, then this might be just the book for you. Thanks to community member Franky Cannon for sharing this with us!

Book free tickets on Eventbrite

Nature School for Grownups: Spring Foraging Journey
Friday, May 15, 2pm, Bridgend Farmhouse, Old Dalkeith Road, and Saturday, May 16, 1 pm, Leith Community Croft, John’s Place, Edinburgh

Join these playful 2-hour outdoor sessions combining nature play, foraging, and simple bushcraft skills. Learn to identify seasonal plants, take part in fun games, and make something to take home. These sessions will be held with small groups and are beginner-friendly. The sessions are designed as a fun, hands-on way to spend time outdoors. Thanks to Natasha Lowery-Lewis for sharing this with us!

Book tickets on Ticket Tailor

Creative Approaches to Dementia-Inclusive Storytelling
Saturday, May 16, 10.30 am, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh

Sharing stories with people living with dementia is a creative and collaborative practice. Whether you are a care partner, a storyteller or work/volunteer in the third sector or a residential care setting, this workshop will give you the tools to make a story resonate with neurologically diverse audiences and ensure your creative event is dementia inclusive.

Jan Bee Brown is a storyteller with ten years of experience shaping and sharing stories for dementia-inclusive events such as Raven Tales (Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2024/2025). Jan currently manages a Dementia Meeting Centre at the Heart of Newhaven Community where she combines person-centred storytelling with music and crafting to build resilience in times of change.

Presented by the Scottish Storytelling Forum, these participatory sessions are designed to help you improve your skills and share your experiences with fellow storytelling enthusiasts. This carefully curated workshop programme offers you the chance to work with highly-skilled and experienced artists, giving you guidance on improving your practice and discovering your own talent.

Book tickets on the Scottish Storytelling Centre website

Forspoken Open Mic
Saturday, May 16, 6 pm, Aikman’s Bar, Bell Street, St. Andrews

Hosts Mike Yuill and Gabriela M. Robins are hosting the next Forspoken Open Mic in St. Andrews. This month, they’re welcoming Gilad Zinman, Emily Briggs, Josh Cake, and Adrija Gosh as their featured performers. You can sign up for an open mic spot with this Google Form. Thanks to Gabriela M. Robins for sharing this with us!

Book pay what you can tickets on Eventbrite

Loud Poets Paisley Slam Heat
Sunday, May 17, 2.30 pm, Paisley Town Hall, Abbey Close, Paisley

The Loud Poets Slam Series returns to Paisley Book Festival! Watch Paisley’s top poets compete in one of 10 heats taking place across the UK. Expect humour, powerful performances, diverse styles, and plenty of surprises in this high-energy competitive event. The winner will take home £200 and qualify for the 2026 Grand Slam Final in Edinburgh, with a £3,000 cash prize! Featuring last year’s Paisley finalist Drew Gill as Sacrificial Poet, this slam heat will be an electric celebration of the very best of spoken word.

Book tickets on the Paisley Book Festival website

We, The Poets Paid Audio Feature

Get more information about this opportunity on Instagram

Apply with this Google Form

Creative Future Writers’ Award

The Creative Future Writers’ Award Writing competition for Underrepresented Writers is open for entries! It’s free to enter and 15 winners will receive £25,000 worth of prizes. This year’s theme is ‘Material’. The competition is open for poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. The deadline to enter is Tuesday, May 5.

Read the guidelines on the Creative Future website⁠

Clydebuilt 19

Find out more on the Edwin Morgan Trust’s website

As always, there’s more to add to this newsletter and the best way to stay up to date with everything writing in Scotland is to subscribe to this newsletter.

Thank you so much to everyone who filled in my research project survey! It has been an interesting insight into some of the issues writers are facing at the moment, why people write, and why they’ve chosen to join or not join a union.

As mentioned on the survey page, I won’t be sharing results outside of university, but I definitely have some interesting topics to research for future pieces in the Good Egg newsletter. I have plans, but I’m in the midst of assessment season at school, before a summer of focusing on my major project (aka writing the first 20,000 words of my novel - ahhh!). It’s intense, but I’m looking forward to bringing these plans to fruition later this year.

At the moment, I’m hanging in there and feel grateful that the Coop was back at the end of March. Being in the room writing with all you Good Eggs really settled my anxieties!

I will see some of you for the next Coop on April 28. Until then…

Take care of each other,
Naomi

P.s. Do you know someone looking for a creative, supportive, and fun community of writers? Share this newsletter with them and give their writing journey a boost!