Exhibition: Culture Vultures

Culture Vultures

“Culture – a plant producing prize blooms of opera, ballet, theatre and art. Exhibited annually at the Edinburgh Festival and picked by the discerning few who descend on the city to sample the blossom- The Culture Vultures. But without the roots and the main stem the plant would die.”

‘Culture Vultures’ is a musical written by Donald Campbell and Helen Crummy that was first performed as part of the 1977 Craigmillar Festival. The inaugural Festival took place in 1964 and was organised by the Peffermill Mother’s Group. Success of ensuing festivals led to the formation of the Craigmillar Festival Society in 1969, which became an internationally recognised community arts group that operated year round.

One of their most effective strategies, as noted by Craigmillar Now director Rachael Cloughton, was their ability to “use the arts’ incredible potency to create massive social change.” They often did this through musicals, which local people wrote and performed in. 

‘Culture Vultures’ is a story of two festivals – the International and the Craigmillar Festival. The former being programmed for a consumer of culture, the latter revolving around the issues, needs and desires of a community. The plot touches upon the economic imbalance between the two, but also the potential for real change and action offered by the arts. 

At a time where Scotland’s cultural sector at large seems ever more detached from those living within it, nearly 50 years later the story is more pertinent than ever. 

Amidst the August commotion Embassy invites its audiences to pause and reflect on the legacy of a community festival, to think about how we might take action to demand structural change today. The surrounding events programme will engage with the themes of the script, focusing on their significance today alongside interconnected struggles of economic depravity, rising facism and an ongoing Palestinian genocide. 

Archival footage of the original 1977 performance and the script will be available to read in the space. To view the full archive please visit and volunteer with Craigmillar Now. Embassy is endlessly grateful for all the support, enthusiasm and time that they have given us.