12 Edinburgh up-and-comers to watch in 2018

2018 is set to be an exciting year for Edinburgh, with lots of talented up and coming locals making their mark on the city.

Here are some of the emerging names to watch out for in 2018.

Garry Fraser

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In 2013 Garry Fraser (who grew up in Muirhouse among drugs and crime) won a Scottish BAFTA New Talent award for his autobiographical documentary, Everybody's Child.

This caught the attention of author Irvine Welsh, who then brought Fraser on to Danny Boyle's directorial team for the 2017 reboot of Trainspotting, T2.

As well as continuing to direct gritty, urban documentaries and films, Fraser also runs the social enterprise, Wideo Media, which encourages young people from council schemes to get involved in creative projects.

More information: wideo.scot

Louise Gray

Author and journalist, Louise Gray, got people talking in 2017 with her award-winning book, The Ethical Carnivore.

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The book examined the ethics of meat through Gray's experience of only eating animals she had killed by herself for one year.

With veganism on the rise, and increasing numbers of people concerned about the ethical and environmental impact of eating meat, the work of Edinburgh-based Gray will be more relevant than ever in 2018.

More information: louisebgray.com

Heather McDaid & Laura Jones

Heather McDaid and Laura Jones started their own independent publishing company in Edinburgh, 404 Ink (Photo: Sinead Grainger)

Heather McDaid and Laura Jones are the brains behind 404 Ink, an Edinburgh-based independent publishing company which focuses on providing an alternative to the mainstream.

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The pair won numerous awards during 2017, including Saltire Society's Emerging Publisher of the Year, Creative Edinburgh's Startup Award, and the top spot on The List's Hot 100.

Their collection of essays, Nasty Women, was a best selling book at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2017, and 404 Ink looks set to 'shake up the publishing industry' even more in 2018.

More information: 404ink.com

Gordon Craig

Having trained in some of the best Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK, Gordon Craig returned to Edinburgh in 2017 to open his own restaurant, Taisteal.

Within less than a year of opening, the restaurant had been awarded an AA Rosette, and was included in the Michelin Guide and the Good Food Guide.

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In 2018, Craig's unique take on relaxed fine dining is set to become a staple of the Edinburgh restaurant scene.

More information: taisteal.co.uk

Eleanor Cunningham

Having set up the successful Edinburgh Larder cafe several years ago, Eleanor Cunningham and her team recently established Edinburgh Food Social.

The social enterprise aims to make local food more accessible by working with schools and communities to develop cooking skills, and give people the confidence and resources to prepare good, healthy meals.

After a successful crowdfunding campaign (which reached a £10,000 target), the Edinburgh Food Social team aim to have their travelling food truck on the road in 2018.

Callum Beattie

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Musician Callum Beattie has worked with Nick Hodgson of the Kaiser Chiefs and The Verve's Nick McCabe on his debut album (Photo: Callum Beattie)

Edinburgh-born singer, Callum Beattie, enjoyed breakthrough success in 2017, and this is set to continue throughout the new year.

His debut album, Lights in Stereo, has had backing from a high-profile team.

Nick Hodgson (from the Kaiser Chiefs) assisted with writing material, and there was also input from Coldplay producer, Ken Nelson, as well as recording help from The Verve's Nick McCabe.

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Beattie rounded off a successful 2017 with a performance on the BBC's Hogmanay Live show.

More information: callumbeattie.co.uk

Ever Dundas

Emerging Edinburgh author, Ever Dundas, published her debut novel, Goblin, in 2017.

Goblin won the Saltire Society's First Book of the Year 2017 award, and has received praise from critics and readers alike.

For fans of fantasy, horror and sci-fi novels, Edinburgh Napier University graduate Dundas is certainly someone to keep an eye on in 2018.

Matt Urry

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2017 was a busy year for Matt Urry, executive chef at the innovative tasting restaurant, Seasons, which offers a new way to enjoy the best of seasonal Scottish produce.

Urry also opened the cocktail bar, Chameleon, and hosted a popular food and drink pop-up festival towards the end of the year.

With years of experience in the hospitality industry, Urry aims to expand his pop-up events in 2018 to bring together some of the biggest names in Edinburgh food and drink, encouraging collaboration over competition.

More information: seasonstasting.com

Apphia Campbell

Florida-born actress, writer and singer Apphia Campbell now calls Edinburgh home (Photo: Apphia Campbell)

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Florida-born actress, writer and singer Apphia Campbell now calls Edinburgh home, and she has been shaking up the city with her creative commentary on race.

As well as touring her one-woman show, Black Is The Color of My Voice (inspired by the life of singer Nina Simone), Campbell also performed stage show Woke during the 2017 Fringe.

The production, which examined the parallels of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the ongoing activism of Black Lives Matter, won a Fringe First award.

More information: apphiacampbell.com

Morvern Cunningham

Edinburgh-based festival and events producer, Morvern Cunningham, is the director of grassroots arts organisation, LeithLate.

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Cunningham is also involved in several other projects which aim to promote the culture and spirit of Leith, including The Mural Project, the Leith Walkers Outdoor Exhibition and Leith Creative's People and Places: Make Leith Better project.

Keep an eye out for 2018's LeithLate festival and other events from Cunningham, which help to celebrate Leith's creative community.

More information: leithlate.co.uk

Donald Alexander & Stuart McPherson

Comedians Stuart McPherson and Donald Alexander (originally from Edinburgh) are set to become two of 2018's biggest up and coming names on the stand-up circuit.

The duo have been shortlisted for accolades such as the So You Think You're Funny? Awards and the Chortle Student Comedy Awards, and McPherson won Best Newcomer at the Scottish Comedy Awards in 2016.

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Having debuted their first Fringe show together in 2017, this year will see the pair perform both on their own and as a duo.

More information: twitter.com/StuartMcP

Daniel Shand

Former University of Edinburgh PdD candidate, Daniel Shand, published his debut novel, Fallow, in November 2016.

In June 2017, Shand's book won the prestigious Betty Trask Prize, which honours first novels written by authors under the age of 35, who reside in a current or former Commonwealth nation.

After reading Fallow, writer Rodge Glass said, "On this evidence, Daniel Shand is one of the most exciting, talented young writers currently at work in these islands."

More information: daniel-shand.com

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