Our Projects
Growing a Literary Commons
We believe that books and the conversations they spark should be open to everyone. By partnering with second-hand bookshops we help create vibrant, community-oriented spaces that circulate literary works far beyond their first readers. Our main partnership with Tills Bookshop, in Edinburgh, has enabled us to host and fund public literary arts events, including workshops and interactive reading sessions. We have also worked with theatre groups to stage dramatic readings and performances that make literature come alive in new ways.
One of our proudest achievements is the creation of one of the world’s smallest specialty bookshops, housed in a repurposed Edinburgh Police Box. This tiny hub pushed what a “public” literary space could be, inviting communities to discover books and ideas in unexpected places.
Learn more about Tills Bookshops →
Public Events & Talks
Working with local partners, our events and talks have focused on bringing literary arts to life. We have run book clubs, public seminars, and speaker series that have celebrated diverse topics, such as fringe independent publishing, Scottish writing, global literary movements and poetry live writing sessions.
We are currently in development of the Festival of Wild Reading, an new planned annual event that reconnects readers with nature. Through the project, we hope to transform forests into roaming libraries, while hosting in the wild discussions led by authors and thinkers, inventing participants to reflect on their relationship with the land through literature. By blending natural settings with the power of storytelling, the project encourages people to experience the social and collective act of reading in new ways.
Literary Translation
At the heart of our translation work is In Other Words, a roaming curated library and seminar series designed to spotlight underrepresented voices from around the globe. We collaborate with literary translators, linguists, and cultural practitioners to shed light on works that are often marginalized within mainstream publishing. Through interviews, research, and public talks, we invite audiences to discover new authors, languages, and traditions.
This focus on translation is a key part of our mission to expand cultural horizons. We believe that by creating bridges across languages and borders, we can deepen empathy, spark creativity, and foster international dialogue around literature and the arts.
Learn more about In Other Words →
Research & Publication
Alongside our public-facing initiatives, Cultural Commons CIC are developing research projects aimed at challenging and reimagining traditional art publishing practices. We are exploring new technologies to help democratise how the written word is produced, shared, and distributed—reducing barriers to entry for emerging authors and presses.
