Our SpeakEasy

Student project captures local people's stories from the streets of Edinburgh.

Student social enterprise Our SpeakEasy has been collecting anonymous handwritten stories from strangers throughout Edinburgh, showcasing the incredible diversity this city boasts, as well as the vulnerabilities that are willing to be shared.

The project encourages individuals to share a piece of their lives on a sheet of A4 paper. All stories are collected spontaneously, anonymously and in person.

Everyone is given a pen and a blank canvas to share anything they like, and the result is a heart-warming collection of local lives. The stories are showcased in various cafes-turned-story-galleries across the city.

The purpose of this project to open up a slice of the world around us. After reading the first hundred or so stories, I’ve noticed that this project has the additional benefit of allowing people the cathartic release of sharing some very personal past events.

SpeakEasy Magazine

SpeakEasy has created a beautiful magazine which collates a selection of the stories.  Curated by editor Alejandra Jimenez de Luis, each month touches on a different theme of what makes us human. 

The magazine is a collaborative effort bringing together the stories of Edinburgh residents and art produced by creatives whose work features in the magazine. The publication also includes articles of the strangers who live in Edinburgh, similar to Humans of New York, a a photoblog and book of street portraits and interviews collected on the streets of New York City.

You can purchase a copy of the magazine here: https://www.ourspeakeasy.com/magazine

StorySlam

Our SpeakEasy also holds storytelling nights where people are invited to come together to listen to stories or share their own experiences live on stage. You can find out more on the link to their facebook page below.

Find out more

If you’d like to contribute a story to the project, please contact Our SpeakEasy via their website: https://www.ourspeakeasy.com/speak-up/

Find an exhibition near you: https://www.ourspeakeasy.com/on-the-map/