Description
Born in Nottingham, Sandra George (1957-2013) lived the first seven years of her life in Jamaica with her mother, before moving to Birmingham, and then Edinburgh, to live with her father. George was a community worker in Craigmillar, Edinburgh, taking thousands of images of community projects across Scotland between the 1980s through to the late 2000s. Social justice and equity was at the heart of both George’s community and her artistic work, which was not exhibited during her lifetime. This book presents George’s photography, with the associated exhibition showing a selection from her wider artistic multi-disciplinary practice, including printing, painting, bookworks, textiles and jewellery.
Her black and white photography includes subjects ranging from Braille classes at Royal Blind School Edinburgh, to capturing sessions with disabled musicians. Her perspective and insight as a Black female social documentary photographer and artist add further importance to this collection – women photographers of colour capturing community life in Scotland over this period are significantly underrepresented. The message of her work – community, care, accessibility and equality in the arts and workplaces, ethics in working with others in under-reached communities, and exploration of identity – remain important issues today.
The accompanying exhibition, curated by GSA Exhibitions Director Jenny Brownrigg, is developed in collaboration with Craigmillar Now, a community-led arts and heritage organisation based in Craigmillar, Edinburgh. Craigmillar Now holds George’s archive and works with her family to digitise the photographs, and to grow George’s photographic legacy through greater visibility and profile.
Sandra George studied at Napier University gaining a BA in Photography; then a BA in Fine Art at Edinburgh College of Art in Drawing and Painting. In 2004 she graduated in Community Education at The University of Edinburgh. George was a freelance photographer for over 30 years for organisations and publications such as the Sentinel, the Tollcross Community Newspaper, Shelter, and the Craigmillar Festival News and the Craigmillar Chronicle. In the 1980s she worked in Community Development in Wester Hailes. In the 1990s she worked in Craigmillar, Edinburgh for organisations including McGovan House, the Thistle Foundation, and the Craigmillar Community Arts Centre. In 2008 she was Youth Services Manager with Hunter’s Hall Cooperative, Craigmillar. That year she launched Niddrie Community Youth Group. Whilst George did not exhibit in her lifetime, Craigmillar Now have curated Sandra George, Craigmillar 1988–1994; The White House, Craigmillar 2022; Sandra George, Craigmillar 1988–1994, Oman’s Pub, Craigmillar 2023; and in the group exhibition We © Craigmillar, at The Craigmillar Heart’s Community Club 2023.
Author biographies
Curator and writer Jenny Brownrigg is Exhibitions Director and Reader (Research) in Curating at the Glasgow School of Art.
Hannah Lavery is a poet and playwright from Edinburgh. Her debut poetry collection Blood Salt Spring (Polygon) was shortlisted for the Saltire Prize in 2022, followed by Unwritten Woman (Polygon, 2024). Her forthcoming collection, Everything, Everyday, will be published by Polygon in May 2026. She served as Edinburgh’s Makar (poet laureate) and, in 2025, was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Association of Scottish Literature. As an Associate Artist with National Theatre of Scotland, her plays The Drift, Lament for Sheku Bayoh, and The Protest have toured widely, establishing her as a leading voice in contemporary Scottish theatre and literature.
Tyler Hewitt is Sandra George’s son. He is an artist and community worker, and runs The Arc charity, which provides a space for gaming and socialising in Edinburgh. He is also a member of Craigmillar Now’s Steering Group.
