QMU student shortlisted for Creative Edinburgh Award
A Queen Margaret University (QMU) student has been recognised among Edinburgh’s emerging talent after being shortlisted for a Creative Edinburgh Award for her work supporting East and Southeast Asian artists in Scotland.
Lok Pui Lo, who is studying on QMU's MA Participatory Arts programme, has been named a finalist in the Student Category of the 2026 Creative Edinburgh Awards, which celebrate the individuals, organisations and projects shaping the city's creative and cultural life.
The shortlisting places Lok among a select group of finalists chosen from more than 140 nominations across Edinburgh's creative community.
Originally from Hong Kong, Lok moved to Scotland nearly six years ago and has since been building her own creative practice while helping others find opportunities to develop theirs. She co-founded ESEA Creatives CIC, a grassroots cultural organisation championing East and Southeast Asian creatives in Scotland. Through curated events, interdisciplinary productions and partnerships with cultural organisations, ESEA Creatives CIC creates opportunities for artists to build visibility and professional networks.
As a creative producer, Lok develops ideas, secures funding, brings collaborators together and delivers projects. One example is 'Moving Between Worlds', a short dance film she is producing with support from the City of Edinburgh Council’s Diversity and Inclusion Fund. Exploring migration, identity and intergenerational belonging, the film brings together storytelling, movement and the talents of the creative community.
Moving to Scotland from Hong Kong nearly six years ago has meant finding where I belong creatively and what I can contribute. As an East Asian person who has made Scotland my home, I feel passionate about helping others from our regions continue their creative practice, showcase their work and build connections here. Moving to a new country can mean rebuilding your networks and finding your feet again, even when you bring years of experience and ideas with you. I want to help build a platform where that creativity can keep growing, and where our work and stories have a place in Scotland’s cultural life. Being a Creative Edinburgh Student Award finalist feels like a meaningful moment in this journey, as I continue developing my own practice while helping create opportunities for others.
ESEA Creatives has also recently secured support from the National Lottery’s Ethnic Minority Development Fund to continue its work with the community, and was a finalist in this year’s Converge Performing and Production Arts Challenge.
Alongside her creative work and studies, Lok serves as QMU Students’ Union’s Black and Ethnic Minority Officer.
Lok’s work is a great example of how creative practice can bring people together and open up opportunities for others. Through her role with ESEA Creatives, she is helping to create space for East and Southeast Asian artists to share their work and contribute to Scotland’s cultural life. All of our students are doing brilliant and exciting things, and it's wonderful to see Lok recognised through the Creative Edinburgh Awards. Wishing all the finalists the best for the awards evening.
The winners will be announced at the Creative Edinburgh Awards ceremony on 13 November at Central Hall, Edinburgh. This year's event marks the awards' 15th anniversary and will be opened by Màiri McAllan MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic.
Lok's shortlisting highlights the creativity, dedication and community-focused practice emerging from QMU's MA Participatory Arts programme, which supports students to use the arts to engage communities, explore social issues and create meaningful cultural experiences.
Everyone at QMU wishes Lok the very best of luck for the awards ceremony in November.
Find out more about the Creative Edinburgh awards.
Find out more about Lok’s work, visit ESEA Creatives on Instagram or Lok’s website.
For further media information contact Lynne Russell, Communications Manager, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk (copy to E: pressoffice@qmu.ac.uk).
