In this episode of the Creative Resistance podcast, Scott speaks with author Caro Giles about her books Unschooled and Twelve Moons. The conversation roams widely and looks at writing as activism, the harnessing of rage, capitalism’s drive to produce cogs for the machine, and the importance of moving away from a ‘one-size fits all’ education system.

Bio: Caro is an author living in Glasgow with her four daughters. She has also worked as an actor, a musician and a teacher. Caro is a full time carer to two of her daughters who are unable to access education at school. She writes about the challenges of trying to access support from underfunded and often hostile systems, and uses her work to highlight educational and care issues, describing her writing as a form of activism. Caro is the author of two memoirs - Twelve Moons (HarperNorth 2023) and Unschooled (Little Toller 2025). She writes about female identity and the value of creativity amongst the challenges of full time caring. She is a monthly columnist for Psychologies and has written for publications including The Sunday Times, The i and Grazia. She was names BBC Countryfile’s inaugural New Nature Writer of the year. Her words can also be found on Substack and Instagram @carogileswrites.

Instagram: @carogileswrites

Substack: carogiles.substack.com

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In this episode Scott is joined by broadcaster, author and all round creative conjuror Gemma Cairney.  In this deep dive conversation they roam far and wide discussing art as salvation, systemic racism, capitalism, cuts and so much more before exploring the universe of Gemma’s new book - The Immortal Sisterhood. 

Gemma Cairney is a British broadcaster and published author that has explored the intersections of creativity that is in her DNA since training in Theatre at the start of noughties at The BRIT School for Performing Arts...

Decades later, her CV is expansive, from honing her craft in live radio for years hosting daily shows at the BBC to using her voice for global campaigns, founding a boutique production company and writing published books on subjects that explore humanity, arts and culture. She is Chair of the Board for the Edinburgh Art Festival where she is currently based and her new book (which she's also cultivated into a live experimental ensemble-led experience) will be published by Canongate in 2026.

www.theimmortalsisterhood.live

www.gemmacairney.co.uk

Instagram: @gemagain 

Patreon: www.patreon.com/gemmacairney

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecreativeresistancepodcast.substack.com

This week Scott chats to the awesome Kirsty Mulcahy, founder of SoberBuzz Scotland and SkyRose Coaching, as she tells the tale of her journey to sobriety and we discuss killer cultural norms, shifting attitudes and sources of much needed support. 

Kirsty Mulcahy is a transformational coach, speaker, and founder of SkyRose Coaching and SoberBuzz Scotland. Sober since 2017, she believes choosing an alcohol-free life in a booze-soaked culture is a rebellious act of self-love and one of the most empowering decisions you can make. Her mission is to show others that life without alcohol isn’t about what you give up, but everything you gain.

https://skyrosecoaching.com/

https://www.soberbuzzscotland.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skyrosecoaching_ and https://www.instagram.com/soberbuzzscotlandcic

Support: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice-and-support/alcohol-support-services/support-lines

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecreativeresistancepodcast.substack.com

This week Scott is joined by Keiran Goddard for a conversation that carousels through creative roots, class identity, social mobility, echo chambers, friendship and the importance of change being rooted in love.

Keiran is an internationally published novelist, poet and social theorist. His first collection was shortlisted for the William Blake prize, his debut novel HOURGLASS was listed for the Desmond Elliott prize and his latest novel I SEE BUILDINGS FALL LIKE LIGHTNING has been published to widespread acclaim, nominated for the Gordon Burn Prize, and is currently in production as a major feature film ( adapt - Enda Walsh, Dir- Clio Barnard, prod - BBC ). He also writes regularly as a critic for The Guardian and The Observer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecreativeresistancepodcast.substack.com

In Episode 3 I am delighted to be joined by an artist who specialises in production, has incredible vocals, plays accordion, flute, synths and electronica. A stalwart of the Scottish music scene who is constantly breaking new creative ground to shine a light on the things that matter - Inge Thomson. 

Inge is a composer-producer whose interdisciplinary work draws on the environment via sound manipulation and the use of traditional instruments to create advanced contemporary audio landscapes.

Long celebrated as a member of the Karine Polwart Trio, Inge is also a vibrant force within female and non-binary writing and production collective Hen Hoose. She has created acclaimed commissions for festivals such as Tectonics, HippFest and Counterflows, the latter awarding her a three block artist residency in Vietnam. Her ventures in screen sound include scores for the award winning CBC animation Grape Soda In The Parking Lot and the BBCs Bafta winning Fair Isle: Living on the Edge.

Inge and I delve deep into what creativity can look like when writing in response, we explore community, collaboration and the importance of artists lifting other artists. Inge’s work is every bit as beautiful as she is ace. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecreativeresistancepodcast.substack.com

In this episode Scott talks to Karim Ali, Co-founder of the Gaza Sunbirds Para-cycling Team and Ruaidhri (Ru) MacKay, Activist and Organiser with Thousand Madleens to Gaza about their work for Palestine, peaceful direct action, the leap from amateur to pro para-cycling team (whilst also distributing aid), the importance of escalation and so much more. There’s storytelling and solidarity shot through with hope.

Karim Ali is the co-founder and international coordinator of the Gaza Sunbirds, a para-cycling team established in 2020 in the Gaza Strip.1

He co-founded the team with cyclist Alaa al-Dali to provide competitive sporting opportunities for disabled athletes in Gaza, many of whom are amputees due to injuries sustained from Israeli forces.2 In addition to managing the team, he acts as a spokesperson, responsible for sharing the Gaza Sunbirds’ story internationally and as we discuss, the Sunbirds have developed into so much more than a para-sports team, now operating an expanded mission including rehabilitation and international aid. The team are thriving in the face of huge adversity and Karim paints a vital picture.

Ruaidhri MacKay is an activist and organiser involved in the international coordination of Thousand Madleens to Gaza, a civil resistance grassroots movement using non-violent direct action to confront injustice in Palestine and amplify unheard voices. He also works with Greenpeace’s Climb Team and Extinction Rebellion on action planning and design, focusing on creative, strategic, and safe approaches to protest. Campaigning for social and environmental justice, his activism explores how peaceful resistance, storytelling, and solidarity can be tools for liberation and repair in times of global crisis.

Find out More -

gazasunbirds.org

Instagram: @gazasunbirds

thousandmadleens.org

Instagram: @thousandmadleenstogaza

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecreativeresistancepodcast.substack.com

Episode 1 is here and the bar has been set sky high with Scott talking to the mighty Nadine Shah. It's a free flowing conversation that digs deep at the roots of creativity, the importance of bearing witness, community, collaboration and so much more.

"One of the most extraordinary voices in British indie" The Guardian

"A glorious broken beauty" Louder Than War

"There’s a plethora of brilliance to found on Filthy Underneath"

4/5 The Skinny

"An unforgettable experience, and a career high" 9/10 Clash

Shah is a Mercury Prize- nominated songwriter and musician who released her fifth critically acclaimed album ‘Filthy Underneath’ in Spring 2024.

Alongside unilateral A-list support at BBC 6 music, this recent album campaign also provided for Nadine’s first tv show appearances with full band - with Jools Holland - and on RTE’S Other Voices - along with live performances on 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq’s show and BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends show with Clive Anderson.

Much loved and respected by other artists for the intensity of her performance and soaring vocal skills, she has collaborated and shared a bill with Young Fathers, Massive Attack, Depeche Mode, Patti Smith, Annie Lennox, New Order and Elbow and recently appeared as a guest vocalist on The Pogues 40th Anniversary iteration of their ‘Red Roses for Me ‘ album tour alongside their 'Sodomy & The Lash’ tour across the UK and Europe.

This summer she played a full schedule of gigs and festivals in her own right - to include Glastonbury’s Other Stage - and this Autumn is supporting Self Esteem (with whom she also recently collaborated) on various dates across the UK.

Her albums touching on such subjects as mental health and addiction, Shah is no stranger to speaking out and has lent her voice to many other causes that she is passionate about.

She has also established herself as a presenter across a number of events such as The Q Awards and the AIM Awards; on programmes for 6 Music, BBC Sounds and Radio 4; and via her own Instagram Stories series PAYBACK, which saw her interview music journalists during lockdown.

She has appeared as Titania in Matthew Dunster’s rep production of a MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT DREAM for Northern Theatre in 2023 whilst also contributing to the music, and is in the upcoming film NIGHT AND DAY based on Virginia Wolf’s novel with Lily Allen. She regularly composes music for TV and film.

Currently working on a new album AND a new TV series set for release 2026.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecreativeresistancepodcast.substack.com