Category: North Edinburgh Arts

Go-ahead for local Hub as North Edinburgh Arts is granted community ownership

As part of the ongoing regeneration programme around MacMillan Square, North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) has now been granted full community ownership in a community asset transfer from the City of Edinburgh Council, with the additional transfer of a plot of land to the north of the centre.

We are now working in partnership with the Council to create plans for an extended creative and community hub for the area, to be named the MacMillan Hub. 

The objective is to create a community and neighbourhood hub promoting culture, learning, work and well-being in and around the town centre. Everyone at NEA is excited about the possibilities this will bring to our community.

The plans include:

  • a refurbished and redesigned North Edinburgh Arts venue promoting the highest quality culture, arts and meeting space
  • a new Muirhouse Library
  • a new Learning and Skills Hub
  • a new Early Years Centre
  • housing for rent

NEA is already a well loved destination for locals but has outgrown its building. To meet the needs for future generations we need to redevelop as part of this new Hub. To find out more about our plans view the ​film​ below.  

nea-fundraiser_dvdDownload

We are fundraising for this redevelopment, to get involved contact us ​or make a donation.

You can download Draft Plans-October 2020 to see draft plans, building visualisations and more information about proposed plans.

The plans ensure the accessible, welcoming and much needed community space, using environment-friendly build and innovative design techniques. The community space will reflect current community aspirations, while being flexible enough to respond to unplanned future demand.

Award winning Richard Murphy Architects have been appointed by Robertson and with the Council and NEA to design the MacMillan Hub. Working together with a view to submitting a joint detailed planning permission in December 2020 to start the build in 2021 and open in the summer of 2022.

To share your comments and submit any suggestions, email admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

Other useful links about our story, Community Asset Transfer and plans:

North Edinburgh Arts secures Scottish Land Funs-Press Release

NEA to become a community owned hub-Press Release

NEA Business Plan 2020 – Community Enterprise

Writing the Times: a unique gift from North Edinburgh

Looking for that truly special Christmas gift? Your search may be over!

Writing the Times is an anthology created by local people during the first months of the coronavirus pandemic.

Over six weeks when the pandemic was at it’s height, the North Edinburgh Arts Writers worked with editor Stephanie Knight through Zoom sessions and emails to create stories based on the themes Fables for the Future, Stories to be Shared and Tales to be Told

Hopeful, reflective, poignant and comical, the writers share their thoughts recorded during these unprecedented times.

Something to look back on when the pandemic becomes a distant memory, Writing the Times would make a unique Christmas gift for friends and family.

Writing the Times is now available at North Edinburgh Arts, priced only £5. For further information email: admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk

Local groups receive awards for Keeping Scotland Beautiful

The efforts of 14 Edinburgh groups have been acknowledged by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful at an online seminar yesterday.

North Edinburgh is well represented among these green-fingered groups, with awards for Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, Fresh Start Growers, Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden, Friends of Lauriston Castle Estate, Friends of Starbank Park and North Edinburgh Arts Gardening Group.

The other capital groups to receive awards are Balerno Village Gardeners, Craigentinny Community Gardening Project, Craigentinny Primary Parent Council, Friends of Morningside Cemetery, Friends of Saughton Park, Inch View Care Home, Inspiring Hillside and Northfield Community Growing Group.

Annually Keep Scotland Beautiful runs two community environmental improvement programmes in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society; the competitive Beautiful Scotland campaign and the It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative.

In total 197 groups, those who would in previous years have been out creating and maintaining community gardens or allotments, looking after habitats for wildlife and adopting streets, have been issued with Certificates of Recognition for the work volunteers and supporters did manage to carry out to brighten up and pull their neighbourhoods together during this year’s health pandemic.

A full list of the 14 groups from Edinburgh can be found in the attached table (below).

Edinburgh-groupsDownload

Faced with the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to recognise and celebrate the achievements of communities and individuals across Edinburgh. 

Throughout lockdown and the following months, groups have worked tirelessly to improve their communities through horticulture, environmental responsibility and working in partnership for the benefit of residents, visitors and our natural environment. 

Despite circumstances this year, 47 new entrants were welcomed to the network, and although judging and mentoring visits were not able to take place due to restrictions across Scotland, groups were still supported with online seminars, networking events, question and answer sessions and a weekly e-newsletter.

Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “We know that lockdown resulted in many people reconnecting with green and blue spaces local to them.  Yet, it has also been a particularly challenging year for the communities who strive every year to protect and enhance the places they live and work in. 

“We have been amazed by the desire of communities, volunteers and local authorities to stay connected, motivated and inspired by each other, all with a steadfast determination to do things to make a difference, even if this had to be done differently this year.  

“I’d like to thank all the groups in Edinburgh for the efforts they have made to keep Scotland beautiful this year.”

Although many of the groups had to stop or curtail their planned activities for the year, we have been blown away by what they have managed to achieve – whether that be setting up a food bank, encouraging and supporting others to grow their own, creating virtual garden tours, connecting their members through online catch ups and keeping their neighbourhoods bright and cheerful. 

Andrea Van Sittart, RHS Head of Community Outreach said: “It’s truly inspiring that so many Scottish communities continued to support others in need this year.

“From a phone box larder in Muthill to planter kits for others in Inverkip, the groups have shown incredible creativity and ingenuity responding to the needs of their diverse communities through this challenging time. Congratulations to all groups on their amazing efforts.”

If you’d like to join the network in 2021, check out the website for inspiration and details on how to get involved:

www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/BeautifulScotland or www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/IYN

Community Energy Hub for North Edinburgh?

Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative (ECSC) and North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) have agreed to support the creation of North Edinburgh Community Energy Hub, and want to invite you to an initial Zoom call with interested organisations to start this process.

The meeting will be held on Thursday (24th September) at 6.30pm and the Zoom link to join is here:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9661004253

Meeting ID: 966 100 4253

ECSC is committed to helping Edinburgh become a net zero carbon city by 2030 but reduced funding and grant support for communities has meant that it is becoming increasingly difficult to raise awareness about the importance of reducing our carbon footprint, particularly in areas of high fuel poverty.

ECSC, in partnership with several key partners, believe that establishing a community energy hub in North Edinburgh and Leith, using buildings hosting ECSC solar panels as demonstrator sites, will increase neighbourhood awareness of renewable energy and encourage people to go ‘green’.

The establishment of a community renewable energy hub comprising a consortium of local community organisations. The Hub need not be a physical entity but could involve bringing together members of community groups across North Edinburgh & Leith which would form a knowledge base which groups or individuals could access for practical advice.

The ECSC Energy Plan paper is attached,  with a link to Oxford Low Carbon Hub https://www.lowcarbonhub.org for information.

I hope you can join the meeting on the 24th.

Yours sincerely

Kate Wimpress / Director

North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, EH4 4TZ

Tel: 0131 315 2151 / Direct: 0131 315 6410   

See below the list of organisations who have previously expressed an interest, or who want to find out more now: Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative 

Edinburgh Leisure 

Community Energy Scotland 

Leith Crops in Pots 

Muirhouse Housing Association 

North Edinburgh Childcare 

North Edinburgh Arts 

Granton Walled Garden 

Spartans Community Football Academy

Granton Information Centre

Changeworks

Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC)

Granton Hub 

ECSC-Energy-Plan-FinalDownload

City projects receive backing from Scottish Land Fund

£156,000 for North Edinburgh Arts 

North Edinburgh’s flagship arts centre in Muirhouse and land for a new community hub in Juniper Green are amongst 21 groups that are set to share in £1,667,987 from the Scottish Land Fund. 

North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) has received £156,000 in order to take ownership of its current building, which it intends to extend and upgrade to create more space for additional enterprise units and a larger cafe. 

And Pentlands Community Space has been given £33,000 to buy a disused public toilet in Lanark Road, Juniper Green in order to demolish it and build a community hub and flat for affordable rent. 

Lesley Hinds, Chair, North Edinburgh Arts, said: “NEA has won five national awards in the last six years for place making and creative projects. This new capital project will allow the organisation to flourish, alongside Council provision, and bring a first-class facility to Macmillan Square.  

“NEA is a special place for the community of North Edinburgh and has been a trusted community anchor providing emergency food, support, materials and online creative activities throughout the lockdown. 

“Alongside our COVID activity of the last five months we have been working closely with partners to share and establish our vision of a world class creative hub for the next generation of North Edinburgh residents.  This award from the Scottish Land Fund is an important and welcome next step on this exciting journey.” 

NEA’s Director Kate Wimpress added: “The bright blue NEA building has been a beacon of hope for many throughout the lockdown, and an important part of the North Edinburgh landscape over the last decade.

“Today’s endorsement from the Scottish Land Fund, following on from the Council’s agreement for this much loved and used asset to come fully into community ownership, takes NEA , and our community, another step closer to our vision becoming a reality. We are looking forward to building a first class facility fit for purpose for today, and for the years to come”

Professor Cliff Beevers OBE, Chairman, Pentlands Community Space, said: “The Pentlands Community Space project is planning to demolish an abandoned public toilet block and replace it with a two-storey building providing a much-needed Community Hub downstairs with an affordable flat above.  

“Rental from the flat will be used to sustain activities in the Hub.  This project, several years in the making, is a genuine collaborative effort which is using the talents and time of many residents in this part of South-West Edinburgh.” 

Minister, Cabinet Secretary for Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “Communities across the country are playing a pivotal role in helping create a fairer and greener Scotland as we respond to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“The latest round of Scottish Land Fund grants – provided to 21 different community groups – will go towards projects that will provide locals with better access to green space, encourage wildlife and support community business. With this funding being awarded during Climate Week, I look forward to these projects seizing the opportunity to help our green recovery.” 

 John Watt, Scottish Land Fund Committee Chair said: “Groups from all across Scotland are making a real impact to their communities with a wide range of ambitious projects that deliver tangible benefits to the people who live there, and the Scottish Land Fund is delighted to be able to support them.” 

Sandra Holmes, Head of Community Assets at HIE, said: “These successful projects announced today are all fantastic examples of people taking control of local resources for the long-term benefit of their communities.

“Applecross Community Company for example, will be able to purchase, restock and improve the local woods to provide access to the community as well as buy land to build affordable homes.  

“Ownership will give these communities greater control over important assets and will help ensure their long-term future. We wish all the successful groups the very best in their new ventures.” 

Community Wealth Building: Zoom event

Dear Colleagues

Please find attached a zoom invitation to a meeting looking at Community Wealth Building.

The meeting will be hosted by Lesley Hinds, Chair of North Edinburgh Arts, with guest speaker Councillor Joe Cullinane, Leader of North Ayrshire Council. Please find attached a link to North Ayrshire’s Community Wealth Building strategy for information prior to the discussion.

https://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/Documents/nac-cwb-strategy-brochure.pdf

I this is of interest, and that you will be able to join the discussion on the 22nd. No registration is needed, simply use the link in the attachment, however it would be useful if you can reply to me in advance if you are going to attend to give me an idea of numbers.

Yours sincerely

Kate Wimpress / Director

North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, EH4 4TZ        

NEA North Edinburgh Arts is inviting you to a Community Wealth Building meeting, by Zoom.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9661004253

Meeting ID: 966 100 4253

Writing the Times: Local writers reflect life under lockdown

North Edinburgh Arts is delighted to be able to share ‘Writing the Times’, new work by Alice Musumba Purves, David Francis, David Pickering, Dawn Pearce, Ferdinand McKay, Mary Graham, Rhona Cameron, Sandra Newby, Sasha Noel, Tracey Anderson.

Writing the Times 2020 DOWNLOAD

Stephanie Knight, who led the Writing the Times project, explained: “‘Writing the Times has been a six week project, with weekly Zoom meetings and continuous emails.

“During the Zoom meetings, we discussed other people’s writing that inspired us, we read our drafts, we considered frameworks, layout, quotes, prologues and epilogues, we discussed how our readers might respond to our writing.

“The project was open to participants and artists who have worked with North Edinburgh Arts Theatre project, and to Yoga Students at North Edinburgh Arts. People self-selected, and this publication demonstrates the commitment and dedication everyone has given to Writing the Times.

“This is published at the time when we would have been witnessing Edinburgh swing into full Festival flourish. Now we plan, reflect and then plan again for another time.”

A limited edition of print copies of Writing the Times will be available in the autumn, and the writers hope to record their stories in the NEA studio to share their work as spoken word – keep an eye on North Edinburgh Arts Facebook page for updates.

writing-the-times-2020Download

The Writing the Times project was supported by a Wellbeing Grant from the COVID-19 SUPPORTING COMMMUNITIES FUND administered by EVOC.

Bike event in MacMillan Square

North Edinburgh Arts and Sustrans are holding a bike locking and safety checking session in MacMillan Square on Friday 28th August from 12:00 – 3:00pm.

Bring your bike along to learn how to check it is safe to ride and how to lock it securely to prevent opportunistic theft.

Numbers are limited to 3 households every 30 minutes. Last demonstration will be at 2:30.

See poster for contact details

North Edinburgh Arts to become community-owned hub

North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) has been granted full community ownership in a community asset transfer from the City of Edinburgh Council. With the additional transfer of a plot of land to the north of the organisation’s venue, NEA is now in a position to lead on the development of an extended creative and community hub for the area, working in partnership with the Council. 

Bringing the organisation, established in 1998, into community ownership and working to extend the facilities will make sure this dynamic community venue is fit for purpose for the next two decades.

New enterprise, workshop, learning space and creative studios are planned, alongside a dedicated youth area, expanded café, and shared atrium all working to complement the Council’s adjoining library and early year’s provision.

NEA carried out extensive consultation to gauge support for the project with 96% of respondents in favour. The organisation offers local residents a place to relax, explore, learn, meet, share, volunteer and have fun in. Last year over 40,000 visits were made to the venue once described by STV as ‘a bright bubble behind Muirhouse shopping centre.’

NEA is based in the heart of Muirhouse and their current venue incorporates two studios, a 96 seat theatre, recording studio, gallery, offices and the pop in community café with children’s play area leading onto a large garden. NEA offers a safe, comfortable and creative space for people of all ages to develop within. 

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic over 30 hours of creative workshops were on offer each week, most with a family focus, alongside a wide range of other events from singing groups to circus skills workshops, exhibitions, community theatre, film clubs, and festival events.

The venue is also home to Muirhouse Link Up, Firstport Social Enterprise, North Edinburgh Drug and Alcohol Centre, and the Tinderbox Orchestra, all working to serve the most disadvantaged children, families and individuals in the North Edinburgh area.

Chair of NEA, Lesley Hinds, said: “NEA has won five national awards in the last six years for place making and creative projects. This new capital project will allow the organisation to flourish, alongside Council provision, and bring a first class facility to Macmillan Square.

“NEA is a special place for the community of North Edinburgh and has been a trusted community anchor providing emergency food and support throughout the COVID lockdown. The granting of the Community Asset Transfer from the Council is the first step on our next exciting journey.” 

Director Kate Wimpress added: “The bright blue NEA building has been a beacon of hope for many throughout the lockdown. Alongside our COVID activity of the last four months we have been working closely with Council colleagues to share and establish our vision of a world class creative hub for the next generation of North Edinburgh residents.

“Today’s endorsement from the Council takes us one step closer to this vision becoming a reality.”

Contact: Kate Wimpress director@northedinburgharts.co.uk 

www.northedinburgharts.co.uk 

Twitter @northedinarts

Facebook facebook.com/northedinarts

Pictures: Robin Mair