Are you working in the arts in Edinburgh?
We’re currently transforming the Granton gasholder into a new city park.
Check out this opportunity to develop ideas for a new permanent artwork for this unique and iconic space.
Deadline – Friday 1 March 2024 –
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/…/granton-gasholder-park…
Granton’s last remaining gasholder will be transformed following a £1.24 million award from the Scottish Government’s low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme.
Councillors at the Development Management Sub-Committee on 25 January approved planning permission for the next stage of redevelopment of the iconic Granton Gasholder.
Today, it was also announced that the project’s application to the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Fund has been approved. This will tie in with the overall programme of delivery and will secure up to £1.3m of further grant funding to take this stage of the works forward.
As the restoration of the Gasholder frame continues, work will begin in Autumn 2023 on public realm improvements to the surrounding land.
Ultimately, the goals of the restoration are to ensure development of the surrounding sites can take place whilst opening up the area to create a multifunctional public space that can be used and enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.
Community Wealth Minister Tom Arthur said: “Neglected sites are often found in more disadvantaged settings and can become no-go areas or hamper community development. By targeting long-standing vacant and derelict land we can ensure that investment reaches the areas that need it most.
“The Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme helps attract private investment to locations which have lain dormant for years. It also supports low carbon developments, helping Scotland reach net zero by 2045 and grow an economy that is greener, fairer, and more prosperous.
“This green space development at the Granton Gasholder will bring a significant boost for the community and enhance wider regeneration. I look forward to seeing the completed project.”
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “I am delighted that councillors have recently approved planning permission for the exciting high quality open space element of the redevelopment to the historic Granton Gasholder.
“The restoration of the Gasholder frame is already underway through funding provided by the Council and the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. With today’s announcement that we’ve been successful in our bid to the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Fund, we’re now able to progress our plans for creating an exciting public space which will see this iconic structure breathe new life into Granton Waterfront.
“This important development represents our plan to transform the structure, the centrepiece of our £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront, into a visitor destination with high quality open space for everyone to enjoy.
“The wider regeneration is about using brownfield land to develop a sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood its residents will be proud of. It will be an area where people live in affordable, environmentally friendly homes, have excellent transport and active travel links, and access open and green space, arts, sports, and culture. Restoring the Gasholder is the first step in unlocking the wider regeneration.”
A derelict site once central to the Clyde’s shipbuilding industry will be transformed following a £2.4 million award from the low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme.
The Govan Graving Docks were used for final painting and repair of vessels but have lain empty for 40 years. The Scottish Government award to upgrade a riverside walkway and create green space by 2025 is intended to help attract business investment, reverse biodiversity loss and habitat decline and create a visitor attraction.
Further restoration of the historic dockyard will see it used for repairing heritage vessels, while a footbridge linking the site to neighbouring visitor destinations including the Glasgow Science Centre is planned once private sector funding is secured.
It is one of 15 transformational schemes sharing £10 million in 2023-24 from the Programme. Other successful projects include:
Community Wealth Minister Tom Arthur visited the Govan Graving Docks site to meet those behind the project. He said: “Neglected sites are often found in more disadvantaged settings and can become no-go areas or hamper community development. By targeting long-standing vacant and derelict land we can ensure that investment reaches the areas that need it most.
“The Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme helps attract private investment to locations which have lain dormant for years, It also supports low carbon developments, helping Scotland reach net zero by 2045 and grow an economy that is greener, fairer and more prosperous.”
Councillor Richard Bell, Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The Govan Graving Docks is a unique site in Glasgow, offering both a glimpse of the city’s past and a view into a future where we realise the potential of this remarkable Clydeside location.
“The very welcome announcement of £2.4 million funding from the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme will allow work to dramatically improve the appearance of the site, create new public green space to be co-designed by the local community, and improve access and connections to Glasgow Science Centre.
“The support announced today will hopefully act as a catalyst for future funding and the development of further stages in the regeneration of the Graving Docks.”
Projects to receive funding from Stage 2 of the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme for 2023-24:
| Lead applicant | Application | 2023-24 (£) | Total Grant Recommended |
| City of Edinburgh Council | Granton Gasholder | £1,224,410 | £1,224,410 |
| Clackmannanshire Council | Clacks Community – Growing a new Future | £500,000 | £500,000 |
| Clyde Gateway | Shawfield Phase 2 – Remediation | £200,000 | £200,000 |
| Fife Council | Ravenscraig Skills Hub | £491,582 | £491,582 |
| Glasgow City Council | Cadder Woods Community Greenspace | £521,193 | £772,700 |
| Glasgow City Council | Community Net Zero Hub | £182,276 | £182,276 |
| Glasgow City Council | Govan Graving Docks | £368,794 | £2,368,794 |
| Glasgow City Council | Greening Royston | £797,121 | £797,121 |
| Glasgow City Council | North Maryhill TRA Green Infrastructure | £650,000 | £1,450,000 |
| Highland Council | Cromlet Invergordon | £400,000 | £400,000 |
| Highland Council | Longman Park | £850,000 | £2,150,000 |
| Midlothian Council | All Through Community Learning Campus Shawfair | £2,122,000 | £3,667,000 |
| North Ayrshire Council | The King’s Arms Irvine | £400,000 | £600,000 |
| Perth and Kinross Council | Millhaugh – Phase 1 | £93,808 | £93,808 |
| West Dunbartonshire Council | Residential development at Pappert Bonhill | £500,000 | £1,250,000 |
| £9,301,184 | £16,147,691 |
An Edinburgh College student has won a creative competition to design a number of posters showcasing projects taking place across Granton and will now have his work on display at the site of the iconic Granton gasometer.
Seventeen-year-old George Kershaw won the creative competition to have his designs displayed at the site of the Granton gas tower, which received significant investment last year to turn the structure into an illuminating landmark which lights up the skyline in the area.
The Foundation Apprenticeship (FA) Design student was named the winner of the competition, after the city council challenged his class to come up with a series of designs to help promote projects and events that have happened in the area, such as the Hidden Doors Festival, COP 26 Climate conference, Diwali celebrations and more.
The iconic gas tower located in the Granton Waterfront area is a beacon of light on the Edinburgh skyline thanks to the partnership project between the College, the City of Edinburgh Council, and 21CC.
George said: “Whilst I expected to do well in the competition, I knew there were several other talented designers also entering so I was very happy to find out that I had won and gained such a great opportunity. I wasn’t as happy to realise that I had also given myself a lot more work than I bargained for, as the process took several months to complete!
“Edinburgh Council set our class with the challenge of designing several promotional banners for the events centred around the Granton gas tower. My design was chosen and expanded on and finalised by me and my tutor Chris Hamilton until it was ready to be printed.
“This involved many conversations between me and the Council and was also my first experience with the many challenges involved in the design process.
“I hope that I can find more great opportunities like this one to challenge myself and so that I can also come out of university with a portfolio full of amazing work, which will help me gain employment at a top design agency once I’ve finished my studies.”
Edinburgh College Assistant Principal for Creative Industries Jakki Jeffery said: “This was an excellent opportunity for the FA Creative Digital Media (Graphics) students to work on a live industry brief from our partnership with Edinburgh Council and 21CC lighting up the iconic Granton Gas Tower.
“We were really impressed with the standard of work submitted by all the students, supported by their lecturer Chris. George is a worthy winner and we wish him all the best in his future career.”
City council leader Cammy Day said: “My warmest congratulations to George on his achievement and I’m sure this will be the first of many more to come in his design career.
“This poster campaign will provide a new and dynamic angle to an already iconic Edinburgh landmark. These posters showcase a wide array of local, national and cultural events. Projects like these in conjunction with Edinburgh College represent the Council’s wider commitment to Granton Waterfront and its long-term regeneration.
“This regeneration will spearhead the capital’s response to the climate emergency alongside providing sustainable economic growth and empowering local communities”.
Pictures: Fabio Scalici
Granton’s iconic gasholder was lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian national flag last night.
The Council in partnership with Edinburgh College hosted members of the local and Ukrainian communities to watch the switch on of the lights as a gesture of solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
This follows city leaders coming together at a summit held last week at the City Chambers to discuss Edinburgh’s ongoing response to the crisis in Ukraine.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Last week when we met at the City Chambers with the Ukrainian community, we made a commitment to offer support wherever we can. Lighting the gasholder is a symbol of our support and solidarity with the people of our twin city Kyiv and all of Ukraine.
“As the humanitarian crisis escalates in Ukraine, the people of Edinburgh have been extremely generous in offering support and donating to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal to help those facing terrifying circumstances as they defend their country.
“We’ll also continue to fly the Ukrainian flag at the City Chambers and take local actions to support Ukraine further and condemn Putin’s illegal war.
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “There’s more people of Ukrainian descent living in the Capital than anywhere else in Scotland and so we’re lighting up the gasholder as a display of our support for them.
“I’d like to offer my thanks again to the people of Edinburgh for their outpouring of support at this time of crisis for the people of Ukraine. We welcome Ukrainian citizens to Edinburgh and we will do whatever we can to support them.”
Edinburgh College Principal and CEO Audrey Cumberford MBE FRSE said: “By lighting the gasholder in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, we, together with council colleagues, are demonstrating our solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
“At Edinburgh College, we stand with all of those who are suffering as a result of this war and are providing direct support to staff and students who are affected. We will continue to do what we can to support the local Ukrainian community in the city and are proud to play our part in Edinburgh’s collective effort to help.”
Edinburgh, UNESCO’s first City of Literature, last week played host to the first meeting of a unique European partnership group, The Story Valley initiative, to coincide with the Scottish International Storytelling Festival and the 250th anniversary of the birth of Sir Walter Scott.
The City of Edinburgh Council, together with Edinburgh College, welcomed Story Valley partners from three other European UNESCO Cities of Literature – Leeuwarden, in the Netherlands, Ljubljana, Slovenia’s Capital and Nottingham, UK – as the group came together to create new policy ideas.
This is part of its manifesto to use storytelling to improve literacy skills, while preserving and enriching cultural heritage through collaboration.
As part of the visit, the programme has brought together the city’s literary sector and cultural partners – Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) and Scottish Storytelling Centre – and showcased the exciting work and projects taking place in Edinburgh.
During the three-day programme Story Valley partners visited Edinburgh College to see the project in action, share best practice and explore potential collaborations, visited the Scottish International Storytelling Festival and spoke to representatives from innovative projects happening across the city.
These included: Super Power Agency, a creative writing programme, using writing for confidence building amongst hard to reach 8-18 year olds in Edinburgh; the Creative Words for Well-being project by the Scottish Poetry Library; Street Reads Library, a safe space connecting homeless people with books; the Digital Storytelling project by the Scottish Book Trust; and EIBF’s Citizen Project.
The programme was topped off by a light spectacular on Thursday (28 October) as the Granton Gasholder, recently brought to life in partnership with Edinburgh College, as part of the £1.3billion Granton Waterfront project, was lit up in Story Valley colours.
The Story Valley initiative is funded by the ERASMUS+ Programme of the European Union.
The City of Edinburgh Council, Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Donald Wilson, said: “As the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, we’re very proud to be hosting the Story Valley partner cities in Edinburgh for the first time, sharing ideas, inspiring one another and working together with the ultimate goal of improving literacy across Europe through the wonders of telling stories of our past.
“Through this visit’s programme our Edinburgh partners have captured our Scottish culture and Edinburgh’s passion for its literary and cultural heritage while also showcasing our world-renowned Storytelling Festival. Everyone has gained a lot from this experience and I’m sure will be taking a lot away with them while planning the next gathering to progress the initiative.”
Ali Bowden from Edinburgh City of Literature, said: “We’re really pleased to be working with Edinburgh College, the Council and our sister Cities of Literature on Story Valley.
“Edinburgh has a strong storytelling tradition and it’s great that the students and organisations working on this project are finding new ways for storytelling to make a difference in people’s lives.”
Edinburgh College Assistant Principal of Curriculum for Creative Industries, Jakki Jeffery, said: “We’re really excited to welcome our partners from Leeuwarden, Ljubljana and Nottingham to Edinburgh as part of the Story Valley project and are looking forward to showcasing the work of Edinburgh College’s Creative Industries faculty and sharing examples of good practice between the VET and further education institutions.
“Partners will have the opportunity to work on each of the Intellectual Outputs face-to-face for the first time and to meet some of our staff and students involved in the project to see first-hand what they have been working on.”
Got your tickets for the Hidden Door Opening Party?? We’ve got some very special things lined up …
Our festival kicks off with a reprise of The Call: an inspiring project born in lockdown with composer Esther Swift conducting 20 of the best Scottish musicians and from across the gasworks site with huge flags.
The stages will burst to life with performances by Edinburgh-based pop-luminaries MALKA and Hamish Hawk, plus magical singer-songwriter Tiberius b, all paving the way for one of Scotland’s most significant talents, Pictish Trail.
We fully expect the opening night to be the celebration we have all been waiting for.
Also look out for spoken word from Jen McGregor and check out Something Smashing – a live performance that brings together musicians and dancers, a platform for improvisers and the audience to explore the unexpected!
And be sure to explore the whole site to discover visual works from over 30 artists!
HIDDEN Door has announced details of more than 20 visual art graduates whose work will feature at this year’s festival.
The news comes as a crowdfunder to help transform a disused warehouse into a vast exhibition space for the graduates’ work reaches 20% of its target.
With last year’s festival cancelled due to the pandemic, the 2021 event is taking place mostly outdoors, in the shadow of the Granton Gasworks in North Edinburgh. But with the addition of the huge warehouse, just over the road from the main festival site, the footprint of the festival is effectively doubled.
To support the plans, Hidden Door have launched a crowdfunder to raise £10,000, with supporters able to pick from a wide range of rewards including an immersive treasure hunt experience through the festival grounds, exclusive hand-printed T-shirts from Acorn Print Studio, VIP passes for the festival and limited edition prints by Hidden Door artists.
The visual artists taking part in the Hidden Door Graduate Exhibition are:
Adela Kaluzinska, Alliyah Enyo, Becky Brewis, Cara Kennedy, Csian Jemecel Canave, Eilidh Nicoll, Elvey Stedman, Jack Waygood, Josie KO, Katelyn Grant, Keziah Macneill, Kirsten Millar, Leah Moodie, Madeleine Kaye, Martha Stefani-Bose, Martin Crawford, Mclaughlin + Williamson, Miriam Levi, Molly Kent, Paria Goodarzi, Rhona Sword, Sam M Harley, Scott Hunter and Verity Church.
They all graduated from the Edinburgh College of Art, Glasgow School of Art, Grays School of Art, University of Dundee, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design and Edinburgh Napier University in 2020 or 2021.
The artists were chosen from Hidden Door’s Graduate Support Network, launched earlier this year to support recent graduates. These artists will be paid for their work through the proceeds raised from this year’s Crowdfunder. For many of them, it will be their first paid creative opportunity.
Jill Martin Boulalaxai, Visual Art Curator, said: “Hidden Door is committed to supporting emerging creative talent, providing a platform for showcasing work and collaborative projects.
“The graduate exhibition at this year’s festival is the first of many exciting opportunities being made available through our Graduate Support Network. We really hope people will get on board with our vision and help us transform this incredible space.”
Opening daily from Wednesday 15 – Sunday 19 September, the Granton Gasworks site will feature two stages for live music and other performances, with dynamic lighting on the giant gasholder to be programmed in time with the music to create a stunning visual experience for festival-goers.
The neighbouring warehouse will be home to the art exhibition and a number of performances.
PIC: Fabio Scalici Photography
The sky above Edinburgh has been illuminated by the Granton gasholder with creative light shows designed by students from Edinburgh College working in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council.
Granton’s iconic waterfront gasometer is now a beacon of light on the Edinburgh skyline thanks to the partnership project which provided students from the college with an invaluable opportunity to expand their knowledge and develop their skills working on a live creative project.
Students from across the College’s Creative Industries faculty, from Music and Sound Production to Art and Design, worked alongside 21CC Productions to create the lightshows and designs. They will illuminate the sky over Granton Waterfront for a period of up to two years starting in time for the summer festivals in whatever form they take this year.
The tower has long been an iconic fixture on Edinburgh’s Waterfront for more than a century dating back to 1903. The Council acquired the gasholder as part of the purchase of the wider gasworks site in 2018 and made the commitment to retain and restore it as a central feature within the ambitious £1.3bn regeneration of the Waterfront.
Edinburgh College head of faculty for Creative Industries Jakki Jeffery said: “We’re delighted to be involved in this partnership project working alongside the City of Edinburgh Council to illuminate the sky over Edinburgh.
“This project has provided a fantastic opportunity for students across our Creative Industries faculty to gain experience working on a live project and it’s great to see all their creative ideas come to life.”
Cammy Day, Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, and a local Forth ward councillor, said: “It’s great to see this iconic structure illuminated as it sits at the heart of our £1.3bn regeneration project for Granton Waterfront.
“It’s been a tough year for everyone and we’re all still living through very challenging times so I’d like to thank the students at Edinburgh College for being involved in this project to make the gasholder a beacon of light while development is going on in the area.
“It’s also created a hands on, practical learning opportunity for Edinburgh College’s Creative Industries students to participate in while celebrating the rich history and heritage within the community.”
Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener said: “It is fantastic that the Council can contribute to the night time reimagining of a city landmark into one of Scotland’s biggest and most visible artworks.
“The illumination will provide a highly visible and beautiful installation at the heart of the Granton Waterfront regeneration. It has been an exciting project and in working with Edinburgh College, something truly special has been produced.”
Culture and Communities Vice Convener Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan said: “The Granton gasholder is already a well-loved landmark on Edinburgh’s skyline and it will now become a prominent feature in our night-time skyscape as well thanks to this partnership project.
“I’m sure there will be quite a buzz on social media as people capture the newly lit-up structure and look towards Granton and its exciting future.”
National Grid has lodged another application to demolish the last remaining Granton gasometer, and company representatives will attend a public meeting organised by Granton and District Community Council to discuss the proposals next week.
The meeting will be held on Monday (25 February) from 7 – 9pm in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. All welcome.
Do you care about the Granton gasometer? Is it an important reminder of Granton’s industrial heritage or a rusting, dangerous heap of scrap metal? Let us know!
