Glacial Narratives: Cracks in the Iceis on until Sunday (16 April) at Custom House in Leith (entry on the wharf side) from 11am until 6pm, as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival.
Glacial Narratives: Cracks in the Ice is an innovative and experimental multi-artform exhibition about ice from four artists who have spent considerable time in Arctic environments, and have developed a complementary series of artworks inspired by their experiences. These works will not only raise awareness of the wonder of ice as a material, but will also ask questions about its disappearance. The artists are:
It has been funded by Creative Scotland’s Open Fund, and supported by Tinderbox Collective, University of Edinburgh Department of Geosciences, Scottish Historic Buildings Trust and the University of Svalbard in Norway.
Funded by Creative Scotland, The Flourish Jewellery Project is an exciting craft jewellery project. Working in partnership with North Edinburgh Arts and Four-Square’s Womanzone, Jewellery Artists, Lisa Arnott and Jessica Howarth have enabled women who are recovering from trauma from domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, social isolation, and economic hardship to develop new skills in jewellery design and making.
Working with a variety of organisations who support women, Lisa and Jessica created a series of outreach jewellery sessions introducing and enabling the women to make rings, pendants and bangles from silver. For these participants, being part of this project has provided a space for them to dare to dream and have a moment in their week where their creativity is realised.
From the outreach session, 12 women then went on to engage with the project on more intensive weekly jewellery and metalwork sessions. During this time, they learnt the foundations of metal and jewellery work which included saw piercing, soldering, texturing and shaping metal.
Despite the various challenges the women experienced, the project has provided materials, travel and childcare alongside safe and high-quality jewellery workshops.
Having never made any jewellery out of metal at the start of the project, the women from the Flourish Jewellery Project have now produced a small collection of silver jewellery which will be on display at the project’s exhibition, which takes place from 22nd until the 25th January at Custom House in Leith.
The exhibition, which is sponsored by fine jeweller, Hamilton & Inches, with support from the Scottish Goldsmith Trust and Scottish Historic Building Trust, will display beautifully handcrafted items.
Lisa Arnott (above) and Jessica Howarth said: “We were both delighted to have received funding from Creative Scotland for the Flourish Jewellery Project.
“By working in partnership with Foursquare’s, Womenzone project and North Edinburgh Arts in Muirhouse we have been providing jewellery making opportunities for women from across the city.
“This project has enabled women who have experienced trauma, social isolation and/or economic challenges to develop traditional jewellery making skills.”
AFlourish participantsaid: “The Flourish Jewellery Project has made me find myself. I’m shocked at who I was when I first started coming as to who I am now”.
Earlier this Autumn the Flourish Jewellery Project was featured at The New York Jewellery Week 2021’s the ‘Power of Jewellery’ and was shortlisted for a Creative Edinburgh Award for Best in Collaboration.
Lisa and Jess (above) have also taken part in research undertaken by University College London and Birmingham City University and collaborated with a host of local artists and designers.
This has included Professor Sandra Wilson from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, furniture designer Colin Parker, web designers Erin Smith and Zena Walczynska, illustrations by Kinship Press, Photographer Shannon Tofts and Media Scotland who are co-producing a film reflecting the women’s experience of the project.
The project is now becoming a community interest company and has secured further funding to enable six women to continue to develop their jewellery training further.
‘It’s a great, mutually-beneficial partnership’ – Rob Hoon (Manager, Out of the Blue Arts & Education Trust)
The doors of Custom House are one step closer to being opened to the public thanks to a lease arrangement between the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT).
An in-principle deal with SHBT to lease the listed Leith building was confirmed last month, but received the official green light to proceed yesterday at a meeting of the Council’s Finance and Resources Committee.
The decision will allow SHBT to sublet the building on month by month basis, with cultural social enterprise group Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trustthe preferred tenant. The Council will remain landlord for the building, and will work with SHBT to develop a feasibility study into long-term plans for the building.
It is hoped local residents and businesses will be given a glimpse inside the building during an Open Day celebration later this year.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The missives have been signed and the lease agreed, and the keys to Custom House will now be passed to SHBT. It is the oldest structure of its kind in Scotland having been built in 1812 and the Council will work with the Trust to carry out initial works to the interior and exterior of the building.
“Under the Trust’s watch and with the Council as landlord, the doors of this historic building will finally swing open to the public and the Custom House building will once again become a hub in the heart of the Leith community.”
Chair of the SHBT Board of Trustees John Campbell, said: “Although we are a small charity, we have a strong track record in saving important buildings at risk for communities across Scotland and we are delighted now to be involved in securing a future for the Customs House.
“Our first priority will be to make some repairs to the building and spruce it up so that pretty soon members of the public will be able access it. Its various rooms will be available for use whilst we develop the capital project from feasibility study through to completion.
“This is a very exciting project that will deliver a vibrant mixed use hub for the benefit of the people of Leith and beyond. A key element will be the presentation of selected artefacts and interpretation displays to highlight the historic importance of Leith as the gateway to Edinburgh and Scotland. Other uses may include offices, workshops and public rooms for meetings and events.”
Rob Hoon, Manager of Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust, said: “Out of the Blue will work with the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust to take a short-term lease to look after the Custom House building, use it for artist studios, and liaise with the community regarding a future museum/heritage centre for a few years before refurbishment. It’s a great mutually beneficial partnership.”
The Council’s bid to purchase the Custom House building has been accepted – new Heritage Centre for Leith?
The city council placed a bid to purchase the Custom House building in Leith – currently owned and used by National Museums Scotland – last month. That bid was accepted earlier today, and the council will now look at ways of how it might work with partners to develop the building into a hub for the Leith community – which would include the housing of a museum to tell the story of Leith’s history.
Culture and Sport Convener Councillor Richard Lewis, said: “I am delighted that the Council has been able to step forward to acquire the building. This is excellent news for the Leith community who have campaigned for more than six years to save the historic Custom House building.
“The building and the surrounding area share a rich history, with Custom House once acting as the main site of imports in Leith. Our offer should secure the future of the building for public use, as a hub for the local community.
“Now that the Council’s bid has been accepted by National Museums Scotland, we are determined to take the project forward and identify how and when we can help open the doors to a heritage centre for Leith.
“We are currently undertaking due diligence procedures and a report will be put to the full Council on how to take plans forward.”
Leith Custom House was built between 1810-1812 and is a large Georgian building of neo-classical design, by the architect Robert Reid. It comprises two tall storeys and a formidable portico entrance.
The Custom House was the venue for the collection of duty payable on goods imported through Leith, and it was built on North Leith’s Sandport area, a site close to the quayside which had formerly been used for boat-building.
National Museums of Scotland have been using the building for storage and it has been closed to the public, but it now seems certain that – two hundred years on – the grand old building will soon be bustling once again.
