ZOO ARTS EXHIBITION
Opens WEDNESDAY 22 JUNE 4 – 6pm
in North Edinburgh Arts Centre
Tag: North Edinburgh Arts Centre
End of term celebration for Circle’s ISSEP
Circle’s Inter School Social Education Project (ISSEP) works with primary-aged children supported by volunteer mentors who are 5th/6th year students.
For children, ISSEP provides a consistent 1:1 mentor one afternoon per week for the entire school year to support homework and a positive approach to learning, as well as providing a range of fun activities.
Mentors get a lot out of ISSEP too. It provides a first-class opportunity for volunteering, which is undertaken by some as part of accredited schemes such as Duke of Edinburgh and it helps to increase confidence and skills in working with young children.
The ISSEP project has been a great success, and last week West Pilton-based Circle held an end of term celebration, as the project’s Claire Martin explains:
Circle’s ISSEP Project enjoyed an end of term celebration on May 31st. Around 90 people joined the party at North Edinburgh Arts Centre. It was a fantastic way to celebrate the achievements of the 30 mentors and 30 children involved in the mentoring project this year (writes Circle’s Claire Martin).
The sun was shining and everyone enjoyed face painting, food, certificate presentations and a slideshow of the year’s highlights! Highlights included Zumba sessions at the mentors’ school and several visits to the Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Thank you to the mentors from George Heriot’s School whose fundraising efforts made these outings possible. We also enjoyed planting vegetables in the newly developed raised beds at Muirhouse Avenue thanks to Centipede Project.
Lots of special friendships have blossomed throughout the year and the feedback from parents, teachers, children and mentors involved has been extremely positive. Thanks to Ben Macpherson MSP and Deidre Brock MP for joining us to celebrate, as well as teachers from local primary schools and George Heriot’s School.
We wish the mentors well as they move on from secondary school. We look forward to the project starting up again after the summer.
Malcolm Chisholm opens LOCAL exhibition
Holyrood politician Malcolm Chisholm MSP was among the guests at the opening of LOCAL, a muliti-media contemporary arts exhibition, at North Edinburgh Arts last Friday. The local North and Leith MSP was impressed with the work, a collaboration between Contemporary Arts HND students from the Granton Campus of Edinburgh College ( i.e Telford!) and members of North Edinburgh’s Social History Group.
Mr Chisholm was joined by students, lecturers, members of the Social History Group and local community activists at the opening event.
LOCAL was the brainchild of course lecturers Jennie Temple and Alan Holligan, who wanted to work more closely with groups from the local community. A meeting with Community Learning and Development worker Lynn McCabe, who supports the Social History Group, proved to be the spark for the project and over four months HND students worked with members of the community group to research, develop and create their artworks for the LOCAL project.
Student Heather Lane said: ‘I was inspired by the people of North Edinburgh’s collective want for change, through their staging of protests and campaigns. I wanted to pay homage to their fight and let their message live on. Remaking the banners, placards and posters was about the overall notion of resistance against power, the protests dragging people back into the consciousness and inspiring them to become active in bringing about change, too.’
Her colleague Rhona Foster, who created artworks ‘Dog, sandwich, speech, shoes and snacks’ for LOCAL, added: ‘From the perspective of an outsider I saw North Edinburgh as having an entire culture of it’s own. As a means of research I interacted with the area and was inspired to make artworks about the people and things I encountered and engaged with.’
Drylaw’s Ian Moore, a member of the Social History Group, said: ‘It’s a fantastic exhibition with some amazing creations – the students have shown great imagination. The banners in particular brought back many memories – it’s incredible how some of these fights and campaigns are still relevant today.’
LOCAL can be seen at North Edinburgh Arts until 23 February
Tuesday – Friday 10am – 8pm
Saturday 10am – 1pm
Free admission
Local children stage panto to highlight conservation fears
A group of young people from North Edinburgh are set to become exponents for nature conservation when they perform a panto to highlight conservation issues at North Edinburgh Arts this weekend. The performance is the culmination of an innovative project involving The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh-based Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the Lyceum Youth Theatre Discover Programme, North Edinburgh Arts and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
The group – who are all aged between 9 and 12 and live in Muirhouse, Pilton and Granton – have been working with conservation experts to learn about the importance of saving endangered species and habitats. The project – which is unique in its involvement of Edinburgh’s leading academic, conservation, and performing arts organisations – will culminate with the young people informing their local communities about conservation issues, through the performance – on Saturday 26 January – of a pantomime they have developed with the support of North Edinburgh Arts.
The young people will also go to Edinburgh Zoo for a ‘behind the scenes’ visit as part of the project, to learn about endangered animals first hand.
Speaking in advance of Saturday’s conservation-themed pantomime, project coordinator Naomi Webster – who is currently a visiting research fellow at Edinburgh University’s ESRC Genomics Policy and Research Forum, and works as Education Officer for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust , said: “Young people have a natural interest in animals and wildlife, but often don’t realise just how endangered many creatures are or how organisations like Durrell and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland are working to save them from extinction. This project has enabled us to work with children in an innovative way to help them appreciate the importance of nature conservation, and to allow them to show their families and communities what they have learnt, by producing and performing their own conservation-themed pantomime.”
Kate Wimpress, Director of North Edinburgh Arts, said: “North Edinburgh Arts works with young people throughout North Edinburgh, through creative initiatives such as drama workshops, to encourage them to explore issues and develop understanding. Collaborating with the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Zoo and the Lyceum Youth Theatre on this initiative has enabled us to help young people to gain a greater understanding of conservation in an engaging, yet fun way. I know our young performers are very excited about both their trip to the zoo, and producing and performing their own conservation-themed pantomime.”
Timebank Temptations live!
You’ll recall that North Edinburgh Time Bank was launched at North Edinburgh Arts Centre recently. Volunteer Centre Edinburgh has just posted a short video of the event – click on the link below:
Welcome to Muirhouse to open in … yes, Muirhouse!
Borja Prada’s ‘Welcome to Muirhouse’ photography exhibition opens at North Edinburgh Arts Centre next week. Borja’s pictures tell a wonderful story, so see the exhibition – and quite a few ‘well-kent’ local faces – if you can …
We have previously featured Borja’s work in both the NEN’s print and blog versions, but his story’s worth telling again. Borja, who’s Spanish, was a student at Telford College and his daily bus journey to college took him through past Pennywell shops. When it came to choosing a subject for his final examination exercise, Borja decided upon Muirhouse – the buildings, the people and the sights.
The young Spaniard (pictured top) spent eight months taking photographs and getting to know individuals and families across the area, building trust and forming lasting relationships while compiling a large body of work for his portfolio.
The result was ‘Welcome to Muirhouse’, a book of photographs Borja paid to have printed – and a remarkable 98% pass mark for his examination result!
The photographs tell the story of Muirhouse as it is today, capturing personalities and places before the place changes forever through regeneration.
Borja said: “This upcoming display is organized to show the work I have been doing for the past year documenting Muirhouse and the lives of its inhabitants. It will give a chance for everyone to meet there with the local community and anyone interested
in arts is most welcome to come along”.
‘Welcome to Muirhouse’ opens at North Edinburgh Arts Centre on Tuesday (6 November) from 5.30m, and will then be on display until 30 November.
PREVIEW Some images from the exhibition:
Free movies in Muirhouse
Looking for something to do with the kids on Saturdays?
Well look no further, North Edinburgh Arts and Link Up Muirhouse are to host free family film days. Starting Saturday 3 November from 12.30 you’re welcome to come along and enjoy the film of the day in North Edinburgh Arts Centre’s fantastic cinema!
Films will be shown from 1pm, but children are more than welcome to arrive early and purchase goodies for the film from the tuck-shop. When the film finishes everyone is welcome to head into the library as they staff will be holding a film relevant fun session.
Sat 3rd November – 1pm Top Cat
Sat 10th November – 1pm The Muppets
Sat 17th November – 1pm Shrek 4
Sat 24th November – 1pm Brave
These films are totally free and we hope to see many families enjoying them, Parents and carers are more than welcome to come to the Arts centre if they wish and sit in the modern café area whilst younger children watch the film.
So rather than spend time on the streets when it’s cold and miserable why not come to the centre and enjoy the film?
More information please call in to the Arts centre or telephone: 0131 315 2151 or visit www.muirhouseresidents.org.uk/
Robert Pearson
Muirhouse says goodbye to Sister Ann
The Muirhouse community said goodbye to Sister Ann Buckeridge at a reception at North Edinburgh Arts Centre last Friday. Sister Ann is moving on to new challenges in Cardiff, but the wee woman with the huge heart will leave a lasting impression on Muirhouse.
Sister Ann belongs to the Daughters of Charity order, and arrived in Muirhouse just two years ago with a simple mission – ‘to help’. Help she certainly has, and it’s fair to say that there has been very little that Ann hasn’t been involved in – from the community council, various Neighbourhood Partnership Action Groups, the Voluntary Sector Forum and Muirhouse Centipede Project to name a few. Small in stature she may be, but Ann’s boundless energy and enthusiasm have been a real driving force for positive change in Muirhouse and she will be sorely missed.
Community activists, council officials and project workers joined local councillors Cammy Day and Vicki Redpath to present gifts and to thank Sister Ann for her huge contribution to community life in Muirhouse.
Modest as ever, Sister Ann said: “From the moment I came to Muirhouse I received a warm welcome and people have been so generous and kind. I am really touched by all the kind things that have been said and I have enjoyed working alongside so many dedicated people – it has been a pleasure to have been part of community life here.”
Roy Douglas, chairman of Muirhouse Salvesen Community Council, said: “We really have been so fortunate to have had Sister Ann working alongside us for the last two years. It’s hard to overstate the contribution she’s made – she has been wonderful to work with and we will all really miss her.”
The wee woman hopes to return for a visit one day – and, with the regeneration of Muirhouse beginning to gather pace, Sister Ann may find that some of the seeds she sowed will have bloomed.
Wednesdays and Thursdays are WE DANCE DAYS!
Wednesdays and Thursdays are We Dance Days at North Edinburgh Arts Centre!
Last May, North Edinburgh Arts – working with Imaginate and Dancebase – was awarded 18 months funding from Creative Scotland to host a dancer in residence. Funded through the pARTners scheme, the residency focuses on the health and wellbeing benefots that dance can bring to children, young people and their families living in Forth.
North Edinburgh Arts dancer in residence Skye Reynolds is now running dance workshops with children to explore and experiment with many dance forms and styles. On Wednesdays five to eight year olds from 10 – 11.15am and on Thursdays it’s eight to twelve-year olds from 4 – 5.30pm – so let’s dance!
Living Well welcomes new manager Sandra
Living Well North Edinburgh (formerly PROP Stress Centre) has warmly welcomed new manager Sandra Walkingshaw (pictured above).
Sandra said: “I am delighted to have joined the Living Well team as the new manager. I am really looking forward to working with all our members, staff and volunteers on continuing the excellent work that is currently going on and also planning for the future aims and goals of Living Well North Edinburgh.”
Living Well North Edinburgh are currently presenting ‘The Journey Within’, an exhibition of members’ arts and crafts, at North Edinburgh Arts Centre as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 2012. The exhibition runs until 2 November.