Pop-up Play Cafe for children 0-7 and families in Pilton, Granton, Muirhouse and Drylaw area, with:
Wednesday 5th, Thursday 6th & Saturday 8th October 9.30am – 3pm
Let us know you’re coming here: https://tiny.cc/playcafe
Join us for creating a bee-friendly installation of the second BEES FIR SCRAN with Artist Natalie Taylor. This time we’ll be at Fidra Court car park verge, which will be seeded with wildflower perennials, which means the installation can be enjoyed for more than just one year.
Wednesday 21 September, 11am to 3pm – Volunteers wanted to help us with some preparation work, drop in any time
Friday 23 September, 2pm to 3.30pm – Main Event: Seeding and seed bombing – All welcome, free event!
SCRAN FIR BEES is supported by The National Lottery: Together For Our Planet Fund.
North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) has secured vital funding from Foundation Scotland, Scotland’s community foundation, to develop and grow it’s popular community spaces.
This investment will support the charity to refurbish, redesign and extend its existing arts centre on MacMillan Square to create a high-quality culture, arts and meeting space for current and future generations to enjoy for years to come.
North Edinburgh Arts is a purpose built creative and community venue in Muirhouse, that has served the whole of North Edinburgh, for over 20 years.
The existing 2-storey hub incorporates two studios, a 96-seat theatre, recording studios, offices and a café with children’s play area and large garden. This current centre is a well-loved and well-used venue, but the charity seeks to expand facilities to meet growing needs in the area.
Muirhouse, one of the most deprived wards in Scotland, is currently the focus of targeted regeneration, building 700 new homes, a health facility, a new nursery and creating a new town centre around MacMillan Square. The new ‘MacMillan Hub’, developed through a dynamic partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, will become an anchor building creating and enhancing community life, offering services for everyone, whilst focusing on the most disadvantaged.
The £300,000 from Foundation Scotland’s Investing in Enterprise Fund has enabled the charity to move its ambitious build plans forward. Half of this funding is a non-repayable grant, with the remainder through a low interest loan. The Foundation Scotland team prides itself on working together with applicants to offer more than just the traditional funding offer, also providing unique insight, planning support and advice to help attract further investment.
Maria Law, Social Investment Executive at Foundation Scotland, said: “The MacMillan Hub will be an important and inspiring place for everyone in the local community and we are extremely proud to be supporting its development.
“It was clear from our first meeting with the North Edinburgh Arts team that they had both the vision and the determination to turn their plans into reality and we are delighted to be here with them today to see the action on site.
“The £300,000 investment from Foundation Scotland will support the charity to increase its footprint by a third so that they can provide more local people of all ages and all abilities with creative classes and community activities at a time when it’s never been needed more.
“Thanks to these new facilities, families will have an affordable safe and welcoming place to come to and enjoy, young people will be given more opportunities to develop skills, confidence and self-esteem, and older people will feel part of a connected community.
“We know there are other groups that urgently need this support to get started or grow, and this is even more challenging in the current climate. We are encouraging all interested groups to visit our website or contact our team directly to discuss their eligibility.”
Lesley Hinds, Chair of North Edinburgh Arts, said: ”This new capital project will allow North Edinburgh Arts to flourish and bring a first-class facility to Macmillan Square. NEA is a special place for the community of North Edinburgh and is a trusted anchor organisation now fully in community ownership thanks to our recent Community Asset Transfer.
“The development of NEA and the MacMillan Hub has cross-party support, locally and nationally, with this enthusiasm matched by that of our community. This enthusiasm has kept us going through some difficult times and now, with thanks to Foundation Scotland’s funding and capacity-building support, we are looking forward to bringing a truly inspirational place to the heart of Muirhouse.”
The City of Edinburgh Council and North Edinburgh Arts expect the MacMillan Hub build to be completed by the end of 2023.
Foundation Scotland’s ‘Investing in Enterprise Fund’ offers up to a quarter of a million pounds in blended finance to eligible social enterprises, community organisations and charities operating in 18 local authority areas.
For more information, including details on how to apply for the Investing in Enterprise Fund visit: foundationscotland.org.uk/social-investment
It’s nearly time… our Harvest Festival with @DandelionScot and @northedinarts is next weekend.
Details of the lineup on are our blog https://lauristonfarm.scot/posts/175
See you down on the farm!
We’re excited for this Saturday’s screening of animations, films and documentaries made in Muirhouse and Pilton.
Join us @Filmhouse Sat 27 Aug at 11.30am
Free // registration via the link below:
http://eventbrite.co.uk/e/399568228327#northedinburgh#edinburgh#communityscreening
Come and enjoy a programme of short animations, films and documentaries created in Muirhouse & Pilton, followed by a visit and art workshop at Talbot Rice Gallery.
You can book for just the film screening or join us for the whole day (screening & gallery visit).
This event, and the Art for Grown-Ups year round programme is supported by Creative Scotland www.creativescotland.com
What to expect:
This screening is the result of Art for Grown Ups recent Summer Project (18th – 25th July) and other creative workshops at North Edinburgh Arts. We will also show work by other local film makers.
The exhibition at Talbot Rice by Celine Conorelli explores transformation, labour, leisure, colour, play and design. You can learn more by clicking here. After visiting the exhibtion we’ll make a bit of our own art too.
A free, family friendly performance from a street juggler will be happening today at 12pm at West Pilton Park.
No need to book, just go along!
UPCYCLING & SOWING WORKSHOP
Create a unique pot and start growing herbs at home.
It’s a free workshop, materials provided and no registration needed.
UNEXPECTED GARDEN OPEN DAY CELEBRATION
Saturday 25th June from 2 – 5pm
Drop-in art sessions
Planting activities
Percussion workshop
Pizza Making
North Edinburgh Arts is working with local artist Natalie Taylor on a butterfly and bee friendly art project in Muirhouse and West Pilton.
Not only does this landscape art intervention offer nectar rich flowers for our struggling pollinators, but also it delivers a serious message in Scottish slang whilst adding a splash of colour to a busy roadside verge
SCRAN FIR BEES is a huge community artwork written large near the Red Bridge on Ferry Road, passed by hundreds of cars and buses every day, and highly visible from the cycle path bridge which passes over it nearby.
A £15 million contract for a new community hub at Macmillan Square, in partnership with North Edinburgh Arts, was approved by the Finance and Resources Committee yesterday.
As part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s ongoing multi-million pound regeneration programme in North Edinburgh, Councillors agreed the project will now enter the construction phase which will be carried out by Robertson Construction Group (Robertson), following its successful completion of the demolition of Muirhouse Library.
The first of its kind in the city, designed by Richard Murphy Architects, The Hub will be a place to learn, work, meet people, hone new skills and have fun. The state-of-the-art shared building will accommodate an early year’s centre for 185 children, a new library and will provide additional space for North Edinburgh Arts and will ensure that it continues to be at the centre of a creative, connected and inspired community.
The community hub is the focal point of one of the most significant urban regeneration projects in Scotland, tackling poverty and inequality in the area. It will be the flagship building at Macmillan Square which is currently being developed to provide a new square, 154 affordable homes and 13 retail units.
Over £200 million of public and private sector investment has been committed to revitalising the area for the wider community and this investment has already delivered Craigroyston High School, Pennywell All Care Centre and over half of the expected 1,000 new homes.
The North Edinburgh Regeneration project is recognised as a model of good practice in urban regeneration having won national awards for design, place making and community engagement. The new hub benefits from £2 million Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grants funding.
Complementing the Council’s new library, early years centre and affordable housing, the new hub will see arts and learning brought together under one roof in a striking new building offering the community in North Edinburgh an extensive range of services. This will include new enterprise, workshop, learning and creative studio space, alongside an expanded café, youth area and shared atrium.
Work to demolish the former Muirhouse Library started in October 2021 and following today’s decision construction on the new hub will start in April this year. The project will also include a comprehensive package of additional community benefits shaped by the local community and delivered by Robertson.
City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Adam McVey, said: “The new building is an important part of the £200 million regeneration of Pennywell and Muirhouse that’s already seen significant investment by the Council and its partners, including Scottish Government, to build new Council houses and affordable homes and a community with strong local facilities in line with our aspirations for 20-minute neighbourhoods.
“Jointly led by the Council and North Edinburgh Arts, this is a good example of community empowerment showing how great value can be added to an area while supporting our landmark priorities as a Council to end poverty in Edinburgh by 2030, as well as enhancing wellbeing and equality for our residents.
“Key aspects include the new local library which we hope will act as a community living room, open and accessible to everyone. The new building also creates the opportunity to work closely with the new nursery to have as much interaction with the children, parents and staff as possible – providing tailored events and sessions especially for those using and working in the nursery.”
Council Depute Leader, Cammy Day, said: ““The North Edinburgh Regeneration project is a major success story for the area, for the city and for Scotland and it’s so exciting to see this final element hitting a major milestone.
“This joint project with North Edinburgh Arts will create a unique facility at the heart of the community. The new Early Learning and Childcare Centre will provide quality and accessible early years spaces for local children.
“This will allow us to meet our commitments to making early years provision more flexible, to fit family needs, and deliver 1,140 hours a year of free early learning and childcare for all three- and four-year olds and eligible two-year olds.
“As part of the wider regeneration of this area we’re delivering 1,000 affordable homes as part of our pledge to deliver 20,000 affordable new homes in the city by 2027, which will make a substantial difference for people seeking a safe and permanent place to call home in Scotland’s Capital.”
Chair of NEA, Lesley Hinds, said: “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 pandemic. Thanks also to the Councillors, MSPS and MP who have continued to support NEA both in the Council and in the community and it is this enthusiasm shown by our community which has kept us going through some difficult times. We’re looking forward to building on this support to bring a truly inspirational place to the heart of Muirhouse.”
Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction – Central East, David Cairns, added: “Having worked closely with City of Edinburgh Council over the last 24 months to assist bringing Macmillan Square forward, we are delighted to be to the contractor of choice to make this innovative vision by the Council a reality.
“The building will undoubtedly be a fantastic facility for the community when complete and our planned programme of community benefits during the construction phase will bring further benefits to the area socially, economically and environmentally long after the building is completed.”
The new library will give an opportunity to create joint activities with the other services – providing summer activities, expanding bookbug and storytime sessions, to creating more adult learning opportunities. In addition, the local library will be a trusted and welcoming community space, a place people feel comfortable using as individuals or as a connected group: a place of connection.
The community hub will offer young people a place to develop skills, confidence and self-esteem, a safe and inspiring place for local families and children, and a place where older people will feel part of a connected and supportive community.
This accessible, welcoming and much needed community space uses environment-friendly build and innovative design techniques. The re-developed and extended venue reflects current community aspirations, whilst being flexible enough to respond to future changes in demand.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic NEA offered over 35 hours of creative workshops 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, the Pennywell Pantry, 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. The extended NEA will also provide extra office space and facilities for community organisations.
Whilst the hub is under construction the library will operate from nearby Edinburgh College in Granton.
Certain events will continue to be provided in the Muirhouse area. For further details about opening hours and what’s on visit the City of Edinburgh Council’s Muirhouse Library page here.
