North Edinburgh Arts’ FREE October Film Club for local children and young people starts tomorrow (Monday 18 October), and we’ll be showing a different film every day at 10:30am until Friday 22 October.
Places are available on a first-come basis for local residents living in EH4 2 (Drylaw and Telford only), EH4 4, EH5 1 and EH5 2.
This free offer is suitable for families and children (up to 12 years of age) to attend.
Children under 7 years old must be accompanied by a guardian (aged 14+) with no more than 2 children per guardian. A healthy snack will be provided.
Create Community Wealth is looking for two (2) Lead Creative people to join the project!
Create Community Wealth is an exciting long-term collaborative project that aims to develop micro-enterprises across the communities in Wester Hailes and Muirhouse.
Inspired by the grassroots movement of the Granby Four Streets in Liverpool and other Community Wealth Building initiatives around the world, this project aims to tackle social exclusion and improve wellbeing and local economic prospects through creativity.
Blackhall Mosque, 1 House O’Hill Road, EH4 2AJ from Monday 9 August to Thursday 12 August and Saturday 14 August from 9.30am to 5.30pm, Sunday 15 August 9.30am to 5pm
Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, 30 Harvesters Way, EH14 3JF from Monday 9 August to Sunday 15 August, 9.30am to 5.30pm (5pm on Sunday)
VACCINATION BUS ARRIVES AT NORTH EDINBURGH ARTS TOMORROW
North Edinburgh Arts Board and Director have been working in partnership with Council officers to develop the Planning application for the MacMillan Hub submitted last week.
NEA are continuing to work on the costs and timetable for the MacMillan Hub, focusing on the extension and refurbishment of our building as an integral part of the Hub. Our Fundraiser, Roger Horam at Red Lynx, and Board continue to apply for funding and have had positive meetings with a range of statutory and third sector funders.
On 3 June 2021 the Council agreed to put forward NEA for consideration as part of the Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grant Fund. On 10 June 2021 the Council agreed to put NEA, as a key part of the MacMillan Hub, forward for the UK Levelling Up Fund.
This fund needs support from our local MP, and we thank Christine Jardine MP for her support. We would be grateful, too, for your support of NEA’s ambitious plan, and welcome any input you may be able to make, on behalf of our community, to decision makers at both the Scottish and Westminster Governments who will be assessing our applications for funding.
If you have any questions or want more information please get in touch with us by emailing our Director Kate Wimpress at director@northedinburgharts.co.uk
I also would like to invite you to our forthcoming General Meeting on 21 July 2021 at 6.30pm, most likely to be held via Zoom, and would be pleased to speak with you then if you are able to attend.
Yours sincerely
Lesley Hinds
Chair, North Edinburgh Arts on behalf of the North Edinburgh Arts’ Board of Trustees
Richard Murphy Architects have submitted plans for the MacMillan Hub, the new civic centre for Pennywell & Muirhouse.
The development will see the creation of a Nursery & early years centre, forest kindergarten unit, library & skills hub, 6 homes for social rent, plus extension & reconfiguration of existing North Edinburgh Arts Centre, providing café/bar, box office, theatre & 14 studio spaces.
Richard Murphy Architects explain: “This project has two clients and four distinct user groups. North Edinburgh Arts, a charity operating from a purpose designed building containing cafe, studios theatre etc. and a large early learning centre for nursery school age children, a branch library and eight apartments. These last three elements have the City of Edinburgh Council as client.
“The overall project has seized on the idea of synergy between the library, early learning centre and the arts building so that users of each are encouraged to use all of the facilities with the thresholds between each section deliberately blurred. Indeed, there is a common entrance and foyer facing onto the recently created Macmillan Square.
“The arts centre is to be reorganised so that the cafe sits at the front and becomes a social hub for the entire building. A diagonal sightline connects it to the garden and all of the ground floor with new and existing studios etc. More offices are provided on the upper floor.
“The library is a single double height space with books at the lower level and a skills base above. It shares a staff room with the early learning centre and offices with the arts centre. Large double height windows facing on to the square give views to the left of the arts centre and to the right of the library. The cafe is expected to colonise the entrance area outside in summer.
“The early learning centre consists of six classrooms and a baby’s centre on two floors. The building is organised around a circular cloistered courtyard to give as much space as possible to arrivals and departures. Multipurpose spaces are available to both the early learning centre and the community in the evening.
“Eight apartments on the second and third floors mark the corner between Muirhouse Crescent and Macmillan Square and are accessed from the north elevation. Their living spaces all face south.”
Planning Application No. 17/00314/PPP relating to Phase 4 (Block 4) of the Pennywell Muirhouse Civic Centre for a mixed use development comprising a nursery (class 10), library and skills hub (class 10), arts centre (class 10), flatted dwellings (sui generis), landscaping, access, parking, drainage and other associated development.
City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Adam McVey said:“The new building is an important part of the £200million 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 build a community with strong local facilities.
“Jointly led by the Council and North Edinburgh Arts, this is a great example of community empowerment showing how great value can be added to an area. It supports 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, reaching out 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 build 20,000 affordable new homes in the city by 2027, which will make a substantial difference for people seeking safe, permanent homes 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 COVID lockdown. Completing the Community Asset Transfer is a big step on this exciting journey. The enthusiasm shown by our community has kept us going through some difficult times and we’re looking forward to building on this support to bring a truly inspirational place to the heart of Muirhouse.”
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.
Jimmy Cauty’s new installation, ESTATE, has been transported to Muirhouse for a month long residency from the end of May and throughout June 2021.
ESTATE is a dystopian model village experience featuring four abandoned concrete tower blocks at 1:24 scale (approx 2 metres high) housed in a 40-foot shipping container.
The tower blocks each serve a different function in the ESTATE and contain amusing scenes of mass social, economic and environmental devastation.
Produced by L-13 Light Industrial Workshop, ESTATE is hosted in Edinburgh by new producing collective, the Society of Spectacles.
This follows the 2016 residency of Cauty’s previous work, The Aftermath Dislocation Principle, at the Grassmarket in Edinburgh.
ESTATE Edinburgh moves out of the city centre to form part of L-13’s UK-wide MdZ ESTATE Tour, which has already been seen in Hull and Stoke-on-Trent.
ESTATE will be presented in the car park off Pennywell Road, next to North Edinburgh Arts.
ESTATE is viewed either individually or in social bubbles in pre-booked 10-minute slots scheduled every 15-minutes. Viewers then walk through a 40-foot shipping container to explore the tower blocks.
WARNING: The experience includes smoke, strobe lighting, wind, loud noise, tiny TV broadcasts, and is suitable for adults and children ages 5+.
ESTATE has been designed so it can be toured and viewed in compliance with Covid-19 hygiene and social distancing measures, and is wheelchair accessible.
As lockdown eases for the time being and the full long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic begin to dawn, ESTATE is a glimpse into an uncertain future that looks increasingly familiar.
Advance bookings for free entry to view ESTATE are essential.
10-minute viewing slots available to book on Thursdays to Saturdays, May 28th-June 26th (Thursday & Friday 10am – 4pm, Saturday 10am – 1pm).
ESTATE will be presented off-site in the nearby car park, near North Edinburgh Arts. To learn more and book your free place, click here.
North Edinburgh Arts and Art Buds Collective will shortly be offering outdoor art sessions for children aged 3-5 years and 6-9 years old, living in the Muirhouse area.
The classes will focus on creative processes inspired by nature, and will be led by Art Buds artists and educators. Classes are free of charge and children attend without parents or carers.
You can visit Art Bud Collective’s website to learn more about what they do:
To help Art Buds and North Edinburgh Arts plan the sessions, we would like to ask you five quick questions. It will take 1-2 minutes to complete this survey.
All responses will be held confidentially and your personal information will be kept safely in line with the current Data Protection regulations. We will not share your information with any third parties.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We read every response and we really appreciate your time and feedback!
There are still places on North Edinburgh Arts’ September Wildlife Watch next Friday 17th September, 2 – 4pm at Gypsy Brae 
