Edinburgh Open Workshop joins forces with Earth in Common for a charity Makers Market.
Edinburgh Open Workshop will open its workshop doors to showcase local artists and makers at the annual Makers Market, which this year will be raising funds for Leith-based charity Earth in Common.
Prints, handmade soaps, jewellery, knitted goods and woodcrafts will be available to purchase directly from more than 20 locally-based stallholders, with delicious snacks and refreshments provided by Pizza Geek and Ms Creme de la Cream.
EOW resident Katie Charleston will be running screen printing workshops, giving visitors a chance to upcycle their pre-loved clothes and turn them into something unique using a selection of Katie’s original designs. The workshop is open to all ages (children must be accompanied by an adult) and can be booked in advance to guarantee a slot with some spaces also available on the day.
Door entry is £1 and all proceeds, including raffle ticket sales, will go to Earth in Common, a community driven initiative that aims to make healthy food and nature accessible to all by establishing urban crofts on derelict green spaces. The organisation recently transformed the dilapidated former tennis pavilion at the corner of Leith Links into a permanent home for Earth in Common and a space for training and events. It runs regular food markets, workshops and outdoor education initiatives from the site, as well as the recently opened Populus Cafe and Farm Shop.
Founder Evie Murray said: “This event encapsulates our values in more ways than one. Edinburgh Open Workshop is doing wonderful work along the same lines as us: building community and giving people skills and a sense of achievement and agency in a world which leaves too many feeling disempowered, disheartened and lonely.
“Furthermore, we believe that partnership working between like minded people and organisations is fundamental if we are to make a real impact on environmental, social and economic issues. Mutual support of this nature helps everyone’s viability, and couldn’t come at a better time for us, when we are recovering from a building project that ran late and went over-budget.
“Income from this event will help us maximise the benefits of our new Populus building for the local community, continue our work and hold many similar events in the years to come.”
Edinburgh Open Workshop runs the Makers Market every year to help showcase local artists and crafts makers, with proceeds from the event going towards a different charity each time.
Director Natasha Lee Walsh said: “We are delighted to have partnered with Earth in Common for this summer’s Makers Market. It is great to support a local grassroots movement that aims to give children living in the city an understanding of growing their own food and spending time outdoors. Charities such as Earth in Common work hard to change the mindset of consumers and make a difference to our environment and we are pleased to be able to combine our resources and help to support their projects and plans for the future.”
Scottish businesses including Bard, The Lind and Lime Distillery, Niwaki, Moon Wake and St Andrews Timber have generously donated raffle prizes for the event. Tickets can be purchased on the day for a £3 donation and the winning tickets will be drawn at 3.30pm. .
- When:
- Saturday 8th June, 10am – 4pm
- Where:
- 39-41 Assembly Street, Leith, EH6 7BQ
- Tickets:
- Entry is £1 – all proceeds go to Earth in Common
Raffle:
Raffle tickets cost £3 and can be purchased on the day with the winning tickets drawn at 3.30pm. Donated prizes include unique hand-made pots from BARD, tours of The Lind & Lime Distillery, Japanese gardening snips from Niwaki, tours of the Moon Wake Beer Distillery in Leith, a merchandise bundle from Yeti, a golf voucher from St Andrews Timber, and a £100 voucher for machinery supplier Felder. All proceeds go to Earth in Common.
Makers:
Makers taking part on the day include Argonauts (wooden homeware and crafts), Thundercliffe Press, Louise Smurthwaite, Celeste John-Wood, Katarzyna Kozakiewicz Illustrations and Georgie Fay (prints), Michelle McFarland Art and Design (art work), Gunpowder Botanicals (soaps), Christina Hirst and Avile Su (jewellery), Breagha by Nic (resin jewellery), Emporium of Oddity (eclectic crafts), ALN Furniture, Move On Recycling and Birbeck Wood (furniture making and homewares), Katie Charleston (screen printed designs), Gunpowder Botanicals (organic body products), and Knot Unknot (knitted goods). Please see Earth In Common – Makers Market — Edinburgh Open Workshop for our stall holder directory with full biogs and product images.
Screen Printing Workshops:
Screen Printing workshops will take place throughout the day. Each session lasts one hour and costs £20. Please bring along some pre-loved clothes to upcycle with resident Maker Katie Charleston’s original designs. Contact edinburghworkshop.co.uk / 0131555 6866 to book in advance or just turn up on the day for limited spaces.
Earth In Common:
Earth in Common started as a grassroots movement under the name Leith Community Crops in Pots. Born in a barren concrete yard in the heart of Leith, an underused and unloved spot.
Founder, Evie Murray, wanted to give her children a healthy outdoor experience in a crowded urban environment. Starting in her backyard (Dr Bell’s Yard), Evie and her children began to grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs. Evie shared more about the many environmental, social and educational benefits of growing food in urban areas, inspiring other mothers to join in. She recruited a board and rolled out her work across Leith. Earth in Common now has several integrated projects.
More information on Earth in Common awards & recognitions, including Herald on Sunday: 21 Local Heroes of 2021 and SEPA VIBES Awards Finalist 2019, can be viewed here.
For more information on campaigns, events, membership opportunities and ways to donate, please visit our website – www.earth-in-common.org
Edinburgh Open Workshop:
EOW was founded by theatre practitioners Stuart Nairn, Natasha Lee-Walsh and Nicola after they struggled to find suitable workshop facilities in the city. Having secured a business start-up loan from Transmit, they identified a former 19th Century coachworks in Leith as a suitable site and in July 2018 they opened the doors to a flexible, fully-equipped workspace suitable for professional and amateur wood-turners, welders, upholsterers, and theatre production designers.
The only facility of its kind in Edinburgh, EOW now has 18 resident makers who use the space on a full-time basis, operating their businesses independently within a supportive community, without incurring the costs of buying and maintaining expensive equipment or running their own studios.
With an increasing public interest in crafting skills and DIY, EOW has expanded its offering to include a variety of learning options and now runs more than 20 courses and workshops a year ranging from beginner to advanced levels. Many of the participants continue the journey with EOW and have joined the 300 pay-as-you-go members making use of the facilities as and when they choose.
EOW also provides a laser and CNC cutting service and can take on private commissions – matching skilled makers to individual projects.
As a social enterprise all profits are invested back into the company to improve the equipment on offer and increase support, learning and outreach activities. With Family Fun Days, Makers Markets and ongoing collaborations with local charities and community groups, EOW is dedicated to providing a bespoke programme that benefits the local and wider community.
For more information on our facilities, how to book a workspace or to become a member, and for a full list of courses on offer please visit our website – www.edinburghopenworkshop.co.uk
