Support needed for The Bike Station crowdfunder
For more than 20 years, The Bike Station has worked in the heart of local communities, changing lives through cycling.
This month the charity launched a crowdfunding campaign to support its transition to a new home after being forced out by staggering rent increases. The rent on the Causewayside premises has risen by 158% since April 2020. The Bike Station is known for its work in tackling inequality and empowering grassroots communities through programmes like the Wee Bike Library and Hero Bikes, needs public support to transition to a new home.
Sasha Taylor, Chief Executive of The Bike Station, said: “Whilst we understand the need for commercial businesses to make a profit for their shareholders, the continued rise in rental costs at our Causewayside branch have made staying in our decade-long home unsustainable.
“Grassroots charities need security of premises to be able to enrich our communities.
“We have been embedded within the community for over 20 years and whilst it will be change for our customers and supporters we are excited at the prospect of a new venture and working with landlords who value our work beyond their own gain”.
Contribute to the crowdfunder here.
New poetry competition
A new poetry competition to mark the 900th anniversary of the city has been opened up to entries. Read more here.
Running alongside the competition, libraries will be hosting poetry workshops held by Dr Katie Ailes of I Am Loud and Liam Baker. There will be 6 workshops, hosted in different localities:
Monday 16 December, 6pm
Central Library
Tuesday 17 December, 6pm
Newington Library
Monday 13 January, 6pm
Stockbridge Library
Tuesday 14 January, 6pm
Oxgangs Library
Monday 20 January, 6pm
Currie Library
Tuesday 21 January, 6pm
Leith Library
https://edinburgh.org/900/edinburgh-900-libraries-bookmark-competition
The 2025 Hidden Door Festival
This festival will take place from Wednesday 11 to Sunday 15 June 2025.
The announcement follows a successful venue launch party last month. The November event showcased a fraction of the site, featuring live music, visual art installations and pop-up performances.
The June 2025 festival will open up yet more of this huge site making use of the various warehouses, factory floors, offices and outhouses. Throughout the year, the site will also be transformed into a creative hub featuring studio, workshop and community spaces.
We are now inviting creatives to register their interest in being involved in this unique event, with a full call for proposals opening soon for site-specific commissions.
A limited release of Early Bird tickets is now live.
Register your interest in getting involved
Buy 2025 early bird tickets
Hazel Johnson, Festival Director of Hidden Door, said: “We were delighted to open up a small section of The Paper Factory for our venue launch event, giving audiences a first glimpse of our new home.
“We’re now looking ahead to 2025, and over the coming months the transformation will continue, opening up more of the vast industrial site and filling every corner with our most ambitious programme yet.
“In the lead up to the festival we’ll also be creating workshop, studio, rehearsal and community spaces to make the most of this amazing space.
“We exist to support the creative community and to connect audiences with emerging artists, and this latest venue will be at the heart of delivering that in 2025. We look forward to welcoming you to The Paper Factory.”
Sip and shop evening
Anthropologie on George Street are running a Sip and Shop on Thursday evening. A spokesperson said: “We have a bunch of events for our AnthroPerks Customers just in time for the festive season – ideal for any last-minute bits.
If you are a local business running anything similar then please get in touch and let us know – either in the comments below or by email.
Art on a Small Scale
The work of more than 200 emerging and well known artists is on display in Open Eye’s Christmas exhibition.
This year’s collection features over 500 miniature masterpieces, including works by Tom Mabon, Leon Morrocco RSA RGI, Fiona MacRae, and Alasdair Wallace.
Each artist contributes a unique style, from Mabon’s serene Scottish landscapes to Morrocco’s Mediterranean-inspired vibrancy, offering a variety of perspectives for art enthusiasts.
The annual art event On a Small Scale has captivated audiences for 25 years, bringing together both seasoned and new art collectors. Open Eye Gallery’s online-exclusive format makes it possible for collectors worldwide to enjoy and purchase these unique works, ensuring that contemporary art can find homes far beyond the gallery walls with these perfectly postable paintings.
This year’s line-up also includes acclaimed artists like David Schofield RGI, Sarah Carrington, Helen Wilson RSW RGI PAI, Keith Epps, and Bridget Watson. From Schofield’s contemplative natural scenes to Carrington’s fantastical, dream-inspired worlds, from Wilson’s social narratives to Epps’s abstract, surreal visions, and Watson’s serene portrayals of the natural environment, this online
exhibition offers a rich and varied collection of work, inviting viewers to engage with the artists’ unique visions.
On a Small Scale challenges these artists to work within the “postcard” size of 15 x 21 cm, producing unframed works that distil their unique styles into a small but impactful format. With artists working across various styles—from realism to abstraction, and from landscapes to surreal scenes— the exhibition offers something for every taste.
With prices ranging from £200 to £1,000, On a Small Scale makes Scottish contemporary art accessible to collectors of all levels. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or new to the art world, this exhibition provides an affordable entry point to collect works by renowned artists and discover emerging talents while still representing the high quality of Scotland’s contemporary art scene, whilst the exhibition’s online format allows art lovers from around the world to engage with a diverse array of works from Scottish artists.
The 25-year history of this exhibition is a testament to its enduring appeal, and it’s clear why it’s become such an important feature of the Edinburgh art calendar. With the combination of renowned artists like those mentioned, alongside the creative potential of working within a set dimension, this exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse into the diverse ways contemporary artists express themselves on a smaller scale.
https://www.openeyegallery.co.uk
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
