Following publication of outline plans by developers AMA who want to create housing out of the arts venue Summerhall, the body which has run the arts hub, issues a call to secure the future.
Summerhall Arts is supported by multi-year Creative Scotland funding. The body was established a few years after Robert McDowell purchased the property which used to be the Dick Vet, and set about transforming it into an arts hub.
McDowell bought the property using a family trust – Oesselmann Estate Limited – for £4 million in 2011. In May 2024, after a falling out among members of the family, as well as the threat of legal action by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, and despite McDowell’s own wish to retain the building as it was, the property was sold to AMA for an as yet undisclosed sum.
Summerhall has offered the widest range of performance and exhibitions, supporting both emerging artists and those already established.
Now the developer is consulting on plans ahead of submitting a detailed application to the council. Some heritage buildings will be retained or adapted, pedestrian access will be improved through the site and public spaces will be improved. Discussion with the council has included the possibility of a mixed use development with arts and community purposes at its heart.
Dr Ali Afshar, co-founder and managing director of AMA, said: “Summerhall is an important part of Edinburgh’s cultural life. We know how much it means to the people who work here, visit and live nearby. We also know that significant investment is needed to address the challenges facing its buildings and secure its future.
“Our vision for an Arts Quarter builds on what makes Summerhall special. Art and culture will remain at its heart, alongside sensitive work to its heritage buildings, better access through the site and a mix of uses that can support it for the long term.
“Summerhall’s character comes from the many different chapters of its history. We want to respect that history while making the site more welcoming and accessible. This consultation is a chance for people to tell us what matters to them, and their feedback will help inform the proposals before we submit a planning application at the start of 2027.
“We hope the existing management team will continue its stewardship and day-to-day running of the Arts Quarter and associated commercial spaces following redevelopment, within modernised buildings offering greater flexibility.”
But a spokesperson for the arts organisation which leases parts of the building outlines that their work is much more than either the artists they attract, or simply the four walls. The spaces are “full of character” and provide facilities for “a diverse programme of artistic activity that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere”. The body says it provides the opportunity for artists to develop, they support new artists and contribute to the arts in Scotland – whether it is festivals, theatre or many other forms of culture.
This year the Fringe at Summerhall featured a record breaking number of award winning shows from 24 countries to the largest audience yet.
They also point out that any future development must allow for cultural activity to continue – and confirm that they want to work constructively with AMA to ensure that happens.
Summerhall Arts
The charity issued a statement outlining how that might work: “We believe there is an opportunity to develop a model that combines appropriate investment in the building with a sustainable programme of arts and cultural activity and community spaces. Achieving this requires a full understanding of the existing spaces, their cultural significance and their role in supporting the site’s activity.
“Summerhall Arts is ready to contribute its experience and knowledge to this conversation. We want to be part of a constructive process that recognises the realities of developing a viable proposal while protecting the cultural purpose that makes Summerhall so important.”
Sam Gough, CEO of Summerhall Arts, said: “Whilst our intention is to remain here and work with AMA to continue the provision of arts within Summerhall, the future space needs to be viable, and we are hopeful that the plans will provide that.
“We are encouraging all those who love Summerhall and its spaces to contribute to the consultation, to help the developers understand how important they are to what makes this already thriving arts centre what it is.
“At the moment, I have not seen anything that demonstrates this. So many of the beautiful, special parts of Summerhall, such as the historic Anatomy Lecture Theatre, the unique Dissection Room, Tech Cube 0 and the ever-so-wonderful Royal Dick pub, are earmarked for demolition.
“Our message is ‘repair, not demolish’. Edinburgh’s name as the world’s festival city rests partly on places like Summerhall. Developers, like arts organisations, are remembered for what they leave behind, and I would much rather AMA be remembered as the owner who protected it.”
The organisation has admitted that change is inevitable, but say this should not mean that preservation is impossible: “It means recognising what makes the site special, understanding the value of its existing spaces and exploring how they can be maintained, adapted and used sustainably for the future.”
Everyone interested in the future of Summerhall is encouraged to have their say in the future plans for the arts venue: “Your feedback can help demonstrate that Summerhall’s value extends far beyond the property itself. It is a cultural and community asset that supports artists, engages audiences and contributes to Scotland’s artistic life, locally, nationally and internationally.
“We want to be able to count on your support not only during this consultation, but throughout the future stages of the process. A strong collective voice can help ensure that the search for viability fully considers the cultural activity the site supports and the space required to sustain it.”
To view the current plans produced by Kettle Collective Architects for AMA, and submit your feedback, visit the consultation website which is open until 23 October
https://summerhallconsultation.co.uk/
