Arts charity Edinburgh Palette is drawing up further expansion plans after signing up to become part of the £1.3 billion transformation of Granton Waterfront.
The charity is working with Louise Norris, Partner in our Commercial Property team, as they hold talks over the potential for setting up studios and workspaces in a number of other buildings in the Capital.
Edinburgh Palette has been scoping new sites for a number of years, with its current 250-studio headquarters - St Margaret’s House, on London Road - earmarked for redevelopment.
Leaders hope the announcement that City of Edinburgh Council has approved the lease of a vacant industrial unit on West Shore Road - supporting it with a year’s free rent - will be a springboard for further developments.
Andrew Chainey, Development Manager at Edinburgh Palette, said: “This is a hugely exciting time for everyone involved in the charity. We have had a remarkable response to the Granton announcement from creatives, craftmakers and the wider community. It’s a fantastic development to be part of.
“At the same time, we are working with our lawyers at Lindsays as talks continue on a number of other potential sites where we could set up studios - with our team energised further by the buzz created around the waterfront move.
“St Margaret’s House is - and has been - a great home for us. Our plans build on our success there, whether we remain longer term or not. The prospect of not being able to have studios there has, however, focussed our minds on how we not just continue to support the arts sector in Edinburgh, but expand the ways and places we do that.”
Edinburgh Palette plans to run its new operation at Granton - along with any other sites - in tandem with those at St Margaret’s House, the biggest hub of its kind in the city.
Louise is working closely with the charity on its buildings plans and she said: “Edinburgh Palette is showing real vision as it prepares for the future, with proposals which will broaden its reach throughout the city.
“At West Shore Road, their work will transform a vacant industrial unit into a vibrant creative and community hub. They have so many exciting things they want to achieve here and at other sites. This is a fantastic time to be working with the charity.
“Talks over securing other sites are progressing well and we hope that there will be news of further developments in the coming months.
“The interest in the waterfront development alone shows the huge potential for creative and artistic workspaces across the city which Edinburgh Palette is unlocking, supporting an industry which we know is important for the economy.”
Edinburgh Palette has previously confirmed it is exploring installing up to 50 modular cabin units as studios on a 1.7-acre site at Stanley Street, next to Portobello Golf Course, which is a council-owned site.
On the wider Granton Waterfront development, Louise added: “This a project which offers so much opportunity, creating a place where people can live, work and enjoy culture. There’s real interest in the work and it’s great to be involved with one of the schemes.”
The City Council says the West Shore Road site will form part of a growing creative, cultural and arts cluster at Granton Waterfront. This includes the National Museums Collection Centre; National Galleries of Scotland’s Granton Art Centre (along with The Art Works, NGS’ planned new facility); Edinburgh College’s Granton campus (including its art and design faculty and the Performing Arts Studio Scotland); as well as the new 600 sqm Granton Station enterprise hub.