Pennywell Public Art Trail

About Pennywell Public Art Trail

The Pennywell Public Art Trail is a creative art project, led by Artists-in- Residence Fraser Gray and Eva Paredes, which will create a lasting legacy that reflects the richness of our local area.

As part of this project, Eva and Fraser will create a series of public artworks for the Pennywell community. This is expected to be 6+ works that form an art path around the new development to encourage active travel between the sites.

We believe that the best way to capture the essence of our community is by involving you in the design process. We want your ideas, your creativity, and your unique perspective to shape the  artworks. Together, we can create something truly special that represents our neighbourhood.

Project Update – 3 November 2023

Fraser and Eva are working with North Edinburgh Arts and Urban Union to create a series of public artworks for the Pennywell community. This is expected to be at least 6 artworks that WILL form an art trail around the new Urban Union development in Pennywell.

Summer 2023 Workshops

Over the summer Eva and Fraser ran a series of practical art workshops that were open to all. These explored the process of creating public artworks. Through hands on making, we used these to brainstorm different ideas for the various artworks, and then prototype them. These explored a wide range of mediums such as collage, printing, painting and relief sculpture. We even did a bit of gilding! 

Locations 

While doing the workshops, the artists also started to scope out possible locations and ask local residents what they thought about having a new artwork in their area. So far we approached this on a site by site basis, through informal onsite discussions and also by highlighting possible sites to residents with posters asking for feedback. You may have even seen a couple of them on your doorstep?

We are also discussing these possible sites with key stakeholders the Edinburgh Council and Urban Union. These are still on going, so we will be highlighting new possible sites for artworks to residents when agreements have been reached.

Public Consultation

In addition, we have also set up a questionnaire so people have a way to share their feedback (anonymously) about the project. So far 92.8% of people surveyed have said they are extremely positive or somewhat positive about the project as a whole. Local residents have also used the questionnaire to suggest possible themes.

Main themes that have emerged so far are: Local history, Community, Colour and Nature reflected in the artworks. 

The more response we have, the better we can make the artwork fit the wants and needs of the local community – so don’t forget to let us know what you would like to see! You can fill it in by clicking HERE.

What we are working on now

One of the processes came out of the workshops was the possibility of creating small, sculptural reliefs to use for the trail. These reliefs could be incorporated into one big artwork or used to form a trail across the whole development to try and find a treasure hunt.

We are currently working at Edinburgh Sculpture workshop fabricating prototype reliefs in cast iron, to show local residents what they think. We are also considering making some tests in bronze and aluminium. 

So far these explore local memories – little snippets of logos, sayings, badges, and events turned into supersized metal pin badges – these fleeting thoughts of the past translated into something physical and enduring. We would LOVE your suggestions so please send them in! Our plan is to develop 20 or so of these  and put the final selection to public vote.

In addition to this we are also trialing some reliefs of local native plants so suggestions are welcome too.

We also have finalised a design for site on Muirhouse Parkway, North East of Marrow Street, and the design is currently waiting approval. We can’t wait to share it with you!

What’s Next

We’ve successfully created our first iron prototypes for memory badges featuring plants, during the iron pour on 12th October. We’re open to suggestions for more ideas to commemorate on these metal badges. In mid/end November, there will be a public vote to decide which memories to transform into supersized enamel pin badges, cast in metal, and displayed on a giant denim jacket. Please share your suggestions with us!

We will also finalise a few more of the artworks’ locations so we can start the consultation process for local residents about what they would like to see. When this process is under way we can start their individual designs.

Cast Your Vote to Turn Shared Memories into Public Art

We’d love you to help us to Pin Down Memories. This public art project, supported by Urban Union and the City of Edinburgh Council, will transform memories of the area into metal ‘relief’ pin badges to create a unique art trail to spread across the new developments in Pennywell.

Artists Fraser Gray and Eva Paredes will create around 15 super-sized enamel pin badges (designed to look like those small badges people wear on lapels, but much bigger). Each one will be a piece of art in its own right, representing a special memory or an interesting tale from North Edinburgh’s past, and will be cast from scrap metal at nearby Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop.

Check out the proposals in our online form – you can see rough sketches, models, and source images. Select your choices (aim for your top 10!) and help us shape this incredible art trail. You can also have your say in person by visiting our cabin at MacMillan Square (Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm but check out Festive Opening Hours later in this newsletter).

Maybe you have a unique memory or idea not already listed? Share it in the ‘submit idea’ box! We’re all ears for North Edinburgh’s rich history.

The Pennywell Arts and Heritage Trail is delivered with North Edinburgh Arts and funded by Urban Union.