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28th May 2010
Welcome one and all to the fantastic redeveloped Out of the Blue Drill Hall. Finally the thrum of construction is replaced with the hum of creative activity, and all this on a scale this grand old building has never before experienced. Our great NEW MUSIC and MULTI-PURPOSE ROOMS are available immediately for use - click here for more info - whilst the NEW STUDIOS have been snapped up fast since the previous mailout.
The Drill Hall hot water will shortly be provided by some beautiful new solar panels, and those visiting will find sustenance at the café - also bringing their delicious fare to the world with NEW outside catering services from an extended kitchen and an extended training project funded by Capital City Partnership. These additions along with the sculpture garden and new meeting and workshop rooms mean that The Drill Hall is an exciting place to be at the moment. Check out our calendar of events, workshops and classes on our website and don't forget to catch the resident artists' exhibition running until 10th June.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE Local News/OOTB
30th April 2010
After a hard winter of building work, Out of the Blue are emerging blinking into the light of spring with a NEW LOOK Drill Hall. New studios, new garden, new music practice room, and a new meeting room all crafted by a team of immensely skilled builders. All this and an extended kitchen and solar panels too! To celebrate the fantastic new facilities, Out of the Blue will be holding an exhibition of work by resident artists from 28th May to 10th June. There will also be a special open studio event on 28th and 29th May - an opportunity to meet the diverse range of professional artists and makers based at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall and buy their wares.
Also our brilliant new music practice room is now available for hire - for details and booking arrangements click here.
We hope that you will take the opportunity to visit the Drill Hall Arts Café and be a part of the huge range of creative events, workshops, classes and exhibitions abound…
19th March 2010
The OOTB Drill Hall refurbishment project is nearly completed. The structure of the newly built studios has just been completed and the magnificent build team have conducted the 'topping out' ceremony [pictured left]. So far we have a NEW music practice room up and running for the 'Boombox' project for 11-16 year olds to learn various instruments and performance skills. The spacious, fully insulated and ventilated music practice room is now available and we will be putting up details on our web site imminently.
Also imminent is the completion of the new OOTB Drill Hall artist studios. These magnificent spaces will also soon be available- put your particulars on the web site studio rental form if you are interested. The café has reopened in the new extended and equipped kitchen and once the garden and the lift are in place we will re-launch with an evening of music, dance and general celebration. Watch this space!
Levelling Joists
Levelling joists,
I stare with my
apprentice eye,
at the
level's bubble.
Big Dod at one end,
adjusting up,
adjusting down,
Me in the middle
saying,
up a baa hair
or,
down a tait
Then,
aye, OK near enough
Irascrible as always,
Dod saying,
Nivver mind 'near enough'
is it
fuckin level?
I look again
and the bubble is
dead centre;
Aye it is
It's level
Right,
nou that's
near enough
Copyright © David C. Purdie
With thanks to David C. Purdie and Calder Wood Press
www.calderwoodpress.co.uk
OOTB WELCOMES NEW CARBON REDUCTION OFFICER Local News/OOTB
17th November 2009
out of the blue extends a warm welcome to Rosie Lewis, our new part-time Carbon Reduction officer. Rosie is going to be working with the build project, the café and the community to promote and extend out of the blue's environmentally sustainable approach.
Rosie is looking forward to her new role at out of the blue. "It's great to have started at such an exciting time, with the current building work in full swing. There are many aspects of the Drill Hall's approach, to both the build and its daily operations that are inspirational in demonstrating careful stewardship of our natural resources (aka environmental sustainability!)."
"My job is to use these aspects as a springboard for inspiring sustainable living locally and nationally. I am really looking forward to developing fun and creative ways of doing this with the local community, partner organisations and the wider arts world."
Rosie is keen to hear from anyone living locally to the Drill Hall who would like to know more about reducing their carbon footprint or from anyone who has ideas for partnership working. Please click here to contact Rosie.
CELEBRATIONS FOR NEW DALMENY STREET PLAY PARK Local News/OOTB
12th November 2009
Please come and join us to celebrate the opening of the brand new Dalmeny Street play park on Thursday 19th November at 2pm. Pupils from Lorne Primary school, young people from Pilmeny Youth Centre, and out of the blue who were involved in the research and design of the playground, will show off their designs and achievements.
RADICAL BOOK FAIR FEATURES IN THE INDEPENDENT Local News/OOTB
28th October 2009
The 13th Edinburgh Independent Radical Book Fair, currently underway at out of the blue, is highlighted as one of the "Ten best talks and festivals" in The Independent!
This year the book fair is celebrated with talks and readings by Daniel Gray, Chris Dolin, Janice Galloway, Don Paterson, Kevin Williamson, Elizabeth Pisani, Dominic Moran and Alexander Bell, as well as over 70 book stalls, films, exhibitions, music and free events.
Running in conjunction with the Book Fair is 'Poll Tax', an exhibition celebrating the ways in which, 20 years ago, ordinary people organised themselves into community groups to take on this hated unjust tax.
See www.word-power.co.uk for a full Book Fair Programme.
CAFE TRAINEE LANDS NEW JOB! Cafe/ Training/ OOTB
29th September 2009
After four months as a trainee at the Drill Hall Café, 18-year old Meredith O'Donoghue has landed a job as a commis chef at the Balmoral Hotel. Meredith was on the café training programme which is run jointly by Out of the Blue and the Port of Leith Housing Association. She applied for the Balmoral Hotel job, and after one telephone call and a face-to-face interview Meredith started the following week. An assistant chef said to her 'you must have really impressed them to get the job so quickly!'.
Six weeks into the new job and Meredith is beaming with pride and buzzing from the excitement of her new role. But it's no walk in the park. "I'm supposed to work 39 hours with two days off a week, but it's always more than that. Sometimes when there's a function on we work 14 hour shifts". So far Meredith has worked in the main kitchen and the pastry kitchen, as well as assisting with the hotel breakfasts which means a 4:30am start! (We thought 8:00 in the morning at the Drill Hall Café was early…). "We wear the whole outfit - tall hat and the chef jacket with all the buttons and checked pattern."
The experience so far has made Meredith even more determined to become a chef. Alongside her traineeship, she will also be sent to college to study subjects such as food hygiene.
What's the best thing you have made so far? "The other day I had to make a macadamia pie, it was really yummy!"
Meredith has always liked cooking and was keen to try out new things whilst working at the Drill Hall Café. Perhaps we can claim a little bit of Meredith's success too - in any case we're extremely proud of her! Other café trainees have gone on to further studies or training in areas such as care work. 17-year old ex-trainee Jodie Boswell was taken on as a full-time café staff member after her placement because she excelled in her role and showed a great level of commitment. Out of the Blue is always working hard on improving the scheme - let's hope for many more success stories in the future!
ONLY 11 MORE MONTHS UNTIL NEXT TIME Fringe 09
3rd September 2009
The city of Edinburgh breathes a huge sigh of relief and finally goes home early for a quiet night in, as the Festival season draws to a close for another summer. The Out of the Blue Drill Hall has also returned to its normal state, and the blackout curtains, ropes, tunnels, water tanks, mobile sculptures, poles, lights, crowds and that special Festival buzz seem already a distant memory.
In a first-time-ever collaboration with Dance Base, Scotland's national centre for dance, out of the blue played host this August to three remarkable dance and physical theatre shows as part of the Festival Fringe. The partnership was a resounding success, with the two venues on either side of the city complimenting each other in terms of facilities and programming. All three shows here at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall received a great deal of attention from the media and great reviews too.
Claire Cunningham's ME (Mobile/Evolution) was applauded by critics and punters alike, receiving 5 stars and a Herald Angel Award! Cunningham featured as part of the Made in Scotland thread of this year's Fringe, a new initiative to provide a platform for the most exciting and innovative Scottish dance and theatre. Made in Scotland is a joint initiative between the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Federation of Scottish Theatre and the Scottish Arts Council, supported by the Scottish Government's Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund.
Ousia, by previous Herald Angel award-winner Darren Johnston, was half art installation and half dance performance, with the sounds, lights, and even the audience as much a part of the performance as the mysterious dancer. Jaws hit the floor during RAW by Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre Company from Ireland, an aerial and acrobatic exploration of the highs and lows of nightclub culture. RAW was also nominated for a Total Theatre Award.
Although a highly successful Fringe is over, life goes on here at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall, and September brings a full programme of classes and special events. Check out our What's On pages for details.
STARS IN THE BONGO CLUB Fringe 09
20th August 2009
Film star Alan Rickman is in Edinburgh and his Festival plans include a visit to the Bongo Club to see comedian Simon Amstell. He said: "I've had so many extraordinary experiences at the festivals. I always feel that when I come to Edinburgh in many ways I am coming home."
The Bongo Club is out of the blue's sister venue located on Holyrood Road, Edinburgh. With 90,000 visitors annually to performances including live music, club, theatre, spoken word/poetry, film/video art, dance and comedy, it is a hub for the cultural life of the Old Town. Please visit www.thebongoclub.co.uk for further info.
Local News/OOTB
NATIONAL AWARD FOR LOCAL ACHIEVEMENT
18th August 2009
Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust is one of the first five organisations in Scotland to be awarded the Social Enterprise Mark. The prestigious accreditation is a testimony to customers and supporters that the organisation is founded on the highest environmental and social standards.
In an award ceremony last Friday, Jodie Boswell, the most recent graduate of the Drill Hall Arts Café Training Scheme, presented the award to Rob Hoon, Co-ordinator, who accepted on behalf of out of the blue. Rob said "We're very proud to be leading the way in Scotland with the Social Enterprise Mark. Here at Out of the Blue Arts & Education Trust we firmly believe that many more organisations in Scotland will benefit from having the Social Enterprise Mark. Social enterprise is a way of generating resources and opportunities for people to work together and the Social Enterprise Mark enables us to show people that we are well respected for our socially useful initiatives."
The ceremony was hosted at The Engine Shed, also one of the five awardees along with Bookdonors CIC, The Wise Group and Recycle Fife. We join other visionary social enterprises that have the Social Enterprise Mark, such as Hill Holt Wood, Sunlight Enterprises, Eden Project, Sandwell Community Caring Trust, Emmaus and the Co-operative Group, as well as Employers for Childcare in Northern Ireland.
'Social enterprise' is a different way to do business, and is becoming more important to customers, especially following growing mistrust in privately-run banks and businesses. Recent research revealed that consumers are crying out for the Social Enterprise Mark: 7 out of 10 people (in a survey conducted by ICM Research*) said they would prefer to buy from firms who put their profits back into the community rather than into the pockets of shareholders and that they would rather buy from a company that makes decisions based on concern for society and the environment.
If you would like more information on the Social Entrprise Mark, go to www.socialenterprisemark.co.uk. If you would like to support out of the blue please visit our Want to help? section.
*The full research report is available at www.rise-sw.co.uk or www.socialenterprisemark.co.uk
LUCKY SERVICE 13 IS BACK Local News
13th August 2009
The Out of the Blue Drill Hall community is collectively thrilled about the return of an old friend to Dalmeny Street; the number 13 bus is running again! A few years on sabbatical seem to have done some good, as the new buses are quieter and more environmentally friendly than any others in service in other bus companies in the city. The route runs from The Quarry Retail Park in Craigleith, through Blackhall, past the Modern Art Galleries, along Princes Street (when not obstructed by tramworks), via Broughton Road, down Leith Walk, right past our front door on Dalmeny Street and finishes up in Lochend.
Chris Askham, Out of the Blue Drill Hall Arts Café Manager, says, "It's a dream come true! The bus goes past my house, my work, my allotment and my boys' school."
Out of the Blue Drill Hall tenant, actor and producer, Tim Licata is also very excited about the new bus route: "It's great!"
For more information on the Service 13 bus, please visit www.service13.co.uk. Hop on the bus and come and see us!
Local News/FODSP
ONE GIANT LEAP FOR DALMENY STREET
12th August 2009
Working with out of the blue, the Friends of Dalmeny Street Park group (FODSP) has helped the City of Edinburgh Council to secure match funding to enable the playground in the park to be renovated. The Council has committed £70,000 and WREN £50,000 to ensure the much needed revamp happen. The new equipment is scheduled for installation this Autumn. Local children, from Lorne Primary School, were involved in researching play equipment and helping design the park, and their drawings will be incorporated into the rubber flooring of the playground areas. New equipment will include various climbing frames, swings for all ages and a cable way. Click here to download a copy of the proposed play area plans.
Rob Hoon, Co-ordinator of out of the blue and Chair of the FODSP, says, "It is a key milestone… This has been achieved by the determination of local people through the vehicle of the FODSP to make change happen."
The FODSP was founded in 2005 after various meetings of local people in the Out of the Blue Drill Hall. The park had become well-known as a dangerous area, was run-down and often covered in rubbish. The park has been a neglected yet cherished space which is beginning to flourish under the stewardship of FODSP and partners from Lorne Primary, Pilmenny Youth Project, out of the blue and The City of Edinburgh Council. Over 150 local people are now members of the FODSP, organising activities and campaigning for the improvement of the park, in order to generate social capital, connect to local networks and actively engage in the community. One of the main events is the Park Life Festival, a community and family day in the park organised every June by FODSP for the Leith Festival. In 2009 the Edinburgh City Council recognised the Park Life Project for excellence in community engagement.
The addition of high quality playground equipment will be much appreciated and well used by thousands of people, further increasing the value of this important local resource and improving the lives of local residents. For more information or to get involved with FODSP, please email Rob Hoon.
3 OUT OF 5 AIN'T BAD Fringe 09
10th August 2009
Getting an event featured in the Guardian Guide's Fringe Pick of the Week is one thing, but three events?! In the top five dance events to see at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Guardian named all three of the shows which are running at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall in association with Dance Base, Scotland's national centre for dance.
Ousia by Herald Angel winner, Darren Johnston uses Victorian style illusion mixed with modern music and technology to create a show which is half dance performance and half art installation. Scottish dancer and choreographer Claire Cunningham presents a double bill, ME (Mobile/Evolution), as part of the Made in Scotland thread of this year's Fringe. RAW is an aerial dance exploration of the highs and lows of nightclub culture.
For more information check out our Fringe 2009 page or to book tickets for any of the shows, visit www.dancebase.co.uk.
Café/Social Enterprise/Collective Gallery
TOO MANY COOKS… MAKE A GOOD CULLEN SKINK
13th July 2009
Chris Askham, our Drill Hall Arts Café Manager, has been sharing his culinary know-how in a series of workshops for people who have recently been homeless and are starting out on life in their own accommodation. Hosted by the organisation Streetwork in the Old Sailors's Ark, the workshops are part of a project run by the Collective Gallery, Cockburn Street which will culminate in the launch of an alternative-style cookbook.
This is the second collaboration between the Drill Hall Arts Café and the Collective Gallery in recent years and both organisations share a vision to use the arts as a vehicle for social enterprise and social justice.
Over the three week course of workshops, Chris and his sous-chefs have made a wide variety of dishes, from scones with clotted cream, to a local Lothian fish feast, and are looking forward to an extravagant picnic in the exclusive Queen Street Gardens to finish up their course. It's not all one way, as Chris says "We've all learned from each other."
Artist Aleksandra Mir is compiling the book which will blend all the ingredients of the project together. 1,000 people all over the world have contributed to the project, each sharing a piece of advice which they learned themselves by making a mistake. The How Not To Cook Book - lessons learned the hard way represents a sharing of collective experience and wisdom, with the aim that we will be able to learn from the mistakes of others at the same time as accepting that we can't all get it right all of the time!
For more information on the cookbook and the launch event on 5th August, please visit The Collective Gallery. For more information on Chris Askham, pop in for a cuppa at the Drill Hall Arts Café!
DOORS OPEN ON THE NEW VILLAGE STORE Café/Training/Social Enterprise
3rd July 2009
The Out of the Blue Drill Hall Arts Café has just launched yet another social enterprise pilot venture, a new food co-op for Leith called The Village Store. By fresh produce and dried goods, organic where possible and at very reasonable prices, The Village Store aims to make healthy food more affordable and accessible to the Leith community.
From the comforting shadow of a lovely, green shed in the out of the blue Drill Hall, a team of volunteers and café trainees run the stall every Friday from 12 to 4pm. The Village Store is not run for profit and the fresh produce on sale comes from local suppliers as much as possible. From fresh asparagus harvested by Phantassie Farm in East Lothian to vitamin-laden rocket from local allotmenteer Ted. To offer greater variety and to satisfy your cravings for tropical fruits, some produce might come from further afield. ECFI, the Edinburgh Community Food Initiative helped setting up the project and supply The Village Store with non-organic fruit and veg to compliment our selection.
As well as fresh vegetables, there is a variety of dried goods on offer, such as lentils and brown rice, as well as other household essentials like Ecover refills. Customers are encouraged to bring their own bottles and bags in order to reduce the impact our shopping and lifestyles have on the environment. Fresh produce left over gets used at the Drill Hall Arts Café.
Out of the Blue Board member John Mollesson believes that it's "a seriously easy way to improve your health and your finance and to support the local community"
Alastair Tibbitt from Greener Leith says "It's great to know that any surplus that doesn't sell at the food co-op will be used in the cafe at Out of the Blue in the following week".
The initiative has been received extremely well by the Drill Hall community. Some local residents have already crossed the road to use it - now it's time to spread the word and advertise to exactly those people on low income and with lack of access to healthy food who will benefit most from the Village Store. There's plenty of scope to develop this further e.g. to include second-hand clothes swaps and more. Anyone's thoughts and feedback are very welcome, as are volunteers to help run the show!
For more information on The Village Store or volunteering please use the Contact Us page or call Isi on 0131 555 7100.
FESTIVAL FRINGE DANCE PROGRAMME OFF TO AN AERIAL START Fringe09/Dance
22nd June 2009
They were swinging from the rafters with excitement in the OOTB Drill Hall last Friday, at the launch of the 2009 Festival Fringe programme. Throughout August the OOTB Drill Hall will be magically (and temporarily) transformed into a brand new venue: Dance Base 2 @ the Out of the Blue Drill Hall.
To celebrate the launch of their ever-impressive programme, the good folks from Dance Base threw a party and invited a performer from one of the shows which will run in the OOTB Drill Hall to give us a small taste of what's to come. Jennifer Paterson from the Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre Company performed part of her routine from RAW, a high-flying, high-adrenaline show which explores the fun and fear, strength and vulnerability, violence and harmony of nightclub culture.
The two other shows which will be running at Dance Base 2 @ the Out of the Blue Drill Hall are Ousia and ME (Mobile/Evolution). Claire Cunningham, creator of ME (Mobile/Evolution), first visited the OOTB Drill Hall in April of this year as part of Sputnik, an exciting art installation which combined kinetic sculpture with human dance. Cunningham started aerial training in 2004, her particular interest in this field stemming from a desire to utilise the upper body strength created by having used crutches for the last 14 years, to investigate her ability for free movement when uninhibited by the disabling factor of weightbearing. ME (Mobile/Evolution) is a double bill, showcasing her exceptional technique, impressive power and wonderfully direct Scottish humour.
Ousia is a fantastical installation world where projection technology meets Victorian illusion, by previous Herald Angel winner Darren Johnston.
For more information or to book tickets for any of the Dance Base 2 @ the Out of the Blue Drill Hall shows, please go to www.dancebase.co.uk or call the Dance Base box office on 0131 225 5525.
NEXT BUILDING PHASE RECEIVES FUNDING Funding/phase 3
7th April 2009
In 2003 out of the blue began a phased refurbishment of the Out of the Blue Drill Hall, transforming the building by creating studios, workshop, exhibition, event and café space.
The imminent third phase of refurbishment will create more new spaces - namely studios, workshop space, garden and café extension - providing space for another 30 artists to produce and for projects such as the Drill Hall Café training scheme to develop and flourish. This has been possible thanks to funding from The Scottish Investment Fund, The Scottish Arts Council, The Big Lottery, and WREN.
Funding from The Climate Challenge Fund will also enable out of the blue to transform a building once heated and ventilated with an emphasis on fossil fuels into one which is an inspirational and significant example of environmental sustainability. We will promote the benefits of the methods of the refurbishment through promotional materials and awareness-raising sessions for local people in the Out of the Blue Drill Hall and throughout Scotland.
