Whale Arts Agency

Wester Hailes Arts for Leisure and Education

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WHALE Arts and Edinburgh Art Festival Partnership

Between 2019-2022, WHALE Arts and Edinburgh Art Festival are working collaboratively to support community engagement in contemporary visual art in Wester Hailes, with the ambition to commission an artist to develop a new work for Wester Hailes in 2022. The project will have co-creation with the community at its heart, and through activities and dialogue with community organisations, residents of all ages and local schools, will explore fundamental local issues.

Exhibition tours, art workshops, projects and art packs are co-programmed with, and tailored to, residents’ interests and abilities. The activities enable individuals to share and expand their knowledge and creativity, experience and skills, using art as a tool for bringing people together and empowering them. 

2020 has seen the Wester Hailes Adult Art Group, comprised of local residents associated with WHALE Arts and people living in the South West of Edinburgh, go from strength to strength. Led by Edinburgh Art Festival, the group meets up every couple of months, introducing them to contemporary art practice through exhibitions, meeting artists and specialists and trying out new artistic techniques. As well as this, the trips include appreciating the city’s walking routes and green spaces and visiting other Scottish cultural destinations. We are always looking for new members: if you are interested in joining, please contact Holly Yeoman, Community Engagement Manager – holly@edinburghartfestival.com 

Ongoing school partnership projects have been established, with Edinburgh-based artist-educator Sally Price working with Wester Hailes Education Centre S3 and Sighthill P5 producing temporary sculptures exploring the importance of environmentally minded-art making. WHEC’s online-exhibition can be viewed on the Edinburgh Art Festival blog, and from the 25th November – 19th December 2020 Sighthill Primary’s ‘How to Build a Mini-Eco World’ exhibition can be seen at WHALE Arts. 

‘DIY Art’, a series of home creativity kits by selected artists, have been distributed with the support of WHALE Arts to local residents, organisations and groups including SCOREscotland, Wester Hailes Carers Group and Heathervale Young People’s Residence. ‘DIY Art’ kits are available to download throughout the year here.

If you are interested in attending activities or are a local organisation interested in what Edinburgh Art Festival have to offer, please contact: holly@edinburghartfestival.com

Founded in 2004, Edinburgh Art Festival is the platform for the visual arts at the heart of Edinburgh’s August festivals, bringing together galleries, museums and production spaces in a city-wide celebration of the very best in visual art. Each year, the Festival features leading international and UK artists alongside the best emerging talent, major survey exhibitions of historic figures, and a special programme of newly commissioned artworks that respond to public and historic sites in the city. The vast majority of the festival is free to attend. 

Edinburgh Art Festival website

Edinburgh Art Festival Community Engagement Blog 

Follow us on social media – EdArtFest 

Supported by the PLACE Programme: Platforms for Creative Excellence; a partnership between Edinburgh Festivals, Scottish Government, City of Edinburgh Council and Creative Scotland.

Supported by the PLACE Programme: Platforms for Creative Excellence; a partnership between Edinburgh Festivals, Scottish Government, City of Edinburgh Council and Creative Scotland.

Wester Hailes Art Group comes together every couple of months for trips led by Edinburgh Art Festival
‘Build A Mini-Eco World’ exhibition at WHALE Arts
Sighthill Primary P5 class
25 November – 19 December 2020

WHEC’s 2019 online-exhibition and documentation of Sighthill Primary’s ‘Build a Mini-Eco World’ can be viewed on the Edinburgh Art Festival Community Engagement blog. Follow Edinburgh Art Festival on social media – @EdArtFest 

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WHALE Arts is …

... the cultural anchor organisation for Wester Hailes. We are a community-led arts charity and social enterprise, set up by local people in 1992. Our mission is to be the creative heart of a vibrant, thriving community.

WHALE Arts

30 Westburn Grove,
Edinburgh,
EH14 2SA
0131 458 3267
info@whalearts.co.uk

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Vacancy: Marketing and Communications Lead

We are seeking a creative, well organised self-starter to develop and deliver engaging content communicating the impact of our work and connecting us to our community, partners, artists and funders. PermanentPart-Time – 14 hours a week£26,326 pro-rataBased at WHALE Arts Centre, Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, EH14 2SA WHALE Arts is a community-led arts charity and social […]

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WHALE Arts Agency is a company limited by guarantee (SC180118) with charitable status (SC020305). Copyright © 2025