The Forest, a non-profit art collective and vital part of Edinburgh's cultural life. We started out, located on Westport, in August 2000, and have since hosted thousands of free events and nourished scores of local artists and bands including luminaries such as St. Jude's Infirmary and Aberfeldy. We have put out records, thrown street parties, hosted more than a hundred exhibitions, built a darkroom, offered workshops on everything from Arabic to crocheting, grown a garden, given out thousands of pounds in grants, built a practice studio, started a swap library and a free shop, made friends, battled the bureaucracy, hired out free bikes and much more. In the summer of 2008 we launched the massively successful Forest Fringe as part of the Edinburgh Festival. Thousands of people have participated, volunteered, created and enjoyed the Forest as an alternative to the grim entertainment prospects and corporate art and culture scene elsewhere in the city. The Forest excites and inspires people.
Where and when
The Forest is located on Bristo Place. Here is a map. We are open everyday from 10am until 11am, sometimes later.
...We like to do things, such as...
- Host a variety of free events all year long. You're never going to be asked to pay an entry fee, and you will never have to pay-to-play.
- Run miscellaneous free workshops/skillshares, and get people involved in consensus based decision making.
- Teach people how to make veggie and vegan foods and work a kitchen.
- Run an open access, artist led gallery offering creatives the chance to exhibit and develop their work free from commission.
- Host Free Shop events where you can leave and take what you feel you want to.
- Help artists, bands, writers, makers, crafters, hackers, activists, clowns, visitors et al do more...
Organisation
Working Groups |
The Forest is run by an open Working Group system using consensus decision-making methods. There are individual Working Groups for each aspect of The Forest with meetings for each Working Group take place monthly. You are welcome to come to any meeting you wish! All you have to do is turn up. No PR please! For details on what each group deals with, check out the Working Groups info page and see the events section for dates and times. |
Forest Spaces and Resources
Workshops |
We have a number of workshops running for like-minded folks and interested parties to get involved with. Workshops are run by volunteers and have ranged from bike maintenance, photography, composting, Yoga Chi Gung, English lessons, ziyenge mbira classes, healing skill sharing and open source software tutorials. The Action Working Group deals with workshops. |
Ground floor
The Café |
The hub of The Forest where we sell nummy things to eat and host free BYOB events. Run by Café and Events Working Group volunteers. |
TotalKunst |
Our art gallery, generally hosting monthly situations. For up to date news and information please visit our other site HERE. Run by the Visual Arts Working Group. |
The Library |
We have multi-bookshelves of books and zines for reading. Curated by Front of House Working Group. |
Biz'Art |
Hosts both Snip and Sip Hair & Vodka Salon and The Massage Corner. plus nice things made by Forest Artists, Musicians and Crafters to buy and keep. |
Upstairs
Bristo Hall |
We have a hall for hire! Want to have a party? Performance? Club night? |
Action Room |
Where our Working Groups, workshops and skillshares meet. Available for use by local community groups - you can get four hours free a month. Volunteers can use computers for project organisation and media editing/publishing. |
Basement
The Cave |
Our rehersal room cum recording studio with low rates. Also hosts the weekly Forest Jam. Kept going by Artist Facilities Working Group volunteers. |
Darkroom |
And we have a photographic (black and white) darkroom available for free usage. Also Artist Facilities WG. |
Screen-printing |
Formerly the Crafty Room - COMING SOON - our new Screen-printing Room! |
Forest Media
Forest Records |
We run a record label. The Artist Facilities Working Group handles this. |
Forest Publications |
And have published books and zines. Also by Artist Facilities Working Group. |
Events
Film Nights |
We show films of various types, usually on Monday evenings. Check the BB for current happenings... |
Forest Fringe |
A free Forest alternitive to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. |
Other information
European Voluntary Service |
We have volunteers from the EU's EVS scheme helping in The Forest. Find out more through the link on the left. |
Our legal status
We are an unincorporated association with a full constitution and a registered charity.
Our equal oppertunities policy
The Forest aims to ensure that no volunteer receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, sex, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origin, age, gender, gender reassignment or marital status, sexual orientation or disability. All volunteers have a legal and moral obligation not to discriminate and to report incidents of discrimination against any individual or group of individuals. The Forest is committed to a programme of action to make this policy effective and will bring it to the attention of all volunteers.