Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop is a bit of an institution for arty folk in Edinburgh. Located in Leith, the architecture is confronting, it has entrances from both the narrow lane that is Hawthornvale (down steps or steep slope) and via the cycle path (on the flat). It sports a window gallery, a range of artists' studios (undercover/open-air), up-the-road billboards, a most unusual tower exhibition space, and a great café with tables both indoors and out.

A leafy half-hour walk from my place, I take my daily exercise and get some company there around lunchtime when writing alone at home gets claustrophobic. Going regularly means I can keep up with the artist’s work and enjoy a scone and jasmine tea at the same time.

I haven’t yet done a course, but a friend has loved making portraiture out of clay. There are school activities as well as adult ones, including the intriguing-sounding School of Sideways Sculpture, and wood and stone carving. The classes are very popular.

Each month two artists have their work featured in panels at the top of the lane – a good way to share art with pedestrians, and the very tall, brick Beacon Tower features a tiny sitting area but a cavernous opportunity for displaying &/or sound work. It’s free to listen and view. The front window of the office on the lane is like a giant display case and artists are, of course, the best people to find ways to use the space innovatively.