Wasps

I stopped by this past Saturday because of Unilocal reviews and, luckily, there was an exhibition going on. The space is great and the quality of work was high. The location is poor but artists go where rent is cheap and rent in a hidden parking lot must be pretty low. Regardless, if I lived in Edinburgh I’d put WASPS on my list of routine stops. There’s some real talent there worth supporting.

WASPS (Workshops Artists Studio Provision Scotland) is a registered charity that provides studio and workshop space for artists around Scotland. Housed within a former bakery in Stockbridge, these Edinburgh studios are home to around 55 working artists.
On the ground floor there is an exhibition space that provides local artists with a forum in which to showcase their work. There are around 20 different exhibitions put on here each year, ranging from the beautiful to the bizarre. This space can be rented very cheaply and is a good option for those just starting out in the art world. In addition to exhibitions, workshops are run to encourage and develop creativity in both budding and experienced artists.
Once a year, the artists open the doors to their studios to allow members of the public a glimpse into their working space. This makes for both an interesting and an enlightening day out and I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in art.

The small two room gallery space at WASPS is worth a look in for a short visit, normally open most days. It shows often upcoming artists who have spaces at the studios which are in the old bakery building. WASPS hosts an open studio day once a year. The notice board has notes about upcoming events and artists talks.

WASPS has a collection of artists who share studio spaces and occasionally show their collections. It’s generally up and coming artists who work and exhibit here, so if you have the nose for it you could get yourself a bargain. Generally it’s fine art and paintings that are exhibited.