Press Release: MSPs SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR FOREST CAFÉ
Politicians from across the political spectrum have pledged support for Edinburgh’s free arts and events space. Following last week’s support from the Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop (1), MSPs are now adding their verbal support for The Forest’s volunteer-run campaign to buy the premises at 3 Bristo Place. The Culture Secretary praised The Forest’s August programme and vowed during last week’s Question Time to help arrange a meeting with her civil servants to help with the fundraising efforts. Since then, Alison Johnstone, the Lothian Region’s Green MSP, has lodged a Parliamentary Motion (2) calling on Holyrood to support the fundraising efforts.
Alison Johnstone said:
The Forest has been a unique asset to Edinburgh for more than a decade and it must have a secure future. Nowhere else in the capital offers that extraordinary mix of spaces for art and gigs, free events, good food and such a welcoming atmosphere. The attitude of the current administrators of the premises on Bristo Place has been incomprehensible, but I remain confident that the dedicated Forest volunteers will be able either to get their old venue back or find somewhere even better. This city has been immeasurably better off for their efforts over the years, and that’s why I’m wholeheartedly supporting this campaign.
Marco Biagi, the SNP’s Edinburgh Central MSP, echoed these sentiments:
The Forest isn’t just a really original, creative and free-thinking space, it’s also one of the few places in Edinburgh I can buy and munch on vegan cakes. Its contribution to the city is one-of-a-kind and I hope to see it continue.
Mr Biagi is helping The Forest to arrange a meeting at the Scottish Parliament to explain the current situation to all Lothian MSPs and Scottish Government representatives. The Forest is also exploring whether the briefing session can also include Edinburgh councillors and staff from Creative Scotland.
Ryan van Winkle, a long-term Forest volunteer, said:
We really appreciate these comments and feel honoured to have come up at parliament. We hope that they help us get what we need, which is time and money. The building is for sale and we have a very short amount of time to mount a credible bid.
Obviously these MSPs understand that The Forest is important to Scotland. We are a world-renowned venue and a beacon of social-enterprise, as well as an essential part of the Scottish and UK artistic ecosystem. As Daniel Kitson, Neil Gaiman and countless others have explained, art and culture don’t just appear. Your favourite bands, TV shows, plays and artists all needed a vibrant and exciting place to hone their craft in relative safety. The Forest has provided that for a generation; a generation of extreme growth in Scotland’s cultural sector. I think our politicians are rightly concerned about what the loss of The Forest will do to Edinburgh and Scotland’s artistic sector.
The Forest recently launched a renewed campaign to buy its current home in Bristo Place. People can pledge their financial support online for The Forest via WeFund http://www.wefund.com/project/help-forest-cafe-buy-bristo-place. The Forest’s campaign is the largest project WeFund has supported to date. So far it has received over £13,000 in pledges. Combined with money already raised — over £32,000 — the Forest is nearly halfway towards its goal of £100,000 to secure a mortgage to buy 3 Bristo Place.
NOTES
Alison Johnstone raised the Forest’s current situation during Culture and External Affairs Question Time on Thursday, 8 September.
Alison Johnstone: Is the Minister aware of the current threat to the much-loved and well-used arts venue, the Forest, in Edinburgh city centre? Would she be prepared to meet representatives of the Forest as they work to secure a long- term home?
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop: The Forest Fringe hosted another eclectic programme during the August period and I understand that the venue is in the process of fundraising. I would be happy to let the Member know who it might be most appropriate for Forest representatives to meet at this stage of their fundraising efforts and if it is appropriate for me to meet them that would also be a step forward.
Marco Biagi has also raised the issue with me, but it might be helpful to find out who it would be most appropriate to meet, particularly at this early stage, which I think involves a fundraising effort.
Alison Johnstone’s Parliamentary Motion (S4M-00826), was lodged on Friday, 9 September. To date, MSPs from three parties have supported it.
A Future for The Forest—-That the Parliament regrets the recent closure of The Forest, Edinburgh’s much-loved, open-access, multi-arts and events space; commends the volunteers who have run The Forest for the past 11 years and supports their recent WeFund campaign to raise the deposit needed …to buy the building that was The Forest’s home until this summer; understands that the pledge drive to raise £100,000 by 1 October 2011 is one of the biggest arts funding pledge drives ever run in the UK; welcomes the cabinet secretary’s offer to ensure that representatives of The Forest are given the opportunity to meet her and officials to discuss the organisation’s future, and believes that support from the Scottish Government, alongside the efforts of hardworking volunteers, can help protect the future of what is considered this flagship venue and social enterprise.
The Forest is one of Edinburgh’s last remaining open-access multi-arts venues and is a multi-award-winning Fringe venue (The Forest Fringe). The volunteer-run charity operated an art gallery, theatre, performance and rehearsal spaces, a darkroom, a publishing house, a swap shop, a record label, a hairdresser and a thriving vegetarian café in their Bristo Place home. A detailed press pack about the Forest’s work is available online at http://www.theforest.org.uk/forestpresspack.pdf.
The Forest will continue to run exciting events over the next few months—-not just fundraisers for the campaign, but also the free, innovative arts events that it is famous for. These include a night of local music acts at Media on 16 September, a silent art auction at Out of the Blue on 23 September, a Psychegaelic Ceilidh at Studio 24 on 30 September and the relaunch of the Inky Fingers series of free literary events in October.
For the latest updates from the Forest, or to get involved, visit the organisation’s web site at http://www.theforest.org.uk/ or contact fundraising@theforest.org.uk.
CONTACT
Please note correspondence address for The Forest has moved temporarily:
The Forest
c/o 3F3, 3 Montgomery Street
Edinburgh
EH7 5JU
Harry Giles
Fundraising Officer/Media Contact
fundraising@theforest.org.uk
07766-191817