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AXO provides a sister space to Dundas Street’s Axolotl Gallery
A new Leith Leith gets ready for an artist space promising to be more than a gallery Words: Anna Millar
A s any self respecting Leither will tell you, the area’s renaissance continues. First the decent bars and restaurants took root, then the ever burgeoning Leith festival. This fortnight its cultural kudos gets another boost with the addition of a new gallery space-cum-arts venue. The brainchild of Susan Wilson, who already runs the Axolotl Gallery at 35 Dundas Street, sister gallery AXO has just opened at 59 Queen Charlotte Street, right in time for the festival.
‘It started as a small idea and just grew and grew,’ explains Wilson. ‘The area already has fabulous spaces like Out of the Blue and the Embassy Gallery, so it was really about building on that excitement.’
warehouse and more recently an antique store. Wilson is hopeful artists from across the genres of visual art, poetry and theatre will want to capitalise on the space and encourage a renewed buzz for the arts. Moreover, says Wilson, it’s about putting the artist first with chosen exhibitors getting to keep 100 per cent of the sale price on work sold during exhibitions. ‘It’s about giving people a chance and really getting that sense of community back with a roster of events,’ says Wilson. AXO’s current exhibition features new work by Ann Arnot, Jill Farquhar, Sarah Green, Gregor Laird, Gareth Sheridan and Jill Skulina.
Situated opposite Leith Links, the space was once a See www.axolotl.co.uk for more
FRINGE BY THE SEA ■ While it can feel like the fun of the festival fair is happening in the town centre this August, there’s still plenty to keep folk entertained a few miles out, as North Berwick’s multi-arts Fringe by the Sea returns for another year, from 10–15 Aug. Bigger than last year’s line-up, this year’s jamboree boasts over 50 performances over a six-day period. It’s new innovations ahoy, following the announcement of a Shop Art
twinning programme, with many shops on the High Street volunteering themselves to be matched up with a local artist, and over the period of Fringe by the Sea, displaying – and selling – works of art from their premises. The Old Pulteney Spiegeltent will once again be open from early to late – with full bar service food. Music acts already confirmed include Julie Fowlis, Eddi Reader and much, much more. See www.fringebythesea.co.uk
5 Things. . . T BY NUMBERS It’s a T in the Park fact attack
90 Number of minutes full
weekend camping tickets sold out in this year. Early bird tickets for next year are available now, bargain-hunters!
120 Sets of hair
straighteners available in the Refresh areas. As yet,
we have no news of plans for fake tan studios for next year.
1429 Which sounds like a lot, but works out at one loo for every 60 people. Although most guys ease that burden by peeing everywhere.
85,000 Number of attendees. Effectively, this
makes T in the Park bigger than Inverness.
15,000,000 Sheets of loo paper used. Although it's unclear how much of
this was flung about. WWW.LIST.CO.UK Visit us daily for arts & entertainment news
FESTIVAL BRIBES Chances are you’ll do just about anything to publicise your show. Luckily for you, The List isn’t interested in sexual favours or cash incentives (non-sequential bills in an unmarked envelope, ta). Instead, we’re jonesing for some bizarre promotional merch, in exchange for which we’ll give your show a photo and blurb in this very column. Send yourfinest to: ‘Big Fat Festival Bribe’, The List c/o Niki Boyle, 14 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TE.’ 22 Jul-5 Aug 2010 THE LIST 7