Art in the Open is part of The Scottish National Gallery Project, a major development to transform the way we show the Scottish Art Collection.

From summer 2018 Art in the Open drawing sessions have been delivered across Edinburgh. We travel to places using a cargo bike which carries the artists and all the materials we need to provide a pop-up creative art studio.

Passers-by can have a go or just watch for a bit. The sessions are relaxed and informal. Art in the Open is all about being creative in nature.

In 2020 Art in the Open live activity paused due to the pandemic, however drawing activity continued online. From March 2020 we switched to remote working with Edinburgh College students on the design for our very own cargo bike.

Students were asked to respond to a design brief, and following their pitches to a jury, the winning group was tasked with designing the complete look for the bike. This project was embedded in their course work and contributed to their learning outcomes.

In December 2020 the students finalized the designs and they were applied to the cargo bike. And doesn’t it look smart!!

Thank you John, Javi and Seonaid for all your hard work and a fab design.

In 2021 we were back on the road – delivering a nursery workshop, community events in Granton and a visit to the Sick Kids Hospital.

Public activity was back in Summer 2021 too - not across the city just yet and not quite the original pop up format but what a joy to be back on the bike and set up the easels in the grounds of the Gallery of Modern Art!

Thank you everyone who came along and joined in the fun!

Watch this spot for news on 2022 summer sessions! We can’t wait.

While Covid-19 restrictions were in place we moved online.