Hey Forest pals,

We’re still here. And we still belong to you. We’re still running Forest Arts, Forest Publications and Forest Records. We’re still able to provide a dynamic digital space for YOU to get involved in and use however you’d like.

Want to run an open mic? Fancy a digital residency? You can still get in touch with us for exactly that sort of thing, with any creative idea you think Forest could help facilitate or with your ideas about what the next iteration of Forest could look like. We’re currently working away on chapbooks, compilation albums, online artist residencies, exhibitions & events.

Forest is still very much alive and we want to make art - and help you make art. And help make sure other people get the chance to enjoy that art - just as we always have.

No physical space RN…

Like many local orgs, we’ve been hit hard by COVID19 and have struggled with a variety of challenges over the course of 2020+

In response to those challenges, we decided to close down our presence at 141 Lauriston Place, and vacate the building. We were sad to say goodbye to the place that has been the home of our café and so many amazing, artistic happenings over the past few years. However, that move was by no means the end of Forest.

No condition is permanent.

In the meantime - pep up the turmoil. Forest lives! Join us!

Forest xx

____________

Stay in touch…

Forest on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ForestHappenings

Forest on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/theforestedinburgh

Forest Arts @theforestarts

https://www.instagram.com/theforestarts

Forest Records @forestrecordsedinburgh

https://www.instagram.com/forestrecordsedinburgh

Forest Publications

New art exhibition @ The Forest!

A collection of photographic works by Pete Warwick.

Saturday 18th May - Friday 7th June.

Preview opening is on Friday the 17th, 7-11pm.

What is Reforestation?

This is the clever term that relates to the recent re-structuring that has occurred at the Forest!

Our Current Structure

There are no paid positions; every aspect of the Forest is entirely volunteer-run

The cafe menu changes weekly; there are still some items that will usually be available

For each shift at the Forest, there is one Lead Volunteer and 2-3 additional volunteers to run the space

Our internal organisation is non-hierarchical & we use consensus for decision-making; everyone's perspectives hold equal weight

In addition to volunteering in the cafe, volunteers can also join one of our 5 working groups

Explanation of Working Groups

Admin Team

Maintains all business/financial/legal aspects of the Forest

Events Team

Dreams up, plans, books & advertises all events/gigs/parties/activities at the Forest

Visual Arts Team

Oversees the community arts side of the Forest by planning/advertising exhibitions; also designs visual aspects of the Forest i.e. decorations

Kitchen Team

Maintains the behind-the-scenes side of the kitchen i.e. ordering food from suppliers, organising group cooking times & designing the menu each week

Volunteer Team

Ensures that all volunteers within the Forest community are happy & have their needs met, coordinates cafe shifts to ensure that enough volunteers sign-up, facilitates "Safer Spaces" discussions (basically oversees all H.R. stuff)

Benefits of Volunteering

Become a part of an awesome, welcoming community

Barista/kitchen/business training

Flexible shift sign-ups that work for you & your schedule

Lots of creative freedom to positively impact the space; make the Forest yours!

Fun events, parties, activities, etc.

Ways to Get Involved

Sign up for shifts in the cafe!

Ask us about meeting times + events to learn more

About the Forest

The Forest is a volunteer-run, collectively-owned, free arts and events project. We run a vegetarian café and provide dedicated space for people to get involved in any creative activity imaginable. Our events have included music, theatre, dancing, yoga, massage, poetry recitals, art displays, knit-ins, book tours, language teaching and more. The café is currently located in the area of Tollcross, close to the city centre, train station, university and meadows green space. The ethos of the charity is centred on empowerment of the arts, with capital generated from the café and events being channelled back into art, music and community projects. As much as possible, the Forest aims to be an open a platform for everyone, with projects and events being organised and lead by artists and volunteers rather than staff. As a Kitchen manager you will be working closely with volunteers, artists, customers and the wider community.

The Role

Managing the café, preparing food and assisting volunteers during the daytime will be the bulk of the responsibility, but there is also a division of the paid hours being focused on maintenance, admin, networking etc. The café is a diverse environment with gigs, workshops, exhibitions and meetings taking place on a regular basis. Previous experience working in management, arts and events, collectives and hospitality are all relevant, though the Forest benefits from a much wider range of skills and experiences and can be approached creatively. Working at the Forest is a unique role, requiring staff to apply themselves creatively to a dynamic and ever-changing space. Although you will be working as part of a strong team of staff and volunteers, the role is largely self-lead and requires a high level of personal organisation and commitment. Highly enjoyable, but highly challenging, the role is ideal for anyone looking to get stuck in with an open and exciting collective project. If you have any additional questions please email us at [email protected] or even better, pop into the café and speak with one of the current staff members.

Responsibilities

• Food preparation - All Vegan/Vegetarian • Menu and meal design • Food hygiene control • Stock management and ordering • Supply research • Customer service • Administration • Cash flow management • Volunteer management • Volunteer training and recruitment • Networking and community engagement • Long term strategy planning

FOOD/FIGHT: Memories of an Auntie Unhinged Emily Randall Gaunt

We often associate food with our maternal line. Mum’s cheesy mac, Nan’s casserole, Auntie’s cupcakes… Thoughts of home-cooking can evoke warm memories, however the associations aren’t always positive. We tend to glorify these things in our memory but the reality of personal connections and of our favourite meals can be disappointing and ugly. The nature of memory is malleable. We have the ability to warp our view of the past into something it wasn’t, whether it’s a sanitized dream or a dramatized nightmare.

This installation explores the internal struggle between the comfort of food and the anxiety of a family dinner, while questioning how we choose to remember our pasts.

Emily Randall Gaunt is a traditionally trained pop-surrealist working in fine art, illustration and animation. Originally from Louisiana, Emily has called Edinburgh home for the last 4 years. Emily’s interests lie in the grey areas of life, the blurred lines of perception. Throughout her body of work, she is particularly interested in exploring the malleability of memory as well as challenging the misrepresentation of women as tropes of either perfection or wickedness.

Feel free to immerse yourself in the installation by taking photos seated at the table. Use #foodfightroots on instagram so we can share your experience! Please refrain from touching the food.

Mocktail Night to Support Forest Arts Grant

Tuesday, 26th of June, 6 - 10 pm

We will be making delicious mocktails (ie non alcoholic cocktails, longdrinks, daiquiries, maybe milkshakes?!!!) and listen to summery tunes.

The night's takings will go towards the Forest Arts Grant which is a quarterly grant paid to individuals or organisations to help them pursue any type of worthwhile creative project. We don’t want to impose limits and rules on people’s creative process and encourage artists to try out new things and experiment. Find out more about it here: http://blog.theforest.org.uk/grants

Ojala vol.3: A Poetry Slam

Friday, 22nd of June, 6 - 8 pm

Third edition of a very special poetry slam created by Arantza and Ale, as they say:

"June is what happens when anxiety takes a break. The soul-crushing weight of exams a distant memory, and the whirlwind of festival season still just a dot on the vast blue horizon. Your hosts have been on many adventures, travelling far and wide in search of True Chill™. We think we caught glimpses of it on a Leith mural, and behind a palm tree at the Botanics. It snuck up on us during a nap on a sunlit pier in Fife. With its gifts of ocean spray and ice coffees, True Chill™ appeared, in neon orange sunglasses and a striped shirt. Total happiness found, it seemed. And yet, our fingers itched. Something was missing. Poetry. The final, perfect addition to an endless summer..."

roots gallery is proud to present a series of works by Valér Fekete (aka sior) and Vicente Aguado dealing with money, politics and power in contemporary society. curated by chema rodriguez (aka polksnan)

opening June 15th @ 6pm, open 10am-11pm every day after that, until July 1st

On the 2nd and 3rd of June, the Meadows will transform into festival land. The Forest will be running a stage and bar area. Come visit us to frolic in the sun, dance to an exquisite selection of live music and drink beer or lemonade.

★ LIVE MUSIC ★ ALCOHOLIC AND NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ★ LEMONADE STAND ★ FACEPAINTING ★ ACRO WORKSHOP AND WALKABOUT (Sunday) ★ LIFE DRAWING BY RECONFIGURE (Sunday) ★ VEGETARIAN FOOD ★ FOREST VIBES

Line-up (exact times TBA)

Saturday, 2nd of June

Sangeet Edinburgh Collective Caro Bridges and The River Snuff Funs Ferramoans Edinburgh Noise Committee Heavy Pelvis Portnawak and the Woo Exterior

Sunday, 3rd of June

Hat Sessions Kuchke Gallo Rojo BassFace Voicex The Murderburgers The Badwills