5 FAB excuses to drop by Coburg House Christmas Open Studios in Edinburgh this Winter!
Think Christmas shopping. In fact shopping in general.
Do you find it stressful? Impersonal? Can never find anything different? Are you unhappy with the quality and sustainability of products that you do find?
Have you thought about, or even heard about Open Studios?
This is where you can visit the studio or workshop and meet the maker where the work is created.
Still not convinced?
Read on and I’ll give you 5 (and there are loads more) reasons why you should be visiting and shopping at Coburg Open Studios!
1. You get to see behind the scenes.
Everyone loves a wee snoop around other people’s stuff, and open studios are great for this!
Our big colourful shutters are closed a lot of the time and I know lots of you are very curious as to what happens behind them!
It’s not very often that the studio doors are open, so get in there!!!
We will tidy up for you coming. I think if you saw the studios in their full working state it might be a step too far! It really can get messy around here! But you will still find loads of behind-the-scenes stuff that you generally never get to see.
You can see work in progress, tools, workbenches, and snippets of inspiration and more. But best of all, you get to meet and talk to the actual person/ artist who makes the work! You just don’t get that in a normal shop environment!
2. You will find and can commission unique pieces
At our open studios, there are over 50 artists and makers who take part. You’ll be amazed at what you will discover here.
Jewellery, textiles, painting, ceramics, silversmithing, knitwear, box making, illustration and loads more. But even if you can’t find what you’re after, you can always commission one of the artists or makers to create you what you want in their style!
You can work with the maker to get a one-of-a-kind piece that nobody else will have, know who it’s made by and where it’s come from.
That’s proper exclusive shopping!
3. You’ll be supporting small local businesses
You wouldn’t think it but within Coburg House, there are up to 70 artists running their own creative businesses. And most of them are women!
Here are a few faces from behind those studio doors that you would be meeting and supporting!
4. We have the best opening nights!
Our open studios always go off with a BANG!
The doors get thrown open on Friday night at 6 pm and we’re ready in our studios for the crowds to visit! On the way in you can have a browse around our gorgeous shop and gallery space before you grab yourself a drink from one of our local sponsors Leith Spirits and Moonwake Beer. You’ll also be welcomed in by the sounds of William Ancell on his acoustic guitar.
I mean, there’s Open Studios, and then there’s Coburg House Open Studios!
You can then spend the evening wandering around the 4 floors, chatting with the artists, finding new exciting work and soaking in the atmosphere!
5. It’s a very relaxed, friendly shopping environment.
In comparison to the Friday night ‘party’ vibe of open studios, Saturday and Sunday days are much more relaxed and the perfect chance for you to potter around the studios in your own time. This is the opposite of Christmas shopping in towns.
No stress, no rubbish Christmas music (well not in every studio 🤣 I can’t guarantee I won’t be playing Mariah Carey… ) and no Christmas tatt that will end up in the bin anyway!
Here you’ll find interesting chat and beautiful handmade work, and it’s all under one roof, so no need to brave the cold Scottish weather between ‘shops’.
There’s time to chat with the artists and find out more about their processes, and inspirations and find some unique things to take home with you, whether they are presents to put under the Christmas tree or treats for yourself!
If you need a break, because there is a LOT to see, we have our pop-up cafe by Domenico’s which serves the most amazing sandwiches and cakes, you won’t be disappointed!
Hopefully, now you can see what the fuss is all about, and you’ve got the dates booked into your diaries!
FRIDAY 1ST DEC - 6 PM TILL 9 PM
SATURDAY 2ND DEC - 10 TILL 5 PM
SUNDAY 3RD DEC- 10 TILL 5 PM
Open Studios are a really special event.
As artists and makers, we get to show you our working environment and explain our ideas and processes to you.
As a buyer, you get to see behind the scenes and find out exactly where your goods are coming from and who’s made them.
I know you’ll be visiting, just make sure you bring your friends and your wallet you won’t be leaving empty-handed!
Have a wee browse on the online shop before you visit to get yourself prepared!
You can also follow the build-up to the event on my IG stories too!
And on that note, I’ll leave you there to go and organise and make!!!
KAZ x