PRESS RELEASE: Lease Terminated But The Forest Vows To Stay Open
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
25 MARCH 2011
The Forest, 3 Bristo Place, Edinburgh
http://www.theforest.org.uk
FOREST CAFE LEASE TERMINATED BUT THE CAFE VOWS TO STAY OPEN
The Forest Cafe, Edinburgh’s independent arts and community centre, has been told it must leave its current premises at 3 Bristo Place by 31 August, in a letter received this week from the Trustees of Edinburgh University Settlement (EUS). But the campaign to Save the Forest has vowed to continue its fight to stay at the current location in the old town.
The Forest has been running a high-profile campaign to raise funds to stay in the building since October 2010, when EUS, who owns the Forest’s premises at 3 Bristo Place, was declared bankrupt and forced into administration. As of today, over 1,200 people have pledged their support in the Save the Forest e-petition, and the Forest has raised over £20,000 towards the purchase of the building or future rent.
Harry Giles, Fundraising Officer for the Save the Forest Campaign, said:
“The building has not yet been sold, and we will have to prove that we are in a solid position to buy our current home. We know that whatever comes, we’ll keep the Forest alive. The Forest is important to the arts community in Edinburgh and Scotland, and it has had an extraordinary impact worldwide too, supporting artists, musicians and performers through their career. It means a great deal to the many volunteers who have contributed to it, and to the many artists and performers who got their start here. Our work has a vital and unique place in Edinburgh, and that needs to continue.”
Debbie Pearson, co-director of the award-winning Forest Fringe, recently lent her support to the campaign, saying:
“The Forest Cafe is one of those rare organisations left whose purpose is not personal or financial gain, but benefiting a community and its relationship to the arts. Even when the purse strings are tightest and the possibility for financial gain is greatest, the Forest Cafe prioritises its principles of being a free arts space for artists and the community.”
The Forest will still be organising and hosting art, music and theatre events though the festival season in Edinburgh - and from Friday 25 March the Forest with Ten Tracks will be presenting “Roofraiser”, with over a month of live music to Save the Forest. Shows will be hosted at The Forest and other venues throughout Edinburgh on Wednesday through Sunday evenings through 1 May. A schedule and further details can be found on The Forest web site at http://blog.theforest.org.uk.
BACKGROUND
The Forest is one of Edinburgh’s last remaining open-access multi-arts venues, and has become a multi-award-winning Fringe venue (The Forest Fringe). The volunteer-run charity operates 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 cafe. It has inspired like-minded projects and people all over the world, from Switzerland to Korea.
The Forest is not sponsored by the government, city council or the arts council. It has been been running a successful alternative business since it was established in August 2000, thanks to the commitment of a large and enthusiastic team of volunteers. It is a registered charity (SC038234), funded mainly by the Forest Cafe, and by the rental of facilities and the sale of books from Forest Publishing and music from Forest Records. In keeping with their ethos that art should be accessible, all of their events and workshops are free.
A detailed press pack about the Forest’s work is available at: http://www.theforest.org.uk/forestpresspack.pdf
Previous publicity and information about the campaign can be found at: http://blog.theforest.org.uk/savetheforest
CONTACT
The Forest, 3 Bristo Place, Edinburgh
http://www.theforest.org.uk
Harry Giles
Fundraising Officer / Media Contact
fundraising@theforest.org.uk
07766191817