Transforming Lives through Sustainable Creativity
Art Buds Collective is a social enterprise dedicated to the delivery of sustainable arts education in nature for children. Our classes for young people and adults promote sustainability, celebrate the creative journey and inspire the protection of our planet.
By booking an Art Buds class or workshop, you are directly supporting our work to bring the enormous benefits of making art in nature to children and families from areas of socioeconomic deprivation.
Summer Workshops
Creative Families 2-4 Years
Join Poppy for 90 minutes of creativity, exploration and play in nature. Children aged 20 months - 4 years are invited to bring along one of their favourite adults, for some hands-on, messy making in beautiful Holyrood Park. Every session will explore a different creative process, so why not book them all!
Venue: Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
Dates: Thursday 7 July and Thursday 28 July
Time: 10.30am-12pm
Cost: £7/12/15 per class (bring a grown up for free)
To improve access for all, Art Buds Collective operates a fair payment system
Creative Explorers 4-10 Years
Join us for a 2-hour sustainable art workshop in nature. Children aged 4-10 years are invited to explore their own creativity and curiosity, under the careful guidance of experienced Artist Educators. Expect to learn new art skills, create something amazing and have a lot of fun outdoors!
Age: 4-10
Venue: Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
Dates: Thursday 7 July
Time: 2-4pm
Cost: £12/18/23
To improve access for all, Art Buds Collective operates a fair payment system
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2-Day Art & Drama 5-12 Years
Join Poppy and Julie for a 2-day outdoor exploration of theatre skills and costume design. Taking inspiration from nature and our favourite Scottish myths and legends, we will create stories that connect past and present and imagine a more sustainable future. Participants will get a chance to share their unique performance on the final day.
Age: 5-12
Venue: Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
Dates: Tuesday 26 July and Wednesday 27 July (2 days)
Time: 11am-3pm
Cost: £100/80/60
To improve access for all, Art Buds Collective operates a fair payment system
Eco Printing in Nature
Eco printing is a technique that transfers plant colour and shape onto cloth or paper using steam. Experience the magic of dyeing with nature, learn about the history and alchemy of natural dyeing and create lasting eco prints to take home. This very special workshop will be led by textile artist, India Wills from @wild_hues, and is an opportunity for families and friends to create together.
Age: 8+
Venue: Easter Craiglockhart Woods, Lockharton Crescent, EH14 1AX
Dates: Monday 25 July
Time: 1.30-4pm
Cost: £40/35/22
To improve access for all, Art Buds Collective operates a fair payment system
Term Time Classes
Art Buds Holyrood Park
Our Friday afternoon classes are designed to engage young people aged 4-10 in exploration, adventure and art making. These popular sessions will spark curiosity in the natural world and joy in artistic process. To join our waitlist for the autumn term, please follow the link below.
Venue: Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
Day: Friday
Time: 2-3.30pm
Cost: £7/£12/£15 per class
To improve access for all, Art Buds Collective operates a fair payment system
Art Buds at the Beach
What better way to wind down at the end of the week than by the sea? Our Friday afternoon beach sessions are suitable for children aged 2-12 and offer a mix of creative projects, environmental learning and free exploration, under the careful guidance of experienced Artist Educators. Our early sessions are a chance for young children to create and explore with parents/carers.
To book, follow the link below. Children are welcome to join these sessions at any point in the term.
Venue: Portobello Beach
Day: Fridays until 24 June
1-2.30pm - for children aged 2-4 and their close adults
2.45-4.15pm - for children aged 5-12
Cost: £7/£12/£15 per class
To improve access for all, Art Buds Collective operates a Fair Payment system
Art Buds Saturday in the Woods
Our popular Saturday sessions are now weekly! Join us for creative adventures in the beautiful setting of Craiglockhart Woods. During these fun and friendly outdoor sessions, we invite children to forage, explore and make together, before gathering around the fire to share our creations.
Venue: Craiglockhart Woods, Edinburgh
Day: Saturdays
Time: 10.30am-12.00 midday (for ages 4-8) or 1.30pm-3.00 pm (for ages 6-12)
Cost: £7/£10/£15 per class.
To improve access for all, Art Buds Collective operates a fair payment system
Art Bubs Creative Families
Our Tuesday and Friday morning classes are a time for little ones to create and explore with their families and carers. Combining storytelling, play, making and discovery in the outdoors, this session will spark curiosity in the natural world and joy in artistic process.
Age: 20 months - 4 years
Venue: Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
Tuesdays 10-10.45am
Fridays 10-10.45am or 11-11.45am
Cost: £4/£5/£7 per class.
To improve access for all, Art Buds Collective operates a fair payment
Photo by Alyssa Parker
School Opportunities
Sciennes Primary Art Club
Open to children in P1-5 attending Sciennes Primary, Edinburgh, Art Buds After School Club takes place in the school's nature strip. Join us for outdoor creating, building, painting and sculpting every Tuesday! To set up something similar at your school or nursery or to find our more about our bespoke 'Schools Workshops', get in touch. To book a place at the Sciennes club, contact us directly using the form below.
Venue: Sciennes Primary, Edinburgh
Day: Tuesdays
Time: 3.30-5pm
Cost: £8.50 per class
(please contact the school directly if your require financial support with payment - this can be arranged)
Art Buds Home Educators
If you are a Home Educator and know a group of children who would be interested in a bespoke Art Buds Collective workshop, please get in touch. Our Home Educator sessions allow children aged 5-12 to explore process art in the outdoors with a strong environmental focus. Art Buds Collective classes are led by experienced Artist Educators and support curriculum learning across a wide range of subjects.
Please email us at artbudsedinburgh@gmail.com for more information.
Our Values
We believe every human has the right to create, and that we must work to remove the barriers that exist to creative engagement.
We actively promote exploration of artistic process as a means to improve wellbeing and increase our understanding of the world.
We are committed to celebrating multiple points of view and strive for inclusion across race, gender, age, religion, identity and experience.
We are committed to protecting the natural environment and putting sustainability at the heart of our art-making.
We believe in nurturing and respecting individuals on their creative journey through a person led approach.
We believe in celebrating kindness and engaging curiosity every day.
Work with us
Are you an artist educator with a passion for engaging curiosity and creativity?
Art Buds Collective is always looking for dynamic teachers to join our team. If you are a freelance educator, working in the arts or outdoor education, interested in taking a more sustainable approach to creativity, get in touch!
Experience is preferred, but we do have opportunities for young people just starting their arts career to take on a mentored position. A willingness to work outdoors in all weathers is essential - if you haven't tried it, we highly recommend it!
CVs and bios should be sent for the attention of Sara, to artbudsedinburgh@gmail.com
We look forward to hearing from you.
Photo by Alyssa Parker
Contact Us
For more information about the work we do, or to book an Art Buds class, please drop us a message. We'd Love to hear from you!
