Friday October 16th 2026
A participant performs poetry as part of Gorebridge Community Trust’s free ‘Our Place’ creative arts programme.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
A Midlothian charitable organisation has begun a programme of creative activities creating an opportunity for the local community to have better access to the arts.
Gorebridge Community Trust’s ‘Our Place’ programme aims to encourage and celebrate participation in artistic activities and to recognise the importance in fostering connections, enabling self-expression and community building.
The programme started in January 2026 and will be running until at least December 2027, with funding from Inspiring Scotland through theirCreative Communities’ grant. Classes on stand-up comedy, film-making, visual art, and poetry amongst many other disciplines have been delivered at the Gorebridge Beacon community hub by our fantastic group of tutors, with each course culminating in an opportunity to perform or exhibit.
Operations Manager at Gorebridge Beacon, Derek Gray, explained:
“Our Place is an exciting opportunity for the local community to get involved in a creative activity that they might have always wanted to try but faced barriers of cost, transport or accessibility. From comedy to art, poetry to filmmaking, Our Place has something for everyone. And thanks to support from Inspiring Scotland, it’s all free!”
The Autumn workshops, which began in early October, end with performances at our Christmas Cabaret events on the 4th and 5 th December, which forms part of our ‘Winter Fest 26’ event schedule.
‘Our Place’ is gathering momentum and the Gorebridge Beacon aims to continue to support creative ideas and bring them to life. For example, the Autumn filmmaking class is making a mockumentary film based on one of the comedy workshop participants.
Participants have praised the programme with one explaining: “I learned that I am far more resilient than I give myself credit for. I also discovered that some of the most difficult experiences in life can become powerful stories when shared in the right way.”
Another said: “I’ve loved every class that I have been to, it’s more than met my expectations. I never ever thought I’d see the day I was standing on stage reading poetry.”
The Gorebridge Beacon said the ‘Our Place’ programme was designed to give local people the opportunity to explore their creativity, develop new skills and share ideas. Activities range from art, dance and drama to photography, creative writing, filmmaking and stand-up comedy, with support from Gorebridge Community Development Trust to help participants bring their ideas to life.
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