Please click here to dowbload a pdf copy of the November 2023 Newsletter….
Dear PCAA Members and Friends,
Hope this finds you keeping safe, dry and warm as we face the winter storms. We’re living in difficult times, and it’s important to balance our intake of troubling news with doing what we enjoy to keep mentally healthy. The PCAA has some lovely uplifting events for you in the weeks ahead to help take your mind off things. In this newsletter, we’re giving you updates and news about the PCAA calendar 2024, the Arts Centre café, the Penicuik Paper-Making film project, an offer of free chairs, and some community news from the Penicuik Heritage Regeneration Project.
First of all – What’s On?!
Art Exhibitions
During November and December, Jan Miller and friends will be exhibiting their popular “Friends in November” art and craft – ideal for those special Christmas presents!
Dates to note
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Sunday 5th November 2.00 – 4.00 pm: Free preview of the “Friends in November” exhibition. West Street Arts Centre. All welcome.
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Friday 10th November 7.30 – 9.30 pm: Storytelling Club at the Arts Centre. £5/£3 pay less. Tickets from the West Street Arts Centre café or online https://www.penicuikarts.org/shop/
The club will be hosted by Ruth Kirkpatrick, with very special guest Sef Townsend. Sef has been sharing stories all over the world for more than thirty years. We highly recommend this wonderful, cosy evening, warmed by our old fashioned coal fire. Not to be missed.
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Saturday 11th November 10.00 am – 2.45 pm: Sef Townsend’s storytelling workshop. £30/£10 pay less. Numbers are strictly limited so please book in advance by email (penicuikarts.org@gmail.com) or by text (0781 505 2929). This is for anyone interested in storytelling, and personally, I can’t wait! No pressure to do anything – come to just listen and learn if you prefer.
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Saturday 25th November 3.00 – 5.00 pm: Story Swap at the Arts Centre. £3. Numbers are strictly limited so please book in advance by email (penicuikarts.org@gmail.com) or by text (0781 505 2929). A gentle group for learning from each other, practicing our storytelling, and discussing different aspects of storytelling. No pressure to do anything – come to just listen and learn if you prefer.
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Sunday 26th November 3pm: ADLibitum Duo – our next classical concert. £15/£10 (pay less). Come and hear some thrilling music from accordionist Djorge Gajic and violinist Andrea Gajic. We’re privileged to have world class music on our doorstep, so do come and take up the opportunity on a cold winter’s afternoon in our cosy venue.
Programme:
A. Vivaldi: Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, “Spring” (La primavera)
A.Vivaldi: Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, “Winter” (L’inverno)
P. Sarasate: Spanish Dances, Op 22, No1 and Op 23, No2
A. Piazzolla Le Grand Tango
Interval
J.S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue d minor BWV 565
B. Bartok: Romanian Dances Sz.68
A. Arkhipovsky: Cinderella
P. Sarasate: Carmen Fantasy Op25
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Friday 8th December 7.30 – 9.30 pm: Storytelling Club at the Arts Centre. £5/£3 pay less. The club will be hosted by Ruth Kirkpatrick, with special guest Ronni Townsend. Ruth is plain brilliant, and Ronni is a hoot! Another wonderful, cosy evening, warmed by our old fashioned coal fire. Not to be missed. Tickets will be on sale about a month beforehand.
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Saturday 9th December 10.00 am – 2.45 pm: Ruth Kirkpatrick’s storytelling workshop. £30/£10 pay less. Numbers are strictly limited so please book in advance by email (penicuikarts.org@gmail.com) or by text (0781 505 2929). This is for anyone interested in storytelling, and Ruth is a marvellous workshop leader! No pressure to do anything – come to just listen and learn if you prefer.
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Hope to see you at one or more of our events soon!
Please continue reading below the posters for news of the PCAA calendar 2024, the Arts Centre café, the Penicuik Paper-Making film project, and community news from the Penicuik Heritage Regeneration Project.
Best wishes!
Sue
PCAA Calendar 2024
The selection of images for the calendar from this year’s Open Exhibition was made before the judging of the competitions, but no surprise that the Penicuik Turner and the People’s Choice Prize-winners entries were among those chosen! The calendar is now for sale at £15 from the Arts Centre café, from Pen-y-Coe press (7 Bridge Street) and online (https://www.penicuikarts.org/shop/). The PCAA makes a small profit on every sale. It’s a beautiful calendar and will make a lovely Christmas gift.
PCAA Café news
The café cooperative welcomes Ailsa McInroy as part of their team. Ailsa is very experienced and practical, she’s been covering lots of shifts, and has agreed to take on a role of responsibility as a “go-to” person and to keep an overview of café business. This has been much needed since Jenni Thomson stepped back from everything she was doing to start working in another job close to her heart (though she’s still baking for the café and helping with the finances). We’ll always be grateful to Jenni and she is still much missed in the café. We wish Ailsa all the best in her new role with us.
Current café opening times: Monday – Friday 10am to 3:30pm
Community Projects – Penicuik’s Paper-Making film
You may have been wondering what’s going on with this project? After an extremely difficult year for Gerda Stevenson during her husband’s illness and death, she wrote a fantastic film script. We worked together on a report for the first year of the film project grant, and were successful in obtaining the second year’s grant to actually make the film! We’re delighted – this will be a fantastic tribute to everyone who worked in the industry. We’ll keep you updated!
Free Chairs!
Back in the early summer months, we took advantage of an offer of second hand comfortable sturdy chairs from an Edinburgh church, in exchange for a donation. These are now in regular use in room 1 and we hope our room users and audiences are enjoying them. This leaves us with about 35 folding IKEA chairs to dispose of. Can you use any? We don’t expect payment, but as always, we’d appreciate a donation towards our ever increasing running costs. Please email penicuikarts.org@gmail.com or text 0781 505 2929 if you’re interested.
Our community and neighbours
The Penicuik Heritage Regeneration Project have been working hard on re-vamping lots of lovely old buildings in Penicuik, including our own Arts Centre. One of their latest projects is the Penicuik Heritage Trail. Work has been progressing on the trail and the plan is to launch it in the spring of next year. The trail will comprise:
* The restoration and conversion of the Hearse House in St Mungo’s churchyard to accommodate an exhibition about the history and heritage of the town with a model of the Clerk Mausoleum. This will act as a focal point for the trail.
* The installation of 6 interpretative panels in the town centre to highlight interesting historical facts about buildings and places
* The production of a leaflet to help guide people around the trail.
In order to secure the success of the trail we need volunteers who would be interested in developing a programme of guided walks/events and to look after the management of the trail and the Hearse House.
Rod Lugg is reaching out to local organisations and people to find willing volunteers to help. This will be a fantastic resource for Penicuik’s residents, and will hopefully attract visitors too.
Please contact penicuikarts.org@gmail.com if you’d like more information, or if you feel you’d like to join the team!
That’s all for now – looking forward to seeing you at upcoming PCAA events!