Collective observations

Collective Gallery at the City Observatory will partially reopen to the public from Thursday 9 July.

The outdoor grounds and viewing platform will be open to visitors and the takeaway coffee kiosk will serve drinks, snacks and picnic food to enjoy in the picturesque surroundings on top of Calton Hill.

A series of works by Tessa

Lynch, Turns, will be on view. Tessa collaborated closely with landscape architects Harrison Stevens to develop the communal seating areas throughout Collective, where visitors are invited to congregate and reflect. Observers Walks and trails for families can be downloaded from Collective's website. This is a series of audio guides created by artists including Ruth Ewan, Patrick Staff and Tris VonnaMichell, all to be listened to in situ. In the Hillside space, the shop, Collective Matter, will re-open in a new pop-up form, showcasing items for sale from artists and makers.

Collective will aim to re-open Julijonas Urbonas’ exhibition ‘Planet of People’ in the City

Dome from August, with the re-opening of the City Observatory and a return to a full exhibition programme in the autumn. The restaurant, Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage, is ready to reopen as soon as Scottish Government guidelines allow.

Kate Gray, Collective Director, said: “The path back to normality will be challenging to navigate for us and many other charities and small businesses whose revenue has been hit hard in the past few months. As custodians of the site ‘in the common good’ it is in that spirit that we ask you to work with us to bring it back to life."

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