Since 2018, Collective – an internationally recognised contemporary art gallery – has been custodian of these unique buildings which have played a pivotal role in the development of Edinburgh. Perched atop Calton Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the City Observatory complex is held in the common good and was reopened by Collective in 2018 as a space for contemporary art with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Creative Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council.
Dating back to the 1770s, these buildings are significant landmarks in the history of scientific discovery, socio-economic change, and architectural development. The project provides an opportunity to unpack the site’s lesser-known histories. This funding from the Heritage Fund will open up access to Collective’s 350,000 annual visitors to discover these stories. Crucially, the funding will also encourage local community groups to access the heritage of the site.
The project will enable audiences to access the heritage through improved signage and a new website, which will share the historic stories of our site. A Community Programme Producer will be appointed to lead community-facing events, acting as an advocate for heritage and engagement across the organisation and in the community. Their work will include research and collaboration with local groups, culminating in a series of creative pilot projects that explore the site’s rich history.
In the long-term, the project will lay the groundwork for deeper public understanding of the City Observatory’s heritage. By co-developing programming with local groups, we ensure our heritage work responds to the needs and interests of our local communities.
Keep up to date with the project by following us on Instagram (@collective_edin) and signing up our newsletter (at the bottom of this page).
Sorcha Carey, Director of Collective, said: “We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we can bring to light the fascinating stories of these unique buildings we are lucky to call home. We can’t wait to welcome our local community up the hill to explore the histories that matter most to them, and to share this heritage more widely with online audience through a new, accessible website.”
Notes to Editors
Address and Opening Hours
Collective, City Observatory, 38 Calton Hill, EH7 5AA
Open Wednesday – Sunday, 10am–5pm | Currently closed for winter until 6 March 2026
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That’s why as the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
Over the next 10 years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.
heritagefund.org.uk
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund
About Collective Gallery
Collective Gallery is a free contemporary art centre that brings creative new perspectives to the city of Edinburgh.
Situated in a heritage observatory, Collective Gallery develops and presents world-class exhibitions, events, workshops and discussions from ground-breaking local and international artists. We run artist-led activities for young people, as well as the sector-leading development programme for early-career artists, Time + Space.
Founded in 1984 as an artist-run initiative, Collective Gallery now runs from our home on Edinburgh’s iconic Calton Hill.
www.collective-edinburgh.art
Funders and Supporters
Collective is supported by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council.
