Starcatchers are excited to announce they are launching a new Baby Studio space in Westside Plaza.
Continuing our ambition to become a fully-embedded part of the Wester Hailes community, we’re very excited to be opening our new ‘Baby Studio’ space in the heart of Westside Plaza. Starcatchers’ Baby Studio will be a new, dedicated space for wee ones and their families in Wester Hailes.
As part of our 15th birthday actions in 2021, Starcatchers made the decision to embed the organisation in Wester Hailes and move into a new office space at Whale Arts. Since then, we’ve run pop-up events throughout Wester Hailes, in partnership with organisations and early years settings, and began our popular weekly Starcatchers Saturdays sessions at Westside Plaza’s Community Wellbeing Collective.
Through their contact with families and early years practitioners around the area, Starcatchers artists Kerry Cleland and Katy Wilson noted that one of the central gathering points for the community was Westside Plaza. After a bit of creative thinking, the idea of a dedicated baby studio space was born.
Katy and Kerry said,
We wanted to create a play space, where people can come to connect, to have a good time together, to feel inspired, relaxed and cared for – we will create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere led by the creative interests of those who use it . The space will change all the time – it will transform and bring energy and ideas”
Through Outer Spaces, an organisation working to build an alternative infrastructure for the arts, we were able to transform a once-empty shopping unit in Westside Plaza into the welcoming Baby Studio. This space will be a central point for families in the community to come and enjoy free creative play activities together with their wee ones, including Starcatchers Saturdays and pop-up play events.
Starcatchers’ Chief Executive, Rhona, said
The creation of our new baby Studio in the heart of the Wester Hailes community means we can get to know local families better and explore what they really need. We’re delighted to keep building our relationship with the local community and bring creative experiences to families and their babies in and around Wester Hailes.
The Starcatchers Baby Studio is located on the ground floor of Westside Plaza, opposite the dental practice, and at the back of the centre by the escalator.
Starcatchers Saturdays, our free creative play sessions for families with wee ones birth – 5 years in Wester Hailes, is currently running at the space. Watch this space for more creative events popping up soon. We can’t wait to welcome families into our space!
