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Native Edinburgh Announces Community Creation Initiative with £1000 Fund Now Open To Designers

Posted: 14th March 2022

Budding artists and designers now have the chance to make their mark on a historic building in Edinburgh, with a piece of their commissioned art set to be displayed in the lobby of aparthotel group Native Edinburgh as part of their refurbishment plans.

Bringing sustainability and a sense of local place into their renovations, the exciting new community collaboration sees Native Edinburgh supporting Scottish designers ahead of their relaunch in May as a lifestyle destination.

Launching today (Monday, 14th March) the new initiative will give local designers the chance to take home £1000, on top of having their commissioned art or designs on display and becoming part of the hotel interiors.

Native is calling out artists with a keen eye on sustainability using wood carving – modern or traditional in the creation of their aesthetic objects to apply to win the commission fund. This is a rare chance to be part of the aparthotel’s stylish decor, and any designers are encouraged to send fill out this form with Native choosing the first successful designer of the fund by March 31st.

The Native Community Creations campaign will see each of their aparthotels in the UK collaborate with designers, artists, suppliers to run year-long creative programming on property that supports creativity and sustainability.

Nestled in the original fabric of Edinburgh’s historic New Town, an area of outstanding neo-classical and Georgian architecture, and a UNESCO world heritage site, Native Edinburgh is ensuring their interiors are as beautifully adorned as their exteriors, with this new competition open to all designers in Edinburgh and beyond.

Awarded double gold from Greengage’s ECOsmart programme in 2021, Native has embraced a road to recovery that targets sustainable travellers and an eco-friendly approach to operations. Believing that by choosing sustainable accommodation you can, amongst other things, cut down your own carbon footprint without compromising on a comfortable and stylish stay, Native’s latest style elevation has even looked to the Scottish environment for inspiration.

With 82 apartments comprising studios, one bedrooms, and ground floor leisure, Native Edinburgh provides the flexibility and amenities of a design-led boutique hotel, coupled with the space, comfort and privacy of a home from home in the heart of the city.

Rani Saidi, head of marketing of Native Places UK said:

“Collaboration is part of our fabric here at Native. We are always championing the independents in the cities we feature, and it’s now time to shine the spotlight on creatives.

“This new community initiative will support designers across the UK in our properties, and in Edinburgh, we will be marking our refurbishment with a collaboration with a local designer.

“With a £1000 prize fund, we are inviting creatives across Scotland to apply to our fund and help us bring a sense of community to our lobby in Edinburgh.”

The Community Initiative Fund is now open to designers and artists. The fund will close on 31 March 2022, with one designer picked to receive £1000 and their work commissioned for Native Edinburgh. Apply now, enter here.

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Business Comment is the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’s bi-monthly magazine. It provides insight on Edinburgh’s vibrant business community, with features on the city’s key sectors, interviews with leading figures and news on new business developments in the capital.
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