Scene4 Magazine | Qué Pasa

New megavenue C SoCo is set to accelerate the rejuvenation of Edinburgh¹s Old Town this summer The world was watching when, on 7 December 2002, flames engulfed the creative heart of Edinburgh¹s Old Town. Five years on the artistic legacy of this area will be acknowledged in a new venture from Festival force C venues.
Ahead of the hotly anticipated SoCo redevelopment by Whiteburn Projects, the block spanning Chambers Street, South Bridge and Cowgate will be reborn as a major arts complex for Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2007. C venues have an unrivalled track record as venue producers in Edinburgh. Their proven innovation in the construction of temporary performance spaces has born diverse productions across Edinburgh.
Based next to their powerhouse theatre complex on Chambers Street, the new seven-storey megavenue C SoCo will capitalise on C venues¹ position as the most central performance spaces in the Festival city. As a result Edinburgh¹s ancient gateway, Cowgate, will once again welcome travellers from across the country ­ and beyond.
Hartley T A Kemp, Director of C venues, said: ³The SoCo site has long stood as our neighbour representing pure performance potential. We are excited to have this opportunity to realise a truly comprehensive theatre complex in the centre of Edinburgh. Each year we welcome companies from across the world. C SoCo, together with our four established venues, will be a fitting home for their work at CtheFestival 2007.² Whiteburn¹s chief executive John Shepherd said "We¹re very excited at the prospect of the SoCo site becoming home to one of the top Festival venues this summer. The Cowgate has obviously had a long association with the Fringe ­ it¹ll be a good to see some activity on the site while we¹re working up our longer term development plans."
C SoCo will feature indoor and outdoor performance spaces, site-specific theatre, exhibitions and art installations, cafés and bars. The presence of the C and C SoCo adjoining each other on Chambers Street will place the SoCo site firmly on the map as the centre of the Edinburgh¹s cultural quarter. The C SoCo venue will run from 1­27 August as part of C venues¹ 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme.
For further information, comment and interview availability please contact Kieran Healey, Press and Marketing Manager, C venues telephone 0845 260 1060 / mobile 07792 948 216 / email press@cvenues.com