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Welcome to

Cygnets Art School

Edinburgh Portobello

We offer term-time classes, holiday workshops, private tuition, and birthday parties for children aged 5+. Our focus is on teaching traditional fine art skills—drawing, painting, and sculpture—through engaging, hands-on projects led by experienced artist-teachers.

Weekly classes

Looking for top-quality art classes for kids in Edinburgh Portobello? Cygnets Art School provides a welcoming and inspiring environment where children can explore their creativity while building professional-level art skills.

All Abilities

After-School & Weekend Classes for Ages 5+
Each term, students explore a new artistic theme while learning a variety of techniques and materials. Our all abilities classes are suitable for children from the age of 5 up to 12. 

St Margaret's House

Tuesday 16:00 - 17:15

Parent & Child

Monthly Fee

£45 / month

Trial lesson

£18

Location: St Margaret’s House (Studio 6.22), 151 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE

Wednesday 16:00 - 17:15

Parent & Child

Monthly Fee

£45/ month

Trial lesson

£18

Location: St Margaret’s House (Studio 6.22), 151 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE

Thursday 16:00 - 17:00

Monthly Fee

£45 / month

Trial lesson

£18

Location: St Margaret’s House (Studio 6.22), 151 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE

Saturday 10:00 - 11:00

Monthly Fee

£45 / month

Trial lesson

£18

Location: St Margaret’s House (Studio 6.22), 151 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE

Saturday 14:00 - 15:00

Monthly Fee

£45/ month

Trial lesson

£18

Location: St Margaret’s House (Studio 6.22), 151 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE

Intermediate Classes

Weekly term-time art class teaching step-by-step, traditional drawing, painting and sculpture. Unique projects; experienced teachers, and professional quality materials. Our 9-13 groups are slightly more advanced classes for students who wish to begin a more serious approach to art, potentially for scholarship application.

St Margaret's House

Saturday 11:30 - 13:00

Monthly Fee

£50/month

Trial lesson

£20

Location: St Margaret’s House (Studio 6.22), 151 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE

Adult Classes

Tuesday 19:00 - 21:00

Monthly Fee

£62.50 / month

Trial lesson

£25

Location: St Margaret’s House (Studio 6.22), 151 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE

Edinburgh Portobello Holiday Art Workshops

Creative Workshops for Ages 5+
Every half-term and school holiday, we run exciting one-off workshops where students learn new skills and complete a full art project in a single session.

Edinburgh Portobello | St Margaret’s House

October Half Term Workshops | Magic and Mischief

Tue 13 Oct – Thu 15 Oct

Supporting children and adults as they grow creatively is the heart of what I do.

Graeme & Natalie Mackay

Headteacher | Cygnets Art School Edinburgh Portobello

Meet Graeme and Natalie

Cygnets Art School Edinburgh Portobello, is run by husband-and-wife team Graeme and Natalie and is a dynamic and inspiring space for young artists in and around East Edinburgh. Our mission is to nurture creativity, build confidence and instill a love for fine arts in children.

Graeme’s passion for art led him to attend Leith School of Art during his spare time outside of a busy working life in retirement planning and investments. Over the past few years, he has run his own art club, supporting local budding artists with techniques and theory in drawing and painting. Their successful exhibitions and showings in local art centers attest to his dedication. During the challenges posed by Covid, Graeme decided to change career direction by focusing on being more creative in the arts space and taking time to support others who wished to do similar.

Natalie brings her leadership and coaching experience from a career in Financial Services and as a former Girl Guide leader. She loves encouraging children to express their creativity. Together with Graeme, she ensures that Cygnets Art School offers tailored lessons to suit all capabilities. From holiday workshops to private classes, we’re committed to fostering a lifelong love for art.

Our Teachers

Nat

Assistant/Administrator

Yvonne

Assistant

Jonathan

assistant

Edna

assistant

One-to-One Tuition & Portfolio Preparation

Private tuition available for ages 5+
Tailored one-to-one art lessons at home with an experienced artist-teacher. Ideal for scholarship applications, GCSE/A-Level preparation, or simply developing personal artistic skills.

Get in touch to check availability!

Private Art Classes & Parties

Custom art sessions for groups
Looking for a unique birthday party or a fun group activity? Our private art classes are fully flexible, providing all materials and expert guidance from our artist-teachers.

Contact us to arrange a private class or event!

What Parents Say about Cygnets Edinburgh Portobello

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Get in touch

If you’d like to find out more about the classes we run at Edinburgh Portobello – or would like to enquire about private tuition or parties. – you can send us a message here