Pianodrome

Musicians and bandmates Tim Vincent-Smith, 46, and Matthew Wright, 39, were horrified to discover that a growing number of acoustic pianos were ending up in landfill sites after being thrown away by their owners due to broken parts or general wear and tear.

Determined to find a new purpose for old pianos, the duo came up with the incredible idea of giving them a second life by reusing them to create sculptures, furniture and Pianodromes – amphitheatres built entirely from upcycled pianos. They bought a shipping container on a brownfields site in Edinburgh and started filling it with donated pianos.

Their first 100-seater venue created entirely from pianos was the Pianodrome at the Royal Botanic Garden in August 2018, for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. They welcomed over 18,000 visitors and received international acclaim for its inventive build. Since their first appearance, the Pianodrome has returned in different builds at various locations across the festival and across the city, enjoying performance residencies at venues including at the Old Royal High School last summer.

For over two months, they hosted a full spectrum of drop-in events, workshops and performances for all ages, abilities and cultural perspectives, taking a leading role in helping to re-establish the city’s former Royal High School building as an internationally important cultural hub. In collaboration with key community partners, spaces in and around the building became home to music, theatre, dance, spoken word and visual art with over 200 individual performances, and 120 different acts.