ASCUS Art & Science

ASCUS Art & Science We run a publicly accessible art science lab in Edinburgh that offers training on microbiology,

We believe the arts and sciences are innovative fields that benefit from exposure to a diversity of ideas. We want to foster unconventional thinking and build appreciation for, and participation in, the intersections between art, science, and related fields. As a leading advocate for art and science collaboration, we connect artists and scientists and facilitate the exchange of ideas. Our platform creates new opportunities for involving arts professionals and scientists with the aim of reaching new and wider audiences. In addition, our ASCUS Lab is the only publicly accessible lab in the UK where artists, designers, scientists and members of the public can have access to scientific equipment and get hands on experience in a real lab.

While making this blossom agar art, I had a few uninvited guests join in. 🌸Those tiny dotted paths you can see? Not inte...
06/10/2026

While making this blossom agar art, I had a few uninvited guests join in. 🌸

Those tiny dotted paths you can see? Not intentional. They're mites mostly travelled from one of our potted plants.

Working with living materials is always a little unpredictable. You make your plans, but the tiny organisms have plans of their own. You learn to pause, appreciate and wonder, and you realise you're not working on the material so much as with it.

A reminder that when we work with living systems, we're always part of a much bigger collaboration. 🦠🌱

Only a few spots left for our Agar Art Workshop on 8th October. Book your place via the link in our bio.

Image credits - Sanika Pradhan

There are endless possibilities for creating your very own microbial postcards through agar art.Based in the heart of Ed...
30/09/2026

There are endless possibilities for creating your very own microbial postcards through agar art.

Based in the heart of Edinburgh, at ASCUS we’re always inspired by the changing seasons, the city’s landscapes, and the creativity they bring with them all year round. 🌱🧫🎨

Join us for our PAINT WITH BACTERIA Workshop and explore how microbes as a medium to paint with.
Come create, experiment and see what grows!

Book your spot today, link in Bio!

Image credit : Sanika Pradhan
This is day 2 after inoculation of bacteria on an agar petri plate.

We had so much fun last night at our Bioyarn workshop facilitated by Charlotte Willoughby and in collaboration with the...
18/09/2026

We had so much fun last night at our Bioyarn workshop facilitated by Charlotte Willoughby and in collaboration with the ASCUS Team!😍

Thank you to everyone who came along! From weaving, knitting, crochet, sculpture making, sewing, beading and all crafts in between, the creativity of all the participants was amazing to see!🪡🧶

We're really excited to run this workshop again, so if you missed out this time round, watch this space! 👀

🌿 NEW WORKSHOP!Ever wanted to experiment with yarn made from seaweed-derived materials? Now is your chance!🪡Behind the s...
04/09/2026

🌿 NEW WORKSHOP!
Ever wanted to experiment with yarn made from seaweed-derived materials? Now is your chance!🪡

Behind the scenes, scientists and crafters and Charlotte Willoughby have been working with the ASCUS team to develop a new workshop exploring the creative possibilities of sodium alginate fibres - a seaweed-derived material that can be transformed into fibre and yarn.

Come along to ASCUS Lab to learn how it works, get hands-on with the material, and experiment with knitting, crochet, macramé and your own ideas.

No previous experience needed - just curiosity and a willingness to experiment!

📅 17 September 2026
🕡 18:30–20:00
📍 ASCUS Lab, Summerhall, Edinburgh

Spaces are limited — book your place via the link in bio.

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18/08/2026

We had the chance to be part of •~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~•’s final goodbye at Glasgow Tramway, hosting a microscopy session and creating mini self-contained ecosystem bottles for everyone to take home. Each “family pond” ecosystem will continue to develop into its own living artwork, a small part of the •~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~•.

It’s been a real pleasure to be involved in this project from the very beginning, from building a live microscope for the pond to conducting this final workshop.

Looking forward to seeing •~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~•'s journey ahead✨

Nucleation Lab collaborated with us for a Biophotography workshop, and what a lovely session it was! 🧫🎨Artist- Photograp...
28/07/2026

Nucleation Lab collaborated with us for a Biophotography workshop, and what a lovely session it was! 🧫🎨

Artist- Photographer imogenhero walked participants through her process, sparking great discussions and ideas along the way and everyone left with amazing photographs of their films and happy faces to match.

Collaborations like this are a reminder of what's possible in our BSL-1 lab space, from hands-on workshops to interactive sessions with experimental artists.

If you're an artist or organisation looking to host a session at ASCUS, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch!

Over the past few months, neuroscientist and artist, Julie Vallortigara Julie Vallortigara , used the ASCUS Lab to produ...
21/07/2026

Over the past few months, neuroscientist and artist, Julie Vallortigara Julie Vallortigara , used the ASCUS Lab to produce images looking down the microscope exploring seaweed, grown mushrooms, and the bacteria and yeast in kombucha tea. She also experimented with making a mask from the bacterial cellulose produced from the kombucha fermentation which was a highlight for us at ASCUS!🎭

Julie's next steps will be to match the images from the with texts she wrote during a series of workshops combining meditation and creative writing during Covid, and finalise a collection to be published.

"This has been an exciting process to reconnect with the lab environment where I used to work as a researcher, and being creative in that space playing with the elements, the equipment and benefiting from the support of the lab team" -Julie

15/07/2026

We're doing a bit of a lab clean at the and saw these beautiful fractal patterns from salt crystals on dried up agar plates. Of course, we had to do a time lapse under the polarising microscope 😍🔬

Got an idea you want to test?ASCUS offers flexible, day-by-day access to lab space in central Edinburgh.Whether you're d...
06/07/2026

Got an idea you want to test?

ASCUS offers flexible, day-by-day access to lab space in central Edinburgh.

Whether you're developing early ideas, exploring materials, or building something new — this is a space to begin.

Lab viewings start soon.

Follow the link in bio to register your interest.

Come be a part of our community and help us spread the word.
Have a project ? But not sure if it is a fit for our lab space?
Comment and DM us to find out how we can support you!

Looking forward to connecting with the early-stage innovators.💡

Last Saturday we had a wonderful morning at Edinburgh Printmakers facilitating a pilot workshop, The Chemistry of Printm...
02/07/2026

Last Saturday we had a wonderful morning at Edinburgh Printmakers facilitating a pilot workshop, The Chemistry of Printmaking, in collaboration with Dr Amanda Jarvis from .

Participants were both artists and scientists for the day, starting off by etching designs onto aluminium plates, followed by printing. They learnt from Dr Jarvis about the chemical changes that happen on a molecular level when aluminium is placed into the etching solution (copper sulfate in this case), including that hydrogen is produced, indicated by the characteristic "pop" test which was a highlight of the day!

The morning ended with a tour of the the Modern Alchemy exhibition by which inspired this workshop🧪🎨🎨

Address

Summerhall
Edinburgh
EH91PL

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 5pm
Tuesday 11am - 5pm
Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+447827039875

Website

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