At boom saloon, we’re incredibly privileged to collaborate with a community of hundreds of talented creatives all around the world, stretching from Ecuador to Egypt, China to Canada, Austria to Angola. Our strong relations have afforded us a wealth of insider insights into the best places to visit, eat and stay, all around the world. Now, we want to share this information with you as we work with our community to map the world and share their best recommendations of how to enjoy destinations both near and far. Our version of a city guide, delivered interactively and in real time – curated for all to enjoy and presented as a savable Google Map for our members to save and bookmark a wealth of future adventures.

Sierra Metro, our much loved home, is a bustling creative hub in Edinburgh – complete with gallery, café, artist studios and creative workspace. Since opening, it has established itself as a meeting point for creative practitioners from various industries to gather, work and collaborate; as well as a platform for amplification of the countless artists whose work has left a lasting impression on Sierra Metro’s gallery walls.

The spirit and essence that permeates the building, along with its inhabitants, has proved vital to the creative connection so essential to producing great work. This led us to question – on a planet of over 8 billion people, where are the sister spaces connected on the metaphysical ley lines of similar creative energies? Where else might people gather to benefit from this crossover, and where could we find a home [albeit temporary] whilst far from home? 

To answer these questions, we turned to the Sierra Metro community themselves; what follows is a rundown of their top creative spaces, as visited and enjoyed in person.

Janine Matheson_ Director of Sierra Metro. A freelance Creative Producer and Curator, Janine has a sixth sense for understanding and nurturing creative communities. 

01_Nova Iskra

Located in the heart of Belgrade, Nova Iskra nurtures a welcoming community of creatives within a beautiful co-working space. A part of the European Creative Hubs Network, the space has its own rooftop garden that, during the day, serves as a calming green space to remote work from; at night, it comes alive with vibrant happenings and events.

02_Macura Museum

Also found in Belgrade, the Macura Museum is home to a private art collection and picturesque garden for outdoor dining. An ‘institution entrusted with the task of preserving, studying and exhibiting art and historical objects’ belonging to the founder, Vladimir Macura, this must-visit venue provides the perfect spot to unwind after a busy day in the Nova Iskra co-working space.

03_Category is Books

An Independent Queer and LGBT Bookshop in Glasgow, Category is Books is run by Fionn and Charlotte Duffy-Scott. Opened in 2018, the shop is a beautiful, welcoming and safe space to be inspired and find great books for both adults and children. They operate a pay it forward scheme to further encourage reading and have hosted spoken word events and community meetups which are ever popular, for good reason.

Sarah Calmus_ Artist and Producer Sarah calls Sierra Metro home, splitting her time across a number of projects having recently completed her seat as President of Visual Arts Scotland. 

04_Universitat Politecnica de Valencia

Within the Technical University of Valencia you’ll find something very special – an art studio in a converted warehouse, complete with workspaces, kitchen lounge and gallery wall hanging space. Featuring works from the likes of PichiAvo, it presents the perfect place to work hard before showing off the fruits of your labour in all their glory.

Gael Welstead_ Gael is a Senior Human Centred Designer based in Sierra Metro.  

05_The Tara Building

The Tara Building stands out amongst the bustling streets of Dublin, not only for its vibrant geometric exterior, but because of what it offers to the residents of the city: exceptional meeting rooms and co-working spaces with a truly top-class events space. A strong contender for the best rooftop terrace in all of Dublin, The Tara Building is the best place to soak up the views of the River Liffey and the busy streets below whilst taking a break from your creative pursuits.

06_Maui

On the sun-baked streets of Barcelona, Maui stands out as a place for creatives to flock to as the perfect base. Offering an eclectic mix of watercolour, yoga and life drawing classes, as well as relaxed co-working and in-house masseuse visits, Maui is perfectly positioned to meet all creative needs and encourage development within a connected community. It is truly one of the most perfect places to explore creative ideas.

Domi Severyniuk_ Sierra Metro’s resident barista, Domi is also a trained artist with years of experience working across coworking spaces.

07_Custom Lane

From humble beginnings, Sierra Metro’s closest sister space has grown to serve as a true anchor of Leith’s burgeoning creative industries. A ‘collaborative centre for design and making,’ Custom Lane combines art gallery, coffee shop and events space with desk space – home to a broad array of architects, jewellers, makers and more. The community comes together to breathe life into this iconic building, creating a bubbling centre of creative energy and output.