Texaport helps world-leading cultural destination

IT Services

Key overview

Industry: Performing Arts

Services

Managed networks

IT support

Resilient connectivity

Data cabling

High-speed fibre connectivity

The client

Edinburgh’s Summerhall is celebrated by The Guardian as “one of the world’s great arts venues.” This vibrant, multi-purpose campus is renowned for hosting a rich programme of visual and performing arts, festivals, workshops, weddings, and meetings.

Beyond being a cultural hotspot, Summerhall is home to over 100 businesses including arts charities, tech start-ups, a bar, café, brewery, and distillery and supports Techcube, an incubation space for emerging tech enterprises.

With several hundred artist studios and thousands of daily visitors, Summerhall is a dynamic environment where creativity and commerce meet.

Summerhall outside

“Summerhall is a large, complicated site. Our IT setup is absolutely vital to our day-to-day operations. Texaport have been consistently great at dealing with our requests, coming up with solutions for whatever we throw at them.”

Sam Gough CEO, Summerhall

The challenge

The diversity and scale of Summerhall’s operations posed a unique IT challenge. The venue required a network that could cater to both creative artists and high-traffic businesses, but its ageing infrastructure made integrating modern, high-performance connectivity a complex task.

With thousands of daily visitors and over 100 businesses, including creative studios, tech start-ups, and hospitality venues, relying on a seamless network, even a brief downtime could disrupt critical operations and adversely impact visitor experience and commercial activities.

To meet these demands, the solution needed to provide seamless Wi-Fi across public spaces and studios while also delivering robust, wired connections for companies managing heavy online traffic. Moreover, during peak times such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival thousands of users flood the campus, further stressing the network.

Summerhall wedding

The solution

Texaport partnered closely with Summerhall to design and implement an IT system that addressed these challenges without compromising on performance or security. The solution began with laying robust network cabling throughout the campus, ensuring that every business had access to high-performance wired connections.

Recognising the need for extensive wireless coverage, Texaport deployed over 70 Wi-Fi access points across the venue, guaranteeing strong signals from the secluded artist studios to the bustling event spaces. Key technical achievements included:

Scalable Connectivity

With over 35 network switches distributing the network, every corner of the campus benefits from reliable coverage.

Optimised Performance

Load balancing across two redundant fibre optic connections ensures smooth operation even under peak loads.

Customised Security

Each tenant receives secure, dedicated network segments through custom VLANs and SSIDs, while a network-based access control system and CCTV installations provide robust safety measures.

Beyond the initial installation, Texaport’s IT support edinburgh services offer ongoing maintenance and strategic support, ensuring that Summerhall’s IT infrastructure evolves alongside its growing needs.

"If the Wi-Fi goes down for even a moment this would be an immediate risk to our operations. We're lucky that Texaport are always available to provide support whenever we need it. That, and they're nice people to work with"

Sam Gough CEO, Summerhall

The results

The comprehensive IT overhaul has transformed Summerhall’s digital landscape. The campus now enjoys reliable, high-speed connectivity that supports both creative endeavours and commercial activities, even during the busiest events.

Thousands of daily users benefit from the consistent performance of both wired and wireless networks, while the secure network management protects sensitive data across the site.

Enhanced security features provide peace of mind for tenants and visitors alike, ensuring that the venue remains a safe space for creativity and innovation. With Texaport’s continuous support and guidance, Summerhall is well-equipped to maintain its status as a leading cultural destination where technology and community converge seamlessly.