Tag: artists

17th Edinburgh Art Festival draws to a close following ‘extremely successful’ return

Edinburgh Art Festival 2021 closed on Sunday 29 August, following an extremely successful return which saw the month-long programme of 35+ exhibitions programmed in partnership with the city’s visual art community secure hugely enthusiastic responses from audiences and critics alike.

Following cancellation of the 2020 edition as a result of the global pandemic, the 2021 edition returned to showcase Edinburgh’s vibrant year-round visual arts scene, with a programme which included major new commissions and premieres by leading Scottish, UK and international artists alongside support for early career artists.

Taking place at over 25 venues across the city, the programme also included a special programme of online events and presentations.

While the 17th edition of the festival has now drawn to a close, a selection of participating exhibitions across the capital continue their run into September and beyond, including the acclaimed Lessons of the Hour, from artist Isaac Julien, presented by the festival in partnership with National Galleries of Scotland – with its UK premiere continuing at Modern One until 10 October.

Sorcha Carey, Director of Edinburgh Art Festival said: ‘It felt so important to return this year, to play our part in supporting Scotland’s creative ecosystem after an exceptionally challenging time, as well as to offer a vital space for reflection, following the upheavals of the past year.

“The drive to make and enjoy art is something which, to paraphrase Frederick Douglass, is uniquely human – and as we come back together following long periods of isolation, separation, and uncertainty, it has been wonderful to cast a spotlight on this most human of activities.

“Throughout, our focus has been to find ways to safely reunite art with audiences, and while this has meant that festival venues have, of necessity, been welcoming smaller numbers of visitors, we know audiences have really valued the chance to return to galleries, to celebrate the extraordinary community of artists and freelancers on whom our creative ecosystem depends.”

Festival highlights included:

The festival-led programming featured major new commissions and presentations by leading international artists, including the UK & European premiere of Lessons of the Hour by Isaac Julien, a film celebrating the 19th century self-liberated freedom fighter Frederick Douglass, in partnership with National Galleries of Scotland; and two new festival co-commissions, with work by Sean Lynch casting a spotlight on Edinburgh’s public monuments and sculptures, in collaboration with Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop; and a sound installation by Emeka Ogboh with Talbot Rice Gallery at the Burns Monument, responding to the UK’s departure from the European Union.

This year the festival took a new approach, collaborating with Glasgow based artist, film-maker and programmer Tako Taal as Associate Artist who formed a response to the festival’s invitation to reflect on themes and ideas emerging from Isaac Julien’s work by in turn commissioning work by a new generation of artists living and working in Scotland: Chizu Anucha, Sequoia Barnes, Francis Dosoo, Thulani Rachia, Camara Taylor and Matthew Arthur Williams. 

The festival’s annual showcase supporting artists in the early stages of their careers to make and present new work returned – with Jessica Higgins, Danny Pagarani, Kirsty Russell and Isabella Widger invited to create new work for Platform: 2021 at Institut français d’Ecosse. 

Partner galleries across Edinburgh offered the chance to discover a new generation of artists, including the work of Satellite participant Alison Scott at Collective, Sekai Machache at Stills, Andrew Gannon at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and gobscure at Edinburgh Printmakers. 

Solo presentations across the capital included Christine Borland at Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Alberta Whittle and Rachel Maclean at Jupiter Artland, Frank Walter at Ingleby Gallery, Ian Hamilton Finlay at The City Art Centre, Sonia Mehra Chawla at Edinburgh Printmakers, Jock McFadyen at Dovecot Studios, a major exhibition by the artist Karla Black for the newly developed and reopened Fruitmarket and Alison Watt at Scottish National Portrait Gallery. 

This year’s edition also featured important retrospectives and major survey shows including The Galloway Hoard: Viking-age Treasure at National Museum of
Scotland, Victoria & Albert: Our Lives in Watercolour at The Queen’s Gallery and Archie Brennan at Dovecot Studios. 

Edinburgh’s commercial galleries presented a richly diverse offering including a new group show from Arusha Gallery and Ella Walker, Shaun Fraser and Will Maclean at The Fine Art Society, Leon Morrocco at Open Eye Gallery and the centenary of the birth of Joan Eardley, marked with an extensive new show at The Scottish Gallery.

Alongside exhibitions across the capital, this year saw the return of Art Late, the festival’s celebrated evening culture-crawls across the programme featuring exhibition tours, artist talks, workshops and unique performances, now digitally reimagined to allow wider audiences to engage with the festival.

The online programme also presented a series of Artist in-conversation events, with Isaac Julien, Sean Lynch, Emeka Ogboh and Associate Artist Tako Taal and the project’s invited artists, each discussing their work – all of which can still be watched on our website through our Event Archive.

For more information, please visit www.edinburghartfestival.com or follow the festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @EdArtFest #EdArtFest.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021: A Fringe that will go down in history and help guide our future

After an extraordinary 25 days, the 2021 Edinburgh Festival Fringe has drawn to a close, having brought artists, arts industry, media and audiences together once again to celebrate the magic of live performance.

This year, the Fringe looked very different. For the first time, audiences were able to engage with work both online and in-person, with performers, creators and producers embracing new ways to keep performance in our hearts and minds.

Shows happened in car parks, racecourses, tents and forests. There were brave new works-in-progress; exciting revivals; reimagined classics; solo shows; family-friendly shows; international showcases; sketch shows; interactive digital works; outdoor site-specific shows; walking tours; immersive experiences and late-night, mixed-bill, laugh-a-minute shows.

Some performers took the stage for the first time in 18 months, while others used the festival as a way of reconnecting with fellow artists and industry professionals.

There was support for arts professionals in new ways – with Fringe Connect offering a professional development, workshop and networking space for artists and industry, and Fringe Marketplace providing a digital platform to showcase export ready professional work from across the Fringe to delegates from around the world.

Our Street Events programme looked different, but was just as joy-filled as always, with everything from magic to live music happening in safe, managed locations from West Parliament Square to the Mound.

Street performers also went into communities across Edinburgh, while the Fringe Society worked with over 30 charities and community groups to distribute Fringe vouchers and Lothian bus tickets to give people the opportunity to experience the Fringe either in person or online.

The Fringe Society continued its commitment to accessibility. There was BSL interpretation of the street events at West Parliament Square, and a bespoke access bookings service on offer for customers who require it.

This Fringe was also a big step forward for sustainability. More performers marketed their shows digitally, through QR codes, social media and more. Our online strand meant less travel and a reduced carbon footprint for some participating artists, audiences and industry, extending our global reach even further.

We also strengthened the Fringe’s place in our local community. This year, over a third of audiences were from Edinburgh, and a further 17% were from the rest of Scotland. 44% were from the wider United Kingdom. Artists and creatives local to Scotland also added their stories to stages and screens in greater proportions than we have seen in recent years.

But that didn’t happen at the expense of the festival’s founding open access principle. 38 countries were represented on the Fringe this year, with work from nine countries featured as part of international showcases taking place. There was also increased international representation in proportion to the overall programme.

Commenting on this year’s festival, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “Traditionally, this day in the Fringe calendar is all about statistics: how many shows took place, how many tickets were bought, and what that means.

“But this year, I’d like to stop defining success by scale. For me, that’s never been what makes the Fringe special. Success should be defined by the quality of experience we’ve all had – and what we’re hearing from performers and audiences alike is that this year’s Fringe has been hugely successful indeed.

“When registration opened in May, we had no way of knowing for sure what this summer would look like. Today, we celebrate every single show that has been brought to life. I’d like to personally thank and congratulate everyone that made it happen, as well as our audiences, sponsors and supporters who have cheered us on and offered much-needed support through this wild and unexpected year.

“We’ve still got work to do to ensure the Fringe recovers – but recovery isn’t about growth in the statistical sense. It’s about growth as a Fringe community. As we move forward with our Save the Fringe campaign and continue to champion this festival and the wider arts, we’ll be calling on everyone to help us shape what the future of this fantastic festival holds.”

Benny Higgins, Chair, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “I’d like to offer huge congratulations to everyone that made this festival happen in the most challenging of circumstances.

“I’ve been blown away by the commitment, creativity and talent of those that have worked tirelessly to bring the magic of the Fringe back to Edinburgh’s streets – and for the first time – to screens around the world.

“As we look to the Fringe’s 75th anniversary in 2022, I am looking forward to being part of a wider conversation about how we make this festival the very best version of itself. This year proved that a small amount of public sector investment can bring about positive change, and it’s crucial that investment in this hugely important festival continues. The Fringe has a big role to play in our recovery, and as we look to build a renaissance for the Fringe in the future, we’ll keep working to support those that make it happen.”

Barbara Smith, Managing Director of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, said: “It’s been a fantastic month, seeing the phased return of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and seeing Edinburgh locals and visitors get to enjoy what Edinburgh does best.

“As official whisky of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Johnnie Walker has celebrated the month with our residence ‘The Fringe Club’ on The Mound throughout the festival and gifting lucky festival-goers with exclusive prizes. We’ve our eyes firmly on the future, opening our doors to Johnnie Walker Princes Street on 6 September and joining in the celebrations once again in 2022.”

Next year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe will run from 05 – 29 August 2022. It will mark the 75th anniversary of the festival.

SPONSORS and SUPPORTERS

As a charity, the work of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society would not be possible without the valuable support of our partners, sponsors and funders.

We are delighted to be working with Johnnie Walker for the third year running as our official whisky partner.

We are proud to be partnering with the newly opened St James Quarter and are excited to be working with them this year and beyond.

We are excited to be partnering with Crowdfunder again through our FringeMakers fundraising platform, supporting Fringe artists and venues with vital fundraising efforts.

We have teamed up with Rare Birds Books to a create a limited-edition book bundle with books selected by the women behind three of the Fringe’s most iconic venues; Rowan Campbell, the General Manager of Summerhall, Dani Rae, the General Manager of Assembly and Katy Koren, who co-runs Gilded Balloon. Proceeds of the sale of this bundle will support go directly to supporting Fringe artists bring work to the Fringe.

We would also like to thank Lothian Buses for their continued support of our Fringe Days Out programme.

We’re thrilled to welcome Edinburgh Gin on board as Official Gin of the Fringe and look forward to working with them.

We are grateful for funding through the PLACE Programme, a partnership between the Scottish Government -through Creative Scotland -the City of Edinburgh Council and Festivals Edinburgh; Scottish Government for Made in Scotland through the Festivals Expo Fund – managed through Creative Scotland – and the continued support of the City of Edinburgh Council. Thanks also to Scottish Government for funds from their Get into Summer campaign.

We are grateful for funding from the Pivotal Event Business Fund, the SCVO Adapt and Thrive programme, the Foyle Foundation and the UK Government to enhance our digital capabilities.

Our thanks also to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Pump House Trust and the Turtleton Charitable Trust.

With thanks to EventScotland and City of Edinburgh Council for supporting Street Events.

Thank you to Brightcove, our streaming partners, for their support in delivering the Fringe Player.

Our thanks also to our Fringe Angels, Patrons, Friends and supporters whose passion and generosity made a real difference this year.

On The Road Again: Scottish Government to launch Scotland on Tour live music fund

Musicians, bands, artists and venues will be able to apply to a £750,000 Scottish Government fund to bring new and additional concerts to venues and festivals in Scotland next year.

Scotland on Tour will support the staging of concerts across the whole nation from between January 2022 and January 2023.

Funded by Scottish Government and organised by Active Events, its decision-making panel includes representatives from across the music industry, as well as Creative Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, XpoNorth and South of Scotland Enterprise.

Participating artists, venues and festivals will be announced later this year.

Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “Due to the impact of COVID-19, I know many concerts from 2020 and 2021 have been postponed – leaving little opportunity for artists to perform new concerts in traditional venues or concert halls up until late 2022, or even spring 2023.

“So I am very pleased to announce Scotland on Tour, a fund to help artists, venues and the wider music industry by creating new concert opportunities across Scotland next year.

“The fund is not only an exciting opportunity for artists and venues, but also for Scottish audiences, who will have the chance to see the best of Scottish music right on their doorstep.”

Director of Active Events Lisa Whytock said: “The past 18 months have been exceptionally challenging for musicians and promoters around Scotland.

“This fund will allow new concerts from professional musicians to take place across the country, bringing world class performances to cities, towns and local communities whilst simultaneously supporting production companies and skilled freelancers in their delivery.

“We are extremely excited about the project and would like to wholeheartedly thank the Scottish Government for their investment.”

Head of Music at Creative Scotland, Alan Morrison, said: “At the height of the pandemic, Active Events applied to Creative Scotland’s Open Fund for a research project that would identify community partners and increase touring opportunities for musicians when restrictions finally lifted.

“This bold vision for recovery has blossomed into a new touring fund, supported by the Scottish Government, that will breathe life back into the live music sector across the entire country.

“It’s extremely encouraging to see how a seed that was sown in darker times is growing into a major year-long programme that will bring music fans and professional artists of all genres back together again.”

Further details will be announced soon as to how artists and venues can apply to the Scotland on Tour fund, which is expected to open for applications in October. 

Registrations of interest to the fund can be recorded by sending an email to info@scotlandontour.com

Hidden Door Festival heads to Granton Gasometer

MAIN PICTURE: Fabio Scalici Photography

Hidden Door Festival 2021 is heading to Granton Gasworks, with the festival taking place in the shadow of the historic gas holder. The site at West Shore Road will be transformed into an outdoor celebration of music, visual art, theatre, dance and spoken word from 15 – 19 September 2021.

Organisers plan on building two stages for music performances, lighting up the gas holder to create a dramatic backdrop, with sculptures displayed throughout the site.

The large, open space will allow Hidden Door 2021 to be flexible, adapting to comply with the  coronavirus restrictions in place at the time.

Over five days, the event will showcase the work of at least 30 graduates, four site artists, eight dance groups and two theatre companies, highlighting some of the best emerging talent in Scotland.

An old pencil drawing of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza sitting on their horses, by Wilhelm Marstrand.

David Martin, Creative Director of Hidden Door, said: “Taking on the site of the Granton Gasworks is an exciting opportunity for Hidden Door to adapt, as we need to, in order to start bringing live events back to the city. We are used to working in the nooks and crannies of disused buildings, so moving to a big open site like this is really liberating!

“We are designing the event so that there will be enough space for everyone to be safe and to be able to accommodate social distancing if we still need to work with those restrictions, but the epic nature of the site, with the incredible gas tower landmark looming over us, means we will be able to create a spectacle and an atmosphere, and bring about the wow-factor that our audience expects from a Hidden Door venue. 

“We can’t wait to get on site and start turning it into a creative and joyful showcase of Scotland’s emerging talent. Early career artists and performers have been so badly affected by the pandemic, so they are front and centre for this event, and we are looking forward to showing how much talent there is to celebrate.”

Edinburgh College, who occupy the area close to the Gasworks where the festival will be held, are enthusiastically welcoming the festival on to the site. As well as opening the gates to Hidden Door, they hope to use the festival as a training opportunity for students on a number of courses.

Jakki Jeffery, Head of Creative Industries at Edinburgh College, said: “It’s fantastic that Hidden Door have chosen this site close to the iconic Granton Gasworks to host their 2021 festival.

“It will be wonderful to see the space transformed to showcase creative talent which we hope our students can play a part in, and take inspiration and experience from to boost their future careers.” 

Tickets

Tickets are available via www.hiddendoorblog.org/tickets or from Citizen Ticket. Once the full programme is announced, ticket holders will be able to select which days they would like to attend.

Underbelly Stars to take part in fundraising campaign to support Fringe artists

Phoebe Waller Bridge among Underbelly Stars to offer Rewards in new Fundraising Campaign where 100% goes to support the Artists.

www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/donate

Today Underbelly has launched a fundraiser to support artists who were due to appear at Underbelly Fringe 2020. 100% of all donations received will go straight to artists from this year’s planned programme and who desperately need this help. 

By donating the cost of a ticket, £12, you can help artists bridge the loss of actual ticket sales they hoped to receive this year and by donating more you can make a massive difference and access a ladder of rewards.

For the first time in twenty years Underbelly has had to close its doors to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The purple cow is deflated, the Cowgate remains a carpark and the venues have been silenced of the laughter and awe of performers and audiences alike.

Each year artists, performers, producers, technicians, stage managers, lighting, sound and set designers, to name but a few, spend months carefully cultivating exciting, innovative, ground-breaking and daring work to be performed tirelessly for 25 days in a row.

Often this gruelling month of blood sweat and tears launches careers, shines light on new stars and shakes up the cultural world as we know it.

For many of those working in this field the cancellation of the 2020 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the restrictions placed around live performance will pose serious challenges financially and creatively and will no doubt force some to look elsewhere.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a place for everyone and everything, it’s important and necessary and it is vital we retain the artists that make it what it is.

220 Underbelly shows have been lost this year and countless numbers of artists and those working behind the scenes have been placed in dire financial situations, and that accounts for only a small percentage of the overall Fringe. Without their input into the creative world the cultural landscape for the future will change forever.

For those who can afford to donate a little more than the £12 cost of a ticket to the fundraiser there are lots of moo-vellous rewards on offer including a named thank you in the 2021 programme (£20 or more), Gold membership of Abattoir, the private artists bar in George Square (£50 or more), 10 tickets to the 10 hottest shows curated by the programming team (£70 or more), Backstage Meet and Greet with the artist of choice, tickets and fizz (£100 or more), Fleabag Poster from the first show performed in Edinburgh at Underbelly in 2013 signed by Phoebe Waller Bridge (£400 or more), Cocktail Party for 10 in Abattoir with mixologists Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood (£400 or more), All expenses paid trip to Edinburgh for a Fringe weekend like no other (£800 or more), or for £1000 (or more) free tickets to any Underbelly shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the next two years.

Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood, directors of Underbelly said: “Edinburgh is where it all started, in a dingy cave, twenty years ago. It’s our life blood, our home, a place where genuinely anything can happen and incredible memories have been made.

“To not be there this year is heart-breakingly devastating but it is also a time for reflection and understanding that for this year, we must step back and put the safety of others first.

“We would love to support and help everyone but what we feel we should do at this time is to support those artists that were due to perform at the Underbelly this year.

We are asking you to help us support these artists to get through this most difficult of all times and more importantly keep them working in an industry that needs and values them. Without them there is no Underbelly, there is no Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to all of those have been affected by Covid 19 and our most heartfelt thank-yous to those on the frontline who have been working tirelessly to keep our country moving. We will be offering a special discount on all tickets to UK NHS staff at next year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe by way of thank you.”

Grace and Rach from Ugly Bucket said: “As a regional emerging theatre company, Fringe is a huge opportunity for our work to be seen on a huge international platform.

“Underbelly took the time to get to know us as a company, and understand how they can best support us and showcase our work. It is a bespoke, personal experience that is so valuable in a festival that can feel so intimidating! You would never find a techno filled clowning show about grief anywhere else but the Edinburgh Fringe.”    

Jason Byrne added: “This is such a hard time for so many on the circuit, and the cancellation of the Fringe this year has been a massive blow to us all.

“This is a cracking fundraiser. Underbelly is making sure that 100% goes to the artists and there are some great rewards on offer. Who wouldn’t want to donate and secure all those tickets, backstage access and signed posters! Please do give what you can whether it is the price of a ticket, or a few pints too.”

On being told about the fundraiser, Gaby from Circus Abyssinia said: “We would love for Circus Abyssinia: Tulu to be included in the Underbelly relief fund. 

“A huge thanks to Underbelly for setting this up, we’re very grateful especially as the cast doesn’t have a furlough scheme or any support back in Ethiopia.” 

Cecilia Martin from Circa said: “Experiencing Edinburgh Festival Fringe under the umbrella of Underbelly has always been such a supportive, professional and hilariously fun experience.

he team is such a powerhouse and create an incredible atmosphere for us to thrive in as artists.”

#SaveOurArtists

Twitter: @followthecow

Instagram: @UnderbellyEdinburgh

Facebook: Underbelly Edinburgh

www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/donate

Talking SH*TE at the old Co-op

EPOCH8 creating something very different at the former Co-op store on Pennywell Road …

SH*TE ZINES exhibition opens on Friday 26th January from 6-8pm, and this event also includes a free zine making workshop, also on Friday 26th from 1 – 4pm
Sign up via our Facebook event and Eventbrite page (below)
EPOCH 8 Committee