NORTH EDINBURGH ARTS
Wednesday 20 April, 7pm
A film by Angelica Kroeger
Supported by Urban Union
Tag: Creative Scotland
Exciting new chapter for Edinburgh Printmakers
New £6 million HQ in Fountainbridge will ‘place creativity at the heart of the community’
The former headquarters of the North British Rubber Company – birthplace of the Wellington boot, the modern motor car tyre and the first ever traffic cone – is to be saved from demolition and transformed into a world-class visual arts centre and creative hub thanks to Lottery funding of over £6million.
Creative Scotland has confirmed £1,728,075 funding and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) is investing £4,994,000 towards Edinburgh Printmakers and the transformation of the historic former North British Rubber Factory HQ into a new centre for printmaking and creative industries.
The HLF grant is inclusive of a first stage award of £500,000 already received by the visual arts charity to develop the project and engage the community with the vast local heritage through creative activities.
The funding from Creative Scotland is in addition to an initial stage one capital funding award committed in 2012 of £60,000 to enable Edinburgh Printmakers to develop their proposal. The funding from Creative Scotland will support artistic excellence and engage audiences in diverse and inclusive exhibitions and education.
The project proposed by Edinburgh Printmakers will save a 19th century category C-listed building of significant architectural and historical value in Fountainbridge from decay and eventual demolition.
Once part of a vast industrial complex manufacturing goods such as rubber boots, hot water bottles and the car tyre, the Castle Mill Works building is now the only remaining physical reminder of what was once a world-renowned rubber factory that, for many years, was at the forefront of innovation and integral to the expansion of the city.
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs said: “Thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Environment Scotland to preserve the building, and Creative Scotland’s investment in setting up the new arts centre, Castle Mill Works will be an exciting addition to Scotland and Edinburgh’s cultural scene.
“The money raised through lottery contributions will be used to get this important project off the ground. Edinburgh Printmakers will transform this historic building and in its new form it will deliver a new home for Scottish printmakers and help shape the future of our country, as well as preserve its past.”
Iain Munro, Deputy Chief Executive, Creative Scotland, said: “Creative Scotland is delighted to be supporting the creation of a world class centre for printmaking for Edinburgh Printmakers, an organisation of considerable experience and repute. Edinburgh Printmakers plays an important role in the infrastructure for contemporary art in Scotland.
“This new facility will enable the organisation to build on this reputation by creating a state of the art, fit for purpose building which will be a more visible, accessible, facility appropriate to their needs and aspirations for the 21st century.
“The relocation of the Printmakers to Fountainbridge will unlock many opportunities for the organisation to engage with new and different communities and to partner with a range of schools and community groups.”
In August, Historic Scotland (Now Historic Environment Scotland) announced that they would be awarding £500k of grant funding to the project to restore this important part of Edinburgh’s built heritage.
Commenting from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Dame Seona Reid, Deputy Chair of HLF and Chair of Committee for Scotland, said: “We are delighted that thanks to players of the National Lottery, we are able to unlock the potential of this much-loved building. Not only will it provide a thriving cultural centre, benefitting many hundreds of national and international artists, but it will breathe life back into Foutainbridge. The community is justly proud of its industrial heritage so it is fitting that Castle Mill Works, which once supported so many families, will be the catalyst in its regeneration.”
The ambition to save Castle Mill Works stemmed from Edinburgh Printmakers’ search for the ideal home in which to build a contemporary arts centre specialising in Printmaking and Creative Industries, offering a year-round public programme of exhibitions, events and learning.
Opening to the public in 2018, Edinburgh Printmakers’ new home will be an international centre for printmaking with a state-of-the-art open access workshop, galleries, education spaces, a deli/wine bar with terrace, art retail area and production spaces for a wide range of creative industries. The total cost for the project will be £10 million.
Edinburgh Printmakers will continue to present a public programme of exhibitions, events and activities at its Union Street premises until summer 2018.
Chair of Edinburgh Printmakers, Alastair Snow, said: “We are delighted to have support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Creative Scotland for this project. These awards will allow us to bring Castle Mill Works back from the very dilapidated state it has fallen into and transform it into a vibrant cultural resource.
“Castle Mill Works was once a powerhouse of industry and invention, our plan will bring production back to Fountainbridge and place creativity at the heart of the community. This neglected area will become a vibrant place to work or visit, foster a sense of community, and offer opportunities for everyone to engage with creativity.
“These awards provide a substantial amount of the funds required to realise the project and are a real vote of confidence for Edinburgh Printmakers as a leading arts organisation. But, just over £2M still needs to be raised. As well as applying to trusts and foundations, we are asking the public to join us on this new and exciting journey and help us reach a target of £10m.”
Sarah Price, CEO of Edinburgh Printmakers added: “The vision for Edinburgh Printmakers as a cultural provider has evolved hugely as a result of this project and in response to the heritage of the building. We can’t wait to get going on delivering artistic exhibitions and activities that will benefit local people and bring visitors to the area. Art has the power to transform lives and places and that is our aim, we have spent many years planning and now with these decisions we can start to make those dreams a reality.”
In the lead up to the opening of the arts centre, Edinburgh Printmakers will showcase a series of temporary artwork commissions at Castle Mill Works that respond to the unique heritage of the grand industrial building and its rich cultural environs.
The heritage of the building will also be a permanent feature within the complete arts centre as the legacy of the building is explored through newly commissioned artwork installations, each uncovering the past and creating a conversation between new and old that can continue into the future.
The project has already attracted widespread support and endorsement with local community groups keen to save the building for future use as a cultural venue.
The announcement of this award coincided with the launch of Edinburgh Printmakers public appeal for donations. The public can help Edinburgh Printmakers reach the £10m target by texting CMWS001 to 70970 to give £5, or by visiting www.edinburghprintmakers.co.uk to donate any amount.
Funding for trainees in creative industries
£100,000 funding has been awarded through Creative Scotland to support ten full time, year-long traineeships across the arts, screen and creative industries, it was announced today.
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop in Hawthornvale will be one of the five capital-based organisations to offer traineeships.
The Traineeships Programme aims to support the employment prospects for people aged 20-30yrs interested in developing a career in arts and culture, by creating valuable work experience opportunities.
Traineeships will take place at Africa In Motion (AiM) Film Festival, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, Media Education, Starcatchers and Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland (TRACS) in Edinburgh; GMAC Film and Barrowland Ballet in Glasgow; Ayr Gaiety Theatre in Ayrshire; The Pier Arts Centre in Orkney, and with Jewellery designer Eileen Gatt in the Highlands.
Leonie Bell, Director of Arts & Engagement, Creative Scotland said: “Creative Scotland is committed to supporting the creation of opportunities for young people to gain employment, work experience and vocational qualifications in the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland.
“These traineeships will offer young people the opportunity to develop the skills and professional experience needed to progress in their chosen profession by removing barriers to paid work experience.
“At the same time, organisations will benefit from fresh, innovative ideas and enthusiasm of the trainees.”
Traineeships will be offered across the following areas:
Visual Arts
Assistant Curator (Programme Team) – Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop
Gallery Programmes Trainee: Exhibitions, Learning & Digital (Curatorial and Education) – The Pier Arts Centre
Film
Shadow Curator – Africa In Motion (AiM) Film Festival
Online Film Content Developer – GMAC Film
Trainee Project Assistant / Member of Production Team – Media Education
Theatre and Dance
Starcatchers Trainee Associate Artist – Starcatchers Productions
Programme Officer (Programming Department) – Ayr Gaiety
Dance Participation Artist, Participation and Outreach Department – Barrowland Ballet
Craft
Eileen Gatt: Jewellery designer/maker
Literature
Digital and Language Resources Trainee – TRACS based at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
All Traineeships will be advertised on Creative Scotland’s Opportunities site.
Welcoming the announcement Irene Kernan, Director at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, said: “The Creative Scotland Traineeship will support Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop’s aims of developing talent and supporting young artists in their careers. Being able to employ a trainee for a full year provides a valuable opportunity for us to bring new approaches and skills to the staff team and further develop our public programme to connect with local audiences.”
Free books for P1s to mark Book Week Scotland
Today marks the start of Book Week Scotland 2014, the national celebration of reading, and to mark the occasion Scottish Book Trust is to gift three free picture books to every Primary 1 child in Scotland.
The books, all by Scottish authors or illustrators, will be gifted in the Bookbug Primary 1 Family Pack and comprise the Bookbug shortlist for the Scottish Children’s Book Awards 2015.
The titles include: Robot Rumpus by Sean Taylor and Ross Collins, Princess Penelope and the Runaway Kitten by Alison Murray and Lost for Words by Natalie Russell.
Also included in the Bookbug bag will be a Scottish Children’s Book Awards pack full of games and activities, along with a voting slip to enable children to declare which of the three picture books is their favourite. The pack will also contain Ziggy and Maggie Start School, a children’s book about road safety created in partnership with Road Safety Scotland.
Marc Lambert, Director of Scottish Book Trust, said: “The beginning of school is the point at which books start to become associated with learning in a child’s mind. This pack has been designed to help teachers, librarians and parents show children how pleasurable books can be, at a crucial point in their learning journey.
“This association of books with enjoyment will in turn lead to a more positive educational experience for the child, helping them to get more out of school and hopefully inspiring them to seek out and devour more and more books.”
For more information about Book Week Scotland 2014 visit
where you can find information about all the events taking place in your local area, vote for your favourite character from a Scottish book, make a Reading Pledge and discover a whole host of resources and ideas to help you celebrate and share whatever it is you love to read.
Follow @Bookweekscot on Twitter, check out#bookweekscot or like the Book Week Scotland Facebook page.
Initiated by the Scottish Government and supported, along with a Readers in Residence programme in libraries, by £250,000 from Creative Scotland, Book Week Scotland will be delivered by Scottish Book Trust, the lead agency for the promotion of literature, reading and writing in Scotland. For more information on Scottish Book Trust go to www.scottishbooktrust.com.
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. For further information about Creative Scotland visit
Follow @creativescots and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland
Book Week Scotland in libraries is funded by The Scottish Library and Information Council.
Secondary school students to hear the John Muir story
‘One day’s exposure to mountains is better than a cartload of books’, said John Muir, who nevertheless understood the power of the pen and wrote prolifically about wild places and the need to protect them. This month a cartload of books about Muir’s life will go out to every secondary school in Scotland to tell the story of his life and legacy.
The new graphic novel, ‘John Muir, Earth – Planet, Universe‘, – a story told in illustrated format with a combination of Muir’s words and a carefully crafted narrative – has been created by Scottish Book Trust, Creative Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage as part of Year of Natural Scotland and John Muir legacy celebrations. It aims to share the story of the conservation visionary with new audiences, and invites discussion, reflection and action.
“The book and its online resources really brings out the adventurous spirit of John Muir from his childhood in Dunbar to his wanderings around America, and shows the origins of his campaigning zeal and passion for wilderness,” said Rob Bushby of the John Muir Trust who sat on the steering group for the development of the novel.
“The Scottish Book Trust is to be congratulated for capturing this in a way that’s already inspiring and engaging pupils, teachers and adults alike. It has the potential to be a game changer in bringing this often-neglected champion of wild places to a whole new audience.”
Written by award-winning author Julie Bertagna and illustrated by Glasgow-based artist William Goldsmith, the novel is based on the key moments and life adventures of John Muir and is intended to help children develop a deeper understanding and awareness of the natural environment and the importance of protecting wild places.
With the assistance of Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, a class set of 24 copies will be distributed to every secondary school in Scotland this month to coincide with the opening of the John Muir Way by the First Minister on 21 April.
The novel was developed in partnership with John Muir Trust, Creative Scotland, Education Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage and in consultation with teachers and school pupils. It combines environmental studies with literacy in an innovative way that hasn’t previously been implemented in Scotland, and is supported by accompanying online resources for teachers.
Commenting on the use of graphic novels as a way of engaging pupils in learning, Marc Lambert, Director of the Scottish Book Trust, said: “The importance of taking care of the planet for future generations is one of the most vital lessons our children can learn.
“Telling the story of John Muir’s life and thoughts through the highly accessible and entertaining form of a graphic novel allows us to reclaim a Scottish hero and helps children to develop a deeper understanding of the key environmental issues he campaigned for, in a creative and enjoyable way.”
You can download the PDF version of John Muir, Earth – Planet, Universe from the Scottish Book Trust
The John Muir Festival got underway last night with the official opening of the magnificent Kelpies sculptures at Falkirk’s new Helix Park. The Festival runs until 26 April – to find out what’s on go to www.johnmuirfestival.com
Justice Secretary visits Screen Education Edinburgh
Young filmmakers at Screen Education Edinburgh in Pilton were joined by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill today. Mr MacAskill joined some of the young people in the edit suites as they edited the short films they have been making, before watching four completed films.
Fifty young filmmakers – aged between twelve and 19 – are participating in Xpress Yourself, a project run by Screen Education Edinburgh and supported by Creative Scotland’s CashBack for Creativity programme. Working with the professional support of the Screen Education Edinburgh team based in Ferry Road Avenue, the youngsters have been learning the technical aspects of filmmaking and shooting short films as part of the Xpress Yourself project.
Four groups – the Hearts Filmmaking Group, Hibs Filmmaking Group, Wellington School and The Broomhouse Centre – have been meeting weekly since last autumn to devise, plan and shoot short films. The filming has now been completed and seven films are now in editing stage.
CashBack for Creativity re-invests the monies seized from criminals back into cultural activities for young people across Scotland. The programme is supported by the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities Initiative.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “Recycling cash from the proceeds of crime into arts and cultural activities gives our young people the chance to get creative and broaden their horizons. The Xpress Yourself project is an excellent opportunity for our young people to work on film and digital media projects with industry professionals and perhaps become Scotland’s next screen talent.
“The Creative Scotland project has been funded by the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities programme which is helping more young people than ever before. Since 2007 a massive £50 million of cash seized from criminals has directly benefited over 600,000 young people and generated over 11,000 volunteers from different backgrounds who are now putting something back into their communities across Scotland.”
Script and directing tutor Graham Fitzpatrick, producer and mentor Sarah Drummond and technical tutor Steven Abercromby-Cook worked with the young filmmakers to help them bring their ideas to the screen.
Graham, who is Screen Education Edinburgh’s Creative Manager, said: “As one of the foremost providers of film-making education for young people in Scotland, we have been delighted to educate and nurture the latest participants in our CashBack for Creativity Programme. Over the months the young people have been learning about all aspects of short film-making, from screenwriting to final edit, devising and shooting seven short films. Not only has their knowledge and skills been enhanced but their confidence and aspirations for the future have grown throughout.”
Participant Louis Clark, who is a college student, said: “The whole thing has been amazing. The course has been the best filmmaking experience I have had. The teaching is of such a high standard that I now feel confident that I can pursue this as a career and have the skills and knowledge to back it up.”
David McDonald, Youth Arts Manager at Creative Scotland said: “This project has given the young people taking part the opportunity to put their enthusiasm, fantastic imagination and willingness to learn into making these short films. They’re also picking up a wide range of practical filmmaking skills along the way, which will benefit them in the future. I can’t wait to see the finished films!”
You don’t have too long to wait, David – the films will be showcased in a premiere at the Filmhouse cinema at the end of April!
Criminal profits from communities – no more!
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill joined the Proclaimers and young musicians who are developing their career skills thanks to cash seized from crime.
North Edinburgh Arts Centre is one of eighteen studios from across Scotland to have received investment to allow 12 to 25 year-old musicians to record their first demo tracks and allow them access to professional standard recording and rehearsal facilities.
It’s part of Creative Scotland’s Cashback for Creativity project which uses crooks’ cash to benefit young people of Scotland through a series of cultural diversionary activities. Over three years £2.25 million is being invested into dance, film and music programmes.
During 2012 in the Year of Creative Scotland, the CashBack for Creativity programme will create opportunities for over 8,000 budding young film-makers, dancers and musicians to develop their skills.
The CashBack for Communities Programme takes funds recovered from the proceeds of crime and invests them in back into communities, putting young people on a positive path in life by providing opportunities for them to take part in thousands of free activities and projects – over £46 million has been reinvested to benefit over 600,000 young people since CashBack began.
Mr MacAskill (pictured above) said: “CashBack gives young people the chance to get creative and broaden their horizons. I was delighted to meet Jack Hincks and his Band from Biggar who have been given the chance to record professional music at CP Productions in Edinburgh and develop their personal, social and career skills. And who better than the Proclaimers – one of the most successful and popular Scottish bands of all time – to be on hand to share their skills and some of the secrets of their success.
“Jack Hincks and his Band are some of scores of young musicians from across Scotland who will benefit from professional standard recording facilities – and some might follow the likes of the Proclaimers in making a successful career in the music industry.
“Providing opportunities for young people to get involved in the arts, theatre and cultural activities can help improve confidence and give them a sense of achievement whilst also demonstrating that there is more to life than petty crime. Investment in our young people and their communities will always be money well spent.”
David McDonald, Youth Arts Manager at Creative Scotland, said: ‘The CashBack for Creativity programme has allowed recording studios across the country to open their doors to over 161 young bands and acts. The experience of recording in a professional recording studio with experienced producers at such an early stage in their development will hopefully inspire them to achieve their potential in their future careers, perhaps even the music industry.
“The CashBack programme has also given thousands of young film makers and dancers the opportunity to shine and express themselves creatively. Taking part in creative activities can make a real difference to the lives of our children and young people, it can help build confidence, enable them to make friends and teach them how to work as part of a group.”
The Proclaimers’ Charlie and Craig Reid (below) added: “We are delighted to continue to support the Scottish Government’s imaginative policy on community based funding for worthwhile projects, using the confiscated funds from criminal activity.”
