HIDDEN Door has announced details of more than 20 visual art graduates whose work will feature at this year’s festival.
The news comes as a crowdfunder to help transform a disused warehouse into a vast exhibition space for the graduates’ work reaches 20% of its target.
With last year’s festival cancelled due to the pandemic, the 2021 event is taking place mostly outdoors, in the shadow of the Granton Gasworks in North Edinburgh. But with the addition of the huge warehouse, just over the road from the main festival site, the footprint of the festival is effectively doubled.
To support the plans, Hidden Door have launched a crowdfunder to raise £10,000, with supporters able to pick from a wide range of rewards including an immersive treasure hunt experience through the festival grounds, exclusive hand-printed T-shirts from Acorn Print Studio, VIP passes for the festival and limited edition prints by Hidden Door artists.
The visual artists taking part in the Hidden Door Graduate Exhibition are:
Adela Kaluzinska, Alliyah Enyo, Becky Brewis, Cara Kennedy, Csian Jemecel Canave, Eilidh Nicoll, Elvey Stedman, Jack Waygood, Josie KO, Katelyn Grant, Keziah Macneill, Kirsten Millar, Leah Moodie, Madeleine Kaye, Martha Stefani-Bose, Martin Crawford, Mclaughlin + Williamson, Miriam Levi, Molly Kent, Paria Goodarzi, Rhona Sword, Sam M Harley, Scott Hunter and Verity Church.
They all graduated from the Edinburgh College of Art, Glasgow School of Art, Grays School of Art, University of Dundee, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design and Edinburgh Napier University in 2020 or 2021.
The artists were chosen from Hidden Door’s Graduate Support Network, launched earlier this year to support recent graduates. These artists will be paid for their work through the proceeds raised from this year’s Crowdfunder. For many of them, it will be their first paid creative opportunity.
Jill Martin Boulalaxai, Visual Art Curator, said: “Hidden Door is committed to supporting emerging creative talent, providing a platform for showcasing work and collaborative projects.
“The graduate exhibition at this year’s festival is the first of many exciting opportunities being made available through our Graduate Support Network. We really hope people will get on board with our vision and help us transform this incredible space.”
Opening daily from Wednesday 15 – Sunday 19 September, the Granton Gasworks site will feature two stages for live music and other performances, with dynamic lighting on the giant gasholder to be programmed in time with the music to create a stunning visual experience for festival-goers.
The neighbouring warehouse will be home to the art exhibition and a number of performances.