Piper Alpha documentary honoured

via D&G Standard 
 

A documentary about the Piper Alpha disaster has won a top award at the film festival where it received its world premiere.

Fire In The Night, which focuses on the 1988 North Sea tragedy which killed 167 people, scooped the Audience Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).
The piece combines archive footage, audio recordings and interviews with some of the survivors of the disaster, some of whom were interviewed on camera for the first time.
Anthony Wonke, who directed the documentary, said: "It's 25 years ago this July that Piper Alpha exploded and sunk into the North Sea and we hope that with this film the memory of that fateful night that affected so many lives will act as a suitable remembrance.

"I'd like to thank everyone who voted for Fire In The Night, it really does mean an awful lot to everyone involved, especially all the men who took part in the film. I know that they will be incredibly touched and thankful that the public engaged with this film and their story in such a positive way."
The award was voted for by cinema-goers who attended public screenings, and films from across the festival were eligible for the gong.
This year marked a return to the festival of the award following a two-year absence from the annual celebration of the big screen. The 2013 award was supported by Sainsbury's Bank.
EIFF artistic director Chris Fujiwara said: "The Audience Award, which we reinstated this year after a two-year hiatus, is not only one of the most significant of EIFF's initiatives designed to engage audiences with cinema, it's also one of the most fun.
"We're delighted by the enthusiasm shown by our audience members who took part in choosing this award, and we're grateful for the support and commitment of Sainsbury's Bank."

Arts Hubs coming the EAFS party

from Fresh Start

Last week the Environmental Art Festival Scotland unveiled its four main commissions. Now the covers are coming off a whole series of other EAFS contributions embracing an amazing and eclectic mix of media.

What’s special about the latest batch of events and activities is that they are all being presented by the Arts Hubs which cover D&G’s four districts – and they have been funded by Fresh Start. One of the central aims of the Fresh Start initiative has been to make the most of – and create a showcase for – the talent in every part of the region.

It’s hoped that EAFS will grow into a major international biennial event, and will help keep D&G at the forefront of the environmental art world. By sewing the hubs into the fabric of the event from the very start the festival is providing opportunities for the arts community to work together in new and interesting ways. 

Each hub will take the limelight for a different weekend, which will hopefully mean that people will travel from one district to another enjoy the activities, compare notes, chat and start building their own networks.

Below are bare-bones details of what’s on offer – go to the EAFS website (full info not yet available here....incoming) or watch out for the brochure for fuller information.

Stewartry  

30 August - 2 September (presented alongside EAFS Core weekend)

• Middle Distance: An illustrated presentation of projects connecting art and the land.

  

• Place Identity Memory 2: An international exhibition of artist-made books which develop the idea of ‘place’ as an area suspended in a web of culture, memory, landscape and time.

Kenneth White - legend

• An evening with Kenneth White: Poetry and prose by Scottish poet, academic and writer Kenneth White, exploring the ways in which geopoetics can illuminate and challenge the world.

Annandale and Eskdale

7- 9 September

• Making the Most of Moorlands: An exhibition in Langholm of local artists’ work exploring the moorland and its wildlife.

 • TapRoots: Magical tales of trees and woods ... and discover the treasures at the heart of the land. 

Richard Demarco - legend

 • Ephemeral and Everlasting: Richard Demarco’s studies of rural roads leading to and from Edinburgh, photographs by local photographers, sounds and poetry.

• Tidemark: Workshops and public reading with Vivien Jones: The everchanging shore line at Powfoot provides the stimulus for a writing workshop and a public reading of new creative work.

Wigtownshire

14-16th September

• Wigtownshire Shindig: Launch, Wigtownshire Environmental Art Exhibition resource presentation of image collection, Bird House Trail, Wood for the Trees Exhibition.

• Dancing in the Sand: Instead of leaving only footprints, leave a body-print linked and dancing with others until the sea plays its part, rubbing out our artwork as if we had never been.

• Whithorn Lecture 2013: David Griffiths, BA, PhD, MA, FSA Scot University of  Oxford, will speak on ‘Early Medieval Whithorn: The Irish Sea Context’

• Shire Charabanc: Wigtownshire Arts on the Move. Artists, poets and storytellers travel across the area making stops at places of interest like Whithorn, Glenluce, Sandhead, Stranraer, Newton Stewart and Wigtown.  

 • Henge: Henge. Wood. Circle. Communing. Theirs. Bypass. Concrete. Line. Commuting. Ours. 

Nithsdale

21-22 September

 • Guided Walks around Environmental Art in Upper Nithsdale: Includes the Crawick Artland Project.

• Koyaanisqatsi & Oh Joys an Tears: Environmentally themed film showing of ‘Koyaanisqatsi’ (life out of balance) followed by locally produced, historical ‘Oh Joys an Tears’.

• The Nithraid: A daring sailing race from Carsethorn to the Caul, culminating in a spectacular and symbolic finish in the heart of Dumfries.

• Blood Orange: The all-controlling authority is about to take a cruel bashing, and the oranges are not the only fruits.

Summerhill Land Art - The Amazon

Over the last two years, the 'Base' Youth Project from Summerhill Comunity Centre in Dumfries have been working on an ambitious plan to transform an area of open ground in Summerhill. Having developed their themes around raising awareness about rainforest issues, they created their slogan ' Think Global, Act Local' . The group of young people and adult volunteers were further inspired by their 2012 trip to the Eden Project in Cornwall, after their 12 week workshops highlighting rainforests being the lungs of our world. The group worked in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council Countryside Services, Holywood Trust and other local Organisations, hired a Project Manager, Steve Chettel from UK ARTS and Landscape Artists James Gordon and Susheila from Rachan Designs to help realise their vision and create the Land Art Design - The Amazon. Volunteers have spent over 1400 hours collectively working on site over the past few months and stage one will be officially launched on Sunday 22nd September with an evening of creativity and wonder - you are invited to come along.

Meanwhile on Albert Drive

ALBERT DRIVE Introducing you to your neighbour This month, it's all been about the preparations for our main ALBERT DRIVE event on the 6th and 7th July at Tramway, and what a busy month it's been so far! The event is the culmination of the ALBERT DRIVE Project residency programme which has been exploring the idea of neighbour and what it means to live alongside each other from the perspective of one street in Glasgow. Read on to find out more about all of the work which will be performed, exhibited and eaten (yes, eaten!) as part of ALBERT DRIVE - Introducing you to your neighbour. Hopefully you received our e-flyer last week, but just in case you didn't, here are the details of the weekend again: ALBERT DRIVE Exhibition featuring work by Arpita Shah, Basharat Khan, Edo Architecture, Glas(s) Performance, Janice Parker, Nic Green and Shauna McMullan Opens Saturday 6th July, 12-7pm Join us to celebrate the opening of the weekend event and exhibition at 12noon.  ALBERT DRIVE Neighbourhood Watch ALBERT DRIVE Neighbourhood Watch For the past six months the Neighbourhood Watch has delivered workshops in Primary Schools across Pollokshields, worked with the Youth Club based at the Community Centre and taken up residency in Square Park (Maxwell Square). Even though the Neighbourhood Watch is for everyone, there is an emphasis on working with young people through outdoor performance and play. Whether through Football, Scooter Races or giving certificates for Everyday Actions that Matter, the Neighbourhood Watch are always looking for a new ways to meet their neighbours in Pollokshields. Join the Neighbourhood Watch for fun, adventure, tasks and challenges. Report to the Neighbourhood Watch HQ desk in Tramway to receive your mission. Brace yourself team! These challenges may not be easy… ALBERT DRIVE Shared Meal ALBERT DRIVE Shared Meal You are invited to get to know your neighbours and learn more about them by sitting together and sharing a meal. The meal has been prepared by a collection of local shop owners and community organisations located at various points along Albert Drive. The meal reflects the different flavours, cultural influences and culinary traditions that can be found in Pollokshields. Take a seat, fill your plate, relax and enjoy a conversation with your neighbours. Contributors to the Shared Meal include: Shandar Sweets, Delicious Too, Al-Hamra Food Store, Diamond Fruits, Banana Leaf, Pizza Hub, Tramway, Spice Garden, Cultural Cookery at The Hidden Gardens, Glasgow Gurdwara, Pollokshields Church of Scotland, Halal Kebab House and M. Ali & Bro’s Arpita Shah Purdah - The Sacred Cloth Arpita Shah is a photographer who explores themes around identity, culture and community. As part of her residency on Albert Drive, she has been collaborating with women from the Muslim, Sikh and Hindu communities who practice the tradition of head covering or veiling. Glas(s) Performance & Edo Architecture Everybody's House Everybody’s House, designed by Edo Architecture, is an open invitation by Glas(s) Performance for the local community to spend time together as part of the ALBERT DRIVE Project in a street based house. This has been facilitated by a small piece of contemporary architecture entitled the  “Tea Caddy” house that has been travelling up and down the drive regularly throughout the duration of the Project. During this time it has been host to a large number of people and activities including a tea party, an open mic and a pop up disco and now takes its place in the Albert Drive Exhibition. Nic Green Vivarium For two months Nic has been resident in the New Victoria Gardens, just off Albert Drive, on Glenapp Street. Through quiet observation, gentle interaction and an attempt to become part of the day-to-day of this place, she has collected documentation of the various voices that make up the space. Weaving together the historical, the ecological and the sociological, Vivarium takes its shape as an audio experience for one person at a time, inside the walls of the Gardens. Responding to stories and observations collected in relation to her central question: “What Grows Here?” this work treads delicately upon the topography of this place, its past and its community. Shauna McMullan The Albert Drive Colour Chart Shauna McMullan is a visual artist based in Glasgow. Her recent work has grown out of her interest in the collective, and in finding innovative visual ways of representing methods of inclusion and engagement with a diversity of individuals and groups. The Albert Drive Colour Chart is a record of favourite / significant colours, selected by 72 people who live, work on, or visit Albert Drive.  About ALBERT DRIVE Project ALBERT DRIVE Project is a large-scale art project with which aims to engage with the residents, communities, businesses and families living on the drive, exploring the central question: 'Who is my neighbour?'. The project is led by Pollokshields-based theatre company, Glas(s) Performance in partnership with Tramway. Working with resident artists, Arpita Shah, Basharat Khan, EDO Architecture, Janice Parker, Nic Green and Shauna McMullan, the project will culminate in a final performance on 6th July and 7th July 2013, and an exhibition in Tramway 5 running from 6th July to 11th August 2013.  Thank you for sharing the journey with us! You can also follow us on www.albertdrive.com, follow us on Twitter and 'like' us on Facebook.   follow on Twitter | 'like' us on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2013 Tramway, All rights reserved.  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

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Summer Youth Fest - Get Your Tickets!

Tickets for this years Youth Fest are going fast. Whether you want to try something new (Street Art skills anyone?), see lots of live music (YouthBeatz and the Love Music Hate Racism Concert - featuring everyone from S Club to the Amphetameanies) or spend Sunday at the Movies, young people get all the priorities at the Festival so check out the programme!

Victorian Photography at Annan Museum

Curious about traditional photography techniques? Alex Boyd will be giving a Victorian photography demonstration at Annan Museum, tomorrow from 11 til 1, and 2 til 4. During the day Alex will demonstrate some of the techniques used in early photography by creating a number of portraits. Visitors are welcome to drop in, see Alex at work and ask questions.

From Alex Boyd's Sonnet series 

Alex Boyd is widely regarded as one of the rising stars of contemporary Scottish photography,  perhaps best known for his series Sonnets – a series of large format landscapes featuring a lone figure in some of Scotland’s most distinctive locations.

Currently working with antique photographic processes such as wet-plate collodion and calotype, In March 2012 he appeared in a new BBC series and book on the history of Victorian photography, and his work has appeared in several books and magazines. He is currently the Royal Scottish Academy Artist in Residence at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Isle of Skye.
Find out more about his work here

Stop Motion Stovies

Stop motion captured by Oriel Marshal of Back 2 Back Dumfries, shows the progression of The Stove's project coinciding with Guid Nychburris 2013, as the work gradually took over the pavement on Dumfries' High Street. Music from the Luke Barlow Band - Tetherdown.

Last Chance to see... Suitcase of the Dying Village @ Catstrand

Tom Pow's exhibition, the Suitcase of the Dying Village, is only on at the Catstrand until the end of this week, so if you've not yet visited, now's your chance!

This exhibition is a multi-media response by poet, Tom Pow, to one of the great defining moments in human history, encapsulated in the recent statistic that more people now live in cities than in rural areas. Through a series of travel essays, stories, photographs and poems, his book, In Another World, explores what this means for some of the most rapidly depopulating areas of Europe. But, as he documented these areas in words and in photographs, so the project developed a strong, collaborative, visual element. The Suitcase of the Dying Village thus includes, in addition to his own words and images, collaborative artworks with sculptor Elizabeth Waugh, ceramicist Archie McCall, artist Denise Zygadlo, craft artist Lizzie Farey, embroiderery by the Busy Bees of Ae and sound work by Ben Bryden and Steve Burns. The exhibition, like the book, is an invitation to remember and reflect on one of the most significant developments affecting Europe today.

Visit the dying villages website here or the catstrand website for more info

Printing demos @ the McGill Duncan Gallery

McGill Duncan Gallery in Castle Douglas is hosting a demonstration by talented artist printmaker Pamela Grace onSaturday 29th June. Pamela will have a small etching press in the gallery and show the whole printing process for one of her solar plate etchings.

There will be two chances to see her demonstrations: 11 am to 12 noon and 3 pm to 4 pm.

Drinks will be served all day and there will be an exhibition in the gallery of Pamela Grace's solar plate etchings and watercolours.

McGill Duncan Gallery
231 King Street
Castle Douglas
Dumfries and Galloway
Scotland
DG7 1DT
T: 01556 502468

www.mcgillduncangallery.com

Americana meets Irish Trad @ The Catstrand

Tuesday 2 July 7.30pm        £10/8

Next up at the Catstrand, a new collaboration from four of Ireland and Americas finest singers and musicians, performing a mixture of Americana, Irish traditional, and contemporary songs and tunes.

The lineup of musician’s are as follows:

Jefferson Hamer from New York is an amazing singer and multi instrumentalist. You may know him from the incredible duet with Anais Mitchell. They both played at Celtic Connections this year.

Pauline Scanlon: A singer from Dingle in Kerry, who has performed with Sinead O'Connor, Sharon Shannon, Damien Dempsey and currently in a highly successful duet called Lumier.

Noriana Kennedy: Singer from Dublin but performs regularly around the Galway scene, her debut album has received much critical acclaim and a track has been chosen for the 20th anniversary of the Women's Heart cd.

Finally Méabh O'Hare, a fiddle player from Belfast, learnt most of her music from the legendary fiddle maestro Sean McGuire and chosen as young musician 2000 for TG4 (Irish language broadcaster in Ireland)

Local Success in Imagining Natural Scotland project funding

Good news that one of our leading local artists has been awarded funding as part of the Imagining Natural Scotland project! Jo Hodges won the award for her proposal 'A new EIA for Natural Scotland: Environment, Imagination and Aesthetics' - INS is one of the flagship initiatives of 2013 Year of Natural Scotland and involves projects created in collaboration between artists and scientists.

this weeks announcement from INS:
Now that all the applicants have been notified, we are delighted to be able to announce the successful applications to the Imagining Natural Scotland project fund.
The quality of entries to the INS project fund was extremely high, and with over 100 entries to assess, deciding which projects to select proved extremely difficult. However, after careful consideration and much discussion the fifteen projects selected were as follows (in no particular order):

1/ 'Caledonia: the Forest Is Moving, Breadalbane' - Collins & Goto Studio  www.collinsandgoto.com

 

2/ 'Dreaming Scotland' - Lowri Potts http://flyingpizza.wordpress.com

 

 3/ 'Mirror Lands' - Mark Lyken www.lykenlove.com

 

4/ 'A new EIA for Natural Scotland: Environment, Imagination and Aesthetics' - Jo Hodges  www.johodges.co.uk

 

Jo Hodges and Robbie Coleman - Biosphere Drinking Fountain (part of Dark Skies Residency 2012- ongoing)

 

5/ 'Montrose Bay: The Changing Coast' - Jean Duncan

 

6/ 'Wild Land' - Simon Fildes

 

7/ 'Thinking like a Mountain' - Esther Woolfson 

 

8/ 'Search Film' - Duncan Marquiss

 9/ 'Through The Looking Glass – Clyde Reflections' - Stephen Hurrel  www.hurrelvisualarts.com 

 

10/ 'Portraits of Scots Pine' - Marcus Leotaud  www.leotaud.com 

 

11/ 'Water of Life' - Rob St John 

 

12/ 'Graphic Archaeology' - Lisa Mackenzie, Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, 

 

13/ 'Making space for water: a poetry of place' - Hazel Lesley Harrison

 

14/ 'Barnacles – Fish or Fowl' - Philippa Mitchell  http://philippamitchell.blogspot.co.uk/ 

 

15/ 'Tales From The River Tweed' - Bright Club  www.brightclubscot.org 

 

Mark Lyken and Teo Moneyless - 'Forms and Spaces' (Recoat Gallery)

 

Kirkcudbright's Town Hall - Open for Summer!

Artists from the WASPS Studios would like to invite you to their summer exhibition taking place in the Lesser Town Hall in Kirkcudbright, to coincide with Kirkcudbright 2000's Tam O'Shanter exhibition, showing paintings by Alexander Goudie.

This year six artists from the WASPS Artists studios on the High Street are participating, showing new work:

Katie Anderson (http://www.katiejanderson.wordpress.com/)
Richard Brinley (http://www.richardbrinley.co.uk/)

Marianne Davidson

Claire Cameron-Smith (http://www.cameronsmithdesigns.co.uk/)

Ian Cameron-Smith (http://www.cameronsmithdesigns.co.uk/)

Morag Macpherson (www.moragmacpherson.com)

The exhibitions run from the 29th of June (this Saturday) until the 9th of August daily, from 10am til 5pm. Admission is free.

Parley in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Art Festival's theme for this year's 10 public artworks is Parley. To celebrate, we've invited leading and emerging artists to participate in a series of events that open up dialogue and debate on a range of ideas. If you find yourself in the big city from the 1st August to the 1st September, check out the website for what's on. Events include: 

Parley Discussion: Is all the Hot Air Worth It?
10th August 2013
Artistic activity produces tonnes of CO₂ – particularly the international movement of artists, artworks and audiences. What responsibility do artists and arts organisations have to use the form, content and framing of their work to address climate change? With a provocation from the artists Collins & Goto, Creative Carbon Scotland’s discussion invites contributions from across the arts.

Parley Discussion: Real life Parledonia
2nd August 2013

Artist Ross Sinclair adopts the role of ring master to direct a loose array of speakers, performers and artists, in debating questions such as: 'what is Parley? And what is Caledonia? And how might they come together locally, nationally and internationally? What is the job description of 'artists' in a small damp Northern European country in 2013? What is a 'creative life' and how can the idea be articulated by ourselves and others at this particularly complicated moment in time?'.

Parley: Robert Montgomery in Conversation

13th August 2013

Robert Montgomery is a London-based, Scottish artist who works in post-situationist tradition. His practice is based on capturing audience’s attention through intervening in urban spaces, and therefore questioning the language and voice of private commercial interests on public streets.

Commissioned by Edinburgh Art Festival, Montgomery’s new sculptural poem, created in oak and situated on The Mound, will be burnt on the opening day of the festival. This is an opportunity to hear the artist talk about his work for the festival and about his wider practice. 

Dumfries and Galloway Youth Summit

from Helen Turner

The Dumfries and Galloway Youth Summit - a youth conference being organised by a group of young people in Dumfries -  will take place on Saturday 3rd August in a Big Top Circus Marquee in the Car Park opposite the Oasis Centre.   

Also, organisations are welcome to have a display stand showing what they do.  If you are interested in having a stand, please contact Cathy Crompton and discuss it with her.     

If you have any questions, please get back to Cathy Crompton either at the Oasis Centre, 01387 260243, or at North West Resource Centre, 01387 279279.

Samantha Ward @ Greyfriars

Pop-Up Art Auction - Dumfries 29.06.13

from Ed Baxter

Sale: Auction of Scottish Contemporary Art & Beyond
Sale Date: Saturday 29 June 2013 at 11:00
Location: 3V Gallery, 58 Friars Vennel , Dumfries , DG1 2RL, Great Britain

 Ed Baxter "Hurricane Hamish hits Hightae"

Bringing the new concept of pop up auctions to the UK, Brendan Mitchell, who has auctioned for Sotheby’s in a variety of sales worldwide, was inspired by pop-up restaurants and galleries which utilise otherwise redundant high street buildings. He is delighted to announce the first of these pop up auctions which on this occasion will take place in Dumfries on the premises of 3V Studio and Gallery, 58 Friars Vennel and will offer more than 50 paintings and works of art by 10 of the region’s leading contemporary artists. “Auction of Scottish Contemporary Art and Beyond” takes place on Saturday 29 June. The auction starts at 11am with presale viewing from Tuesday June 25 (10am-5pm) and on the morning of the sale (10am-11am). Estimated prices range from an affordable £40 to £800. 


more info

Brendan Mitchell - Pop-Up Auctions

 Tel: 07585921550

Website:www.brendanmitchell.co.uk

New Samothea - State Currency Designer Position

Apply for position of currency designer here

Fresh Start welcomes Belle Doyle

Remember Two Thousand Acres of Sky or the Peter Mullan movie The Magdalene Sisters? Well, Fresh Start is pleased to welcome aboard Belle Doyle, a “star” of both of these, as the new Youth Learning Journeys Co-Ordinator.

Scenes from The Magdalene Sisters shot near Moniaive

Belle wasn’t one of the cast, but as far as D&G went she was crucial. As the council’s film officer she played a pivotal role in attracting Mullan’s production team to the region and ensured that all ran smoothly for the TV folk who made the successful BBC drama at Port Logan. This was the time of Foot and Mouth, when the D&G economy was under severe pressure, not least because of a severe downturn in tourism. The £1m that the movie and TV shows brought to D&G was one of the few welcome bright spots – benefiting all kinds of businesses, including hotels and restaurants.

For the past seven years Belle has been away in Glasgow continuing her career in film and TV but returned to Dumfries in February. Since then she has been getting active in the local arts scene and is now on the board of The Stove. 

Fresh Start is delighted to have Belle as part of the team as she has such drive and experience. In the next few months she will be co-ordinating the four Youth Arts Learning Journey projects which we unveiled last week. The scheme, which is LEADER funded, is intended to provide high-quality national experience for young people from D&G, helping develop the talent we need to guarantee of vibrant future for the region’s arts and creative sector. 

Belle says her aim is to help make sure that the four projects are as ambitious and successful as possible. In this way she hopes that they will set down a marker, influencing the way D&G approaches youth arts development in the future.

If you would like further information about anything connected with Fresh Start please email Matthew Shelley at info@matthewshelley.net or call 07786 704299.