The Scottish Government decamped en-masse to Stranraer on Monday where they convened a special Cabinet meeting and generally go about a bit in the South-West. One of our new (and very culturally aware) South Scotland MSPs Aileen McLeod seized the opportunity to show Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop MSP around the region.
Their journey started in the tiny village of New Luce which has been the site of an ambitious 18 month arts project. The idea was to base a pair of artists in the village for 6 months and then see what could come from that research period.
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| Fiona Hyslop at the site of one of the 4 permanent installations around the village. With Artist Matt Baker and Una Forster who led the project for the village |
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| Going for a walk in the woods...the D+G way of having a chat. From right - Fiona Hyslop, Henry Crawfurd and Matt Baker. Henry was part of the local team working on the project and is now studying at Glasgow School of Art. |
Next stop was Glen Luce Abbey:
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| Fiona Hyslop and Aileen McLeod (centre) with staff from New Luce Abbey |
The intrepid band then called in at Whithorn (we've no pictures I'm afraid...anyone got any?)....
before finishing the day at Dumfries where the Cabinet Secretary announced £250,000 of funding for the Moat Brae project
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| Fiona Hyslop with Cathy Agnew in Moat Brae....nice look in the hard hat Cathy |
It is a strange old up and downy road in the Arts in D+G at the moment.....teetering on the brink of the abyss one minute and then fresh excitement on the horizon the next. Thanks to Fiona Hyslop for making the time to check out some of what is happening here and for Aileen McLeod for arranging things. It is up to ourselves to make the most of the opportunities that are given to us - we have a moment now when we have two new representatives in Holyrood who 'get' Culture....lets make the most of it people!
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