Spring Fling 2012 - the Taster and the App

Spring Fling – Now We Are Ten! 

SAVE THE DATE Friday 2 March 6-8pm 

Spring Fling Taster Exhibition Opening Officially opened at 6.30pm 
by Joan McAlpine MSP

PLUS 

  Retrospective Exhibition Opening & Auction 

Brochure Launch 

Unveiling of the Spring Fling Smartphone App & Web Shop 

AT 

Gracefield Arts Centre 28 Edinburgh Road Dumfries DG1 1JQ

Taster & Retrospective Exhibitions continue: 3 March - 12 April - Gracefield Arts Centre -  & 

21 April - 19 May - Stranraer Museum - The Old Town Hall - George Street – Stranraer - DG9 7JP - 01776 705 088 ­­­­­­­­

Stamp Design by Clare Melinsky

In 2011 10,500 visitors flocked to Spring Fling in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, to see behind the scenes and visit the studios of 84 visual artists, makers and designers. The event brought over £780,000 to the local economy in 2011, and each year leaps from strength to strength. 

Cupboard by Daniel Lacey

Between 2-5 June 2012, 76 professional artists and makers working across disciplines will open the doors of their studios. Beginning its life in 2003, in 2012 Spring Fling is set to celebrate its 10th Birthday both during the festival and throughout the year, with a whole host of exciting events. Each year Spring Fling kicks off with the ever-popular Taster Exhibition launch at Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries. 

Ceramics by Andy Priestman

A launch event not to be missed! 

To mark the 10th birthday of Spring Fling the 2012 Taster Exhibition at Gracefield will have an additional element celebrating the number of visitors to studios over the last 10 years. This will include a looped slide show of images from the past 10 years and a specially commissioned Spring Fling film, by Picto Productions, showcasing the work of a handful of artists and makers and revelling in the perfect marriage of contemporary art and breath-taking landscapes. 

Visitors can contribute to the exhibition by decorating and/or writing a message or memory of Spring Fling on a ‘paper man’ to be added to the Memory Wall. Spring Fling participants over the past ten years have been invited to submit a piece of work made specifically for the Retrospective and these artworks will be auctioned during the evening of 2 March. Please visit www.spring-fling.co.uk for more details on how you can be a part of this, and be sure to come along and wish us Happy Birthday. 

Brochure Launch With celebration in both minds and hearts, Spring Fling picked the rather eccentric brain of Glasgow based illustrator Lesley Barnes and tasked her with creating a parade of artistic animals. Spring Fling are both excited and proud to present the triumphant 2012 brochure designed by Bremner Design from Edinburgh, and featuring Lesley Barnes’ whimsical creatures. A covetable, collectable piece of design in its own right, Spring Fling brochures are posted free to our Friends and will be available from the Spring Fling website (www.spring-fling.co.uk) for the price of UK postage. On 2 March, at the Brochure Launch attendees will have the chance to get their hands on their very own copy, hot off the press. 

Smartphone App Unveiling Streaking ahead, Spring Fling are thrilled to unveil the very first Spring Fling smartphone app. Created by Edinburgh based DEKO, the app will be available on iPhone and Android platforms. The primary purpose of the app is to navigate studios and source detailed drop down data on specific artists. Using the app, routes can be planned based on discipline, location, name or ‘near me’. It will be possible to search for and book additional events, sign up as Friend and search for local businesses, or sites of cultural interest recommended by Spring Fling artists. Throughout the year the app will function as a year round guide to the hottest artists, makers and designers with a connection to Spring Fling. The app will display the Spring Fling twitter feed and facebook wall, along with those of each artist. The first ‘lite’ iphone version will be unveiled on 2 March at Gracefield, and will be available to download. The full version iphone and android versions will be available to download from the app store in April.