AMATEUR artists from across the country are invited to submit work for a new exhibition.
Scottish Creations is a cross art-form initiative inspired by Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022, aimed at re-establishing a connection with audiences after Covid-19, while sharing the stories of communities and individuals. It is being developed by Scottish Ensemble in partnership with charity Creative Lives.
Artists are being asked to respond to the theme of storytelling through a range of artforms, from visual art, sculpture, poetry, creative writing, and photography, to drawing, tapestry and wood carving, and everything in between.
A selection of creative works will then be displayed at a pop-up exhibition at each venue on Scottish Ensemble’s May tour, supplemented by a digital exhibition where works such as music, film, animation and soundscapes will feature.
Scottish Creations will take place in May this year at venues in Mull, Skye, Inverness, Shetland, Aberdeen and Dundee, with Scottish Ensemble performing a programme of iconic music, including a new commission by Ailie Robertson, at each location.
Each performance will be followed by a more communal session showcasing the diversity of Scottish Ensemble’s music-making and featuring smaller chamber groups and a broad range of music genres. Audiences will be invited to explore the Creative Lives exhibition before the performance and during the interval, with submissions shared via a digital exhibition during and after the tour.
Creative Lives chief executive Robin Simpson said the initiative was an “amazing” opportunity to highlight the important role creative cultural activity plays in local communities in every part of Scotland.
“The pandemic has reinforced how creative expression, socialising with friends and neighbours, and really appreciating the places where we live and work, form a vital part of our lives and an essential component of our wellbeing,” he said. “This project will be a joyous celebration of Scotland, its people and their creativity in Scotland’s Year of Stories.”
Scottish Ensemble chief executive Jenny Jamieson said they had been inspired by the resilience of the amateur arts sector during the pandemic.
She added: “With Scottish Creations we want to celebrate and showcase the huge amount of creative talent we know exists across the length and breadth of the country.”
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