We have visited Scotland!
Whilst in Edinburgh we spent inspirational afternoon talking to Kate Grey, Director of Collective Gallery and Debi Banerjee, Participation Leader.
Kate talked about how her interests in collaboration, exchange and dialogue are reflected in the gallery programme. Collective shows interesting practice, not social or relational one. But interesting and social/relational sometimes overlap. Kate told us a bit about her previous projects and experiences – she has been trained as an artist and worked as an artist until getting the position of director at Collective and to me it feels as she continues her practice with a new ‘label’ on, but very much continuing thinking as an artist and programming as an artist.
If you are in Edinburgh this summer don’t miss the next Collective project:The indirect exchange of uncertain value by Joanne Tatham and Tom O’Sullivan | Chris Evans | Elizabeth Price
http://www.collectivegallery.net/future.html
From Edinburgh we went to Huntly to visit Deveron Arts. We met Claudia Zeiske and Anna Insa Vermehren – two women who run the arts organisation in the small town in Aberdeenshire. Their approach to arts fits into one line: The town is the venue. The town doesn’t have a dedicated arts space and the projects that Deveron Arts is in charge of take place wherever the audiences are and artists develop their work very much within the town. The arts residencies are usually 3 months long and Deveron Arts allows for artists to move to Huntly with their family – a very unique approach! The residency starts with the topic not with the arts practice – something again very Deveron Arts specific. The organisation has a very clear vision of what is it’s role within the town’s context and is dedicated to supporting contemporary practice within it’s framework. Claudia’s continuously coming up with ideas and one of the recent projects was bringing Art Visitor (play on Health Visitor) to Huntly. Artist Norma Hunter looks after the cultural wellbeing of people of Huntly. Norma also took us for a great tour of the town and we had the pleasure to visit Deveron Arts Art Collection that is displayed in shops, cafes, hotels, office building across the town. A real treat!
There is always something going on in Huntly. Visit:
