Talking, Listening and Learning
Author: Artlink
Lottery award celebrating young people with creative skills
Young Midlothian People with complex needs awarded Year of the Young Person National Lottery Funding.
£9800 from the National Lottery Year of the Young Person awards will celebrate the creative talents of young people with autism and complex needs. The project entitled Creative Directors, supported by Artlink Edinburgh, will offer one to one support for young people to direct their own community projects focused on their unique skills like acting, drumming, animation and even listening.
The funding will involve six amazing young people from Bilston, Penicuik, Gorebridge and Loanhead, whose untapped talents will be the focus of community activity to benefit other young people in Midlothian;
- Lewis loves acting but there’s no local group that suited his needs and interests – he will set one up for him and his friends.
- Jordan has recently showed huge ability for drumming and will organize a music concert for friends and family.
- Chris has amazing listening skills but needs quiet spaces he can really tune into the sounds around him – he will work with community venues to involve him and many others with complex needs.
Artlink Midlothian Coordinator Kara Christine said “The project focuses on young people who have evident, but untapped talent because the youth groups or activities that exist locally aren’t always set up for people with anxieties or complex support needs. This project will put them in charge in contributing their skills to make a difference for others in Midlothian.”
Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Seona Reid, said “ This funding will help young people to make a positive change in their lives and I wish Artlink Edinburgh and Lothians every success as it works to improve young people’s health and wellbeing in celebration of Scotland’s Year of Young People.”
Artlink in Midlothian
Leylines and Curious Routes
Hospital Open Show 2018
It’s nearly time for the annual staff and patient exhibition! This year it will be taking place in the gallery at the Western General Hospital from 1st March – April 2018.
The exhibition so far has been developed by illustrator Laura Cave Macgowan, in collaboration with staff and patients who responded to an earlier call for ideas. She would like to invite you to explore the theme of ‘escapism’ through art, by considering the use of mark-making, lines and pattern in making a piece of work. Perhaps you could take inspiration from what you do to relax or ground yourself. Whether its gardening, visiting a landscape or reading your favourite book, you might want to focus on a detail, such as the surface of a leaf, tiles on a floor, or something more abstract – be as imaginative as you wish!
If you’d like to take part, please read the guidelines and complete the submissions form, returning it to us by Monday 12th February. All artwork should be framed and handed in to the Artlink office by Monday 19th February.
We’re very much looking forward to seeing all of your unique and creative responses to the theme.
If you any questions, then please get in touch.
NMS and Ratho Rock Art Outing
Visually impaired Arts Access users found out more about prehistoric rock art this summer, with a hands-on visit to explore the collection at the National Museum of Scotland, followed by a field trip to discover ancient cup and ring marks on Tormain Hill outside Ratho. Arts Access volunteer and archaeologist Tertia Barnett, and Alison Sheridan, curator at the National Museum of Scotland, were on hand to share their expertise and to answer questions. Sound artist Gavin Fort made a recording of the trip.
Common Play: Making Things Happen
As a society we no longer create social spaces naturally. Within mental health the increasing reality is isolation and the lack of opportunity for people to find meaningful and engaging ways to belong to their immediate communities.
Over the past years Artlink projects at the Glasshouses in the grounds of the Royal Edinburgh hospital, Leylines across West Lothian and Curious Routes within Edinburgh have at the heart of their studio practice the motivation to bring people together.
‘We as a group of people meet up, chat, eat, share and listen together. It allows us to creatively explore our realities of isolation, support each other and challenge the lack of meaningful opportunities that people face on a daily basis’
These projects become social spaces, a chance to engage and share in conversation. ‘Everyone recognises themselves in how the ideas emerge and the way we make them happen.’ Ideas develop naturally inspired by something as simple as a favourite tune, a movie that inspires a time and place, a shared memory. Common ground emerges and the inspiration to involve others is the next step.
In West Lothian’s Leylines project, Peter Johnstone brought his passion for up and coming Scottish music talent to his local community of Bathgate. ’I want people to experience music locally that they might otherwise have to travel to city centres to experience.’
Edinburgh’s Curious Routes project has been developing conversations around communal play through music and games. ‘Getting together and sharing is on our own terms, we inform our ideas from personal and lived experiences’
The Glasshouses studio is a collective group of artists who create unique projects and events that encourages participation and celebration, as one member of the collective puts it: ‘As a group we have created a safe and supportive environment to explore our ideas. We bounce ideas off one another, it encourages us to be bolder, more ambitious about how we involve others and have fun in what we create’
Over the course of this exhibition at the Tent gallery, Glasshouses, Leylines and Curious Routes will be inviting groups and the public to actively take part in workshops or just enjoy the artworks on display.
A portable ping-pong table will be open for anyone to use. No points, no rules just play. Alongside this listen to music, chat about what motivates us and how we begin to create and be in charge of our own spaces.
Music for Mental Health
Glasgow’s Life Model, Adullboy, Idkid and Mad Rodents and their unique gig for Mental Health on September 30th in Boghall, Bathgate, West Lothian.
We held a one-off gig bringing the best of Scotland’s songwriting talent under one humble roof in West Lothian as part of our project Leylines which hosts creative connections for mental health in West Lothian.
Local resident Peter Johnstone was the power behind this grassroots event – inspired by his passion for the current vibrant Scottish music scene. ‘I wanted to bring fresh Scottish talent to a small town in West Lothian where I come from. I wanted to give others incredible live music without the need to get to the city centres. Music is helpful in so many ways, it brings us out of ourselves and is a connection with others. Creativity is a joy and an escapism’
Chris Smith from Life Model said ‘It’s important to take any opportunity to raise awareness and reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health and get more people to talk about it”
Scott vs Demons
COMIC LAUNCH & EXHIBITION
As part of the Edinburgh Art Festival, Artlink launches Scott vs Demons, a comic which takes a satirical look at the bureaucratic mistreatment of vulnerable people with chronic ill health and disabilities.
The comic takes as its starting point the experience of Scott Davidson, a young man with autism, and goes on a flight of fantasy where we get to experience the Personal Independence Payments (PIP) assessment process for the ridiculous farce it is.
On show at Artlink will be the original artwork for the comic and an opportunity to meet with some of the people behind the comic and talk with them about the ideas behind its creation.
Exhibition Venue: Artlink, 13a Spittal street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DY
Comic signing with Alan Grant & Scott Davidson: Friday 25th August, 9.30am- 5pm
Exhibition of Original Artwork: Friday 25th and Saturday 26th August, 9.30am – 5pm
Where to buy your copy: At Artlink, Blackwells Books, Deadhead Comics and other retailers or buy it online by clicking here.
Working Together
