£897,099 of National Lottery funding is bolstering creative activity across Scotland and its many artforms, from seasonal Celtic music to Shetland wool, in the latest round of Creative Scotland’s Open Fund awards.
Artist: Esmee Balcewicz, courtesy of RIG Arts
Tannahill Weavers are crafting an album of Celtic musical celebration, collecting melodies from many sources as well as composing their own and knitting traditional seasonal music together with a Celtic twist. The internationally renowned traditional Celtic band keep their repertoire diverse and innovative, endeavouring to reimagine seasonal tunes into new and unique pieces.
Producer, Phil Smillie, said: “Traditional Scottish music is at the heart of the Scottish identity and brings together people from so many different age groups and backgrounds. It’s one of the strongest bonds between communities. Like so many other bands in Scotland, we like to think we bring a lot of pleasure and fun to communities far and wide as well as providing inspiration and encouragement to a younger generation to learn an instrument.
“The Open Fund from Creative Scotland is allowing the Tannahill Weavers the luxury of creating new material without the concern of how to fund the ever-increasing cost of recording it. The time alone invested in creative practices and being able to pay every participant a fair rate for their participation in making this recording makes us appreciate all the good work that The National Lottery, through Creative Scotland, does for the arts."
Thanks to £15,587 of National Lottery funds, Tannahill Weavers will be releasing a track from the album in December ahead of their Australian tour in January and will be back touring in Scotland in March 2024.
Jamie Raeburn's Farewell to Glasgow | The Tannahill Weavers
RIG Arts are going from strength to strength in Seedhill. Making use of a previously vacant retail unit turned Community Arts Space, £50,000 of National Lottery funds will allow them to continue a programme of artist residencies and bursaries.
Beth Duffy of RIG Arts, said: “Thanks to this funding we can provide high quality cultural access opportunities to people, right in the heart of the community. It means we can continue our ongoing programme of artist residencies and bursaries that focus on enhancing adult mental health, increasing access opportunities and the regeneration of our outdoor public spaces. This will further strengthen the Seedhill community and build upon the vibrancy and enthusiasm generated so far.”
Field to Fabrics has received £15,602 of National Lottery funds to weave together local materials, makers, creativity and sustainability to produce a limited-edition range of Shetland wool throws and rugs.
Photography by Yeshen Venema
Of her approach, Field to Fabrics’ textile designer and weaver, Lynn Sayers-McHattie says: “I specialise in breeding Shetland sheep and weaving with the natural palette of wool from these native breeds. I’m interested in craft as a form of advocacy and activism that embodies consciousness, consideration and care. I’m inspired by the possibilities of a new ‘field to fabric’ aesthetic, which emphasises the subtle nuances of texture and tactility, unique within hand crafted processes - created both individually and in collaboration - with other makers.”
“Scottish provenance is a central tenet of my philosophy, which encompasses a circular approach - within a 50-mile radius - contributing to the responsibility and sustainability of contemporary craft approaches. Creating fabrics that are honed by the hand and created in concert with nature, which impart the natural qualities and sensibilities of the local landscape, culture and terrain.”
Paul Burns, Interim Director of Arts at Creative Scotland, said: “Creativity is woven into the fabric of Scotland’s physical and social landscape, whether it’s our agriculture, our heritage or our communities. These projects demonstrate the wide variety of activity constantly being supported by National Lottery players through our Open Fund, tied together through the threads of Scottish culture.”
At a Glance:
Some more highlights from the recent Creative Scotland Open Fund awards:
- This month at DanceLive 2023 in Aberdeen, dance artist Tess Letham and a cast of female/non-binary creatives are presenting immersive performance Remedy for Memory, supported by £19,999 of National Lottery funds.
- Kirsty MacDonald has been awarded £15,025 of National Lottery funds to research traditional Gaelic stories from her local area of Uist to develop Gaelic storytelling in Scotland, ensuring the tales aren’t lost.
- Govan Project Space is running a series of exhibitions of Scottish-based visual artists thanks to £19,968 of National Lottery funding, providing safe and inclusive workspaces to nurture the artists and allow them to develop ideas they otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to.
Download the full August Open Fund recipient list
Background
Creative Scotland’s Open Fund
- In August 2023, Creative Scotland’s Open Fund made 44 funding awards, totalling £897,099.
- Open Funding is one of Creative Scotland’s key funding routes, supporting the wide range of activity initiated by organisations, artists, writers, producers and other creative practitioners in Scotland. The Open Fund has no deadlines, and full eligibility criteria and application guidance can be found on the Creative Scotland website.
The National Lottery has raised more than £41 billion for more than 565,000 good causes across the UK since 1994. Thanks to The National Lottery players, up to £600 million has been made available to support people, projects and communities throughout the UK during the Coronavirus crisis.
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot
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