North Kincardine Public Realm Master Plan Project

Inspiring Community Engagement leading to permanent public art features in the area

Aberdeenshire Council wishes to appoint an experienced public artist whose practice includes a strong element of community socially engaged work. From the information gathered from the community the artist will work with North Kincardine Public Art Group to create a programme of creative interventions and create an innovative public art masterplan for the area.

Deadline: Tuesday 15th February
For the artist’s brief and for further information please contact:

Marie Shaw, Arts Development Officer (South),
Education, Learning & Leisure,
Viewmount, Arduthie Road,
Stonehaven,
Aberdeenshire AB39 2DQ

Tel: 01569 768353 Mobile: 07825 721419
Email: marie.shaw@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

A brief can be down loaded from www.aberdeenshirearts.org.uk

Outside Overview by Alex Kay and Susie Hunt

An Exhibition of Contrasting Landscapes

You are invited to a preview on Sunday 27th February 2-4pm
Exhibition open until 29th March 2011

Open daily 10am - 4pm (except during workshops and private events) Sundays 1-4pm

at Lang Byre Gallery, Woodend Barn, Burn o' Bennie, Banchory AB31 5QA 01330 826520

Creative Cultures Scotland "Best of 2010"

Creative Cultures Scotland are running a Poll to find out what the "best cultural events of 2010" were for the North East of Scotland... perhaps you'd like to nominate NEOS?...

to enter your favourite event (whatever it is!) - please visit : http://polldaddy.com/s/0043028E2F8DAE64 and let them know.

NEOS AGM 19th February 2011

19 February · 10:00 - 12:00

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Location:

Gordon Highlanders Museum

St Luke’s, 16 Viewfield Road (AB15 7XH)

Aberdeen, United Kingdom

A fantastic chance to meet the NEOS committee, fellow artists, hear about NEOS 2010 news, it's plans & dates for 2011, as well as an opportunity for networking too. The GHM will be laying on tea, coffee and yummy scones to tempt you along!
NEOS is Scotland's largest Open Studios showcasing a wealth of talent, from amature to professional. NEOS is a platform for the arts in Sepetember, giving Audience and Practitioner alike the ability to interface and connect.

If you think you might like to help NEOS'11 and would like to join the NEOS team, please get intouch by emailing emma@plaform22.co.uk
or, do you know anyone who would like to hear more about this event or would like to become a new NEOS member? Please forward this invitation to them ~ thank you!

We look forward to seeing lots of you there.

FACEBOOK invite : http://www.facebook.com/waspsstudios?v=info#!/event.php?eid=169104396468130&notif_t=event_invite

Perrr-fect News!!

Alice Stewart was delighted to tell us that she and other NEOS artists had been approached to design & decorate one of the 15 Kelly's Cats in this years fund raising for the The Diced Cap Charitable Trust. Kelly’s Cats are iconic to Aberdonians and are the leopards that adorn Union Bridge.

The Diced Cap Charitable Trust was founded in 1990 and is a Registered Scottish Charity unique in the UK, being run voluntarily by Police officers, support staff from Grampian Police along with a number of retired officers and associates. Although associated with Grampian Police the charity exists as a separate entity.

The aim is to improve the health and well being of any deserving persons, resident in or connected with the Grampian Police force area. Although it is a comparatively small charity DCCT has raised and donated a considerable amount of money and this year, their 20th year, they hope to hit the £1,000,000 mark.
Acting as an effective catalyst in attracting other sponsors / monies to the many individuals, charities and organisations that Diced Cap supports.

DCCT Aim is to:
• Create immediate impact locally.
• Bond communities.
• Help those abandoned by other agencies.
• Reduce social exclusion.
• Empower rather than enforce.
• Encourage & recognise good citizenship.

As this is a special year for the trust, they are trying new initiatives to raise money, so the completed Kelly's cats were auctioned off at their Winter Ball at the Marcliffe, Pitfodels on Saturday 13 November, with money donated to local causes.

Looking For Artists to Paint Portraits

I am an artist based in Glasgow and have been commissioned through Aberdeen City Council to undertake a public art project in the East Green area of the city.

I have a designated area to work in (around the indoor market, historic area between Union Street & railway station - including Hadden St, Carmelite St etc). My project is part of a wider evaluation into how people can participate in art and what role that could play in the regeneration of an area. I am responding to the designated project area and the community in and around it and through this experience I am going to make an art work to be finished by late February. What I want to do is find people to collaborate, to be part of making something and in the process they themselves become part of.

I work in various ways, with photography, video and music so I see the finished outcome perhaps being an event which will take place, perhaps with a musical performance (not quite sure yet). But I see the portrait idea as the starting point of what ever the work becomes. It will be a fundamental part of the overall work, which is going to depend on who I meet and work with along the way. I am interested in stories and finding ways to share these and document people's everyday lives.

By finding willing artists, not only will we then be able to work as a group to engage with the community around us but we can also get to know each other and share our own ideas/ stories.

The portraits themselves may be used to make a series of postcards or posters as part the project. I like the idea of different people being interpreted by different artists, building up a picture of people in the community, not only those whose image is used but the marks made by the person who has created that image.

If you are interested, please email Amy Marletta at amymarletta@hotmail.com

NEOS Website Details

The NEOS team has been made aware of a new website called Castle Country Arts, which some of you are rather concerned about. Firstly as NEOS Chair, I want to reassure our members that North East Open Studios has not passed or sold on your details. The committee are working on finding out more about it and will keep you informed of what is happening.

NEOS 2010: September 11th - 19th. Visit www.northeastopenstudios.co.uk for more information

Creative Cultures Scotland - Networking night in Inverurie 16th September 2010

Networking - Sept 16th at the Wyness Hall (Inverurie) 6 - 8pm

As part of the NEOS event, Creative Cultures Scotland are delighted to bring you a networking event in Aberdeenshire! After the fantastic Lemon Tree networking / itchee wasp exhibition, where ACC's Gary Cameron had talked briefly about the Aberdeen City & Shire visual arts and crafts awards, Saskia Gibbon will be presenting information, and a reminder that the deadline is fast approaching for the first round of applications. We will also be joined by Gabrielle Reith (NEOS coordinator) giving us an update of how NEOS is going, from feedback received that week, as well as Morag McGee (ceramicist) Giving us insight into her working practice. CCS' Aurelie Bureau will also be talking about her role in helping people find funds for "big projects". (Wine and nibbles included as always!)

If you would like to come, please send an email to : creativeculturescotland@googlemail.com
CCS will also be working with CityMoves and SMart Consultants for more networking opportunities later in the year... October 14th is a date to keep clear in you diaries... 

Wee folk and fascinating faces: RGU exhibitions launch

Artwork by two Robert Gordon University graduates is set to be displayed as part of North East Open Studios Week 2010 at the University’s Garthdee Campus from Saturday 11 September.

Now in its 7th year, North East Open Studios is Scotland’s largest open studios event of its kind, offering a unique opportunity for the public to explore and access the wealth of artistic talent across Aberdeenshire.

As part of the Open Studios week, the University will host and display two art exhibitions by Gray’s School of Art graduates David Lloyd and Mark Moynihan.

Members of the public can discover and learn about the mythical ‘wee folk’ of the Shetland Isles at David Lloyd’s exhibition in the Georgina Scott Sutherland Library in Aberdeen Business School.

David’s exhibition tells his outrageous tale of miniature skeletal remains supposedly found on the islands and reveals so-called ‘evidence’ of these fabled creatures.

Meanwhile in the Faculty of Health and Social Care, visitors can view Mark Moynihan’s compelling portrait work. After exhibiting a striking series of health worker portraits at Grampian Hospital Art Trust Gallery in 2008, Mark is back with a wider range of fascinating faces.

Using portraiture to open up the idea that no individual has a single identifiable identity, Mark uses a variety of media to hold the viewer’s attention whilst introducing his central philosophy that looks can be deceiving.

Jane Kidd, Collections Curator at the University’s Art and Heritage Collections, said “North East Open Studios Week is a great chance to see some engaging and unusual work by local artists. The University is thrilled to not only be taking part but to be exhibiting work by our own graduates who are actively creating unique art work in the local community.”

The exhibitions are open from 8am-10pm Mondays to Fridays, 9am-7pm on Saturdays and 11am-9pm Sundays. Both exhibitions are open to the public at the University until 31st December.

For more information on North East Open Studios Week and the University’s Art and Heritage Collections, please visit www.northeastopenstudios.co.uk and www.collections.rgu.ac.uk.

Aberdeenshire Yellow Sign Placement

It’s just about time to put up your yellow signs. Please can you just take a couple of minutes to read the do’s and don’ts below.

Please put your sign up just before NEOS starts (no earlier than Friday 10th) and take them down on the last day (Sunday 19th).

Please do not attach them to any Council owned street furniture, on any trunk road (ie A96, A90 etc) and near any junction.

Aberdeenshire Council have provided us with a pamphlet “Guidelines on Unauthorised Signs” (which can be downloaded here). Please adhere to the section “Guidelines for Authorised Signs in Community Events”.

remember, if you need yellow signs, and can't get hold of "official" corrugated plastic ones - you can always download the template and print it on yellow paper and laminate them. The poster can be found here : Blank NEOS Poster

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NEOS 2010: September 11th - 19th. Visit www.northeastopenstudios.co.uk for more information