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Scotland's National Cultural Strategy Annual Report 2003

• DEVELOPING SOCIAL INCLUSION AND OUTREACH WITH CULTURE

WOOSH - 'WIRED' Out of School Hours
Learning Project, East Lothian

>> ACTION SINCE NOVEMBER 2002

O.S.L. SHOWS THE WAY -

OSL (Out of School Learning) is Renfrewshire Council's contribution to an exciting new national initiative to enhance provision of out of school hours learning. Three year funding of over 720,000 was granted by the New Opportunities Fund in July 2001 and now, through a programme of science, local history, arts, literature and sports presented in an imaginative way, children across Renfrewshire are enthusiastically extending their education out of school hours. The initiative is designed to help tackle inequality and disadvantage whilst encouraging communication and the development of self-confidence. Attendance at events is on a completely voluntary basis and free of charge, and over 90,000 attendances have been recorded since January 2002. 30 schools are partners in OSL.

"I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Libraries O.S.L. team ... I have watched children with learning difficulties and low self-esteem blossom in their capable hands. At an age when children can become de-motivated in terms of reading, this project is a breath of fresh air - from capturing the imagination through storytelling to the hard practicalities of working through homework ... a welcoming environment, a good working ethos and innovative ways of making homework, reading and learning good fun!" - Magi McCulloch, Home School Worker, Renfrewshire Family Support Service.

"Stephanie at first seemed very shy and self effacing but we discovered she had a wonderful way with words and was also a natural storyteller." - Senga Munro, MBE Storyteller, Renfrewshire Council's OSL initiative.

East Ayrshire "Investment in Drama" project

YOUNG PEOPLE DELIVER -

East Lothian Council Arts and Community Development Services are working in partnership with the Tranent Social Inclusion Partnership to implement a 2 year programme of arts activities in Tranent and surrounding villages. The aim is to raise self esteem in young people and help them celebrate their community through a range of arts activities. The project includes:

• activities such as graffiti art, street dance, giant puppet making and video for young people throughout the area;

• Summer outdoor Festival event with local bands and work created by young people and with local villages;

• a steering group of young people from the local area are involved in the decision making at every stage. This is key to the success of the project, and ensures that it is relevant to the needs of the young people in the area.

BUDDY, CAN YOU SPARE A GAG? -

in February 2003, Paisley played host to a 4-day festival of comedy. "Paisley in Stitches" was part of a local economic and social regeneration project organised by Paisley Partnership, and presented some of the best comic talent in Scotland. The project used the stand-up comedy business to engage residents of the Social Inclusion Partnership area, particularly young people, while an 8-week programme of workshops in confidence building, performing, creative writing, improvisation and communicating with an audience provided a range of skills.

BURNS INSPIRES INCLUSIVE PROJECTS -

Scottish Arts Council plans, announced in January 2003 and funded by 300,000 from the Executive, are now well advanced to deliver initiatives with a Burns theme that promote social inclusion. The Council's proposals include:

• seedcorn support of a songwriting event with Dumfries & Galloway Arts Association;

• contributions to several literary festivals;

• the establishment of a Robert Burns Writer in Residence in Dumfries;

• a project for young people at Mauchline's Burns House Museum;

• extending the international children's opera project, the "Tale o' Tam".

"PARALLEL LIVES" -

this is an outreach project initiated by the National Galleries of Scotland in collaboration with Edinburgh's Capital City Partnership, and working with 4 area arts organisations: North Edinburgh Arts, WHALE in Wester Hailes, Craigmillar Community Arts and Art South Edinburgh. Parallel Lives was set up to address the issue of cultural exclusion amongst young people between the ages of 14 and 22 years and to support their development in relation to citizenship. Their challenge was to study key works in the historical collections at the National Galleries, many of which represent themes that remain relevant in the lives of people today. Working with contemporary artists, the young people addressed the similarities and differences between life in the past and the present, and made their own comments through visual art. The original artworks were exhibited at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh from September 2003.

"PROMOTE COMMUNITY-BASED CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL INCLUSION PARTNERSHIPS"

SPOTLIGHT ON SOCIAL INCLUSION -

in March 2003, the Scottish Arts Council announced a series of grants that will directly impact on local communities. The projects supported range from art activities for hospice patients to youth and community-led work. Awards include:

• Craigmillar Community Arts, receiving 58,517 towards a community-led initiative for groups to develop new skills in theatre, music and visual arts that addresses social inclusion and cultural diversity issues;

• Castlemilk Youth Complex, receiving 81,576 towards a youth-led independent theatre company within the Complex to promote excellence, learning and empowerment for excluded young people;

• East Ayrshire Council, granted 100,000 towards a residential programme called Elements of Change, which will provide arts education and studio space in partnership with local school communities and craft makers.

• Further Arts Council National Lottery funding awards totalling almost 500,000 were announced in August to deliver new arts opportunities for large numbers of people with little previous experience of participation - from digital art workshops and arts for families to a pilot 'arts on prescription' project in a community health centre:

• in North Glasgow, a co-ordinator will link up arts opportunities for communities in Springburn, Milton and East Balornock. Elsewhere in Glasgow, the Greater Pollock Partnership will use its 45,000 award to develop arts projects for pre-school age children, and develop an arts project for families based at a local health centre;

• the Great Northern Partnership in Aberdeen will use its 100,000 award to create a new post to link its arts strategy into city-wide developments, including a youth magazine and Activ80 arts events for senior citizens;

• Falkirk Council received more than 98,000 to implement its 'Action Plan for the Arts' in Falkirk, including the development of space for artists' studios.

"Arts in the City", Glasgow

"ARTS IN THE CITY" -

since its launch last Summer, this Glasgow-based project for 15-25 year olds with a care background has assisted access to the arts for nearly 50 young people through a planned programme of activities including drama, photography and video production workshops and visits to a diverse selection of productions and exhibitions. The work produced by young people has been displayed at several leading Glasgow galleries and 8 young artists sold work at Glasgow's 2003 Arts Fair. Managed and part funded by the partnership of the Big Step (Glasgow Care Leavers Social Inclusion Partnership), and Glasgow City Council (Social Work Services and Cultural and Leisure Services), the Scottish Arts Council has confirmed continued support for the project over the next 3 years.

When asked what participation in the project meant to them, young peoples' responses included - "I really enjoyed meeting new people" and "I like the work I did", and when asked how this made them feel, responses included "more confident", "a buzz" and "I felt I had another soul". Many attending the exhibitions commented positively on the high quality of the work produced.

Gallery, "Arts in the City", Glasgow

A HIDDEN PARADISE UNVEILED -

opened by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport in June 2003, thanks to innovative work led by arts charity NVA and funded by the Scottish Arts Council National Lottery Artists' Work in Public Places Scheme, Glasgow City Council and a wide variety of other public and private sources. The 1.5 million Hidden Garden situated behind the Tramway Theatre is a new landscape to inspire and increase commitment to a diverse Scotland. This project involved an international team of artists, landscapers, designers, over 16,000 schoolchildren, community members and leaders from the south side of Glasgow; the project includes a year of inspirational events and workshops.

BACK ON TRACKS WITH THE SCOTTISH RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY AND SCOTLAND AGAINST DRUGS -

last year's project by the Society and Scotland Against Drugs, in which former drug users renovated old goods vans, alongside museum volunteers, was so successful that it now continues with new participants. Based at Bo'ness and Kinneill Railway, the project has provided a great example of socially inclusive practice, and was showcased at the Museums Association Conference in Brighton in October 2003. It is supported by the Scottish Museums Council.

Hidden Garden detail

"PROMOTE EFFECTIVE LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN ... KEY LOCAL BODIES TO PROVIDE A WIDE RANGE OF LOCAL CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN LINE WITH LOCAL PRIORITIES"

COSTUME CREATIONS -

2 special exhibitions at Shambellie House Museum of Costume in Dumfries, operated by the National Museums of Scotland, drew record numbers of visitors over the summer of 2003.

• "Why Did You Get That Hat?" showed a selection of fantastic outfits and hats designed by internationally renowned artist and designer David Schilling.

• "Celebrity!" showed a fascinating display of artefacts from the last 50 years of show business - from Fred Astaire's dance shoes to Darth Vader's lightsaber.

ENCOURAGING THE OVER-50S TO TAKE PART -

" Encourage" was founded last year to whet the interest of the 'over-50s' from Glasgow's outlying housing estates in cultural activities. Conducted visits to arts events are offered at community centres where a tutor explains what participants will see or hear. Trips to theatres, concerts, art shows, ballet and exhibitions are subsidised. People who dared to test the dogma "Such things are not for the likes of us" became Encourage's best ambassadors:

• "I'd never been to the ballet before - but it was fantastic."

• "There were all these wonderful things going on out there and we never knew" - male, now art devotee.

• "Encourage has given these people confidence and they are now taking more responsibility for running their centre" - Centre manager in Castlemilk, Glasgow

"Why Did You Get That Hat?" exhibition,
Shambellie House Museum of Costume, Dumfries

OUTREACH ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS -

the National Galleries of Scotland's Education Outreach project, in partnership with Highland Council, accompanied artist Calum Colvin's " Ossian" exhibition to 7 venues in the Highlands. The project involved participating groups engaging with the themes of history, culture and identity by creating their own art projects. Groups included retired people in Nethy Bridge, teenage skateboarders in Thurso, young people from the North-West Youth Initiative in North-West Sutherland, young Gaelic speakers in Portree, Isle of Skye, and young mothers in Alness. Selection was based on geographic exclusion and the lack of local cultural amenities. The project ends with Travelling Book, an interactive book/box of fragments: photographic images, video, sound and text. This exhibition will tour the region, combining the work of participants to present an 'epic' vision of their lives as contemporary Highlanders.

Calum Colvin's "Ossian" exhibition

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