The Visual Arts Sector Review of 2016 demonstrated the quality, reach and ambition of the sector’s work. It underlined Scotland’s growing reputation as a centre of national and international excellence for contemporary art and highlighted the significant public impacts and value that the sector delivers. Noting achievements across the sector the review also identified the challenges that individuals and organisations face.
The findings of the Sector Review have been at the forefront of our thinking in making decisions about the Regular Funding Network 2018-21. Within the context of standstill funding our approach has been to achieve a level of stability and continuity over the next three years, giving organisations the opportunity to explore how they can build and strengthen core resilience. The inclusion of the Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) in the RFO network reflects its important role in sector development and in addressing the priorities identified in the review.
The following principles have underpinned our decision making
Regular Funding 2018-21 will support organisations that create opportunities for artists, at all stages in their career, to research, develop, produce and present their work. These include several high-quality studio and production spaces that encourage experimentation and growth within the art form. Some of these have a long and established history and are on the cusp of change, such as the Edinburgh Printmakers; others are enjoying the benefits of recently refurbished and / or newly developed facilities such as the Glasgow Sculpture Studios and the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, as well as the gallery and production spaces that sit at the heart of the highly successful Trongate 103 development in Glasgow: The Glasgow Print Studio; Street Level Photo-works and Project Ability.
Looking beyond the central belt, Regular Funding will support spaces for making and thinking that include DCA in Dundee, Peacock Visual Arts in Aberdeen, Highland Print Studio in Inverness, Scottish Sculpture Workshop in Aberdeenshire and Hospitalfield in Arbroath.
The inclusion of Stills in the RFO network reflects the significant contribution that its work is making to the development of photography and strengthens the unique and collective offer of the Visual Arts Production Facilities network in Scotland. These organisations provide a vital bed-rock of support to artists, at any stage in their career, and generate significant opportunities for public engagement through their gallery, workshop, community and creative learning programmes.
Regular Funding 2018-21 also supports organisations that deliver imaginative exhibition and creative learning programmes of the highest quality and that are of national and international significance such as: the Fruitmarket and Collective in Edinburgh; CCA, The Common Guild and Tramway in Glasgow; the Pier Arts Centre in Orkney, and DCA in Dundee. Funding to these organisations contributes significantly to the public profile and enjoyment of contemporary art across Scotland and enables people to engage with some of the very best work being made in our times. In addition to the above we will maintain support for internationally significant platforms such as Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art (GI) and Edinburgh Art Festival and work strategically with The Travelling Gallery to extend the reach and impact of its unique programme of art on a bus to communities across Scotland.
RFO funding will also maintain organisations that enable artists to engage with, and empower communities, through creativity. Regular Funding will enable a diverse range of highly imaginative and engaging programmes to be delivered by organisations such as Deveron Projects in Huntly; ATLAS Arts in Skye; The Stove Network in Dumfries and Galloway; Timespan in Helmsdale; Fife Contemporary Art and Craft and Taigh Chearsabhagh in Lochmaddy, North Uist. Rooted in place, their work generates fresh perspectives and contributes ideas that can inspire and influence change at a local level.
Find out more about the Regular Funding Network 2018-21.
Image: Glasgow Print Studio / Photo: The Edinburgh Film Company