Published: 25 Jan 2023
The artists commissioned to deliver Glasgow Life Artists in Communities programme. Image courtesy of Glasgow Life.
A new initiative delivering arts projects in communities throughout Glasgow will benefit local people and their areas.
Funded jointly by partners including Creative Scotland and Glasgow City Council, the Artists in Communities programme is being introduced by charity Glasgow Life which – through culture and sport – is committed to promoting inclusion, happiness and health to enhance Glasgow’s mental, physical and economic wellbeing.
Building on the success of previous Artists in Residence initiatives, the new programme is designed to transform lives through encouraging and enabling participation in creative and cultural activities. The diverse range of projects which will take place over the coming months span visual arts, music, dance, poetry, storytelling, film-making and more– with activity directed by local needs and priorities and targeted at different groups within Glasgow’s communities.
Many of the projects explore themes related to cycles, circles, connection and movement –taking inspiration from the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, which Glasgow will host from 3-13 August. Glasgow Life Artists in Communities is being very much influenced by the forthcoming major event, and the arts programme forms part of the citywide activation and legacy work to bring together and provide a platform for local communities to enjoy and access the wider Championship experience. Many of the 15 artists and arts organisations commissioned to deliver the community arts projects will be working with local partners involved in encouraging active participation in cycling.
Glasgow Life Senior Arts Producer - Creative Communities, Karen Shaw, said: “These projects offer a great variety of exciting opportunities to support local communities throughout the city. They’re designed to encourage and enable people of all ages and from all groups to come together to connect and take part in enjoyable, enriching shared activities that make a real difference to lives.
“Programmes such as this are vital to mental and physical health, helping to reduce isolation and ensure social inclusion. And it’s particularly during challenging times such as these, when people are coping with additional pressures and stresses which are so detrimental to wellbeing, that involvement in cultural and sports activities is particularly important and valuable.
“We are encouraging as many local people as possible to get involved in the projects taking place in their communities. The local artists we’ve commissioned for this programme have a wealth of experience in working with communities across the city on previous arts projects which have proved highly successful and extremely popular with local people. They’re all very much looking forward to involving more of our communities in these new projects.”
Creative Scotland CEO, Iain Munro, said: “It is wonderful to see such an exciting range of projects in motion thanks to the Artists in Communities fund. This impressive range of work aimed at a diverse range of ages and communities will have a tangible impact on Glasgow over the coming months. The importance of arts and culture for the wellbeing of Scotland’s communities cannot be underestimated and we look forward to seeing the positive effects that these projects will have”.
The artists’ projects are being delivered in Glasgow’s three Community Planning Partnership Areas (CPPs) are:
More details on the Glasgow Life Artists in Communities programme, the artists, and previous Glasgow community projects they’ve worked on, are available at: www.glasgowlife.org.uk/ArtistsInCommunities
Glasgow Life is a charity working for the benefit of the people of Glasgow. We believe everyone deserves a great Glasgow life and we find innovative ways to make this happen across the city’s diverse communities. Our programmes, experiences and events range from grassroots community activities to large-scale cultural, artistic and sporting events which present Glasgow on an international stage. Our work is designed to promote inclusion, happiness and health, as well as support the city’s visitor economy, in order to enhance Glasgow’s mental, physical and economic wellbeing. For more information, visit www.glasgowlife.org.uk.
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
Ellen Drummond, Communications Officer - Glasgow Life
Mob: 07801 820757; Email: ellen.drummond@glasgowlife.org.uk