Is it the…

By Lauren

After 2 wonderful years of working creatively with communities across the region, the Highland Culture Collective project is now taking a wee norrag (a nap). Our work has been funded by Scottish Government through Creative Scotland, initially responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s enabled our 5 brilliant artists-in-residence to work with communities from Lochaber to Wick, making podcasts, films, plays, photography exhibitions and zines. Even more importantly, it’s created opportunities for people to re-connect with each other, with their local area and with their creative selves.

To every person who collaborated with our artists- thank you for your enthusiasm, openness and courage in our creative adventures together. We loved working with you. A huge thanks to the many (over 50!) organisations and groups that welcomed us in- the warmth of your staff and volunteers made each project a joy.

Some projects and collaborations which started in the Highland Culture Collective will live on in other guises. Cat plans to continue collaborating with RASASH. Quilt Club will continue their weekly sewing bee in Dingwall, now led by regular members Tracey & Jo. We look forward to hearing about Christmas plays performed by Gaelic-medium pupils, with scripts from Artair’s book, which was distributed to all GME primary schools in the Highlands. Sinéad will continue to work at Lyth Arts Centre.

A special shout-out to the Mockingjays, a group which worked with Cat on zine-making, and have since travelled across the Highlands & Islands to run workshops themselves, seeking to help other women and work towards ending gender-based violence. We can’t wait to see your work continue to grow and

Thanks too to our colleagues at our partner organisations, Fèis Rois, Lyth Arts Centre, Eden Court and Highland Third Sector Interface. Your support, knowledge and connections were vital in getting this project off the ground.

Thanks to the Culture Collective team for sparking connections and discussions with our sister-projects across Scotland- we have all come away with a rich network of connections with folk working with socially-engaged practice. Big up to the Culture Collective projects we visited, Govanhill Baths and the Stove. And of course a big thanks to our funder, Creative Scotland/ Scottish Government.

Biggest thanks go to the artists who poured so much love into their work on the Highland Culture Collective. To the many freelancers who joined us, and to our 5 artists-in-residence; Evija Laivina, Sinéad Hargan, Artair Donald, Hector MacInnes and Cat Meighan.

And for now….