Scottish Arts Council to reward excellence and ambition in the visual arts

Vision
Working effectively with key partners and other agencies, we aim to ensure that Scotland continues to recognised as a centre of excellence in and for the visual arts, nationally and internationally.

A draft strategy for the Visual Arts in Scotland was presented to the Scottish Arts Council at its meeting on Tuesday 26 March. The strategy presents a plan for investment, research and development over the coming 5 years. Key initiatives include:

• an audit of artists in Scotland to inform future policy and funding
• residential bases for curators and artists in Amsterdam and New York to promote international working and cultural exchange
• investment in galleries, studios and workshops across the country to support artists and audiences
• promotions to encourage people to see and buy art
• new approaches to increase audiences and to encourage a wider range of people to enjoy the visual arts.

“Our plan sets out a framework which will ensure that Scotland continues to be recognised at home and abroad for the strength of work being produced here. Investment in a range of galleries and workshops across the country will ensure that artist and audiences have access to high quality facilities for the making and appreciation of art. Our emphasis will be to reward excellence and ambition and to further the development of new work.” Said Amanda Catto, Head of Visual Arts at the Scottish Arts Council. “We will also stengthen our commitment to developing audiences for the visual arts and it is our aim to increase funding over time in order to enhance educational activity, improve marketing, review gallery opening hours, increase collecting of work and boost promotional activity.”

Background
From earliest times, people have created visual art, whether to record events or express ideas. Visual artists often communicate feelings and experiences through work that transcends the barriers of language. Nowadays, visual art embraces not only drawing, painting and printmaking, but also new media such as video and computer, photography and experimental film, sculpture and installation, sound and live art.

The Scottish Arts Council currently invests over £2.5 million in developing visual arts across Scotland, mainly through support for an infrastructure of artists studios, galleries, art agencies and publications which not only benefit artists, but also their audiences. While many of these facilities are located in the Central Belt, the Visual Arts Department has worked hard to support developments in Orkney, Skye, Inverness, Aberdeen and Dundee, to ensure that there is an optimum geographic spread of visual arts activity.

Within this support, the Visual Arts Department is eager to ensure that appropriate programmes of education and outreach are strengthened. In a highly competitive leisure market, audiences for the visual arts continue to grow, with over 500,000 people attending exhibitions at Scottish Arts Council-funded venues in the year 2000.

Future
The draft five-year strategy will seek to implement several key initiatives:

• An audit of artists living and working in Scotland will be conducted to obtain accurate information about where artists are based, what training they may have had, their needs for studio space and other facilities, income generated from their work, etc. The results are expected to inform future policy and funding decisions;
• Excellence and ambition will continue to be rewarded through funding, both to artists and organisations. Many of Scotland’s more established and successful artists have benefited from Scottish Arts Council grants at critical stages of their careers. We intend to increase investment in grants and awards to artists and to provide adequate resources to key galleries/workshops to ensure that they can deliver excellence across all aspects of their programme;
• Work to develop international opportunities will be strengthened, often in partnership with British Council Scotland, through cultural exchanges, by promoting Scottish artists abroad and ensuring that artists from overseas are exhibited in Scotland:
• a major initiative will be to exhibit the work of Scottish artists at the Venice Biennale 2003, bringing the exhibition back to Scotland;
• the Artist’s Studio in Amsterdam and another to be developed in New York will act as bases for artists and curators;
• The collection of new work will be stimulated, and this should have a positive impact on artists’ incomes. A two-year programme, working with the Contemporary Art Society, to encourage collecting by individuals, museums and galleries, and corporate institutions. Support will also be given to curators who seek professional development opportunities;
• A spread of studios and workshops for artists will be ensured, together with more opportunities for education and outreach programmes;
• Further work to develop audiences for the visual arts, including a review of gallery opening hours and promotional practices;
• Partnership working will be consolidated, especially with existing partners and in the development of new alliances, particularly relationships with the four Scottish art schools which play such an important role in developing the visual arts in Scotland.

Notes to editors

1. The Scottish Arts Council champions and sustains the arts for Scotland, investing £56 million from Scottish Executive and National Lottery funding to support and develop artistic excellence and creativity throughout Scotland.
2. The draft strategy will now go out to public consultation with artists, arts organisations, educators, art schools and local authority partners across Scotland.
3. Copies of the draft strategy are obtainable from Amanda Catto, Head of Visual Arts. A published version will shortly be available.

Contact email(s)

media.office@scottisharts.org.uk

Issued by: Scottish Arts Council