Category : News

Following the latest relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown measures in Scotland, we can’t wait to welcome you back to the workshops from Monday 3 May 2021. We are re-opening the site carefully, with Residency, Open Access, Ceramics and Courses starting back up gradually over the coming months. Familiar COVID-19 protocols will be in place across all activity to keep everyone safe. As a brief overview, when you come to SSW please expect: reduced numbers of users and staff on site physical […]

Have you ever wanted to learn blacksmithing, but don’t have the kit or know-how? Do you live in Lumsden or Kildrummy? The new Forge Club at SSW is an exciting way to give blacksmithing a go in a fun, creative and friendly environment. The sessions will be led by Brian Whiteman, skilled volunteer, with the support of SSW Technicians. Brian says, “Forge Club will be informal, open to anyone and aimed at beginners. There is no curriculum or expectation of […]

On 31 March 2021, the Creative Europe Desks across the UK closed their doors – just one of the many heart wrenching outcomes of the UK’s exit from the European Union. Sam Trotman, Director at SSW, made the following speech at the farewell event on behalf of Scotland’s beneficiaries of the Creative Europe programme. Today I wanted to talk about how the Creative Europe programme has enabled us to support incredible artists, share and learn from their vital work and […]

Over the past 2 years SSW Director Sam Trotman has been working with over 40 other artists/ cultural workers and 12 partners organisations from across Europe and the Southern Mediterranean in RESHAPE. RESHAPE aims to develop collaborative, bottom-up research that proposes ways to transition towards a fairer arts ecology with a specific focus on fair governance. Working in collaboration with Helga Baert (Direction – WPZimmer) and Martin Schick (artist and Cultural Manager bluefactory), informed by a wide range of artists, […]

This year, we won’t be doing our usual wrap up and review of the year. Instead, as 2020 draws to a close, let’s see it off with a bang. For everyone who wants to relive their heady days spent in the warm embrace of the foundry at SSW, we share with you Eden’s classic and improved Foundry Anthems*. If this isn’t enough to get you through the last few weeks of the year, we highly recommend the new album by […]