Image Credit: Claire SawersWe are glad to share Clare Sawers text on the SSW X Counterflows Caregivers residency. Last May Claire took part in a 1 week residency with her son at SSW to write about hers and other artists’ experiences of the programme. Through the essay she discusses how arts organisations can become more welcoming to those with caregiving responsibilities and disabilities, how we might go beyond those funding-bingo buzzwords and explore what it actually means to create communities that look out […]
If you would like a copy of Oil please email sam@ssw.org.uk with your address by the 10th December 2024. Copies will be sent on a first come first served basis. Online launch, Thursday 7th November 6-7pm GMT – this event has now passed. Join us for a presentation and discussion with OIL publication author and editor Rachel Grant (Fertile ground, Aberdeen), Sam Trotman (Programme & Partnerships Director Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Lumsden, Aberdeenshire), Kathrin Böhm (Myvillages) and Scott Herrett (Just Transition Organiser for Friends […]
Building the Clay Commons, photo by Felicity CrawshawMore tickets for terms 2 and 3 will be released on Wednesday 31st October. Check out the booking details below. We are excited to launch Building The Clay Commons Night Class (online) – a new co-learning, online space set up for people interested in exploring ways to develop different, more emancipatory systems of working within and with the clay studio. The night classes are facilitated by artist and researcher Eva Masterman and features artists, organisers and academics Joon-Lynn Goh, the […]
From 2020-2024 SSW commissioned and worked with MyVillages through their Rural School of Economics (RSoE) programme to develop our Community Making Space programme alongside the wider SSW team and local community. Below is a blog post by Kathrin Böhm of Myvillages sharing her experiences, insights and process on developing this important new area of SSW. Words by Kathrin Böhm.Photos by Felicity Crawshaw and Myvillages. The Community Making Space in the making – via lumbung.A Rural School of Economics and Scottish Sculpture […]
Holiday Art Club, photo by Sam TrotmanThe deadline for applications has now passed, we aim to notify all applications by Friday 20 September to let them know if they will be asked to attend an interview. Job Title: Community Arts OrganiserHours: 0.6 (3 days per week – 22.5 hrs per week) this may include working weekends and evenings as required to meet the needs of the programme.Salary: £28,000 (pro rata) + 5% employers pension contributionContract: Fixed Term – October 2024 – March 2025 (with the possibility […]
This July our Summer Holiday Art Club was led by artist Dunya Kalantery, who over 5 days worked with young people to explore clay making processes and themes of destruction, creation and transformation. They did this through: The sessions also explored personal transformation through finding their spirit animals, eating communal lunches, playing games and inventing performance rituals. Take a look at some of the images of our week below. Thanks to Dunya Kalantery for devising and facilitating this transformational week and to all the young artists who took part, to our amazing […]
For four weeks across 2023 and 2024 Keng Keng Tang completed their SSW X Counterflows Residency. The residency offered artists time, space, funding and support to develop artists practices alongside their caregiving responsibilities. Keng Keng Tang shares their journey through the residency and how it fostered a sense of renewal. All words and images by Keng Keng Tang. I am a mother, a milliner & textile artist, and a community arts activist. Over the past few years my artistic practice […]
Photo by Tyler LewisOver the past few months SSW has been busy working with our Community Advisory Group making plans for our 24/25 community programme. This has included meeting with local partners, taking part in a range of Inspirations talks from Manoeuvre, The Portland Inn Project and MyVillages and sharing our needs and ambitions. We are now busy putting the finishing touches to the Community Programme and look forward to sharing this later in May. In the meantime Mara, our Community Arts Organiser, […]
Photo by Bobbi CameronIn February and April 2024 Bobbi Cameron completed her SSW X Counterflows Residency. The residency offered artists time, space, funding and support to develop artists practices alongside their caregiving responsibilities. Bobbi reflects on the nature of being a carer and working as an artist and the importance of flexibility. Words by Bobbi Cameron. Whenever I reflect on time(s) at SSW, I see turning points in my life that have been genuinely monumental. Deep cosmic shifts seem to follow my time […]
Photo by Felicity CrawshawFor 4 weeks across November and December Josie KO took part in Residencies in Clay, which supported artists exploring the transformational potential of clay within society and contemporary arts practice. The residency culminated in Building the Clay Commons with Eva Masterman, which brought together local community members, makers and artists from the North East and beyond. Josie reflects on her developing relationship with clay and her thought processes while on residency at SSW. All words by Josie ko. I’ve never […]
Scottish Charity Number: SC003223