IC:Innovative Craft Blog

Talking, opening and winning – a week of hectic activity

Posted Friday 6 March 2009, 03:24pm

Amanda Game writes:

Last week was dominated by journeys around relationships between place, people, art and vital communities. The week began in North Argyll, planning a weekend event for June, in Morvern, hosted by the Andrew Raven Trust on the subject of Vital Communities. It then progressed via very long hours on Powerpoint to a day event, last Wednesday, organised by the University of Dundee, to explore how a partnership between the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Universities in Dundee and the City itself could result in both a fabulous new museum building and a regenerated waterfront for Dundee. Contributions from the Guggenheim Bilbao team, the V&A, the Baltic, Newcastle and Dundee councillors, university staff and the local MSP created a fascinating overview of the value of investment in the arts – a critical debate at a time when the shape of future arts funding in Scotland is under scrutiny. IC’s contribution took the form of a simple reminder to those present that if the sort of art that the V&A represents so well – ranging from fashion to contemporary ceramics; sculpture to modern jewellery – is seen as of value to urban development, then it needs to be invested in at all levels. Remember to invest in the maker and their art not just the buildings to house it! We found some lovely existing connections between V&A and Dundee from the late Angus Suttie to contemporary Australian/Scottish artist Stephen Bird. 

The latter part of Wednesday involved enjoying the combined hospitality of Scotrail, National Express and Northern Rail, ending up in Middlesbrough at about 10.30 that evening. ‘Raising the Bar’ opened at MIMA the following day. Curator James Beighton had ensured the show looked stunning in the upstairs gallery of this striking new building and there were lovely links to be explored between this show and concurrent Hayward drawing show ‘The End of the Line’. Other links between exhibitor Michael Rowe and his site-specific MIMA commission and between a metal show and a town founded on steel made this a rich, fascinating experience. I was also lucky to have the chance to get behind MIMA’s green baize door to see their outstanding contemporary ceramics and jewellery collection. 

Another series of train journeys back to Edinburgh on Friday and a quick dash to Prestonfield House for a Communicators in Business Award evening – the IC site was shortlisted for an award in the Best Website category. Although pipped to the post by Historic Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle website, we were Highly Commended – which was very encouraging given our modest size and resource. IC’s communications consultant, Jenny Carter, had co-ordinated a lively table of IC folk and we all enjoyed a good dinner and fascinating glimpse of the Communications industry community. 

The daylight hours of the weekend were spent doing time with a vital community of weeds that were flourishing in my long-neglected garden and reflecting on how we can rise to the challenge at IC of continuing to create the space for the vital community of making. 

Age of Experience is the next show – and we will need all our combined experience to face the challenges ahead.