The Highland Society of London and Wasps Studios are delighted to announce that Crofts at South Dell/Croitean aig Dail bho Dheas by David Greenall from An Lanntair/Open Studios Hebrides is the winner of the 2023 Highland Art Prize. The winner was announced by competition judge Ishbel Murray, artist and art teacher based on the Isle of Lewis, at the prize-giving ceremony in Glasgow on Friday 20th October.
Hosted at Scotland’s provider of creative spaces Wasps’ venue The Briggait, in conjunction with the Royal National Mòd, the prize-giving was attended by many of the 74 artists from 16 art organisations across the Highlands and Islands who had submitted artworks to this annual exhibition and competition. Lady Of The Flowers by Leah Davis from the Society of Caithness Artists was also highly commended by Ishbel Murray.
Welcoming everyone to The Briggait, Audrey Carlin (CEO, Wasps Studios) said: “It is Wasps’ pleasure to host the Highland Art Prize this year, and be in a position to host Highland Art Prize winner for 2022 David Page’s stunning exhibition. The Briggait has been bristling with colour and energy. We were delighted with such a strong turnout on the day, making the Highland Art Prize announcement all the more enjoyable. Congratulations to our winner and to all entrants. The quality and diversity of works has been extraordinary. It seems that the Highland Art Prize has a bright future.”
Introducing the awards ceremony, Maggie Cunningham (President of An Comunn Gàidhealach, organisers of the Royal National Mòd) added that: “Visual arts are an integral part of Gaelic culture, and An Comunn Gàidhealach are delighted with the success of the Highland Art Prize and look forward to working together for many years to come.”
Announcing the winner of the 2023 Highland Art Prize, Ishbel Murray commented that: “David’s artwork captures the atmospheric essence of this crofting location by the sea through a highly sensitive use of colour involving the demanding method of blending pigment and wax to achieve a shimmering effect in an image that has been beautifully reduced to its essential elements.”
The winning artist receives £1,000 (to be shared with their local art organisation), plus an exhibition opportunity at The Briggait in Glasgow, courtesy of Wasps, a charity and social enterprise that provides studio spaces to artists and creators across Scotland. The 2023 Highland Art Prize was also supported by Renfrewshire Council and Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
The chair of arts charity Wasps – Scotland’s largest provider of studios for artists, makers and creative industries – has warned that spiralling inflation and energy prices are driving Scotland to the cliff-edge of “a cultural recession”.
Wasps’ Chair Karen Anderson said it was concerning that, while Scotland is a major cultural focal point during the summer, hosting the world’s biggest arts festival, the Edinburgh Festivals and including Edinburgh Art Festival, talented artists are having to reconsider whether they can afford to continue their cultural careers.
To stay viable Wasps was forced to increase the rents to its 1000 artists by up to 16% and levy an energy surcharge, she said.
Ms Anderson added: “As a not-for-profit charity, our rental income from tenants has to cover the costs of running and maintaining our buildings. A 400% electricity hike meant we had to reluctantly introduce a monthly electricity surcharge. And ongoing spiralling inflation, especially on costs of maintaining our buildings, resulted in significant rent rises.
“From our conversations with tenants and the Scottish Artists Union, we know artists and creatives are experiencing crippling hardship. The very ethos of Wasps is to provide affordable studios, but that is becoming increasingly more difficult.
“We rightly celebrate the Edinburgh Festivals as a world-beater – the Olympics of creativity and arts. But it masks the fact inflation and energy hikes are hollowing our cultural heart.”
Ms Anderson said there was evidence of decline in Scottish Government’s four cultural indicators, although she acknowledged that Covid would have had some impact on numbers attending and performing in cultural events.
Referring to the National Indicators on Performance, published by the Scottish Government, approximate gross value added (GVA) of Scotland’s Arts, Culture and Creative sector was estimated at £4,445 million in 2020, a decrease of £79 million (-1.8%) in real terms on 2019 and £490million down from its 2017 peak.
Meanwhile, employment numbers in Scotland’s arts, culture and creative industries sector was 155,000, down by 10,000 (5.9%) on 2021. The social capital index is at 93 – which is 7 lower than the 2013 baseline set 10 years ago.
Ms Anderson, who took over Wasps’ chair role in March, said: “A thriving and growing cultural sector creates a more successful country – contributing to the economy, creating a positive and unique identity for Scotland, providing more opportunities for people to grow and flourish, driving physical and mental health outcomes, bringing people together through a shared passion.
“Post Covid and in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis the evidence points to a decline, or at best, stagnation in the arts in Scotland. In other words, cultural recession.”
Ms Anderson said Wasps were not alone in making hard choices. Last year, the temporary closure of The Modern Two art gallery in Edinburgh, was described as the tip of the iceberg of the crisis facing many of Scotland’s cultural venues.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Filmhouse and Aberdeen’s Belmont cinema closed with a loss of 102 jobs.
Dance Base, an arts charity with a 30-year history, announced the closure of half their studio space and the loss of jobs, in response to reduced funding and increased energy bills of 350%.
Ms Anderson said that she supported the Government’s culture strategy and the sentiments of the introduction: “That by investing in and strengthening culture, we are investing in the future cultural, social and economic success of Scotland.” She added: “However, it is clear we are not investing enough.”
While Wasps receive grant funding towards restoring historic buildings, there is no relief funds for to mitigate increased utility and maintenance costs or support tenants in crisis. She added: “While we recognise competing pressures on budgets, simple measures such an arts energy cap will pay for themselves in the long run.
“There is also potential for better alignment between the Government’s climate change agenda and our sector. Artists need physical spaces to work in and display their creativity and these need to be affordable. A green arts fund to help make studios more energy efficient would help the Government reach its net zero targets and in turn reduce costs and rents. A win- win.”
Perth Creative Exchange will be open to the public on 3rd and 4th December
Perthshire’s newest artist and creative industries centre, Perth Creative Exchange, hosts its second ever winter market on Saturday 3rd- Sunday 4th December from 10am-4pm.
The public is invited to join the artists and creatives for two days of showcasing the vibrant work of both the wider artistic community and local studio holders.
There will be over twenty five stalls exhibiting a wide range of works from jewellery, textiles, ceramics, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography and much more. The Winter Market and Open Studios presents an opportunity to meet the artistic community, find some unique Christmas gifts, learn about creative processes, and support local artists, makers and independent businesses.
Cal Scott of HooperHart, a Perthshire-based maker of miniature wooden worlds and accessories, said: “As a small creative business recently relocated to Perthshire, it’s been fantastic to make use of some of the Perth Creative Exchange facilities this year, so I’m particularly delighted to have the opportunity to take part in this Creative Winter Market event alongside studio tenants and other makers from the wider community.”
Perth Creative Exchange Open Studios will also take place over the same two days and visitors are encouraged to pop in so see the artists in their working environments, where many studio doors will be open. There is also a new group exhibition by tenants, Winter Exchange, now on view at Perth Creative Exchange’s gallery spaces.
Perth Creative Exchange is operated by Wasps, Scotland’s national provider of creative spaces. The centre provides working accommodation for visual and applied artists as well as offices for creative industries, social enterprises and charities. Opened in 2019, the Perth Creative Exchange development rescued the former St John’s School building, and in 2021 the project won the Regeneration Project of the Year accolade at the Scottish Property Awards.
Perth Creative Exchange’s Winter Market and Open Studios is on at Perth Creative Exchange, Stormont Street, Perth, PH1 5NW on Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 December, from 10am to 5pm. It’s free to attend and is wheelchair accessible.
Wasps is proud to be supporting The Royal National Mòd, which is hosting the Highland Art Prize at City Contemporary Gallery in Perth this October (Friday 14-Saturday 22) and Paisley in 2023. As part of the celebration of Gaelic culture, an exhibition of works of art from fifteen different arts organisations across the Highland and Islands will be held in Perth.
There are over sixty submissions to the exhibition – which is also a competition – and the winning artist will be selected by Islay artist and BBC Alba presenter Heather Dewar. Heather will announce the winner and discuss the stand-out entries in person at City Contemporary Gallery on Friday 21 October, 12.30pm-1pm. Entry to both the exhibition and the prize-giving are free, open to all.
As part of The Royal National Mòd’s events for next year, the winning artist of the Highland Art Prize will be offered a month-long exhibition to be hosted at Wasps’ The Briggait in Glasgow in October 2023. For more information on The Highland Art Prize, click here.
