REMEMBERING TOGETHER
Scotland’s Covid Community Memorial Programme
Na h-Eileanan Siar artist, Robbie Thomson appointed
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Robbie meeting students at the college in July 2022 (left) and the original Artist Call out photo in April 2022 (right)
Greenspace Scotland has been working with local partners in all 32 local authority areas to commission artists to work with local communities to co-create collective acts of reflection, remembrance, hope and healing with communities across Scotland. Greenspace Scotland, is an organisation that provides a national lead on greenspace, working towards their goal for easy access to quality greenspace that improves quality of life.
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In the Western Isles, (Na h-Eileanan Siar) Macaulay College C.I.C. has been working as host partner with Greenspace Scotland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, and have appointed local artist and educator Robbie Thomson to lead Phase 1 of the project. Robbie, based on the Isle of Lewis, is an artist working between the fields of visual art, music and theatre. Macaulay College will be just one of the community organisations that Robbie will be engaging with.
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He will work with local groups and communities across the Western Isles to gather thoughts, experiences and ideas of who, what and how we want to remember and honour all those affected by Covid, offering a place to connect, to reflect and to create. More information can be found on our local site www.rememberingtogether.org/ and the national site www.rememberingtogether.scot
where information will be available on the events and opportunities that will take place in the next 4 months in the Western Isles.
‘Engagement will focus on community events and creative workshops with a welcoming and non-judgemental atmosphere, where people feel free to discuss sensitive themes associated with the pandemic. The Phase 1 exhibition will function as a point of focus for the project and an opportunity to collectively reflect on the way to proceed with the second phase of the Memorial which will start at the end of the 4-month consultation period.'
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‘The artist will work with people in the community to define what ‘memorial’ means for that specific place. Some communities will want a place they can go, some will want a structure they can visit and to see their loved ones named. Other communities may want to co-create music, movement, film, an online project, a series of events and gatherings or a travelling book. Most important is that the programme is relevant to communities, is aware of the wide range of experiences people have had, welcomes people to co-create and allows those involved to express honestly what this time has meant for them.’
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Artist Brief Remembering Together
‘We are delighted to be working alongside Robbie, who will use his many skills as a practitioner and his knowledge of the local community to co-create with the communities in the Western Isles.’ Jo-Ann McConnachie, Development Worker at
Macaulay College.
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If you feel that you or your group would be interested in engaging with Robbie, please contact him by email at rememberingtogether@macaulaycollege.com
Click the link below to watch BBC Alba Seachd Latha, when we publicised the artist callout for Remembering Together on 17.04.22 and to listen to our feature on Radio nan Gael on 18.04.22.