Charts (Argyll and the Isles)
Argyll and Bute Council · 3 September 2024
Back to Bute and Cowal Area Committee — 3 September 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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BUTE & COWAL ARGYLL & BUTE COUNCIL AREA COMMITTEE SUMMARY REPORT August 2024 CULTURE, HERITAGE AND ARTS ASSEMBLY, ARGYLL AND ISLES (CHARTS) 2023-2024. ‘To raise our profile as a centre for cultural activity and vibrant and sustainable creative sector’ Argyll & Bute Council Economic Strategy 2019-2023 For details see Annual Review 2023-2024
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This report highlights CHARTS work including impact and key projects: We support Argyll and Bute’s culture, heritage and arts sector under 4 strategic areas, Achieve, Connect, Promote, Sustain: • Key project supporters 2023-2024, include the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Creative Scotland, the Art Fund, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Museums and Galleries Scotland and the Scottish Government (islands) • National collaborators include the School of Innovation and Technology at the Glasgow School of Art, University of St Andrews, University of Glasgow • Key regional partners include Live Argyll, the Argyll and Bute Tourism Cooperative and the Argyll and Bute Museum and Heritage Forum • We support 680 professional members, including individuals, cultural organisations and venues PHOTO CREDITS; Argyll Collection at Mount Stuart June 23 (top) , Sawa, Reflect project, Bute Aug 24
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Bute Local impact 23/24 to date Reflect, Remembering Together –community projects create places of memory across 4 Argyll locations as part of a national post-covid memorial programme (Nov 23-July 24). Bute project working with refugees, created by Sawa, Rothesay, in partnership with lead artist Luke Winter. See link: FILM Bute, Our Community Reflects Day (August 24), including participants across the 4 Reflect Argyll locations. Funder, The Scottish Government, partners, Greenspace Scotland, Argyll and Bute Council. Visual Artists and Craft Makers Awards (VACMA) – recommended support to Bute artist’s Kate Clayton and Scott O’Neill. 7 VACMA and 3 additional islands awards were distributed throughout Argyll and Bute. Funders, Creative Scotland and Argyll and Bute Council (VACMA) and the Scottish Government (islands). The Argyll Collection, funders the Art Fund and the National Lottery Heritage Fund; Co-curation of exhibits from Argyll Collection by 25 pupils from Rothesay Academy at Mount Stuart 2023 Rothesay Library - liveArgyll libraries collaboration creating storage for Argyll Collection artworks awaiting conservation 2024 Islands Support, funder the Scottish Government New steering group member role created for Bute, meeting our members regularly: artist and heritage professionals, help to inform local area development.
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Cowal Local impact 23/24 to date Argyll Aspires – - 4-month Argyll Collection Exhibition Traineeship managed by CHARTS and hosted by Dunoon Burgh Hall included Awaken Exhibition ( 250 visitors) and a series of workshops, attended by 31 Dunoon Grammar School pupils and community members - Collaboration with Developing Young Workforce led to workshops and films for national Creative Careers Week and Dunoon Grammar School pupils visited heritage sites Funders: National Lottery Heritage Fund. Supported by the Art Fund & the Gannochy Trust 2024 Related Report, Film and Forthcoming Event: Argyll Aspires Evaluation Report The Argyll Collection now on leading world museums, Smartify App The Argyll Collection, work to date, presentation by Kirsty McNab research manager, at Dunoon Burgh Hall, 1-2pm September 19th ,2024
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ARGYLL ASPIRES This 2-year youth-heritage training programme concluded in April 2024. Photographs show the final, exhibition training stages, focused on selected artworks from the Argyll Collection.
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Key Support THE ARGYLL COLLECTION, RECONNECTED 23-24 • New CHARTS partnership with Argyll and Bute Council, Education • £50k fundraised from the Art Fund (UK) to review cultural value and build awareness of the Argyll Collection • Youth training, regional school and community activities also supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Gannochy Trust • Collection inventory and condition check - 179 council owned art works in every school and library • Collaborators, University of Andrews, University of Glasgow
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Key Support GAELIC LANGUAGE & CULTURE HIGHLIGHTS • Gaelic Culture Strategy under development; region-wide consultation events took place including Dunoon Burgh Hall • Gaelic Culture Officer, reports to the Gaelic Policy Lead Group, Argyll and Bute Council. Funder Bòrd na Gàidhlig. • Gaelic Culture Officer supports development and delivery of the Argyll Gaelic Gathering working in collaboration with the Council. • Projects include building relationships between Argyll and Ireland – CHARTS commended by Bòrd na Gàidhlig • PHOTO CREDIT: Gaelic consultation at Dunoon Burgh Hall
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Our Impact 2023-2024 Argyll and Bute Council funding of £75k (23-24) enabled CHARTS to generate a total of £371,825, to support cultural development. Impacts included: • 67,700 views to the CHARTS website • 25 media features – regional and national press & tv • 33 opportunities created to work in Argyll • 5 paid apprenticeships/traineeships delivered for young people • 11 countries and 4 continents hosted international work by Argyll’s artists • 24 arts and heritage commissions created • New Gaelic connections made between Argyll and Ireland • New Argyll Collection connections made: Working with Makerere University, Uganda, regarding African art in the collection Profiling the collection via the world leading Smartify App
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CHARTS grows local opportunity, creating work in partnership with others regionally and nationally to support and raise the profile of the cultural sector in Argyll and Bute. Argyll and Bute Council funding of £75k (24-25) despite inflation, enables CHARTS to continue its valuable work for education, employment, social and economic development. This currently includes CHARTS management and research of the Council-owned Argyll Collection, further to the Council’s additional request for support and new investment secured by CHARTS from the Art Fund (£50k -2023/4),to enable first stage review of the collection’s cultural significance; educational, economic and social values. This project has resulted in wide-ranging interest in this heritage asset created by the Council in the1960s and has built its profile regionally, nationally and internationally. As the Art Fund’s support for this first phase review is due to end in Autumn 2024, this means that additional funds will be required for continued Argyll Collection development facilitated by CHARTS in partnership with the Council. Since 2020 CHARTS has fundraised more than £1.4m in total - including and due to annual Council investment (2020-25). Our work brings significant return. For further information, contact CHARTS Board Seymour Adams Seymour@chartsargyllandisles.org https://www.chartsargyllandisles.org CHARTS is a SCIO registered in Scotland SC049113