NEW CREATIVE NETWORK FOR Bannockburn and Eastern Villages

Image of Fallin Bing by Lindsay Forsyth.

Vantage Points, a new creative network for Bannockburn and the Eastern villages, is set to kick off its first ever series of creative interventions this month.

Set up by local artists and creatives, with the support of Scene Stirling, Macrobert Arts Centre, Bannockburn House and Stirling University, the network aims to foster collaboration between artists and communities, widen access to cultural activities and develop the local arts scene.

The spring programme, led by local artists who are funded by Macrobert, includes a community doorstep photography project in Plean, a window art trail in Cowie, filmed dance installations at the Robert the Bruce statue, maquette making in Fallin and self-led creative activities using free art packs at Plean Country Park.

Julie Ellen, Artistic Director of Macrobert, said: “The new creative network is led by local artists, community groups and cultural organisations, who’ve worked together to create an exciting array of opportunities for the local community to show their creativity in a socially distanced way this spring. The series will allow the group to test out ideas and shape their plans for a larger scale art trail and events series this summer.”

The programme will run alongside the Landscape Legacies of Coal project, a series of downloadable curated heritage walks that narrate the story of Scottish coal mining using a mix of industrial archaeology, historic maps, plans and images and oral testimonies. The walks, including a Polmaise route and an East Stirlingshire Villages route, are available to download for free on mobile phone app, 'Landscape Legacies of Coal'.

SPRING PILOT ARTS PROGRAMME

LIVING IN PLEAN, A PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY (mid-April to mid-May 2021)

A photography project featuring the stories and lived experiences of Plean locals, led by retired Clinical Scientist and amateur photographer Anne Sproul.

Anne said: “I’ll be exploring the shared experiences of Plean through portraits of the people who live here, whether natives of Plean or people who have moved here, like me. I’ll be photographing them outside of their homes and or businesses, in the village and surroundings. Alongside this, you might spot me taking photographs around Plean Country Park. I love the natural world and seeing how the industrial past and mining heritage are becoming reclaimed by nature and how the park is being used by the community in the present day. Both projects will be presented in an online exhibition.”

 WINDOW ART TRAIL, COWIE (Sunday 25th April to Sunday 2nd May)

Creating a window display art trail, which will turn the streets of Cowie into an open-air art gallery.

The project will be led by Cowie resident and professional photographer Joanne Boyle.

Joanne said: “My aim is to encourage the community in Cowie to make a window display in their homes which celebrates the local landscape and the village history. We really are lucky to have so many beautiful vantage points on our doorstep; including the Ochil Hills, the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle. I feel we could create something really special.”

Residents can participate by requesting an art supplies kit or by using recycled materials they already have. The project will include all the finished windows being photographed at the start of May and images will be shared on the network’s Facebook page. 

 HISTORY IN MOVEMENT, ROBERT THE BRUCE STATUE (Saturday 1 May & Sunday 2 May)

An exploration of the most famous battle in the history of Scotland through contemporary dance, by freelance professional Dance Artist Parsifal James Hurst, known as PJ.

PJ said: “I’ll be creating and filming movement on the different locations where the battle of Bannockburn took place in 1314. My performance will be drawn from historical accounts of the event, combined with what I see in those locations now in 2021.

“I’ll be creating movement around the statue of Robert the Bruce and across other sites and hope to capture interactions of passers by. Hopefully, there will be people out on their walks that will see and for those who don’t it will be documented on film and shared later.”

 SOCIAL SPACES, FALLIN (Saturday 1 May & Sunday 2 May)

Maquette making in Fallin, allowing the local community to experiment with sculpture.

These opportunities are being developed artists Lesley McDermott and Eloise Kerr.

Lesley said: “We want to give people living in Fallin the chance to engage with their local places, by exploring how to make models of outdoor sculptures. Hopefully, this could lead to an interactive, public installation later in the summer.”

 ART PACKS IN THE PARK, PLEAN COUNTRY PARK (Saturday 1 May & Sunday 2 May)

Grab an art pack and get creative in the park!

This event will be run by Carolyn Fraser, a BA Art and Design student at Forth Valley College.

Carolyn said: “I have made small art packs to allow those taking part to create art works. You can return your creations to me or share the images on social media using the hashtag #vantagepointsstirling. When you tag us, we will share your images on the project’s Facebook page, creating an online gallery to showcase how people creatively respond to the natural and historic environment of Plean Country Park.”

JOIN IN

 All the network’s spring self-led activities are open to all and it’s free to take part. For more information or to sign up for any of the activity packs, email hello@scenestirling.com or join the Vantage Points Facebook Group.