Taigh Chearsabhagh

Location:  Lochmaddy, North Uist, Western Isles

Details:  Community-based arts centre and museum on the island of North Uist, situated 100 metres from the ferry terminal in Lochmaddy
Programme:  Visual art, new media, arts educational courses

Manager’s Statement from Norman Macleod

Having lived with the Taigh Chearsabhagh concept since the early days of the project in the early 1990s, firstly as a director and latterly as the manager, I sometimes have the feeling of looking outwards from a gold fish bowl as everyone looks in.

Since two organisations, Uist Art Association and Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath (North Uist Historical Society), got together to save and convert a derelict 17th century building the project has certainly grown in size. The first renovation in 1994 cost £264,000.  In 2002 a new extension funded by the Scottish Arts Council was added at a cost of £500,000.

The centre has been very successful, or so we have been told. We have won many awards and we have been seen as an example of what rural museum and arts can do to revitalise a small community.

Taigh Chearsabhagh has also generated new employment, and this has attracted young graduates back to the island.  Through our arts education outreach programme and our arts programme in general we have introduced a new interest in the arts.  The Comann Eachdraidh must also not be forgotten, with the collection work they have done in oral recordings and their photographic collection.

None of this could have been possible with out the amazing dedicated hard work behind the scenes from the committees of the Uist Art Association and Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath.

Norman MacLeod, former director and now manager of Taigh Chearsabhagh, supplies the answers this month

When was the venue established?

Norman: The venue was completed in 1994 and opened in 1995.  In 2002 we opened our new extension.

What are your big ideas for the future of Taigh Chearsabhagh?

Norman: On the arts side we are in the early stages of deciding on our future plans.  One of the thoughts is to move more towards environmental art, but we have to decide what part of environmental art would suite us best.
Does the venue have a ghost?

Norman: Of course we have a ghost !!!!!!!!!!!!!

A few years ago as I was hanging the exhibition by Angus MacPhee and another artist from Shetland called Adam Christie (Angus made clothes and objects from grass. He was also institutionalised for over 50 years.) The BBC were wanting to film part of the exhibition before it opened so I put up a display for them on the Friday night so they could film next morning.

When we arrived next morning the photograph of Angus MacPhee which I had securely hung on the wall was lying on the floor about 6 metres away. The sculpture by Adam Christie was lying on the floor intact.  If it had fallen from the plinth then it would have broken.  After the BBC crew had stopped rolling about with laughter they started filming. They took the lunchtime flight back to Glasgow.  Later that afternoon I got a phone call from the director to tell me that the first tape that the cameraman had filmed was totally black. Maybe our ghost got the last laugh.…
What was your worst disaster as director?

Norman: Having my computer crash and not having most of my files backed up.

And what was your biggest triumph?

Norman: Winning the BURA Regeneration Award in 2001. This was an award for the whole of Britain.

If you could have any artist in the world for a one-off special, who would it be, and why?

Norman:  I would love to show half a dozen large Jackson Pollock paintings and the reason is probably quite selfish. I really like his work. In gallery 2, Michal Rovners work would be impressive.

Why should people look forward to visiting Taigh Chearsabhagh?

Norman: For our great setting.  The excellent exhibitions. And our wonderful staff.

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