Cowal Collaboration

7 Sep 2009 in Argyll & the Islands, Music, Visual Arts & Crafts

Marriage of Arts and Music

MARK MORPURGO of Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop sets the scene for a co-operative venture in Cowal

MUCH HAS been made at recent meetings and conferences of the idea that cultural and tourism groups would increase their effectiveness by increasingly working together in co-operation. The positive impact of this was seen in Dunoon with the ‘Gathering Around’ programme over the Cowal Games weekend.

Increasingly cultural groups who are keen to expand their audience development programmes are having to work together to try to cross-market their events for the greater good of their geographic area, and for the constituent groups involved.

Cowal Open Studios and Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop/Fiddle Folk are particularly pleased to announce the results of a new joint venture. As separate groups they already attract a number of tourists to the area, but they hope that a new joint initiative will give tourists an even stronger reason to come to the area, and give local resident’s who are fed up with the weather a good excuse to get out and about!

Brian Phillips

Elizabeth Bain, Fiddle Folk’s spokesperson, told me: “In previous joint ventures – for instance with Cowalfest, now a major walking festival – we have found that tourists may be initially attracted by the walks and then come to the concert as a bit of an afterthought, or vice-versa. We hope, and expect, that the same will be true for a concert linked to an artists’ studio trail.”

Work by Pam Glennie

The Cowal Open Studios weekend is a Homecoming 2009 event. This is now being expanded to include a key concert in Strachur, singing workshops, arts demonstrations and exhibits which have been arranged for 26 September.

Throughout the day there will be the opportunity to drop in (free) to Strachur Memorial Hall to view various arts workshops and demonstrations. Children can ‘get crafty’ with craft baskets and get some hands on arts and crafts experience, and you can all fill up on delicious home-baked cakes and snacks.

Whether you sing already, or like me are just an ‘in the bath’ singer, why not join in this innovative workshop run by Muldoon’s Picnic, a five-part harmony singing group with a highly eclectic repertoire ranging from folk-songs to world music; spirituals to barbershop; music-hall to sea shanties to Victorian parlour music.

In the evening there will be a concert, kindly supported by Western Ferries. Six international artists, including the multi instrument contemporary folk group Rallion, together with award winning harpists, will be on stage.

Rallion will perform traditional material with a twist, using ideas from many genres of music to great effect and setting toes a-tapping and hands a-clapping; whilst international harpists, Ailie Robertson and Tristan Le Govic, will be wowing the audience with their divine exploration of Celtic harp traditions.

Ailie Robertson

Rallion have played major folk festivals and at more intimate venues all over the world. They are a great quartet with vocals, fiddles, bodhran, whistle, guitar and bouzoki. They bring a wide range of musical influences together to create their powerful, persuasive music. Their new release should be out in time for the concert in Strachur.

They will be joined by two international harpists. Breton harpist Tristan Le Govic is a gold medallist from the Music Conservatoire of Rennes. Scottish clarsach player Ailie Robertson Ailie is a young artist taking her place at the very forefront of the new generation of Celtic harpists.

Allie was a finalist at the 2008 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award, five times National Mod Gold Medallist and won first prize at the inaugural London Harp Competition. She has represented Scotland at the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland and played at World Harp Congresses. She will join with Tristan in a cross-cultural collaboration illustrating the traditional music from both countries.

Work by Amy Neville

Last year’s Cowal Open Studios was a great success, both in terms of visitor numbers and the artists who were involved, with a group of 29 artists who got together to promote an artists’ trail around Cowal. Incorporating workshops, exhibitions and artist talks, with the ability to visit artists’ studios, the events were clearly a great success with more than 1300 visiting studios over the weekend.

Many artists work from a studio at home, often in the most beautiful, and sometimes apparently inaccessible places, so encouraging visitors – local and tourists – is not always an easy task, so co-operation is clearly the way ahead. The fact that 15 new artists have joined the group for 2009 clearly shows that there is a strong perceived benefit for them all.

Jenny Marshall (Stained Glass Artist)

A Homecoming grant has meant that they have been able to greatly expand their marketing efforts for this year’s events, especially outside Cowal. Jean Donaldson, Chair of Cowal Open Studios, told me: “Last year half of the visitors over the weekend lived outside Cowal, so the weekend clearly had a positive impact on local tourism and business, quite apart from being of benefit to the artists involved.

“The grant we have received from Argyll and Bute Council and Leader as part of their investment in Homecoming 2009 will make all the difference. We have produced more directories and programmes of events that are widely distributed through tourist offices, hotels and so on. But the grant will also bought us some time to look at expanding the potential for further workshops and exhibitions, and maybe even artists’ conferences and networking events.”

By linking visits to studios with Cowal’s outstanding landscape and views, COS believe that the Open Studios offer a really worthwhile addition to the Cowal events calendar: “So many of our artists take their inspiration from what they see around them, so the paintings and photographs we display help to promote the area in themselves!”, Jean continued.

Sarah Sumsion's hands through loom

This weekend is a rare opportunity for the public. As HI~Arts says, it offers residents and visitors to Cowal “unique access to a diverse range of working artists’ studios, with the opportunity to talk to artists about their ideas, inspiration and working processes, as well as the opportunity to buy original artworks and get a better appreciation of the artistic process.”

Robert Livingston, the Director of HI~Arts, added: “The open studio concept is a great way for artists to show what they have to offer, and to make them more visible in their communities. What better way is there of exploring this beautiful part of Scotland than by studio-hopping?”

Open Studios Weekend takes place from 25-28 September 2009 in venues throughout Cowal; Tickets can be reserved for the concert at Strachur Memorial Hall on 26 September 2009 (7.30 p.m.). FREE to schoolchildren, Adults £10 from mark@morvenlodge.co.uk or by phoning 01301 703559.