New Arts Development at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig

5 May 2011 in Gaelic, Highland, Visual Arts & Crafts

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic and Culture, recently appointed an Arts Development Officer and a Visual Artist in Residence, with a new Exhibition currently being shown.

Kath MacLeod from Ardvasar in Sleat, the newly appointed Arts Development Officer, brings a wealth of arts development and education experience to the post. Her professional background is primarily in the visual arts but she has been involved in a range of different interdisciplinary arts projects including An Dealbh Mor (the big picture) which encorporated visual arts,music and dance, on which she was the lead Gaelic Artist.

“Sabhal Mòr is not only a national centre for Gaelic, it is a community venue for exhibitions, concerts and theatre, as well as (with Fàs) a centre for Gaelic arts collaborations and new projects. The creation of this new Arts Development post shows Sabhal Mòr’s commitment to the culture and art of the Gàidhealtachd. I am very excited to to be part of this development.”

The new Visual Artist in residence is Ross Henriksen. Born and brought up in Skye, Ross is returning to the island after 24 years of living away, the past 10 of which have been in Germany. Ross Henriksen is the first of 3 Visual Artists who will have residencies this coming year, alongside Writer in residence Rody Gorman, Musician in residence Alan Henderson and soon to be advertised Gaelic Drama residency. Artist residencies at Sabhal Mòr are not new but these residencies are all funded by the new Creative Scotland’s Creative Futures Programme, the first year of a three year programme.

Kath adds, “Ross, whose residency runs through to the end of July, is clearly fired up and already working long hours in the studio. He is starting to really connect with his Gaelic roots again and is excited about where this will lead in terms of new work and forms of expression.”

A new touring exhibition is also currently being shown. Tír is an international project that has brought six professional visual artists from their native communities – in the Hebrides, the Irish Gaeltacht and Welsh-speaking Wales – to live and work in a neighbouring culture, sharing ideas and skills with their Celtic cousins and developing their own work. The exhibition will run until the 11th May and is open to the public from 9am – 9pm every day before it travels to Galway. You can follow the progress of the project on www.celtic-neighbours.eu

The photograph shows new Artist in Residence, Ross Henriksen with Kath MacLeod the new Arts Development Officer at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in front of a work by Lewis artist Sandra Kennedy, part of the Tír exhibition currently showing at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

Source: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig

Gaelic version

Leasachadh nan Ealain aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig

Tha Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Ionad Nàiseanta Cànan ‘s Cultar na Gàidhlig, air Oifigear Leasachaidh Ealain ùr agus Neach-ealain Lèirsinneach ùr fhastadh o chionn ghoirid, le Taisbeanadh ùr ga shealltainn an-dràsta.

‘Si Kath NicLeòid às Àird a’ Bhàsair, Slèite, an t-Oifigear Leasachaidh Ealain ùr agus tha i a’ toirt leatha mòran eòlais a thaobh obair leasachaidh ealain agus foghlam. Tha i air a bhith an sàs anns na h-ealain lèirsinneach airson ùine mhòr agus i air tòrr dhiofar phròiseactan a lìbhrigeadh, mar An Dealbh Mòr.

“A bharrachd air a bhith na shàr ionad nàiseanta airson na Gàidhlig, tha Sabhal Mòr Ostaig cuideachd na àite don choimhearsnachd far am faodar taisbeanaidhean, cuirmean ‘s dealbhan-cluiche fhaicinn, agus, a’ gabhail a-steach Fàs, ‘s e ionad aig teis-meadhan nan ealain Ghàidhlig a th’ ann. Tha an obair ùr seo a’ sealltainn an taic a tha Sabhal Mòr Ostaig a’ toirt seachad gus na h-ealain Ghàidhlig ‘s an cultar a bhrosnachadh air a’ Ghàidhealtachd. Tha mi air mo dhòigh a bhith nam phàirt dheth.”

‘S e Ross Henriksen Neach-ealain Lèirsinneach ùr na Colaiste. Rugadh is thogadh e san Eilean Sgitheanach agus tha e a-nis air tilleadh chun eilein as dèidh dha a bhith air falbh airson 24 bliadhna, 10 dhiubh sin anns a’ Ghearmailt. ‘S e Ross a’ chiad Neach-ealain a-mach à triùir a bhios an seo am-bliadhna air Muinntireas, còmhla ri Sgrìobhadair na Colaiste, Rody Gorman agus Ceòladair na Colaiste, Ailean MacEanraig. Tha cuideachd prògram Dràma Gàidhlig air Muinntireas ri thighinn. Tha iad seo uile air am maoineachadh tro Alba Chruthachail mar phàirt de phrògram a mhaireas trì bliadhna.

Tha Kath a’ cur ri seo, “Bidh Ross an seo suas gu deireadh an t-Iuchair, agus tha e deiseil ‘s deònach mòran obair a dhèanamh. Tha e a’ cur eòlas a-rithist air a’ chuid fhreumhan Ghàidhlig, ‘s tha seo a’ toirt dùsgadh-inntinn dha a thaobh obair ùr eile.”

Tha taisbeanadh ùr air chuairt cuideachd ga shealltainn an-dràsta. ‘S e pròiseact eadar-nàiseanta a th’ ann an Tìr a tha air sianar neach-ealain proifeiseanta às Alba, a’ Chuimrigh agus Èireann a thoirt a-mach às na coimhearsnachdan aca fhèin airson co-obrachadh a dhèanamh len cuid nàbannan Ceilteach. Bidh an taisbeanadh ri fhaicinn aig an t-Sabhal suas gu 11 Ceitean agus tha e fosgailte don choimhearsnachd bho 9m gu 9f a h-uile latha mas fhalbh e an uair sin a Ghallaimh. Faodaidh sibh barrachd fios mun phròiseact fhaighinn aig www.celtic-neighbours.eu .

(Dealbh) – Ross Henriksen, Neach-ealain Lèirsinneach ùr na Colaiste agus Kath NicLeòid, Oifigear Leasachaidh Ealain ùr, agus obair ealain Sandra Cheanadaich, à Leòdhas, a tha na phàirt dhen taisbeanadh ùr Tìr a tha ga shealltainn an-dràsta aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

Source: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.