As part of the Year of Creative Scotland, UZ Arts introduces Roofless, Scotland’s biggest and most ambitious outdoor arts programme.

Transformers-style musical robots in Shetland. Robert Burns-inspired installations and gigantic toppling sculpture in Ayrshire. A four-part dance cycle inspired by myth in Dumfries and Galloway, a huge outdoor theatre takeover of Falkirk!s new park-space, and a festival of fire on the streets of Fraserburgh. Welcome to Roofless, Scotland’s biggest, most ambitious new outdoor arts programme, designed to engage directly with tens of thousands of people in communities across the country.

In its first incarnation this year, Roofless, working closely with partners from each region as well as artists from across Scotland, the UK and Europe, will create five large-scale, spectacular, outdoor arts events (everything from interactive sculpture to pyrotechnic theatre), happening within communities.

Although each project is distinctly different and rooted in the local history and culture of its region, they will all come about through a series of participation events and workshops, various community groups working with professional artists towards a spectacular finale.

Roofless also aims to build up a network of like-minded artists and producers involved in public art across the country. Many of the areas we’re working with are those identified in 2008’s Taking Part report as the least likely to engage with art events, whether due to economic disadvantage or, in more rural areas, geographical spread. As Roofless will also run across accessible digital and social media platforms, we hope to connect communities across Scotland and the world on an even larger scale.

Andrew Dixon, head of Creative Scotland commented: “The Year of Creative Scotland will raise the roof with this visionary programme of outdoor events across Scotland. UZ Arts has an international reputation for iconic street arts projects that engage with local participants and reach new audiences.”

Neil Butler, the Director of UZ Arts and Roofless said: “Roofless has attracted the very best national and international artists from all art forms who are interested in collaborating with the public , unlocking the creativity found in our communities.”

AYRSHIRE: BURNS BRIGHTLY 31 May- 3rd June 2012

A series of projects taking inspiration from the democratic ideals of the Scottish Enlightenment – that moment when the light switched on – and the inspiration it had on Robert Burns. As part of the Burns An’ A’ That Festival, Roofless artists including Jane Pitt, Alan Bissett and Diane Torr will run interactive workshops and talks, bringing the spirit of Enlightenent debate back to Ayrshire. Three Beacons will dominate the festival’s closing party: French artist Olivier Grossetête will work with over 400 schoolchildren on the construction of a gigantic cardboard tower in Ayr’s Wellington Square Gardens (the public are invited to help tear it down); film-maker Ruth Carslaw and sound artist Guy Veale are creating installation and soundscape experiences for the square too.

Partners: South Ayrshire Council, Burns An’ A’ That

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY: HALLS OF FAME

7th-9th & 14th-16th September 2012

Town halls in Ecclefechan, Moniaive and Gatehouse of Fleet will be transformed into an interactive art installation: fairytale castles,  dreamscapes and theatre sets, while a team of professional artists and community groups use music and dance to tell a series of local myths and legends. A “virtual” town hall in Dumfries will be the culmination of this event.

Partners: Dumfries and Galloway Council and the Holywood Trust

SHETLAND: ENGINE TUNING August 2012

Artist Sumit Sarkar will create a giant “condor! constructed entirely from the parts of one LandRover. The huge robotic musical bird (inspired in part by the film and toy series Transformers!) will emerge from a trailer which will travel to rural locations in Shetland during August 2012 where it will receive and record “gifts of music” from the communities it visits. The various recordings will be turned into a musical performance by local sound artists, culminating in a celebration of music, performance, and film in Lerwick at the end of August. After this, the bird will take the sounds of Shetland on tour, around other Roofless events and Europe.

Partner: Shetland Arts

ABERDEENSHIRE: MAELSTROM 2nd November 2012

Maelstrom is a fireworks parade throughout the streets of Fraserburgh, forged through a youth regeneration project in which over 1000 local young people create mobile sculptural works, street theatre and circus pieces based on local stories for the parade. Modo have already run three successful projects in the area, creating a positive, socially-inclusive community focus around Bonfire Night. This year, the parade will be themed around local legends of the Kinnaird Head lighthouse.

Partners: Modo, Shell, The Reaching Out Project, Aberdeenshire Council, Community Planning Partners

FALKIRK: HELIX Spring-Summer 2013

Roofless will connect the communities around Falkirk and Grangemouth by animating the new Helix park space between the towns, working with artists to encourage people to get to know their new central park. In the months leading up to leading up to the Helix launch, an ongoing workshop programme aims to get the whole community, and particularly young people, involved.

Partners :Falkirk Community Trust, The Helix Trust, British Waterways

For more information visit www.roofless.org.uk 

Source: Roofless