A major event for artists and makers based in Scotland is being held in Shetland from 10-13 March 2006.  Eighteen artists are due to arrive Friday for four days. The event is aimed at artists based in Scotland, and three delegates have been specially invited from Scandinavia and northern Europe.

Organised as part of the NAN (Networking Artists Networks initiative) in close partnership with Veer North, the Shetland Visual Artists Group, the event’s programme will give delegates an introduction to Shetland as well as the opportunity to get to know each other and how each one works. They will visit artists’ and makers’ studios, create a dry-stane dyke “settee”, present slide shows and tour around Shetland. Meetings at the Bonhoga Gallery and the new Museum and Archive have also been arranged.

NAN was initiated by a-n The Artists Information Company, in 2002. Its aims are to facilitate exchange, dialogue and collaboration amongst visual artists, whatever their practice and location. Other networking and exchange events have taken place in Berlin and throughout the UK.

Guyan Porter, coordinator of NAN artists’ events in Scotland is looking forward to visiting Shetland. “NAN events are always highly subscribed, and places are limited. We were thrilled that there were so many applications of such variety, interest and quality. Artists are coming from rural parts of Scotland, including Dumfries and Galloway, Mull, Orkney, the Highlands and Perthshire as well as the cities..”

“We were overwhelmed with the quantity and quality of applications,” reported Roxane Permar of Veer North. “We believe that this NAN Networking event in Shetland provides continuity from the successful Exchange event for artists and makers held here in the autumn. The event will provide another unique opportunity to bring the local creative industries together and help to further connect Shetland to a national and international network. We hope that we’ll have a good turnout from Shetland-based artists for the different events.”

The NAN initiative is supported through revenue funding to a-n The Artists Information Company from Arts Council England with additional project funding from Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Northern Rock Foundation, Scottish Arts Council and the European Union. Additional support in Shetland has been provided by the Shetland Arts Trust and Shetland Enterprise.

For further information on this event, contact: Roxane Permar (01595) 859 202 or roxanepermar@hotmail.com  
For further information on NAN Scotland artists’ events, contact: Guyan Porter guyanporter@bulldoghome.com  
For full background to NAN see www.a-n.co.uk  > Networking