HI~Arts is seeking a talented visual arts specialist to assist with the development of the visual arts and crafts in the Skye, Lochalsh, Wester Ross and Lochaber areas, as part of a one year project supported by the Scottish Arts Council, the Highland Council and HI~Arts.

The role will include the development of a five year strategy for the visual arts and crafts in the area taking account of local needs and opportunities, and the wider Highlands and Islands context. The position will be based with Highland Council colleagues on Skye on a part time basis.

The new role has been developed by the Scottish Arts Council, Highland Council and HI~Arts who have been working closely to develop a plan for funding and new models of support for the arts in the Skye area, following the closure of An Tuireann arts centre in Portree last year.

The west coast of Scotland, from Fort William to Ullapool, including the Isle of Skye, is home to a tremendous amount of activity in the visual arts and crafts. Current projects include a group of artists in Ullapool who have joined forces to convert a former medical centre to a centre for the visual arts under the banner ‘an talla solais’ and a new facility for the arts and creative industries based at the Gaelic College Sabhal Mor Ostaig which will open later this month. Other key organisations include Fort William based Room 13 who work with children to encourage them to engage with the visual arts and the Lime Tree Gallery, a private initiative which has already brought a number of major exhibitions to the Lochaber area.

The Scottish Arts Council has developed the new role to ensure that support is available for these organisations to help them achieve a sustainable future, plan a new framework for the visual arts and crafts in North Skye in conjunction with local groups and individual artists and makers, and ensure that they are linked in to the existing network of island-based centres: An Tobar on Mull, Taigh Chearsabhagh on North Uist, and An Lanntair on Stornoway. Amanda Catto, Head of Visual Arts at the Scottish Arts Council said: ‘The Scottish Arts Council is committed to developing visual arts and crafts provision across Scotland and following the closure of An Tuireann we want to consider how best to deliver quality programmes that will engage communities across the island of Skye and the west coast.

‘Our partnership with HI~Arts and the Highland Council means that we can extend the brief to ensure we take a broader view of possibilities and we are looking forward to seeing the results.’

Robert Livingston, Director of HI~Arts, said: ‘This is an excellent opportunity to provide some valuable support to a range of ambitious initiatives in the visual arts, and to ensure that the closure of An Tuireann does not leave a lasting gap in visual arts provision in the north west of Scotland’.

More information about the role can be downloaded from the HI~Arts website: www.hi-arts.co.uk/jobs