The worlds of fashion, astronomy, wrestling and artificial intelligence have collided with Scotland’s creative professionals as the Creative Scotland Vital Spark shortlist and external judging panel is unveiled.

Sixteen unique collaborations have been selected for this next round of the Creative Scotland Vital Spark Awards. Among the projects proposed are a film exploring the ascendancy of email, 75 years after the iconic ‘Night Mail’; a public art work in Dunbar Harbour; a choreographed piece based on nyctophobia (fear of the dark); and a promenade piece based on the 1960s Stanford University ‘Marshmallow test’ for four-year olds.

Chosen from over 100 applications, the 16 will now be whittled down by a panel of creative experts to receive a share of the £500,000 Vital Spark Awards. The standard of applications received was extremely high and there was an exciting mix of both established and emerging artists.

The Vital Spark Awards encourage work that goes beyond the boundaries of creative disciplines and supports collaborations between artists and practitioners working across all the disciplines. Experimentation, radical new work and innovative approaches to engaging with audiences are essential characteristics of the shortlisted projects

The judging panel will meet during February and the final Vital Spark winners will be announced on 1 March 2010. The panel comprises:
Chair: Phil Cunningham, traditional musician and member of the Creative Scotland 09 Ltd board
Julie Ellen, Creative Director, Playwrights Studio Scotland
Rosemary Lee, choreographer and collaborator
Mary Miller, Director, Stavanger2008, European Capital of Culture
Damien Smith, Director of ISO (digital media studio) and Central Station
Luke Sutherland, author and musician
Judith Winters, curator, Dundee Contemporary Arts
Neil Wallace, Artistic Director, De Doelen Concert Halls, Rotterdam

Ewan Brown, Chair, Creative Scotland 09 Ltd congratulated the shortlisted projects and added:

‘The Vital Spark Awards were intended to stretch and challenge traditional creative boundaries and the 16 shortlisted projects are excellent illustrations of the breadth and depth of Scotland’s collective imagination. They are all intriguing and fascinating collaborations, rich in ideas and visions. The hard part now will be choosing the winners!’



Creative Scotland Vital Spark awards: shortlist 2 February 2010


Collaborators: Lucy McEachan (curator/ producer)
Catriona Duffy (curator/ producer)
Jennifer Macpherson (curator/producer)
Beca Lipscombe (fashion designer)
Lucy McKenzie (visual artist)
Bernie Reid (illustrator

Towards the cost of an interdisciplinary collaboration to present new work and ideas that examine and rework the curatorial forms and presentation of craft practice in Scotland today. Amount requested: £54,750.


Collaborators: Laura Cameron Lewis (theatre artist)
Kieran McLoughlin (theatre artist)
Andrew Eaton (musician and writer)
Daniel Winterstein (artificial intelligence developer)
Joe Halliwell (artificial intelligence developer)

Towards the cost of using pervasive theatrical experiences, theatre and artificial intelligence to create a site specific odyssey through the real and virtual spaces of Edinburgh. Amount requested: £29,150.


Collaborators: Torsten Lauschmann (artist)
Dr Jochen Ehnes (University of Edinburgh)

Towards the cost of research and development of tools to create and view site specific art using augmented reality, utilising mobile devices and video projections throughout Scotland and abroad. Amount Requested: £67,200.00.


Collaborators: The Puppet Lab - Symon MacIntyre (puppets and objects)
Wildbird – Graeme Roger (film and animation)
John Harris (composer)
Zinnie Harris (text)
Figurteatret I Nordland
Edinburgh Web Design – Colin Purves (interactive web)

Towards the cost of 'Maid of Norway', an animated, music-drama production with puppets and objects, viewed live and on-line by a cyber audience. Amount Requested: £90,000.


Collaborators: Raymond MacDonald (composer and musician)
Martin Boyce (visual artist)
David MacKenzie (film director)

Towards the cost of three artists (art, music and film) joining together to experiment in new forms and produce a work that will adapt to gallery, concert hall and cinema spaces. Amount requested: £100,000.


Collaborators: Rob Drummond (theatre maker)
Scottish Wrestling Alliance – James Tyler
Lindsay Goodall (film maker)

Towards the cost of Rob Drummond undertaking a training programme with the Scottish Wrestling Alliance culminating in a work that straddles both theatre practice and authentic wrestling match. Amount requested: £60,961.


Collaborators: Gill Robertson (theatre director, Catherine Wheels Theatre Company)
Stephen Deazley (musical director)
Nicola McCartney (playwright)
Jonathan Charles (video maker)
Karen Tennent (designer)

Towards the cost of Leningrad, a large-scale event marrying a full orchestra with theatre, inspired by the 1942 performance of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony in the besieged city of Leningrad. Amount requested: £100,000 .


Collaborators: Ziggy Campbell (artist/ musician)
Professor Simon Kirby (Chair of Language Evolution, University of Edinburgh)
Tommy Pearman (artist/ designer)
Adam Proctor (video maker)
Don MacLellan (web developer and technology consultant)

Towards the cost of creating a musical album that, unlike traditional recording, is constantly evolving so that every copy is unique to the time it is purchased. Amount requested: £100,000. Total project costs:


Collaborators: Gail Sneddon (director)
Digital Design Studio (Glasgow School of Art)
Athina Valha (choreographer)
Chloe Dear (producer)

Towards the cost of exploring and finding synergy between choreography, special design, sound and new technology using a study into Nyctophobia (fear of the dark). Amount requested: £49,846.


Collaborators: Mandy McIntosh (visual artist)
Kaffe Matthews (electro acoustic composer)
The Scottish Universities Physics Alliance/ Institute for Astronomy
Forestry Commission Scotland

Towards the cost of The Bothy, is an artist-conceived shelter for stargazers in Galloway Forest. Amount requested: £65,000.


Collaborators: Hopscotch Films Ltd (John Archer)
Alasdair Gray (writer)
Douglas Gordon (visual artist)
Robert Hodgens aka Bobby Bluebell (musician/ composer)

Towards a film marking the email's ascendancy over the letter in written communication to celebrate 75 years since "Night Mail". Amount requested: £100,000.


Collaborators: Ken Cockburn (poet)
Alec Finlay (artist and poet)

Towards the cost of a ‘world map’ or poetic atlas composed on journeys throughout Scotland, made available free from an innovative website and as audio at partner venues. Amount requested: £33,850.

Collaborators: Nicholas Bone (theatre director, Magnetic North Theatre Productions Ltd)
David Shrigley (visual artist)
David Fennessy (composer)

Towards the cost of developing and producing a theatre performance involving music, animation and text. Amount requested: £99,985.


Collaborators: Rob Churn (visual artist)
John Harris (composer)
Ruth Morley (musician, Scottish Flute Trio)
Janet Larsson (musician, Scottish Flute Trio)
Laura Baillie (musician, Scottish Flute Trio)

Towards the cost of a collaboratively developed animation with a live performance soundtrack. Amount requested: £95,840.


Collaborators: Xana MacLean (director and performer)
Dougal Marwick (music and sound)
Katy Wilson (visual artist)
Morna Pearson (playwright)
Michael Blyth (playright)
Caro Donald (Creative producer)
Lewis Carmichael (film maker)
Dr Dan Wilson (Chemical Physicist and Statistical Analyst)

Towards the cost of 'The Marshmallow Test' an interactive devised and text based promenade performance aimed at audiences 14+ exploring ethics in the 21st century through a contemporary magical aesthetic. Amount requested: £38,700.


Collaborators: Donald Urquart (visual artist)
Chris Rankin and Kenny Fraser (landscape architects)
East Lothian Diving Club

Towards the cost of a fusion of art and landscape to create a unique public space in Dunbar Harbour incorporating projection of underwater film, ecological planting and sustainable technologies. Amount requested: £90,000.