Welcome to our March newsletter. Hopefully spring is not far away after what feels like one of the longest winters ever!

I mentioned in my last newsletter that we had attended our Rural Craft Forum for organisations that support the craft sector in rural Scotland. It was great to catch up with colleagues and I had the chance to speak with Elsie Mitchell, who works (part-time) to support the sector in the Western Isles. Elsie organised a group of makers to come to our Orkney event in September 2009 and I was delighted to learn of all the new initiatives, work and projects that had resulted from the trip. It just goes to show how important networking and meeting up with others can be!

Our two Makers of the Month are one such success story from the Uists. Spurred on by a discussion with bookbinder Corinna Krause in Orkney, and the Makers event, Netta Sopata went on to develop a new kilt (packaged in a box made by Corinna) which was first shown on Saville Row, London, then as part of a collection at London Fashion week this spring! You can read all about Netta’s experience and how Corinna developed the kilt box to go along with the new work – and her Makers Award here.

Still in the Western Isles, we have news of a new gallery for the Uists, a conversion of a radio station into a workshop and gallery and the development of a website to promote the work of the area.

The first formal Harris Tweed weaving course for 10 years starts in Stornoway this month and find out about the very successful NESTA collaboration of textile and fashion designers, Alison Macleod and Judy Clark. Read our News from the Western Isles!

Craft Festival Highland (7th May to 7th June 2010) will be promoted alongside the Scottish wide Craft Festival Scotland. Craft Festival Scotland is now on Facebook(www.facebook.com/CraftFestivalScotland) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/CraftFestScot)

The Craft FestivalScotland website has also now launched and has details of events, see: www.dundee.ac.uk/craftfest/. The Festival will be officially launched on Thursday 25th March 2010 at the launch of the Future Craft Research Exposition in the Matthew Gallery at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art.
  
See our initial Highland programme here and please get in touch if you would like to add an event. (crafts@hi-arts.co.uk). We want to raise the profile and celebrate Craft in the Highlands and we would like this to be the start of a regular yearly Craft Month so be as imaginative and ambitious as you can!

There are many events and shows coming up over the next few months and if you would like to apply for funding for a Makers Award or a Go and See travel bursary please look on our webpages and contact us to discuss your ideas.

We have included a list of new opportunities and please note that Origins is now in September, in a new location and over one week instead of two - http://www.originuk.org/ will give you the details.

Opportunities are not just for makers, curators and gallery owners can also apply for funds to research new work and network.

Suggestions for Go and See visits include:

• Edinburgh to see Taking Time: Craft and the Slow Revolution, a truly inspiring show (see my new blog on my visit!),
• Stroud International Textiles Festival,
• British Crafts Trade Show in Harrogate,
• Quilts at the V&A,
• Crafts Council Craft Rally and many more.

Three conferences that will be inspirational are the Stroud International Textiles Festival (8th /9th May) Slow Textiles, a major European ceramic event in Bornholm, Denmark (September 2010) see more on www.europeanceramiccontext.com and the Craft Festival Scotland conference Prototype Symposium (10th -11th June). If you are interested in attending these or any other conferences or events, please contact me on pamela@hi-arts.co.uk to discuss funding. 

Business Gateway may be able to offer financial assistance to Highland and Moray makers who are successful in securing a stand at any of the trade and retail shows. Please contact your local office to discuss further. New Start up businesses may also be eligible for funding through their office – again contact for further information. 

The Social Enterprise Academy is running a course aimed at makers over the 20/21st March 2010. If you want to find out more about the benefits of establishing a sustainable and thriving social enterprise or business strand, this is a great opportunity to explore new ways of generating income or looking at the feasibility of your business idea as a social enterprise. If you are interested in attending, please let Avril know as places are limited (contact Avril on avril@hi-arts.co.uk). All courses are free of charge and you can find out more here (SYSE info PDF) and on their website.

Other opportunities for our makers include Meet your Maker at Timespan, Moray Art Centre’s call for tutors, Inner Ear workshop on Digital technology at Innovative Craft, New Start Highland call for makers and many more – see our news section and remember we update this daily so keep checking back!

Our Online Gallery this month is focusing on Textiles and you can see work from Highlands and Islands designers and makers here.

We have a new feature on venues and this month we feature the Tore Gallery, near Inverness, who also participate in the Own Art scheme. Read about our interview with Clare Blois and find out more about Own Art here.

New Start Highland call for Makers - New Start Highland, are an Inverness based charity that helps homeless and under privileged people. Primarily they provide furniture (kindly donated to them by the public!) and housing support for people who are suffering a period of vulnerability. The reuse part of their work holds a really positive environmental message and for this reason they are involved in an event being held at the Eastgate centre in Inverness in early May 2010.

The event is a three day opportunity to promote all things ‘sustainable’that exists in our local community. In addition to a permanent stand, they are hoping to have a 2 hour slot in which they shall be holding an auction where the public can bid for surplus items they have. 

They are looking for a ‘star prize’ that would really grab the interest of the public and hopefully lead to a lot of bids and are thinking that a piece of artwork - mainly made from textiles or materials we have collected from households would attract attention, if you are a Textile artist/designer and are interested in becoming involved please contact Katherine Betteley at New Start Highland on katherine@newstarthighland.org

As always, please get in touch if you would like any assistance, if you have any questions or have some news to tell us!

Remember to check our Audience Development page as it is full of useful information and Sian is now organising workshops on webworking and marketing throughout the area. News to these will follow soon!

Follow our progress on Twitter, Facebook and blogs and keep checking our webpages and jobs section for news and opportunities as they are updated daily.

Kind regards
Pamela

Pamela Conacher
Crafts Development Coordinator
Mob: 07824 388485
Crafts admin: +44 (0)1463 720886
Email: pamela@hi-arts.co.uk

Avril Souter
Web support and Admin
Crafts admin: +44 (0)1463 720886
Email: avril@hi-arts.co.uk

Website: www.hi-arts.co.uk Craft Website: http://crafts.hi-arts.co.uk/


HI-Arts Newsletter Information:

Starting your Social Enterprise 20/21st March, Inverness.
Download leaflet with further information and contact Avril at HI-Arts (avril@hi-arts.co.uk) if you are interested in attending. 

Craft Month Highland - Register your event. Contact Avril/Pamela on crafts@hi-arts.co.uk

Northings Crafts Blogs : Sign up

Funding and Awards

HI-Arts Makers Awards and Go and See bursaries

Highland Culture Fund: Deadlines in May and August 2010. Details at www.highlandeventsandfestivals.com/site/funding 

Scottish Arts Council Funding 

Craft and Design selected awards see www.craftanddesign.net/awards 

British Council grants for India projects 

Shetland Charitable Trust 

Ideas Tap 

BBC 3 – home makeover

Opportunities 

Amb:IT:ion Scotland Getting Digital Roadshow North 
 
Craft Rally – sign up 

Workspace – call for applications 

Design Council – save the date 

Meet your Maker at Timespan 

Origin: The London Craft Fair is on the move 
 
Goldsmiths’ Fair 2010 - Call for Entries 
 
Call for Artists - An Talla Solais (Ullapool Visual Arts) 
 
Moray Art Centre: Call for Art & Crafts Tutors 
 
A free start to boost your career 
 
Inner Ear’s guide to a lively website 
 
Wellcome Trust Arts Awards 
 
Craftspeople - register now to attend the HCA forum 
 
News 

Final Awards for Inspiring Communities 
 
Bookbinding Courses with Laura West 
 
Exciting workshops at Inchmore Gallery Studio 
 
Aviemore Trade Show: the catalyst for both exhibitors and buyers 
 
Nairn based Jewellery Designer featured in Craft & Design Magazine 
 
Orkney Designer to be part of Jerwood Contemporary Makers Exhibition 
 
Exciting New Website for Artists and Makers of the Uists 
 
Scottish Sculpture Workshop announces a New Director 
 
Harris Tweed Kilt on display in Saville Row, London 
 
Prototype- craft in the future tense (Dundee - 10 & 11 June 2010) 
 
Mastercrafts starts on BBC on Friday 12 February 2010 
 
Moray Art Centre: Mary Bourne Exhibition 
 
Highlands and Islands Designer heads for London Fashion Week 
 
Show Scotland - Museum and Gallery events weekend 
 
Meet Your Maker at the National Museum of Scotland 
 
Award Winning (Scottish) Product Keeps the Cold at Bay 
 
New blog at Heritage Crafts Association 
 
Fresh approach for Orkney jewellery company 
 
Opportunities for Highlands and Islands artists in international arena 
 
Sixteen projects shortlisted for Creative Scotland's Vital Spark awards 
 
Masterclasses in Tapestry 

Ceramic Workshops with David Holmes in Orkney 

Newsletters 

News from Craftspace 
 
Creative and Cultural Skills E-Newsletter 
 
Cultural Enterprise Office - Feb 2010 E-Bulletin 
 
Inside craftscotland February 2010 

VAS newsletter - Sign up here

Crafts Council newsletter - sign up here

Central Station - Online Creative Community 
 
Creative Choices  

Innovative Craft

Show applications and deadlines:

Origin (deadline 12th April 2010) 
Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair  (deadline 1st May 2010) 
Lustre 
MADE 10
Aviemore Trade Show
British Glass Biennale  
The Gin Palace  
62 Group – call for new members

Events and Exhibitions 

Tapestry Revealed Part One at Innovative Craft plus Craft and the Slow Revolution 
Meet your maker – at NMS 
Collect (14th-17th May 2010) 
Stroud International Textile Festival, Slow Textiles conference (8/9th May 2010) and festival (1-23rd May 2010) 
British Craft Trade Fair 
European Ceramic Context  
Japanese Sashiko Textiles, Collins Gallery  
Quilts 1700-2010 V&A  
Association of Contemporary Jewellery Conference 'Crossings' (19th-21st July 2010) 

Business and Creative support 

HI-Arts Craft Development 
Shetland Arts 
Scottish Arts Council 
Craftscotland 
Crafts Council 
Cultural Enterprise Office 
Business Gateway 
HIE 
Social Enterprise Academy 
The Princes Trust