Steep Trail – 2013 conference and exhibition

Steep Trail Conference – Collaboration : Improving the Model

9.30am-4pm Wednesday 12 June 2013
Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way
Musselburgh, EH21 6AA
The event is free but places must be booked

Collaboration : Improving the Model – The nature of collaboration, particularly cross-disciplinary, is examined with a view to asking how current models of collaboration function, and ways in which they could be improved.

This day-long conference is being organised as part of Steep Trail, an international project set up by Polarcap, Fife Contemporary Art & Craft and Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, to explore the legacy of John Muir and his continuing relevance to current environmental and cultural debate in the 21st century with a keynote speech by Dr Iain Biggs of the University of the West of England and chaired by Ben Twist of Creative Carbon Scotland.

The project has developed through several strands, art/eco labs were established along the East coast of Scotland which brought together artists, scientists and environmental activists to follow John Muir’s example of physical and intellectual exploration through walking and talking. Participants met over two days to discuss their work within the contexts of climate change, public dissemination and social impact. Talks about the project have allowed other organisations within and outside of Scotland to use this model, and artist exchanges and exhibitions set up between China and Scotland in 2012 have widened the context of the discussion.

Using themes identified from these activities, the conference seeks to bring together strands of shared concerns between artists, scientists and writers including conservation, sustainability, climate change and the role of contemporary art in helping to foster effective dialogues.

– Chair : Ben Twist : Carbon and Arts Management Consultant, Creative Carbon Scotland
– Dr Iain Biggs-University of the West of England- Director PLaCE http://www.uwe.ac.uk/sca/research/place/ibiggs.htm
– Prof David Munro: Historical geographer, author of ‘Scotland: An Encyclopedia of Places and Landscape’
– Mary Modeen, artist and Senior Lecturer in Fine art and Art and Philosophy at the University of Dundee. Convener PLaCE, Scotland http://www.uwe.ac.uk/sca/research/place/modeen.htm
– Claudia Zeiske, Director Deveron Arts, http://www.deveron-arts.com/
– Rania Ho, artist in Beijing, Co-founder of Arrow Factory, Partner at Kupa Studios, Steep Trail exchange artist to Scotland http://www.dancingtoasters.com/
– Graeme Todd, artist, co-founder of Polarcap and Steep Trail exchange artist to China http://www.polarcap.org.uk/
– Dr Alexandra Wortley, Royal Botanic Gardens and Hamer Dodds, artist, cross disciplinary practitioners http://www.ubiquityjournal.net/portfolio/phylogeny/
– Chris Fremantle, producer, researcher, writer cultural historian, http://chris.fremantle.org/

Supported by Steep Trail Project, University of Edinburgh: Knowledge Exchange, East Lothian Arts Services: ELC and Creative Scotland

How to get there:
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&cid=10041646203534431331&q=Brunton+Theatre&iwloc=A&gl=GB&hl=en_uk

SCOTTISH TOUR OF THE EXHIBITION HAS ENDED (INFO BELOW)

19 January – 3 March 2013
FCA&C at St Andrews Museum
Open daily 10.30am-4pm, free admission

An exhibition inspired by the environmental pioneer John Muir’s historic visit to China. It features new work in a range of media – the outcome of an international artist exchange between Jonathan Owen and Graeme Todd from Scotland and Rania Ho and Wang Xieda from China. Organised in partnership with Polarcap and Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop.

– Upcycling Workshop with artist Dawn Murray
11am-1pm Thursday 14 February 2013
Using what you might just call rubbish, learn how to make useful things out of it to take home. Cost £3 per child. 8-12s can come unaccompanied, 5-7s must bring an adult

– Abstract Workshop with Nancy Incoll
11am-1pm Friday 15 February 2013, 11am-1pm
Make several small works to take home while learning about colour, line, pattern and shape. Cost £3 per child. For all 8-12s

– Family Fun Day
12noon-3pm Saturday 16 February 2013
Face-painting and storytelling in the gallery and arty activities in the adjoining room. Free and for all ages.

– Informal tour of the exhibition with one of the exhibiting artists, Graeme Todd
2pm Sunday 24 February 2013
All welcome.

– Winter Walk & Talk
1.30pm Saturday 2 March 2013
St Andrews Botanic Garden. Meet at the Glass Class (wet weather alternative will be provided) and enjoy a walk around the Garden with Nikki Macdonald. Refreshments will be served in the Glass Class afterwards. Talk free but usual entry to the Garden applies – £2 (adults)/£1 (concessions/children); free to Friends of the Botanic Garden and RHS members.

STEEP TRAIL TOUR:

9-30 March 2013
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop

3 Apr – 12 May 2013
Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery
2-4pm Sunday 21 April – Steep Trail artists talk, all welcome.