Feedback and open day on ‘Remembering Together’ community covid project

Community groups and individuals around Orkney are being thanked for their input so far into the national Remembering Together project aimed at creating collaborative memorial projects with communities around Scotland to reflect on and express the recent pandemic.

Local artistic duo Emma Ainsley and John Phillips of Ainsley Phillips Projects, who were appointed by greenspace scotland to carry out community engagement for the project in Orkney on behalf of the Scottish Government, have held 23 sessions including seven isles and worked with more than 170 people so far to listen to local thoughts on what an Orkney memorial project should look like.

Next, they are planning to run an open day at the Pier Arts Centre, on Saturday 10 December between 10.30am and 5pm. (They’ll be set up in the shop space.)

Remembering Together is a national programme supported by the Scottish Government to bring together communities and artists/creative practitioners in collective acts of reflection, remembrance, hope and healing. It’s anticipated projects could take many forms, from gardens, visual art and sculptures or physical structures, to work that is digital or can exist in many locations. Projects are taking place in all of Scotland’s local authority areas.

In Orkney, the project is also supported by a local panel made up of representatives from NHS Orkney, VAO, an OIC Councillor, The Blide Trust, The Pier, LEADER/Community Led Local Development Orkney Local Action Group, North Isles Landscape Partnership and Orkney Islands Council Arts Development service.

Emma says: “We have been attending lunch clubs, social clubs, youth clubs, community cafes, day care centres, care homes and more to speak to people about their many experiences of the pandemic.

“We’d really like to thank all the groups and services who’ve welcomed us so far – many groups had a shared experience of the pandemic and could speak from the heart in that supportive place about their feelings towards a memorial.

“So far, there are some common themes coming through from people – among them, that folk don’t want to see a single megalithic memorial, but seem more in favour of several things in different communities, and done in ways which fulfils different needs – some folk want quiet contemplation, while others want a more community aspect which maybe provides a way for folk to gather. Another thought is that should acknowledge the community response to the pandemic. Local culture has also featured high in discussions.

“We’re keen now to speak to people on a more ‘drop-in’ basis and see what kind of feedback we receive that way.”

John and Emma have been working with people using whiteboards to document discussions and music.

John explains: “We invite people part way through the session to use simple instruments to imagine they are on a walk through their experience of the pandemic. What we find is it allows everyone a break from the intensity of pandemic exploration and gives a reset to the energy – we’ve seen time and again that, after a musical interlude, folk return to the discussion with new energy and ideas to share on the whiteboard, even when it had felt like the end of the session before the break.

"Some folk start the session by stating that they want to put everything behind them, move on and not talk about the pandemic – I think many of us can relate to that. A lot of these people do go on to engage with the flow of the session and explore and share their thoughts, experiences and feelings, which has been wonderful."

Emma adds: “It all feels quite delightfully cathartic. Folk express surprise and delight in all the ideas they’ve come up with and explored together. One woman stated: “Look at that, I can’t believe we had all that in us!”

Emma and John are still happy to speak to people individually about their thoughts - they can be contacted on emma@ainsleyphillipsprojects.com or by mobile/text message to 07534283808 (Emma Ainsley) or 07946735096 (John Phillips).

A drop-in session is also planned for all third sector workers, at the Age Scotland Hub in Kirkwall on Thursday 19 January from 10am - 4.30pm. Other drop-ins in the pipeline for early next year includes at the Balfour Hospital. Details to follow.

Find out more on the national Remembering Together website and follow progress at www.orkney.gov.uk/publicart