Last chance to feed into 'Remembering Together' covid memorial for Orkney

Two interactive sessions in Kirkwall and Stromness in coming weeks will be the final chance for local people to give their thoughts in person on what form a covid memorial in Orkney should take - as part of the national ‘Remembering Together’ programme.

Local artistic duo Emma Ainsley and John Phillips of Ainsley Phillips Projects, appointed by greenspace scotland to carry out co-creation community engagement for the project in Orkney on behalf of the Scottish Government, will lead the sessions.

A workshop at the Pier Arts Centre on Saturday morning 28 January will draw on a range of activities to get people interacting with each other and with their own thoughts – from simple music, words, poetry, drawing and dance movements. The session is limited to 20 places and runs from 10:30am for two hours - book through The Pier Arts Centre (call 01856 850209 or by email )

The Kirkwall session will take place on Wednesday 1 February at Voluntary Action Orkney (Bridge Street) from 12 midday to 4pm. This is an open drop-in session where folk can find out about how the first phase of the project went, and give their input into what a Covid memorial for Orkney should be. No bookings required.

Emma and John have gathered feedback from more than 200 people across Orkney from similar sessions including visits to 12 isles so far.

‘Remembering Together’ is a Scottish Government programme aimed at creating collaborative memorial projects with communities around Scotland to reflect on and express the recent pandemic, with projects underway in all council areas.

Emma Ainsley said: “We’ve had great input from people in Orkney so far and we’ve found the sessions help folk to dig deep to reflect on and even process some of their pandemic experience - and that leads to heartfelt and well considered ideas about what a memorial should and shouldn’t be.

“That is precisely what co-creation is about – putting listening first and working really closely with a community right from the start so people have true ownership of the project.”

Meantime 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).

You can also give your thoughts via their website 

More about Remembering Together

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 Arts Centre, LEADER/Community Led Local Development Orkney Local Action Group, North Isles Landscape Partnership and Orkney Islands Council Arts Development service.

Find out more and follow progress in Orkney at www.orkney.gov.uk/publicart