Remembering Together Orkney arts project gets underway

Local community groups and individuals are being invited to work alongside an artistic team as part of 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 have recently been appointed by greenspace scotland, the body coordinating Remembering Together projects in all of Scotland’s local authority areas.

Remembering Together is a national programme supported by £4.2m provided 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.

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, North Isles Landscape Partnership and Orkney Islands Council Arts Development service.

Emma and John have already started contacting community and charity groups with the help of the local panel, but are keen to leave no stone unturned.

Emma says: “Our focus is very much on listening first – that is the foundation of what is called co-creation, where communities are at the centre of public art created for and by them. We do this through a range of activities we use to get people interacting with each other with their own thoughts – using simple music, words, poetry, drawing and dance movements to help everyone express themselves.

“The pandemic was a different experience for all of us, although there are many common threads. What we want is for that rich tapestry in Orkney to show through. It can only be authentic and truly represent the patchwork of the pandemic if local people come forward and work with us, even if that is to simply have a blether.

John added: “We’re keen to reach as many people as we can and include voices from right across the community. Local people in each of Orkney’s communities will know best how we can reach groups such as young people and lesser heard voices. We’ll be relying on this super-local know-how and are grateful for all ideas and suggestions.

“We will come to you and to where people already meet, or we can meet people individually if that is their preference.”

Emma and John are hoping to meet up with as many folk as possible through October and November.

John and Emma can be contacted on emma@ainsleyphillipsprojects.com oy by mobile/text message to 07534283808 (Emma Ainsley) or 07946735096 (John Phillips).

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

You can check out previous community projects by Emma and John at their website.