Creative Scotland took a look at The Pans ... and we're Short Listed for £100,000 Grant

We've been shortlisted here in The Pans as one of Scotland's significant 'creative places'.

12 years after the Prestoungrange historical research programme led by Jane Bonnar unleashed first the town's heritage murals and thereafter literally dozens of community driven arts initiatives .... the nation has taken a considered look at what we have been about. The outcome is that our town is in with a chance for a £100,000 grant from Creative Scotland as an integral part of 2012 - The Year of Creative Scotland.

East Lothian News chose this well appropriate picture of Arts Festival Convenor Andrew Crummy hoist aloft at the Tapestry Launch July 2010 from its archives to report the story:


CREATIVE PLACE AWARD NOMINEES

There are three categories and it's a delight to see Prestonpans, YES, that's us, as one of the three nominees in our category.

For places with under 2,500 residents (award £50,000)

Creetown : Kilmartin Glen : Wigtown

For places with under 10,000 residents (award £100,000)

Huntly : Prestonpans : West Kilbride

For places with under 100,000 residents (award £150,000)

Irvine : Perth : St Andrews

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced the Short List today, Monday 13th. Final winners in each category will be announced on January 24th at the National Story Telling Centre.

Each community has tabled with Creative Scotland its plans for continued development of creative activities already in place. Everyone a potential and worthy winner!

Creetown would use the award to invite the National Symphony Orchestra to music workshops in the village. Kilmartin Glen would support Kilmartin House Museum to develop Sounding Dunadd, a community performance on the ancient site of Dunadd Fort, while Wigton would use the award to build on the success of its book festival, making it into more of a year-round event.

Huntly wants to expand its Room to Roam programme and develop a signature menu for the town, while Prestonpans wants to extend its Prestoungrange Arts Festival. In West Kilbride, Craft Town Scotland would use the award to develop a new series of exhibitions for the Barony Centre.

Irvine Harbourside would develop a year-round cultural programme, while in Perth the local Cultural Partnership wants to build on its Living Communities project and identify a local hero for a commissioned portrait. St Andrews will be the official host for the Year of Celebration and a Creative Place Award would focus on the town's rich cultural programme, and help support new events.



Andrew Crummy, who has convened the Prestoungrange Arts Festival since its inception commented to the East Lothian Courier:

"We're delighted! For our community to be shortlisted for this award is a great tribute to the people in and around Prestonpans who have helped make this area such a vibrant and creative centre for the arts.



"During the last 10 years, momentum has been growing and more and more people have become involved. If we're successful in this final round then all the artistic talent and enthusiasm in the community can really be allowed to flourish and grow.

"If Prestonpans wins the funding, the Prestoungrange Arts Festival plans to create a piece of public artwork next year. The theme of the work will be 'looking forward', while a range of events, workshops and art classes will also take place.

"Prestonpans has become a diverse arts hub in recent years, with the successful mural trail, Battle of Prestonpans re-enactments and the fast-growing 3 Harbours Festival among the success stories."

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The Official Detailing is:

The Prestoungrange Arts Festival will create an iconic public artwork during 2012, around the theme LOOKING FORWARD, which will also feature in a range of events, workshops and art classes.

Since 2001 The Prestoungrange Arts Festival has produced a wide range of artworks in and around Prestonpans. Today it has 55 public artworks throughout the area. The town¹s murals have been the catalyst for a series of community arts based festivals and events that now run all year round. Annual events include The Three Habours Arts Festival; The Seafood Festival; Music Festivals; The Battle of Prestonpans Re-enactments and Witches commemoration. The most recent success has been The Prestonpans Tapestry; which is 104 metres long; has involved over 250 volunteer stitchers nationwide and has attracted over 100,000 visitors since its launch in July 2010. The Hub for this activity has been The Prestoungrange Gothenburg, a social enterprise, where 95% of profits are invested back into the community through the Arts Programme.

The Creative Place Award would enhance their creative programme by helping them create a piece of iconic
public artwork. The theme of looking forward will feature in this artwork, and will run through other programmes of events, workshops and art classes.