Always the bridesmaid? Not 2013/ 2014 ... we want to be Scotland's Creative Place

Catching the Bouquet for 2013/ 2014

In 2011/ 2012 Prestonpans was 'Nominated' for a Creative Place Award by Creative Scotland but the honour in our category, some £100,000 of arts funding, went to West Kilbride. Good for them. In 2012/ 2013 Huntley won.



We left 2012/ 2013 fallow but resolved to take our second shot in 2013/ 2014 and our Application is now in. We are proposing a 3 hour Historical Pageant using 'all' the arts.

A series of Open Forums are being held during the coming days to continue the exploration of the themes to highlight. The initial commitment will be to run the pageant for at least three years during the 3Harbours Festivals in 2015, 2016 and 2017 i.e. early June each year; and then to take it to The Fringe each August.

Prestonpans 1000 ... and Counting!

That's the working title for a 3 hour history pageant set against the backdrop of the 60+ Murals we now have gracing our walls. We'll be scripting a series of 6/12 minute storylines from Alhammer himself that runs across our history from the salt-making Monks of Newbattle and our oyster fishermen, through Johnnie Moat and the town's witches to Bonnie Prince Charlie, our coal miners, potters and Davy Steele. Interpretation will be by theatre, poetry, music, dancing and song and probably more!

Each year will also have an 'Invitation' Forward Look ... with the young people of the Pans being invited to present their notions of our community 20 years hence and more.

Yes, we do know it 'might' rain and that most of our murals aren't portable, but jpegs of them as projected scenery backdrops will be our indoors and touring version!



As always with Prestoungrange Arts Festival, the talent creating and staring in the show will be home grown talent. Not for us the Top of the Bill Superstars then ....

So, local talent needs please to step forward. Don't be modest. We know who many of 'you' are and we are looking to make fantastic discoveries too ..

COME ALONG PLEASE ... to the Open Forums at the Prestoungrange Gothenburg as follows:

SUNDAY 2.30 pm till 9 pm
MONDAY [Yes, The Goth is open] 6 pm till 9 pm
TUESDAY 2.30 pm till 5.30 pm