Town’s ambition to be a creative place

OutPost Arts receives funding to run art clubs for all enthusiasts

AN AMBITION to make Langholm a creative place for young and old has taken a significant step forward.
OutPost Arts has launched its 2020 project, A Creative Place.
It is supported by the
Holywood Trust, Robertson Trust, Muirhall Energy and Stevenson Trust.
OutPost will run arts clubs and arts awards at Langholm primary and academy.
They focus on introducing as many strands of professional arts practices and creative skills as possible, resulting in tangible outcomes, including nationally-recognised qualifications and work experience.
Creative health and well-being activities will encourage the community to take advantage of the physical and emotional benefits of taking part in the arts.
Langholm’s People will celebrate the town’s rich heritage and history, capturing and sharing stories using creative means.
Look Out Langholm, an arts and nature festival in May, will be delivered with Wild Eskdale.
It will allow them to explore and share the amazing creative and environmental assets of Langholm and the surrounding area with new audiences.
OutPost Arts is dedicated to supporting creative professionals and the project offers artists and makers opportunities to deliver sessions as part of the arts education programme.
The organisation will train several artists to become arts award advisers.
Emerging artists are also being supported with a commission to create a public art work as part of the Langholm’s People project.
Lucy MacLeod, creative
director, said the funding was for one year initially but she hoped they could deliver projects which had longevity and a legacy.
A Creative Place would help to deliver on elements of OutPost Arts’ community action plan linked to regeneration,
education, health and well-
being.
The primary school art clubs would focus on visual arts and creative writing as well as drama and performance arts awards.
They were waiting to hear about funding for a club for S2 to S4 and they would contribute to the festival programme.
They would get involved in arts management and education and gain work experience through it.
The health and well-being
activities in The Look Out would expand on the textile sessions being held with Textiles Eskdale, a Langholm Initiative project.
Lucy said: “We’ll bring in more makers and textile artists to deliver specific skills and workshops.
“It will broaden the programme’s horizons and encourage more people to join. It’s about participation and the benefits you feel from taking part.
“It’s a safe place with a community atmosphere where you can use your hands and be in the moment.
“We have informal support from the health centre’s mental healthcare professional and from the Initiative.”
She added: “The festival will be key. If we can deliver this, we’ll increase the number of creative people and become a more creative place.
“It trickles down into the day to day and we’ll get a more
vibrant High Street by celebrating our history in a more creative way.
“It will encourage people to feel good about where they live and encourage visitors.”