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engage Scotland

engage Scotland

engage Scotland is part of engage, the professional gallery education association promoting access to enjoyment and understanding of the visual arts in the UK and internationally. engage Scotland represents the Scottish body of engage members, responding to training and networking needs within gallery education with a Scottish focus. Membership has doubled in the last two years, continuing to grow with the appointment of new arts professional posts.

what does engage Scotland do?

engage Scotland offers a programme of events supporting those working in access and education in visual arts venues in Scotland. Four events - network and training meetings - are held each year across Scotland reflecting the themes and concerns within the sector.

engage Scotland also hosts an annual conference - in September 2008 120 participants met over two days in Glasgow to discuss 'What do We-think? New Approaches to Interpreting Art'. Notes, photographs and resources from the conference will be available here soon.

We currently have over 100 members representing over 40 organisations, artists and freelance gallery educators from across Scotland. Members include The National Galleries of Scotland, Glasgow Museums, The Travelling Gallery, An Lanntair - Isle of Lewis, Project Ability - Glasgow, Peacock Visual Arts - Aberdeen and the Scottish Museums Council.

Members can influence the programme of events by requesting specific training, suggesting speakers and venues, as events travel around Scotland. Membership of engage Scotland also gives members opportunities to promote their education and learning activities through attending events such as the Scottish Learning Festival and National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD) Directory Days.

engage Scotland liaises with key organisations and undertakes advocacy on behalf of members to promote good practice and effective delivery in gallery education.

Members are updated on news and events through regular e-newsletters. engage provides a valuable job mailings service that members can both enjoy and employ. Please go to the members' area for details about joining engage.

engage Scotland contacts

Co-ordinator, Sarah Yearsley, works 2.5 days a week - Mondays; Tuesdays and half day Wednesdays.
engage Scotland
Birch House, Church Lane, Bankfoot, Perth PH1 4BD
T: 01738 787137
E: scotland@engage.org

Area reps
Katie Bruce, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow
Joanna Mawdsley, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh
Aberdeen/ North East - position vacant

Voluntary members
Carol Dunbar, The Pier Arts Centre, Stromness
Johnny Gailey, Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh
Kirsteen Macdonald, Changing Room, Stirling. Board member.
Sha Nazir, Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society, Glasgow

Archive:

2008 Galleries, Artists and Regeneration, Networking meeting

GOMA, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, Thursday 30 October

Chair - David Harding

Panel:
Gallery perspective - Synthia Griffin, curator: Regeneration and Community Partnerships, Tate Modern, London
Artist perspective - Peter McCaughey, Artist
Regeneration Agency perspective - David Fletcher, Glasgow Housing Association
Community perspective - Eamonn Campbell, Penilee Public Art Group

Click here for notes from the session.

2008 Learning Styles in Gallery Education, engage Scotland seminar

Scottish Youth Theatre, Glasgow, Thursday 21 February

What are the most useful frameworks to describe and evaluate how audiences engage with contemporary art and learning in a gallery context?

This collaborative seminar provided an opportunity for delegates to review several different frameworks including Inspiring Learning For All, using Generic Learning Outcomes, (GLOs) and the usefulness of their application within contemporary gallery education.

Click here for more information, including resources and speakers' biographies.

2007 Working With Audiences, engage Scotland Conference

National Gallery of Scotland, 31 October/1 November

Working With Audiences aimed to widen the discussion about involving young people in art galleries and look more broadly at involving audience groups in general and the impact that this can have on programming, gallery education activities, audience development and the development of institutions themselves.

Click here for more information, including material and presentations.

2007 Successful methods of evaluating arts education projects

Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow, Tuesday 13 March

This afternoon workshop was led by Fiona Pilgrim from the Cultural Enterprise Office and offered delegates practical advice on developing their approach to evaluating arts education projects.

Aimed at those who were relatively new to evaluation and monitoring and those who would like a refresher, delegates had the opportunity to assess their current evaluation tools and take part in practical exercises. Chris Kelly, Manager, Tayside Arts Health Trust presented a case study of his experiences of using evaluation in arts projects.

Download a list of resources for more information about evaluation techniques (Word document) and Chris Kelly's PowerPoint presentation. (8.4 MB - large download for slow connections.)

2007 Engaging and equipping front-line gallery staff in interpretation methods and care of audiences

Dundee Contemporary Arts, Thursday 22 February

This seminar drew on the issues highlighted in the recently commissioned research 'Mapping Interpretation Practices in Contemporary Art in Scotland'. It examined some of the ways in which art galleries and arts organisations are working with their front of house staff and volunteers to engage with audiences.

Using case studies from venues that already undertake training for their front of house staff to enhance visitor experience and enjoyment of their programme, delegates assessed the current situation in their own venues, identified good practice and suggested further training needs within the sector.

For more information, click on the links below:
Seminar Programme (Word document)
Full Seminar Report (Word document)
Catherine Cartmell presentation (PowerPoint, 2.5MB - large download for slow connections)
Judy Thomas presentation (PowerPoint, 44.6MB - very large download for slow connections
Further sources of information (Word document)

2006 engage Scotland Conference: New engagements

Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery, Monday 18 September; Centre for Contemporary Arts, Tuesday 19 September
Glasgow


The 2006 engage Scotland conference examined some of the new and innovative ways in which art galleries and arts organisations are engaging with their audiences. Download the conference report here

2005 engage Scotland Visual Arts Education Awards

engage Scotland celebrated the rich and vibrant visual arts education work happening across Scotland through the Awards. This was the only Scottish scheme to recognise the gallery education and visual arts outreach profession, and Awards of 1,000 were available to galleries, museums and arts organisations for memorable projects that offered individuals a quality engagement in the visual arts. The Awards were sponsored by the Scottish Executive's National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-being and supported by the Scottish Arts Council. The eleven winning projects were profiled in the suitably colourful and engaging publication- Creativity and Well-being Copies are available from scotland@engage.org
For information on the 2005 engage Scotland Visual Arts Education Awards, including a full list of winners click here and to download a pdf of Creativity and Well-being click here.

The publication '..If I wrote down all the things I enjoyed I would run out of paper..' celebrated 2004 winning projects. click here to download the PDF.

The 2003 publication Creative Collaborations, commissioned by The Scottish Arts Council showcased current practice in gallery education in Scotland through case studies and offered those interested in working with the sector a useful resource of guidelines and contacts. Please contact Sarah at scotland@engage.org to request a copy. A PDF of the publication available here (6 MB download) or for more details go to read more.

2003, the European Year of Disabled People, saw the publication of the report Addressing disability in galleries in Scotland produced by engage, commissioned by The Scottish Arts Council, looking at physical and attitudinal issues of disability and access in visual arts and crafts exhibition venues in Scotland. engage Scotland hope to work with the Scottish Arts Council to address some of the training needs highlighted in the findings. PDF of the publication available here or for more details go to publications section.

engage Scotland seminars have included Community Projects, Peacock Visual Arts, Aberdeen; Books and art: in conversation with Marc Lambert, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh; Marketing & Sponsorship in Gallery Education, The Lighthouse, Glasgow; Contemporary Art Practice, Dundee Contemporary Arts; Gallery Education for Early Years, The Tollbooth, Stirling; Wider Access means more than doors: Addressing disability in galleries in Scotland, Stills Gallery, Edinburgh; Engaging older people in gallery education, The Vennel Gallery, Irvine; Child Protection and the Arts: a training day, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee.

See the events database for details of the upcoming programme.

 

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Supported by the National Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council