Person or Persons Unknown

The starting point for Person or Persons Unknown were images and vocabulary created by the learning disabled performers. Choreographed by X-Factor’s artistic director, Alan Greig, and directed by Janice Parker, the piece was performed at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre.

Explorations in Participation

Older people’s experiences of the arts, exploring practical means to overcome barriers to participation informed by their experiences and ideas. Listen to an essay about the projects by Morven Crumlish including quotes from participants and artists.

A Paper Marriage

A video installation about bees and beekeeping was created and shown in the Western General Hospital, exhibiting the pastimes of a retired member of hospital staff within the hospital.

Games

Artist Matias Ring experimenting before he makes a revolving platform which allows Rosalyn opportunities to view and interact with her surroundings.

New Report

Explorations in Participation – Artlink was supported by Creative Scotland to explore experiences of older people in the arts and create new opportunities for meaningful participation. This work was
commissioned in the context of an ageing population and the need to think positively about
new roles for older people and the contributions that can be made to society. Listen to an essay about the work by Morven Crumlish including quotes from participants and artists.

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Or read it here:

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This publication is also available in Braille, Tape and Large print formats.
Please contact us for your copy.

The Red Room

Artist Steve Hollingsworth writes:

Laura and I were working today on changing a former smoking room at the care centre we’re working in, into a much more useable sensory space. All the walls are glass and it gets a great deal of light, Laura ordered some red gel and we placed this on glass on all the walls. When it’s bright the entire room is bathed in a warm orange/ red glow. We also re-floored the space using tiles in a pseudo Juan Munos fashion. It looks very geometric and bold, hopefully people with reduced vision will be able to perceive the floor as there is a lot of contrast between black and white. We left an aperture so anybody inside can look through to the conservatory space (we have big plans for this space too..) We also bought a big red blind so the space can be entirely red without any other visual distraction. The extreme red-ness of the space really has an effect on vision, on emerging from the space other colours such as blue and green took on a new aspect. We want this space to be spare and clutter free, so people can go in there and just relax or engage in one sensory activity at a time. We also plan to finish off the space by installing some coloured neon to play with the light further, perhaps circles of red green and blue, again re-inforcing notions of being bathed in colour. I guess the space hints toward artists like James Turrell who uses colour and light to show ourselves seeing and how perception is easily fooled.

Morningside Mirror 07.2011

Morningside Mirror was a magazine published by patients and staff at theRoyal Edinburgh Hospital between the years of 1845 and 1974. ‘The Mirror’ is part of Artlink’s contribution to examining theRoyal Edinburgh’s 200 year-long history in the lead up to the hospital-wide Bicentenary commemoration in the autumn of 2013.

All our publications are also available in Braille, Tape and Large print formats.
Please contact us for your copy.

Barter

The barter project creates artwork made by people with learning disability, as an alternative form of currency to trade in return for goods, services or new experiences. This amazing hiking boot was created by the Friday barter workshop participants for the benefit of a rambling or walking society in Midlothian. Midlothian Council’s ‘Ageing Well’ project coordinator, Vivienne Wallace, saw an advert we posted on a Midlothian agency website, and wanted to give the artwork a home with Ageing Well for a very specific purpose. She wants to use the trophy to acknowledge the commitment of her volunteers who volunteer their time to lead health walks across Midlothian. These champions of healthy living will then nominate the next recipient, so the foot stays 2 months at a time with one owner, then moves on!

In return, Vivienne has offered two workshops for older adults with learning disability in Cherry Road Resource Centre, one in line dancing and the other in indoor curling.

This project is financed by Midlothian Council, the Scottish Government and the European Tyne-Esk Leader 2007-2013 programme.