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Please note that the ASVA office has relocated to Glasgow. The new contact details are:
ASVA
Epic House
28-32 Cadogan Street
Glasgow
G2 7LP
Tel: 0141 229 0923
Fax: 0141 248 7693
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As part of the Edinburgh Art Festival the City Art Centre presents a must see exhibition for all ages and a treat for photography lovers this summer. William Wegman: Family Combinations, an exhibition by internationally renowned contemporary artist William Wegman, opens at the City Art Centre on 31 July 2010. Organised in collaboration with the artist’s studio in New York, this will be the first comprehensive show of Wegman’s work in Scotland and the only UK opportunity to catch this exceptional and unique photographic display. All the photographs, capturing a body of 25 years work, are from the artist’s personal collection and many have rarely been exhibited in public.
William Wegman: Family Combinations, a tremendously witty exhibition, explores the extraordinary photographic partnership between Wegman and his beloved family of Weimaraners. Wegman’s first Weimaraner was called Man Ray whom he named after the surrealist French photographer. Their twelve year collaboration resulted in a brilliant body of photographic work.
Featuring over 60 art works the exhibition illustrates Fay’s family tree and includes a rich array of Polaroids, chromogenic, silver gelatin and digital prints as well as a selection of video segments starring Fay together with her captivating offspring.
William Wegman: Family Combinations is complemented by an exciting events programme comprising adult and family workshops. For further information please phone 0131 529 3963.
Web Link:www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cityartcentre
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Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is the largest Regional Park in Scotland. It provides a wealth of important habitats for a vast range of wildlife and plants of all shapes and sizes even although it is close to many urban locations. This Photographic Competition aims to encourage you to explore nature on your doorstep.
2010 is International Year of Biodiversity and there is a massive diversity of living things and their habitats in the Regional Park. We are fortunate to have internationally important Hen Harriers breeding within the Park. The Park is home to lots of other wildlife, has many different habitats and landscapes as well as being an important area for carbon storage because of the big areas of peat land.
Charlie Woodward, Regional Park Manager said ‘We hope this competition will inspire people to explore and appreciate the Regional Park’s natural environments, rural landscapes and its bounty of wildlife species. We all have a part to play in safeguarding our environment for future generations, I believe the Park can provide many good examples of this and hope this photographic competition will inspire people. Some of the best images from the competition will form a touring exhibition at Clyde Muirshiel this winter.”
The competition is open to all ages and abilities and has a £250 cash prize. More information and an entry form can be picked up at a Regional Park visitor centre or follow the link on the homepage of our website www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk.
Web Link:www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk
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National Museums Scotland has been recognised as an Independent Research Organisation (IRO) by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Only 11 museums hold IRO status and National Museums Scotland is the only museum organisation in Scotland to have achieved this status.
The status is granted by Research Councils UK to organisations which make a considerable contribution to research.
The Arts and Humanities Research Council exists to support world-class research that furthers the understanding of human culture and creativity, from ancient history to architecture and digital content. National Museums Scotland’s new IRO status will create more opportunities for partnership work amongst academic and other research institutions.
Jane Carmichael, Director of Collections said; ‘We are delighted that our application has been successful. This opens up considerable opportunities for future research at National Museums Scotland and to share that knowledge widely.’
Current research themes at National Museums Scotland range across national and international collections and encompass a wide range of subjects from biodiversity and climate change to analysis of archaeological finds, studies in Scottish engineering, and modern dress design. Research includes work on Scotland's military history, as well as Roman and native interaction, the aborigine collections from the Canadian Great Lakes and the ethnomusicology collection assembled by Jean Jenkins.
Web Link:www.nms.ac.uk
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Clyde Muirshiel Park Authority are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund have just indicated initial support for a major heritage and access project at Castle Semple Country Park by awarding a first-round pass* for a grant of £394,800 and Development Funding of £34,800.
Castle Semple Country Park is a popular recreational location with around 350,000 visitors a year. While the park is easy to get to fewer than 20% of its visitors venture past the visitor and watersports centre to explore the rich natural and built heritage that exists in the surrounding countryside. The Semple Trail project will tell the story of the estate and make access to its cultural and natural heritage easier and more fun.
Cllr David Arthur, Chair of the Park Authority said, "We are delighted to be offered this award. It will allow our partnership to fully develop proposals to enhance rural heritage and recreational facilities and to maximise benefits for landscape and wildlife as well as local communities and visitors. This award, focusing on the historic Castle Semple estate which is now a Country Park will help us to make a great place even better.’
The project, which is being managed by Renfrewshire Council is part of the SRANI Semple Trial Initiative.
Web Link:www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk
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The Scottish Mining Museum has launched a special summer art exhibition, Shades of Mining, which features a variety of drawings and paintings selected from their own inspiring collection.
The pieces have been specially chosen and brought together to feature in the summer exhibition. Pieces by a number of artists will be on display from now until the end of August, capturing the ever-changing industry in mining collieries throughout the UK. The work on display traces the industry from its peak, through the turbulence of the 1970s and 1980s, to the closure of pits across the country and decline of the industry.
Ellie Swinbank, Acting Curator at the Scottish Mining Museum, said: “The connection between coal mining and art may not be immediately obvious, but our collection demonstrates that the industry and its people and landscapes have provided inspiration for a variety of artists.”
The collection also pays tribute to some individual characters involved in the mining industry and features a number of portraits, including a depiction of Abe Moffat, former Scottish Area President of the National Union of Miners from 1944 to 1961.
The art exhibition will run daily from 10am to 5pm and entry to the exhibition is free of charge. Ample car parking facilities are also available on-site and the museum has full disabled access.
For further information on the art exhibition please contact the Scottish Mining Museum on 0131 663 7519.
Web Link:www.scottishminingmuseum.com
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Scone Palace near Perth has launched a new wildlife trail, to encourage visitors to explore the rich flora, fauna and birdlife which can be found across the 100 acres of Palace grounds.
The trail, which takes in the Butterfly & Woodland Gardens along with the magnificent Pinetum, also gives visitors access to the river area, providing an opportunity to spot the more unusual creatures which frequent the river banks and surrounding areas.
Way-marked by cartoon character ‘Cyril the Squirrel’, the trail includes interpretive boards highlighting the animals, birds and plant life which may be encountered by eagle-eyed ramblers on the route. An accompanying leaflet encourages younger visitors to become nature detectives for the day by undertaking a series of quizzes, challenges and ‘I Spy’ games, as well as presenting quirky and fascinating facts about some of Britain’s most popular native species in a fun and informative way.
Jonathan Campbell, Head Gardener at Scone, who created the trail says: “The grounds of the Palace really are a paradise for nature-lovers, providing the opportunity to look at wildlife in a variety of different habitats that have remained largely unchanged for decades. You may even be lucky and see one of our most endangered native species, the red squirrel, which is currently the subject of a conservation programme here”.
The trail is open 9.30am – 5.30pm daily until 31st October, and on Fridays from November – March. Grounds admission fee applies.
Web Link:www.scone-palace.co.uk
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The classic, 63 foot, racing yacht Bloodhound, which was owned by Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Philip in 1960s and had an illustrious ocean racing history, is now displayed alongside five star visitor attraction The Royal Yacht Britannia. Bloodhound sailed in to Leith on Thursday 1 July.
On this momentous occasion Bloodhound was crewed entirely by former Royal Yachtsmen (Yotties), who berthed her next to her ‘big sister’ Britannia in the historic port of Leith. Two members of the team who helped sail her to Leith had the honour of crewing Bloodhound during her period of royal ownership.
The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust purchased Bloodhound earlier this year and she forms part of a new exhibition which focuses on the Royal Family’s passion for sailing. The exhibition opened on 2 July 2010 and visitors can view Bloodhound from a specially built pontoon.
Chairman of The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, Rear Admiral Neil Rankin CB, CBE commented: ‘It is with a great sense of pride that we welcome such an important part of royal sailing history to her new home, and just as we maintain Britannia for future generations to enjoy, we will similarly care for Bloodhound’
Web Link:http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/
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CairnGorm Mountain are delighted to have been given permission by SNH and Highland Council to offer guided walks from the Ptarmigan Top Station for a trial period. These 90 minute walks start on Saturday 17th July and will run daily until the 31st October, after which the trial will be reviewed. Walk @ The Top will be led by a local guide and there will be no more than 10 people per group. Visitors must remain with their guide at all times. The walk will take a circular tour to the summit of Cairn Gorm and with its ancient glacial landscapes, and weather similar to that nearer the Arctic Circle, the Walk @ The Top is an opportunity to experience the Cairngorms up close and personal. The walks are priced at £13 for adults, £12 for seniors and students and £10 for juniors and the price includes train travel. Tickets are available online or in person at the ticket office.
Web Link:www.cairngormmountain.com
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Britain’s best known natural history film-maker, Sir David Attenborough, set foot on the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth, one of the wildlife wonders of the world, describing it as “perfection”. Visiting the Scottish Seabird Centre at North Berwick, for the filming of a new film for Sky’s 3D launch later this year, Sir David was impressed by the award-winning visitor attraction and fascinated by the live cameras.
One of the world's most esteemed naturalists, who has explored the natural world in a career spanning nearly six decades, Sir David Attenborough has at last fulfilled his ambition of visiting one of Scotland's foremost natural spectacles.
An overjoyed Sir David, described the rocky outcrop as "perfection." He commented that he had long admired the Bass and was "thrilled" to have at last experienced it first hand for himself, especially during the height of the birds' breeding season.
Sir David expressed optimism at the considerable number of birds on the Bass. "It is spectacular and it is very good to see that the population of gannets is increasing. It’s a wonderful place. I've thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, being among the gannets, observing their behaviour and the way they connect with each other."
The Scottish Seabird Centre has 18 cameras focused on seabirds and marine mammals in the Firth of Forth, allowing visitors to zoom in and watch the animals at close range on giant screens, so close they can actually read the numbers on birds’ ID rings.
Web Link:www.seabird.org
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A new boat trip service has been launched for the summer to the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth. Successfully trialled earlier this year, in a partnership between the award-winning Scottish Seabird Centre and Seafari Adventures, the new trips will be sailing regularly, throughout the summer, from North Berwick.
Tom Brock OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre, comments, “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage, helping to increase awareness and appreciation of the amazing wildlife on our doorstep”.
The Isle of May is internationally famous for its amazing wildlife. A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a National Nature Reserve (NNR), the island is owned and managed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and known as the “Jewel of the Forth”.
Each year, a quarter of a million seabirds, including thousands of puffins, visit the island to breed. The surrounding waters are a Special Area for Conservation (SAC), because of the island’s grey seals (the largest colony on the East Coast of Britain) and its reef. There are also several sightings of bottlenose dolphins, porpoises and minke whales each year, and more occasionally humpback, sperm and fin whales.
The new half day trip, by fast rigid inflatable boat, includes at least two hours landing on the Isle of May, giving passengers the opportunity to enjoy this amazing island. Full details at www.seabird.org. Due to popular demand, advance booking is essential.
Web Link:www.seabird.org
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