Final Call for Entries: Aesthetica Creative Works Competition

The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition is internationally recognised for identifying new artists and writers and bringing them to international attention. 2010 will be the competition's third year and previous finalists have achieved success and recognition with accolades including: writing commissions from Channel 4, selection to represent Australia in the Florence Biennale, exhibitions at DACS (London), John Martin Gallery (London), Flores Fine Art Gallery (New York), inclusion in the International Drawing Competition exhibition (Poland) and the National Geographic International Photographic exhibition. The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition represents the scope of creative activity today, and provides an opportunity for both new and established artists to nurture their reputations on an international scale. The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition seeks entries of Artwork, Photography & Sculpture, Fiction and Poetry Three winners will be awarded £500 each Additional prizes include an Olympus E-420 SLR camera and a boutique holiday for two All finalists will be published in the Aesthetica Creative Works Annual, in stores December 2009 Entry to the 2009 Aesthetica Creative Works Competition is £10 This allows you to submit up to 5 images, 5 poems or 2 short stories Closing date to receive Creative Works is 31 August 2009 For full details please visit www.aestheticamagazine.com/submission_guide.htm

Joyce Gunn Cairns @ The Smithy

Penicuik Arts Festival

Penicuik Arts Festival 22 August - 6 September 2009
If you have not already got the programme, please pick up a copy from Midlothian Libraries, Penicuik Arts Centre, Penicuik Town Hall and many shops, or phone 01968 672 706. There are lots of exhibitions, concerts and other events.
The Arts Festival Ceilidh is on the first Saturday, 22 August, in Penicuik Town Hall, 7.30 pm, £8, £4 children.

Susie Goodwin - Curiouser & Curiouser

You are cordially invited to Dunbar Arts Hub’s Curiouser & Curiouser! This is the second Dunbar Arts Hub event of the summer celebrating a wealth of local creative talent - bringing the arts to Dunbar High Street! with exhibitions, happenings, performance, contemporary traditional crafts, music rhyme and song. It is a collaborative event and everyone can feel free to contribute; By producing knitted, crochet, quilted or even felted… cup cakes – the queen of hearts tarts - fish or cucumber sandwiches! A feast to adorn our table - and then for exhibition and sale. They can also dress the part – as a Great Scot or as a character from Alice to partake in our curious tea party - umbrellas optional The project is based on the idea that perhaps it is possible for any place to be whatever we believe it to be and the two week event features contributions from contemporary artists and makers, the Tyne Esk Dunbar writers, Dunbar Sings, Dunbar Lyric Group and local musicians. Opening at 1pm on Sat 22nd Aug with the outdoor performance Great Scots Come Home to the Mad Hatters Tea Party and the Hub at 85 High Street Dunbar will open daily 10 till 6.00 for two weeks closing event on Sun 6th Sept

Research for contemporary visual arts in Fife

Dunfermline Arts and Media (DAM) is a voluntary arts group which is undertaking research on the need for a contemporary visual arts facility in Dunfermline. The research has uncovered a unique opportunity to provide an arts centre for Dunfermline and which would also be an asset for all of Fife. Dunfermline Fire Station is a listed Art Deco building which will be sold in March 2010 and would provide accommodation to suit an arts/creative centre. The fire engine garage could be considered to be a perfect custom-designed gallery! The centre would provide a gathering point for artists/creatives, an exhibition venue for local work and incoming exhibitions, workshops/classes, artists’ studios and offices to rent, retail outlet, cafe and conference room. The research is seeking views and support from the Fife (and wider) artistic community. The survey can be accessed on the DAM website www.thedam.org.uk.

Alison Burt & Hazel Vellacott @ Newhailles

ARTISTS AT NEWHAILES

Newhailes has opened its doors to two Scottish artists as part of a novel “artist-in-residence” project. Alison Burt and Hazel Vellacott, both painters, are drawing inspiration from the extraordinary collection at Newhailes, as well as the unique conservation methods employed at the property. The fabric of this fascinating house is a rich source of material for an artist’s imagination: from the untouched layers of pigment on the walls, to the vast library which once played host to glittering, late night parties.
The work will be on show at the newly renovated gallery/education room at Newhailes from Friday 28th August 2009, running until the end of the season. The artists will be present to speak about their work from 2 – 4pm on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th August. More information and a preview of work in progress is available at http://www.hazelvellacott.com/.

Christina Kernohan - Gammell Buttiken

Photographer Christina Kernohan’s Solo exhibition GammelButikken (Old Store in Norwegian) is on show at The Saint.Gammel Butikken explores a remote and abandonedold store located deep in the Norweigan Arctic Circle.Once the epicentre of daily life in the remote islandsof the north, the store now lies disused and dormant.The Lofoten Isles had no connective tunnels or bridges until the1980’s, therefore the gammel butikken’s on each island wereparamount to the communities, keeping everything frommedical supplies, groceries to fishing nets, porcelain and coffins.They were the post office, weather station and off-license.The unit now sits untouched, solitary in the landscape. One of the last of it’s kind in the country. Christinasensitively documents the space and the narrative it contains. Her work quietly speaks of hidden presence.

Sarah Kettley - Aeolia

part of Reveal/Reset 5 August - 5 September 2009

New Media Scotland's presentation of supported projects 2008-2009

Weds - Sun 10am - 6pm

Aeolia explores the aesthetic development of sensor integration into fabric structures for wearable computing concepts, and a series of embroidered, knit and woven pieces based on the musculature and sinews of the human back are presented as proposals for design directions. An implemented garment designed to capture the specific movements of cellist Peter Gregson indicates the future direction of the work with sound output.