We are delighted that the next meeting of the CPG - Culture and Communities continues in person at the Scottish Parliament. The Cross Party Group on Culture and Communities encourages the exchange of knowledge and understanding between the Scottish Parliament and arts, culture, heritage, and historic environment communities. Learn more about the group on our website here.
Convener: Foysol Choudhury MSP
Secretariat: Culture Counts
The past few weeks have seen our artists, performers, writers and producers deeply unsettled by threats to key funding. Whilst there is relief that these decisions have been reversed the focus of the next Cross Party Group will look at the impacts and vital work our artists do in our communities and what is at risk if this work is not valued, understood or supported. We will hear from four guest speakers, who will provide insights into their work in this area and what it means for our communities.
Speakers:
Virginia Radcliffe is Artistic Director/CEO of Licketyspit a charity whose vision is that child-centred, inclusive theatre and drama-led play become an integral part of children’s daily lives. They believe that theatre and drama can empower children, increase their capacity to flourish and support their wellbeing. Virginia is a theatre director and children’s playwright who began to specialise in early years theatre in the mid-90s, after an extensive career as an actor. She founded Licketyspit in 2004, after leading the pioneering Wee Stories Early Years Project. Her very popular children’s plays put early years children at the centre of large, inclusive audiences of 0-12 year-olds and adults. Virginia is a passionate advocate for the transformative power of theatre and performance to open up playworlds for children, families and early years professionals. Her work aims to empower children and nurture a more equal and flourishing society.
Vibrant and tactile, Laura Aldridge's work engages, indeed embraces, all our senses. Taking many forms and scales, her work derives from her deep-seated instinct for colour and texture, and from the knowing and intuitive approach she takes to making and to materials and their possibilities. Recent solo exhibitions include LAWNMOWER, Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh (2023); sumVIGOUR, Cample Line, Cample (2021); fromKStoyou, Kunsthalle Stavanger, Norway (2020 –2021). In addition to her own practice Laura works with Artlink, Edinburgh (who have a 40 year history of removing barriers to participation, supporting innovation in the arts in collaboration with disabled people and the systems that support them.) And is one of the founders and Lead Artists of Sculpture House - a long term artist run project in Ferguslie Park. The Sculpture House is being redeveloped to place the artists’ studios at the heart of the community with facilities and spaces that support a range of inclusive activities. It will provide opportunities for teaching and learning as well as new pathways to access the visual arts for those who may normally experience financial, cultural or other barriers. The goal is to work alongside community partners such as local residents, community Council, local schools and other council services.
Max Alexander from Play Radical is an artist, play worker and thinker. Max’s work centres play and connection with a particular focus on autistic, neurodivergent and disabled experiences. Max creates spaces for play using a mix of his skills as a maker, visual artist, writer, facilitator, communicator and play worker. These spaces might be short quiet pockets of time shared between just two people in a living room, in a park under some trees or in a nondescript room in a day centre playing with strange sounds, exploring tactile sensations, or engaging in slapstick repetitive imaginative play. They might be bigger installations with playable sculptures, dens, big bodily movement and raucous ever evolving games. They will often exist somewhere in between, but regardless of scale, time and who is in the room they tend to hold space for silliness and sincerity in equal regard.
Raisah Ahmed is a Screenwriter and Director working across film and television and 2024 Screen International Rising Start Scotland. Currently developing feature 'Half-Moon Camp' with Producer Zorana Piggott and Film4, and adapting Mahsuda Snaith's book 'The Things We Thought We Knew' with Mahsuda co-writing and Producer Shirine Best. Other credits include directing on CBBC’s 'Sparks', 'Princess Mirror-Belle' and 'Molly & Mack’, BBC3’s 'The Break' and writing on BBC The Social’s award winning phone drama 'Control' and WB Discovery animated series ’Toad and Friends'. She was in the writers room for Season 1 and 2 of CH4 Series ‘We Are Lady Parts’. She is currently adapting Martin Sixsmith’s ‘Ayesha’s Gift’ for television with Freedom Scripted, on which she’s also an EP, as well as developing ’Nur’ a 6-part original romcom for television with Channel X Hopscotch. Raisah is on the BAFTA Scotland Committee, the Scottish Youth Film Foundation Board, and chairs the Glasgow Film Festival Industry Advisory Group.
There will be an opportunity for group members, guests and MSPs to ask our presenters questions and we will also have time for a general discussion.
This meeting will also incorporate the AGM of the Cross Party Group - Culture and Communities.
Attendance
You must be a member of the CPG Culture and Communities to attend. If you are not a member then please join the group here. Booking information will then be sent out to you directly via that mailing list. If you have any access requirements to enable your attendance, please contact us via the details below.
On-line
This is an in-person event however we are hoping to make an online option available. If you would like to join us online, you will be able to register for an online ticket and joining details will be sent to you on the morning of the event. Any issues please contact us via the details below.
Contact details:
If you have any questions about the event, the Cross Party Group, or any access requirements to enable your attendance, please contact Lori Anderson: lori@culturecounts.scot
Please sign up to the CPGs here, and booking information will be sent out to you directly via that mailing list.