Timespan Arts Update
Timespan has long since provided the only public arts and heritage resource to Sutherland but now with the new redevelopment, it is able to extend community participation to a degree which will be the envy of the Highlands.
Ten years after Timespan the Museum was created amid much fan fare, award winning and hoopla, the people of Helmsdale pulled off another coup for the centre. In 1997 it was the recipient of one of the first Scottish Arts Council Lottery awards and was able to add on a gallery for contemporary arts and crafts. Purpose built with a stunning view encompassing Timespan’s herb garden, the River Helmsdale, Telford Bridge, Ice House and War Memorial, this gallery has the necessary “wow” factor to hold its reputation as the best in the region.
“We work directly with a wide range of Scottish, British and international artists” says Penny Woodley, Timespan’s Chair “and have had some successful exhibitions with the Highland Exhibition Unit and Visual Arts Sutherland. We also plan to link up with national galleries in the future.”
Timespan’s gallery is the only one in Sutherland, so without it there would effectively be no public art access in the county at all. “This obviously presents us with some real challenges” says Mrs. Woodley “so we have to look at our program over a longer period than just one season, in order to provide a genuine balance over time, and be creative with our resources.”
An Artist’s Residents program with six artists working closely with local groups and schools proved to be highly successful. When the residencies ended last April, the welcome outcome was an evident and real appetite for community participation in art projects. As a direct consequence of this, Timespan successfully applied to the Scottish Arts Council to fund a Youth Artist-Curator with the objective of nurturing enthusiasm among local youngsters.
“Twelve to sixteen year olds are wonderfully responsive once they’re inspired,” says Ruth Macdougall who has taken up the post. “We are almost one year into the program and it’s working really well. I cannot however take anything for granted. Sustaining the interest of 12-16 year olds is not straightforward.”
Nor it seems, is any part of delivering a quality provision of the arts in a small remote community. For this reason a significant part of Timespan’s redevelopment has been devoted to a facility that will support local arts and heritage projects. Board member Sue Pirnie who led the capital project, championed this agenda from the outset. With extensive experience in arts management she was able to see not only the ideal scenario, but also the practical imperatives for Timespan, if it was going to be able to sustain itself in the long term.
“Developing a dedicated and practical space for community projects has made it possible for us to deliver a full program to all age groups,” she said. “ Mostly these will be our own initiatives but we will also work closely with schools. Timespan is regularly visited by school and community groups from across the North – and also as far afield as Glasgow. Our outreach programme for other remote Sutherland communities means that our building must be accessible at many different times, in many different ways to a very wide constituency.”
The finished workshop, carefully planned now stands gleaming and fit for purpose. Out of a dark, dingy area with low ceilings and an uneven floor, has emerged a large, light and bright multi-purpose workshop with a separate IT suite (3 computers and a good array of software). A long window has been created to let the world in, there is a wet area, a wash down floor, lots of tables and chairs, a discussion booth and a brand new film facility. That’s another ambition realised: Timespan will have its own Cinema Club.
Another important aspect of this new, exciting facility for Timespan is the artist’s flat and studio. This will make it possible to provide accommodation and a private workspace to visiting artists and curators.
The Timespan team have it seems, left no stone unturned to deliver the very best. They are to be congratulated!