A Wind Up!

As The Shale Project  is now complete to deadline and to budget, our activities are moving elsewhere. Community group Artichange was formed specifically to not only manage the project- but to continue in visually and culturally regenerating the Shale Valley area. We’ve organised a great community event on Wednesday 1 June- The Red Bings of Broxburn Photowalk to keep the ‘home-fires burning’ whilst we complete funding applications in the hope that we can successfully attract the necessary financial backing to move onwards and upwards. (We’re hoping to impact on the other communities we serve next time- so look out Winchburgh, Pumpherston and Dechmont- you’re on our radar). You can now check www.artichange.com for all the latest news.

2011
05/15
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The Launch (Part 2)

The Shale People Launch (Part 2) with thanks to intrepid local photographer Gordon Allen who recorded the day for us. Cheers Gordon! The Official Launch Reception at Strathbrock Partnership Centre included much platitudes and speeches interspersed with great music from Broxburn and Livingston Brass Band (the Atrium at the Centre a great spot for them to great a lively atmosphere for all). A photographic exhibition and screen show about ‘community participation on the project’  kept all entertained as we enjoyed a lovely  small buffet lunch provided by Tom Roy.  We continued down to Broxburn Library where the ‘Made by Shale People’ banners were introduced by moi. The day was proving sunny, but a cold wind brewed, as finally we made our way to Broxburn Swimming Pool to discuss the wonderful ‘Clocking Off’ installation by artists DUFI. Sorry to Fin and Al for my administrative cock-up which resulted in them not being able to attend the event to discuss the great work themselves. Oops!

2011
05/05
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Fiona Hyslop praises the Shale People Project!


Fiona Hyslop, SNP Candidate for Linlithgow has praised the work of Broxburn born visual communicator, Shirley Anne Murdoch and local artists and musicians from Broxburn, Uphall and Livingston when she attended the launch of the Shale People Project at the Strathbrock Centre on Saturday.

Commenting after the launch Fiona said,

“The aim of this project was to reconnect the current local communities with those of the original ‘Shale People’ community and in seeing the wonderful turnout for Saturday’s launch it is clear that the efforts made have paid off. Andrew Crummy’s mural at Uphall and Mike Inglis life-size figures are very striking.

“Shale oil is an important part of our industrial heritage, so it is right that the community are remembered and acknowledged in this way.

“I am proud to have attended this important and memorable event and hopefully we shall see other projects like this across the vibrant communities in West Lothian.”

2011
05/04
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andrew crummy
art for change
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broxburn
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mike inglis
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The Launch (Part 1)

On a warm and windy Saturday a small crowd gathered in central Uphall for the first event as part of The Shale People Launch. It’s hard to think that just a year ago we’d only just had word that we’d been awarded funding for this project- and now five artwork installations are in place throughout Broxburn and Uphall!

At midday, outside the Oatridge Hotel, the Broxburn and Livingston Brass Band played a great array of rousing music.

Artist Andrew Crummy followed as he told the stories of his ‘Homage to The Shale People’ mural and included the members of the community now who had informed him of their stories as he produced the work over six weeks in the town.

Mike Inglis passionately described the concepts and creative process behind  his ‘Shale People Trail’ figures. It was great that many of the band members featured in his artworks were also there (having just finished their music set). Following a short photo session, the crowd then headed to Strathbrock Partnership Centre for the next event (info and pics to follow)….

2011
04/19
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andrew crummy
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Mike’s Gathering

As we prepare for The Shale People Launch, artist Mike Inglis launches his latest, magnificent installation as part of the Re-imagining: Inverness next week. If you thought that his ‘Shale People Trail’ was collectively a sizable installation- this new work is definately his largest scale work to date.

 

2011
03/26
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Consider Yourself Invited!

There’s a good few of you lot who thankfully regularly follow this blog- and we want to invite you to the official (one hour) Launch Party on Saturday 16 April. Artists Andy Crummy, Mike Inglis and Shirley-Anne Murdoch (aka-me) will be onboard on the day to introduce our works alongside the many community participants…I’m certainly looking forward to celebrating the fruition of our labours! A buffet and drinks are in order at Strathbrock Partnership Centre, where a small photographic exhibition of community participation and two slideshow/ imovies on ‘Shale People’ and ‘The Shale People Project Story’ will be on show…..

2011
03/21
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Homage to the shale people mural

Andrew Crummy is now spending 2/3 days a week painting the ‘Homage to the Shale People’ mural in central Uphall. He’s reported that there is much positive commentary about his work and the project- with many historical facts  being unearthed during conversations with local passers by. He’s still got a way to go- but it’s taking shape nicely!

2011
03/06
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Getting Ready

Good things come….. as they say. Using the last of our budget to pay The Sign Co. something towards the reprint and re-installation of the stolen and damaged Shale Hearts Trail figures put paid to a planned project launch… but then- along comes a very positively nice  WLC Officer, we put our heads together, and Viola!- we can indeed kill two birds with one stone and we have a paid for Launch Event! (OK on a very limited budget, but at least we can print a few posters, involve the Broxburn and Livingston Brass Band and award a few prizes for community contests)

The December weather had also put paid to the planned Christmas Event in Broxburn and Uphall. This was re-scheduled as an Easter Event and we’ve been asked to replace Santa and his reindeer as the major crowd-puller for this year.

The following A4 promotional poster says it all. Looking forward to it!!!

2011
02/24
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Missing. Found. Re-Installed. Missing again!

What a week! Following the shock of the stolen and damaged artworks, thought I’d post an update- although the situation seems to change day on day at the moment. The local Press did us proud- with The West Lothian Courier, Herald & Post, Evening News and Daily Record covering the story in a bid to get information or artworks returned. By Tuesday I’d had over twenty calls- mainly good-hearted folks telling they’d found artworks- only to realise that they were either referring to the damaged ‘conductor’ at the Masonic hall vennel or the woman at Glen Lowe’s Butchers Lane who were  very definately still in position and hadn’t been stolen in the first place! However, young Dean Cairney of Uphall called to state that he and his mates had found all of the Aldo’s figures dumped at Uphall bus stop around one o’clock on Saturday morning- and that he had them in his house! Retrieved. then Mrs McDonnell of East Main Street in Broxburn had found an abandoned ‘laughing boy’ in her lane. Retrieved. Unfortunately all artworks returned were so torn or buckled in the process of removal that they were deemed of no use for re-positioning.

Just as ‘The Courier’ hit the streets on Thursday, I received a call from artist Mike Inglis (currently busy developing new artworks up in Inverness) to say that The Sign Co./AE Marketing had re-produced the complete set of figures and were installing them back onto the streets- this time with many additional screws through the body of the figures for maximum security.

Confused? Press reports of missing artworks that were already back in place… Mike and myself met last night to inspect the new installations. All great- except for the fact that the ‘leaning girl’ (produced using a stick-on pre-printed pvc) positioned on the Easter Road fire door at Broxburn Swimming Pool had been stolen again! I’m waiting until tomorrow to get the Press up to speed as the story unfolds… and nervously wait to inspect the artworks to see if they’ve survived the weekend.

2011
02/12
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Devastation

Only 36 hours after the installation of  The Shale People Trail we’re faced with the fact that a very, very small minority of the community saw fit to destroy or steal the works that Mike Inglis has spent months creating with members of Broxburn and Livingston Brass Band- who have never had a chance to enjoy the experience of seeing themselves as artworks on the streets of Broxburn and Uphall. All involved in the project have worked fingers to the bone to bring this ambitious series of public artworks to the community on a very limited budget- we’re now in a position that we simply can’t afford to replace these stolen or damaged works- and plans for a positive Project Launch (intended for early March) are now cancelled until we can find a resolution. Meanwhile, we can only hope that some of these figures find their way back to us in one piece.

 

2011
02/06
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grassroots public art grants

The funding for this round of Grassroots Public Art Grants is made up of £44,000 generated from contributions made by developers to West Lothian Council’s Public Art Fund, £50,000 from the Scottish Arts Council and £5,000 from both Arts Services and West Lothian on the Move.The scheme is administered by West Lothian Council’s Arts Services.
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