Arts Development
Arts Development is part of Neighbourhood Services (Central Area). The team co-ordinates a programme of visual arts, drama, music and new media projects for and with communities in the City, and delivers a bookable programme specialist workshops through it's city centre venue, WhiteSpace. 75% of the work of Arts Development is delivered in local venues and 25% at WhiteSpace.
Arts development @ WhiteSpace
WhiteSpace has over 400 participants each week. Facilities include an IT suite, darkroom, kilns and studio workshop all on ground level. Workshops range from 2 hours per week for 10 weeks, one off day long sessions or week long classes. Activities can range from silversmithing, life drawing, pottery and stained glass through to digital photography and textile arts. The programme caters for ages 5 through to senior citizens, with a sliding scale of charges. In addition, activities are available to voluntary groups, mental health charities, arts based support groups, school exclusion groups, amongst others, to create tailored activities, and for In Service and CPD training for teachers and community workers.
Arts development - the staff
Arts Development is staffed by a Community Arts Manager, a team of Community Arts Officers, Arts Tutors and Clerical and Administrative staff. Practising, qualified artists lead all workshops. Community Arts Officers each have a geographical or thematic remit, details of which can be found in the current Arts Development brochure.
The Creative Team
The broad aims of the Creative Team (Arts Education, Arts Development and citymoves) are:
- To foster creativity through development, outreach and education in the arts, culture and heritage
- To recruit and retain artists of all disciplines of the highest calibre, increasing employment and development opportunities
- To develop arts practice through outreach and education projects providing creative and innovative solutions to a range of Community Planning and corporate objectives
- To increase opportunities for local people to access the arts, culture and heritage through education, community participation, confidence, skill building and positive experiences
- To provide links to national organisations, disseminating good practice through partnership projects, training, conferences etc, representing ACC on appropriate local and national networks
Arts Development - aims and objectives
The emphasis of the Local Government Scotland Act (2003) on increased community involvement and the development of local Neighbourhood Community Plans has been a key driver of Arts Development work plan, with a commitment to:
- Deliver on a range of Neighbourhood priorities
- Ensure that the arts are used as a tool for engaging with hard to reach groups in Community Planning processes
- Develop a number of arts consultation tools for use by and with partners
- Engage with partners and the citizens of Aberdeen to ensure the widest possible 'community engagement, consultation and participation' and 'effective, safe service delivery ', whilst underpinning the 'delivery of national priorities, - locally'
- Work closely with City Alliance partners to deliver day to day programmes - in particular, ACVO, Grampian Police, Grampian Fire and Rescue
- Lead arts development programmes in each of the neighbourhood service Areas,, for fundraising, attending network meetings furthering the development of multi agency programmes linking to the 37 Neighbourhood Community Action Plans
- Increase opportunities for local people to access further education and employment, and to build community capacity
How we do it
Arts Development:
- Provides bookable wide ranging programmes of activities at WhiteSpace
- Assists local groups with advice, resources, training and fundraising
- Attracts money from a diverse range of funders to develop local neighbourhood Arts Programmes, in particular for some of the City's most marginalised communities
- Provides tailored training and professional development opportunities for groups and volunteers
- Works with cultural organisations to complement major exhibitions and events, with a range of arts activities, facilitating audience development
Opening hours
Our office opening hours are: Monday - Thursday 9 -5pm, Friday 9 - 4pm
WhiteSpace office is closed evenings, weekends and public holidays, but the building is open to the public evenings and weekends depending on workshop activities. For further information on disabled access to WhiteSpace, please visit DisabledGo .
Contacting Arts Development
For further information on Arts Development in Aberdeen, please contact the Community Arts Manager, Lesley Thomson, on (01224 523640) or e-mail lthomson@aberdeencity.gov.uk
- WhiteSpace
60 Frederick Street
Aberdeen AB24 5HY
Tel 01224 523640
Fax 01224 523666
