Scotland: OVERVIEW: Community arts

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OVERVIEW:

Introduction

Voluntary arts

Community arts

Global Art Project run by Highland Council at Raigmore Community Centre Easter 2006.

Broad definitions of community arts (or ‘arts in the community’ as some practitioners nowadays prefer) tend to encompass areas covered individually within this site, such as youth arts, voluntary arts, arts and disabilities and arts and health. Even with these aspects separated off, however, what remains is still a bewilderingly diverse and lively array of activity and provision across all art forms. Largely supported in financial terms by local authorities, the sector is dependent for its core impetus on harnessing the enthusiasm, energy and creative talents of its participants, for many of whom involvement in grassroots artistic projects brings not only tremendous enjoyment and satisfaction, but often more profoundly life-enriching benefits.

According to a 2004 study into Arts in the Community, commissioned by the Scottish Parliament in preparation for an inquiry into the sector by the Enterprise and Culture Committee, the following broad statements apply in defining and assessing the sector in Scotland today:

● Art in the community tends to be recognisable in terms of the process leading up to a form of artistic expression, rather than through the medium in which art is expressed. Art in the community projects can either be run by amateurs, or as collaborative projects between amateurs and professional artists.

● Art in the community is recognised internationally as being distinctive for its degree of engagement with socio-economic and political issues at local level.

● Data on the extent of participation and attendance at community art events is extremely limited due to the diverse and disparate nature of the sector.

● A wide range of benefits are linked to participation in local artistic events, covering a range of policy agendas, such as social inclusion and community development. However, evaluation of the impact of artistic projects tends to be rather limited.

● There are tensions between community-based arts organisations and external funding agencies, regarding the requirement to conform to the management, reporting and evaluation demands imposed by the latter.

● Despite the benefits ascribed to art in the community provision, a number of barriers are frequently highlighted as inhibiting the development of the sector, such as short-term, project-based funding and the tendency of ‘core’ or ‘mainstream’ arts bodies to view community arts as peripheral to their main concerns.

● Local authorities are key agencies in the delivery of support for art in the community. However, expenditure on culture continues to be viewed by many local authorities as less important than mainstream services.

Within this survey framework, Scotland’s distinct tradition of community education as a designated sector within local government, together with the potent historical input of bodies such as the Workers’ Educational Association and the Scottish Community Drama Association, has produced numerous models of innovative and effective practice. Leading examples include Edinburgh’s Adult Learning Project (ALP) and its now semi-autonomous ALP Scots Music Group, Dundee Rep’s renowned community theatre department, and flagship neighbourhood-based projects like WHALE and the North Edinburgh Arts Centre.

Make direct contact with organisations and individuals working in the Voluntary arts/Community arts sector through our extensive database of KEY CONTACTS.

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