“Story Heritage –  Community, locality and people are valuable resources in the Highlands – sharing is what we do best; access and inclusion is what we are about, and what we want to be – sharing stories keeps our communities alive.”

Artsplay Highland are bringing artists into communities in the Highlands throughout 2007 in a storytelling project led by well-known community artist Bob Pegg.

The gathering of stories begins in Glenurquhart working with community groups and the primary school, encouraging people to share stories, and record them as a legacy. Visual artists will be working alongside Bob to interpret the tales leading to an open event on 21 April  at Glenurquhart Hall which will include an exhibition and workshops throughout the day in music, dance and art for children and adults.

Bob Pegg will also be bringing his own knowledge of the Highlands and each area’s unique 'story heritage' to enhance a sense of belonging. It is hoped that the stories can be re-told in each location and become a part of every-day conversation within the groups and will inspire them to take the stories into other art forms.

The story-gathering will be an organic process, initially non-formal in its approach with the groups in each area, and will seek to encourage communication, knowledge, awareness of the unique landscape, history and of course people and their lives, regardless of where they have come from, or where they may be going.

After Glenurqhart, Bob will be in Dingwall for early summer, and then moving onto Thurso for the autumn. Each area will have a day of exhibitions and workshops, and it is hoped that everything can be brought together for a final exhibition in December 2007.

Childcare workers, care staff and teachers are expected to take part in the project as part of CPD and learning new skills by working with artists.

With thanks to funders: Awards for All, Highland 2007 and Inverness Childcare Partnership.

Please refer to  www.spanglefish.com/ArtsplayHighland for updates and news on other projects and training days.

For further information please contact jelica@artsplayhighland.org.uk