Creative Stirling prepares to unveil

Jun 22 2012 by Gregor White, Stirling Observer Friday

CREATIVE Stirling holds its latest live music event at the city’s Old Town Jail this weekend.

Although it’s the third event the group have held it is also being billed as their official launch as things really start to come together for the new community interest company.

The group’s founder and director, Joe Hall, says the aim of the new group is both to organise events that the whole community can enjoy and to provide training and development opportunities for anyone interested in working in the arts.

“I was always really interested in something that works for the community,” she said.

“We’ve identified funding to help us with that, but fundamentally we want Creative Stirling to be a commercially sustainable enterprise that can nurture young talent and give them an environment where they can be professionally developed and supported through practical experience on ‘real life’ projects.”

And she added: “Our policy all along was about looking at what people in Stirling want for themselves and enable them to reclaim the city’s cultural identity as they think it should be.

“Given the potential of working within such an interesting heritage property, our take on our creative projects and activity is to base our practice around original ideas and have a strong sense of the social aspect in all of our workshops, interest groups and cultural events that we are planning for the summer.”

Creative Stirling are also working with Artlink Central to create opportunities for adults with learning disabilities to develop challenging new work that will take place in public spaces including Stirling Castle and Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

Although careful to say “we probably can’t take on everyone” Joe added that Creative Stirling are certainly always happy to hear from anyone who either has an idea for an event or who would like to get involved in any of the administration roles behind the scenes.

“Most of the people we’re working with at the moment haven’t got formal training in the creative industries but do have amazing skills anyway and real personal drive and enthusiasm,” she said.

More information is available at www.creativestirling.com with event information at www.creativestirlingcic.eventbrote.com.

With backing from both Stirling Council and Stirling University perhaps the most visible sign of Creative Stirling’s presence at the Old Town Jail so far is Freedom Versions, a project that has seen artists collaborating to decorate the property with their responses to the ideas of freedom, independence, colonisation and alienation.

This will be officially unveiled on Saturday as part of Creative Stirling latest live music event that includes DJ sets and a range of band performances.

The fun starts at 7pm continuing to 11pm with tickets £7 available on the door.

Freedom Versions will remain in place until September 1.