University of the Highlands and Islands: Creative contemplation to tackle environmental concerns

Postgraduate students at the University of the Highlands and Islands are to benefit from an exciting annual initiative that offers a unique chance to interact with practising and award-winning artists, poets, academics, art collectives and social enterprises.

A programme of eight weekly online seminars will bring together a broad range of practitioners and artists with students and staff to join in environmental dialogues, in which they will explore place-based thinking and inspiration, and how to practise sustainably.

The seminars start on Friday 18 February with Samantha Clark, an Orkney-based artist and author. Samantha will share her recent work in writing, drawing and moving image in a session titled ‘Thinking with Water’.

The series features internationally recognised artists Alec Finlay, Annie Cattrell, Hannah Imlach, Rebecca Marr and Ilana Halperin, as well as locally based organisations such as urban-space charity Greenspace Scotland, and islands-based ATLAS Arts.

Anne Bevan, Curriculum Leader in Art and Design based at Orkney College UHI said:

“I am really excited about this year’s speaker programme. Working closely with the university’s curriculum development team we have designed it for students on our MA contemporary art and archaeology, art and social practice, and music and the environment courses. Each hour-long session will bring together a unique community to cultivate creative dialogues centred around environmental concerns and community engagement through creative practice.

“Students study with us from our island-campus at Lews Castle College UHI, Orkney College UHI and Shetland UHI, across Scotland and all around the world. We share a distinctive sense of place and concern for the big issues we face today. These dialogues will help us to connect to the places and people around us, in our local communities, across Scotland and globally.”