2014 - Year in Review

The endless, trudging march of time sees us once again stare bleary eyed into the uncertain future of a "new year" and "fresh start", while cursing the yawning chasm of empty darkness which now lies behind us. But we had a laugh eh? As the end approaches, a quick look back at our most read posts for this year, in no particular order...

Our main project focus for this year was 13 Commonwealth Tales, which explored folktales from other parts of the world, and also continued to encourage local storytelling. The project was supported by Big Lottery Celebrate funding.We all pitched in with our favourite stories and Mhairi did a smashing job on the artwork to create a storybook which we released during Doors Open Day in September. The 64 page book is available for free from Dutch Gable House and 7 1/2 John Wood Street, but will also be free online in January.

13 Commonwealth Tales cover by Mhairi

As well as details on the project itself, one of the most popular stories we shared on the blog (but which did not appear in the book) was the tale of Maddy Glasker...

Battle of Largs by Andy Lee

Details of our Viking comic strip exhibition, featuring artwork specially created to accompany the gothic poem Battle of Largs by Greenock's very own John Galt was well received. Which is good....as we will have some more news to share on this project next year...

One of our most viewed posts from way back in January, was actually not about heritage at all, but some well meant, hard learned advice from myself about finding funding for projects, and how the "community" bit isn't what you add in to get the project to look nice for funders, but instead, the fundamental building block for the whole process.

Tin Jimmy by Andy Lee

In March we shared a page from a comic strip featuring "the robot James Watt built", Tin Jimmy. And we will have more, slightly longer adventures for our Victorian Robot in 2015. Meantime you can read James Watt's own notes on the robots creation right here... In a similar vein, news of An Ancient UFO sighting in Greenock caused quite a stir...

And we haven't actually talked much about it yet, but it would be remiss not to mention how much fun Andy and I had working with the Gies Peace project and St Ninian's Primary Seven in Gourock all through November and December on a particularly wintery comic...Coldheart. Here's a wee sneaky peak...

So aye, 2014 has been a busy and rewarding year for us, but there have been a few other heritage projects delivering across Inverclyde over the year as well, so props to Rig Arts Are Ye Askin project,  the major event that was White Gold at the Sugar Sheds, Dutch Gable House's WWI drama project which you can watch here, the Absent Voices project, which explored the history of the Sugar Sheds and produced a whole archive of creative responses to that story and of course the start of Inverclyde's Great War project. Hats off all round.

We also turned Fifteen in 2014, which was nice, especially as we seem busier now than we have ever been. 2015 is shaping up nicely too, but there will be lots of time to talk about that next year. For now, here's another chance to see the trailer for our upcoming Time and Place project, featuring a new soundtrack from the band British Sea Power. The film and accompanying exhibition will be displayed in February...

Thanks for reading!

White Gold @ Greenock Sugar Sheds

Magic Torch have a bit of history with the Sugar Sheds, having first proposed them as a potential cultural space way back in 2002, then through our campaign of a few years back. So we're always interested in seeing what's happening in them as time moves slowly on. And what's happening in June, is a really ambitious performance piece called White Gold, staged as part of the Commonwealth Games celebrations.

It's a show you can only see here, about people from this town, featuring local folks performing in one of our most historic buildings. Last week, I was lucky enough to get a wander through the sheds and a spoiler free overview of some of the things that are planned for the performances. It sounds fantastic. Take a friend, take yer school, community group, darts team...whoever...it's a real one off that looks like it might be something pretty special. Seriously. Get your tickets now.

Obviously, whatever future there may one day be for the Sugar Sheds, longer term it needs to help generate local jobs and income - just like they did many years ago. There are no shortage of ideas, from heritage centre and community workshop, to a Wee Tate art gallery and a live music venue. The reality is, that the space is so huge, you could probably get away with doing a few of those without ever getting in the road of one another. And of course, at the moment, the sheds also play host to a successful marina. Ideas aren't actually the hard bit though, doing things is the hard part - and if it was easy to solve the puzzle of the Sugar Sheds, someone would probably have done it by now...and to be clear, that time they nearly burned down doesn't count :)

For now doing things in the sheds takes risk and investment, not the easiest things to get people interested in, particularly with some of the unique challenges that the sheds face. Though folks interested in making the Sheds or any other historic buildings work for communities alongside private investment should check out the excellent new Building Resources Investment and Community Knowledge programme from Princes Trust.

Meantime though, and while there is no definite master-plan for the building, projects like White Gold help shine a light on the space, and generate a debate about what's to be done with them. All of which is better than simply leaving them to slowly crumble again, especially after so much money has been spent to get them wind and watertight. Let's not be afraid of having our expectations raised, lets try enjoying it for a change.

White Gold ticket sales

White Gold - Get Involved

White Gold is an ambitious, site-specific performance set in Greenock’s iconic Sugar Sheds. Brought to the warehouse for storing, sifting, refining and presenting, White Gold is woven together from vivid and touching stories gathered across Inverclyde.

As audiences walk through the show, artists, performers and 200 volunteers will bring narratives to life through drama, movement, original music and breathtaking aerial performance. Surprising, poignant and deeply moving, White Gold gives the community of Greenock top billing as the nation’s stars.

An original creation conceived and overseen by Mark Murphy, directed by Simone Jenkinson and Joseph Traynore of Cuerda Producciones. It is produced by Iron Oxide and includes Cuerda Producciones from Argentina, All or Nothing Aerial and DJs/musicians Tigerstyle. Part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme.

www.glasgow2014.com/culture

Volunteer cast and crew

Volunteers are currently being sought to join the White Gold cast and crew, working with a talented team of artists and theatre professionals.

Cast Members, Assistant Stage Managers, Runners, Lighting Design Crew, Site Crew and Stage Crew are all required. The positions are accessible to anyone 16+, with a willingness to learn and there are a number of roles available, depending on how much time each volunteer has to give.

To find out more please come along to our Open Evening at the Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock, on Mon 14 April from 7.30pm-8.30pm. You’ll have the chance to talk to the team, see the aerial performers in action and find out how you can get involved with White Gold.

For further information or to request a pack on the opportunities above please email Laura@beaconartscentre.co.uk