NVA News

Read 'The Grim Runner' blog

2012-04-23T00:00:00Z

NVA’s Creative Director Angus Farquhar has been a runner for 13 years. His own experiences of training for a marathon led him to question why he ran and put his thoughts onto paper for his 2009 book, The Speed of Light.

“The feeling of being up and out on your own, with only two or three people passed on the whole hill run, of the previously unknown becoming part of your extending knowledge of your surroundings, is special and makes the world a richer place.”
- Angus Farquhar, NVA.

For the next 10 months, Angus will be writing a blog of his journey towards Speed of Light 2012: the highs; the lows; achievements and challenges. From turning 50, to running a marathon in India, to dealing with injuries.

You can read it all here: thegrimrunner.tumblr.com

SPEED OF LIGHT TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

2012-03-26T00:00:00Z

“Speed of Light promises to be the most spectacular event of the 2012 Edinburgh Festival” The Scotsman

Make sure you’re a part of it - buy your tickets at www.eif.co.uk or via Hub Tickets on 0131 473 2000.

As a member of the walking audience you become part of this human art work, carrying portable light sources to the summit of Arthur’s Seat. Hundreds of runners add to the illumination as they move across the landscape in specially designed light suits. It promises to be an experience you’ll never forget!

NVA’s Speed of Light runs from Thu 9 August – Sat 1 September 2012.

Keep up to date with the latest at: www.speedoflight2012.org.uk

NVA on Culturelabel

2012-03-25T00:00:00Z

With a growing back catalogue of books and artworks, NVA have decided to branch out and feature them on Culturelabel.com. The creative online store is supported by art behemoths such as Tate, V& A and Saatchi Gallery amongst others and offers a hand curated and affordable selection of the best art and design in the country.

Check out our new section at www.culturelabel.com/shop/nva

Come to our Seed Swap event on Sat 3 March

2012-02-13T00:00:00Z

Glasgow’s Local Food Network Presents…

SPRING GET TOGETHER & SEED SWAP
Sat 3 March 2012
10am – 3pm

at the STUC (Scottish Trade Union Centre),
333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6NG

NVA’s Glasgow Harvest and SAGE and other members of Glasgow’s Local Food Network, are holding a day of practical workshops and skills sharing for anyone interested in growing their own food. A delicious free lunch will be included.

Book your free ticket and come and hear about some exciting new projects like the SAGE GrowBank and our Glasgow Harvest Toolkit. Take part in practical workshops, exchange seeds and find out about community growing projects and allotments in your area. Have a chat with other growers over homemade soup and cake, followed by optional advice surgeries on permaculture, event planning and accessing land for community growing.

Join in the Seed Swap
Please join in and bring along any unwanted seeds (collected or bought) you have to swap for something new. Please label and date your packets. There will be free packets of seeds available to people who don’t have their own.

Directions
Train - The STUC is a 3 minute walk from Kelvinbridge underground
Bus - Take the 44 or 11 to Woodlands Road; or the 20, 66, or 118 to Great Western Road.

Help with travel expenses is available. For more info please contact: hannah@sowandgroweverywhere.org or call 0141 332 9911

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Tickets are free but limited, so register now to avoid disappointment at:

http://glasgowseedswap.eventbrite.co.uk

www.sowandgroweverywhere.org
www.urbanroots.org.uk
www.facebook.com/GlasgowTransitionSupport

Arts and Humanities Research Council support for the Invisible College

2012-02-06T00:00:00Z

The Invisible College is a new AHRC research initiative inspired by Kilmahew woodlands and St Peter’s Seminary. Facilitated by NVA and in partnership with the universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Strathclyde, the network seeks a radical approach using the inspirational frame of the world famous building and surrounding grounds to reveal’ dynamic new thinking that refreshes our understanding of and insight into the world around us.’

First referenced by the natural philosopher and scientist Robert Boyle, the concept of The Invisible College was described in the 17th century as an “institution without walls” with no fixed home or declared identity. Our research model will connect academics, educationalists, contemporary artists from around the world with local residents. The Invisible College will start life this year with a series site action days aspects of which will also be open to and shared as public events.

Live research led by different arts & humanities disciplines will generate an annual programme of seminars, talks, performances, actions, debates and lively creative commissions. Operating as a flexible learning system, The Invisible College will break away from traditional higher education partnerships producing ideas generated not only from academics but together with local sources and wider communities of interest.

Speed of Light team at the Great Winter Run

2012-01-23T00:00:00Z

NVA’s/Speed of Light’s Catrin Kemp, Claire Miller and Grahame Coyle ventured out on a very cold and dark morning to Edinburgh’s popular race, The Great Winter Run held at Arthur’s Seat on Saturday 7 January 2012. The team were there to look at the production base, meet runners from across the world and to talk to unsuspecting spectators about signing up to this year’s hottest running ticket, Speed of Light. The full size banner featuring our light suit attracted a lot of attention.

As the sun came up over the site, groups of cross country runners from all over the UK, Ireland and the USA began their warm ups, jogging on Queen’s Parade. Hundreds of children from all over the country also took part, donning their bright red race t-shirts with pride. In the afternoon over 1,000 runners took part, with many a pink face appearing from silver space blankets during the following hours, conserving their warmth on what was a very chilly day indeed. The atmosphere was brilliant – yet more proof that no one embodies a ‘can-do’ attitude quite like a runner.

Thanks to the race organisers Nova International for their support and to all those who came up to the Speed of Light stall to speak to the team. As the numbers of runners signing up to take part continues to rise, we think it’s about time everyone began their training – after all, when’s the next opportunity you’ll have to run on a 350 million year old extinct volcano, at night, in a specially designed light suit?!

GSA Friday Event welcomes NVA

2012-01-16T00:00:00Z

On November the 25th 2011, NVA’s Creative Director Angus Farquhar was invited to present and discuss the organisations’ plans and involvement with Kilmahew/St Peters at Glasgow School of Art’s Friday Event.

Hosted by the Glasgow Film Theatre, the School of Fine Art’s flagship public lecture series is part of its core-curricula and has been running since the early 1990’s. The speakers are internationally significant artists, historians, cultural theorists and others contributing to the discourse around contemporary art and culture. The lectures are attended by undergraduate, post- graduate and doctoral students, GSA Alumni and members of the general public.

NVA;s Angus’ Kilmahew / St Peter’s Lecture at Glasgow School of Art from NVA on Vimeo.

Masterplan announced for Kilmahew / St Peter’s

2011-12-10T00:00:00Z

NVA’s hopes to restore one of Scotland’s greatest modern buildings are a step closer to fruition with the release of a new masterplan for the site.

Led by ERZ landscape architects, the document sets out a 20 year vision for the development of St Peter’s Seminary - the buildings, landscape and site infrastructure - in a series of phases and highlights the launch of the ‘Invisible College’. Avanti Architects have developed the approach to the conservation works associated with the seminary buildings.

Development work continues in liaison with local and wider communities, with support from Creative Scotland and Dunard Fund.

Read more about the project and download the Masterplan HERE

SAGE website launched

2011-09-01T00:00:00Z

SAGE (Sow and Grow Everywhere) has launched its shiny new website.

Visit www.sowandgroweverywhere.org to find out more about SAGE Growing Spaces, the new Gardenshare scheme and use the easily searchable listings of Events for local growing communities around scotland You can also sign up for access to SAGE Resources which offer a wealth of knowledge for keen community growers on securing funding, accessing land and features Growbank, a fantastic online community notice board for all your growing needs.

Enjoy!

New NVA book on sale now!

2011-08-23T00:00:00Z

NVA’s latest publication, ‘To Have and to Hold, Future of a Contested Landscape’, launched to a full house at the Edinburgh International Book Festival this year.

The 128 page, full colour publication from NVA and Luath Press ltd, charts the story of St. Peter’s Seminary and Kilmahew Woodland in Cardross. Designed by Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, St Peter’s Seminary is widely regarded as one of the most significant modern buildings in Europe. Yet only 45 years after it was opened, the structure stands as a decaying shell, the victim of a policy change by the Catholic Church in the 1960s.

Four years ago the World Monuments Fund deemed the seminary significant enough to place it on the list of the ‘World’s 100 Most Endangered Sites’, and now there is a glimmer of hope. For the past two and a half years Glasgow-based public art charity NVA have been working with a number of partners to develop a plan for the Kilmahew woodland, which includes the former St Peter’s seminary.

The book, which was funded by Scottish Government and Creative Scotland, and supported by British Council, is brought to life with contributions from academics, artists, writers, architects and landscape architects who have collated their thoughts, opinions, options and possibilities in a discursive set of texts. “To Have and to Hold, Future of a Contested Landscape” raises questions about how we deal with history and heritage, conservation and preservation, ownership and decision making about such sites.

Buy your copy from the NVA shop HERE