NVA News

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

Calling all runners for Speed of Light 2012

2011-11-01T00:00:00Z

Plans are now well underway for NVA’s Speed of Light 2012. A dedicated new website is now live at www.speedoflight2012.org.uk. Log on to find out all about the event, our inspirations and how you can get involved in this fantastic fusion of sport and culture.

Bringing people together from all over the UK, the programme - taking in eight of the Edinburgh Festivals - will climax with an extraordinary mass-participation event on Arthur’s Seat as part of Edinburgh International Festival.

For three weeks next August, Edinburgh’s iconic mountain will be brought to life through sporting endeavour and performative visual art. Runners will activate specially designed light suits at night, illuminating the hillside, while the walking audience ascend to the summit.

Audience tickets will be available from March 2012 but runners can sign up now HERE to be part of the hottest running opportunity of the year!

For a quick overview, visit our Speed of Light project page HERE

Pizza Oven fun at Glasgow Harvest West

2011-10-04T23:00:00Z

Do you love pizza? Would you like the chance to make your own with your favourite toppings in a clay oven this weekend? Then look no further than Glasgow Harvest West, hosted by Woodlands Community Garden this Saturday, 8th Oct, 12-4pm.

In preparation, families came along this weekend to the Garden for a free pizza oven workshop with artist Stephen Skrynka who is currently building and installing a clay pizza oven for the event.

During his workshop, which highlighted key techniques for building a pizza oven, there was a chance to make your own small model. As the clay had ran out, chocolate was used instead for the models, much to delight of everyone involved.

We are also looking for skilled pizza spinners for Saturday’s event who would like to take part in a competition at 2pm. The winner will enjoy a meal for two (worth £50) at award-winning local restaurant Stravaigin. To register please contact Clem on 0141 332 9911, or email clem@nva.org.uk

Marco from Pizza Magic in Hyndland, will also be giving offering some expert guidance on pizza spinning just before the competition. Hope to see you there!

Download the Glasgow Harvest West Map HERE
Further information on all the Glasgow Harvest events can be found HERE

SAGE website launched

2011-08-31T23:00:00Z

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!

2011-08-22T23:00:00Z

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

The Concrete Garden Wins Top Award

2011-05-19T23:00:00Z

The Concrete Garden saw off some big budget competition at the Scottish Design Awards to win, not only in its category for Low Cost Project, but also the Chairman’s Award for Architecture.

Based in one of Glasgow’s most deprived areas, the project was described as a ‘Beacon of Hope’ by Peter Rees, chief planning officer for the City of London was the Jury Chairman for the Scottish Design Awards:

“I chose this because I feel that however bad things get, however run down an area becomes there is always something you can do to enhance the area. The community can always get involved to make their surroundings better. You don’t have to do a lot to make a place. To me this is a beacon of hope for the future and evidence that even if the major projects can’t be executed in the near future at least we can plant seeds.”

Read the BBC news story HERE

Read the Urban Realm News story HERE

Harvest's Eccentric Sheds

2010-11-21T00:00:00Z

Alongside Glasgow Harvest, NVA wanted to try and find some of the most original allotment sheds in Glasgow. We commissioned film stills photographer Neil Davidson to search for, and record the most unique and interesting ‘eccentric sheds’ he could find.

These structures are recycled architecture, they are all well ahead of their time and show a beautiful combination of practicality and imagination. These are the sort of buildings that give authorities a headache. They represent a freedom of spirit, an ‘outsiderness’, that hasn’t been tamed by petty planning restrictions or B&Q-itis.

To see the full project visit Neil Davidson’s website www.stillsman.co.uk or click HERE