Reflecting on Even Here, Even Now

How it began

Between 2021 and 2023, Shetland Arts partnered with Taigh Chearsabhagh, An Lanntair and The Pier Arts Centre to deliver a series of Culture Collective projects alongside artists and communities across Scotland’s islands. You can find out more about the programme on the Culture Collective project page.

There was so much positivity from these projects, predominantly celebrating artists and communities ownership over the delivery of the work, and how this allowed projects to adapt to the needs of those they were working with.  

As Culture Collective drew to a close, we wanted to celebrate what had been achieved and take time to reflect on the journey. We invited artists to spend a week together at Mareel, exploring what had worked, what could have been done differently, and what they wanted to see happen next.

Even Here, Even Now was born

During that week of facilitated conversations and creative thinking, Even Here, Even Now was born. 

The group felt really passionate about shouting about the work that artists do in their communities, and how intrinsic it is to where they are. They really believed that art and culture make our island communities what they are, and Even Here, Even Now contextualizes what they do, for who and the value of it.  

“I told the artists about a visiting performer who came to Shetland and said to me “I can’t believe how much creativity is happening, EVEN here”. It’s a phrase that stuck with us. There’s so much culture here that is thriving in the communities, and so many extraordinary creative people that it felt right to shout about that. Practicing in an island context can often feel like the phrase ‘if a tree falls in the woods does it make a sound’, and this project aims to connect to one another, to their communities and to raise awareness of the brilliant work happening in our islands.

‘Even Now’ feels relevant to highlight. It’s not an easy time to be working as a freelance artist, which is only amplified by living where we do. Times feel as precarious as ever and the fact there are still artists working and living in our isles showcase their extraordinary skill and ability in their art form and in working with people.” – Kathryn Gordon, Creative Project Manager

Raising awareness

Once the manifesto had been created, we successfully applied for a further round of Culture Collective funding to share it more widely, both within our island communities and beyond.

5 Artist Advocates were employed to deliver workshops, facilitate conversations and champion the ideas behind Even Here, Even Now within their own communities. Through a mixture of in-person, hybrid and online events, people were able to connect across different island groups, sharing experiences and building new relationships despite the distance between them.

There was also a mainland launch event for the manifesto and we spread copies far and wide – one artist even took a copy to a meeting with John Swinney! The tangible nature of the manifesto meant that more people could see it.  

Becoming part of Scotland’s National Islands plan

As the manifesto gained momentum, we began conversations with the Scottish Government about recognising Even Here, Even Now within Scotland’s National Islands Plan, seeing island artists and creative practitioners as a community that we could bring together and make a difference in the places where they live.

The National Islands Plan is Scotland’s strategic framework to improve outcomes for island communities, focusing on population retention, sustainable development, and community empowerment. Naturally, we were thrilled when Even Here, Even Now became part of it. This also allowed us to access funding from The Scottish Government, which we secured alongside the next round of Creative Scotland’s Culture Collective.  

The next phase

With funding now secured for the next 18 months, Even Here, Even Now is entering an exciting new chapter. 

There will be a number of freelance opportunities for island based artists as part of the programme. Starting with Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides, there will be Associate Artists in each location, as well as Creative Advocacy Group members. Then, in 2027, we will expand the programme into 3 new island groupings, delivering on a more national srategy across Scotland’s islands.  

Alongside the roles there will be freelance opportunities for collaboration and showcasing, locally and nationally.

“Through so much of the delivery of Even Here, Even Now we have realized the affinity there is across islands: we often have the same problems and the same things worth celebrating. This has helped shape how we want to bring people together and encourage collaboration. The freelance roles also help make it possible to live and work as a creative practitioner in the islands. So many of the roles have a focus on advocating for one other and connection, looking at delivering community arts, something we know the isles does very well already.” 

“It is so important that there are local freelance creative roles available where we live. It is freelancers that have made the project what it is, and it will continue to be them that shape it’s delivery, collaborating and connecting across the sea.“  – Kathryn Gordon, Creative Project Manager