5 April 2012
Author James Robertson is in conversation with photographer Robin Gillanders for the 2012 Annan Lecture in the Jeffrey Room at the Mitchell Library, Glasgow. Admission is free, with he event starting at 6pm. The theme is 'The Word and the Image: Narrative in Fiction and Photography'.
James Robertson won the Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year Award 2010 for his novel And the Land Lay Still in which the central character is a photographer curating an exhibition of his father's work. The father, perhaps a better photographer than the son, has recorded the key moments and personalities of Scotland in the middle years of the twentieth century.
Robin Gillanders is one of Scotland's most distinguished photographers. His work includes portraits of many of the best-known names in Scottish life and arts. He has a particular interest in how photography expresses narrative.
How the two media, the written word and the captured image, compare and contrast is the fascinating subject of this event which will include readings by James Robertson and photographs which might just possibly have been made by a fictitious photographer.
1 March 2012
The producer behind some of Ken Loach’s most famous films will give a keynote lecture at Edinburgh Napier University’s Screen Academy Scotland this week.
Rebecca O’Brien, whose credits include Sweet Sixteen and The Wind That Shakes the Barley, will address an international conference looking at how Scotland and other European countries can grow their screen industries.
Over 50 delegates from film schools across the world will attend the ‘Producing Creative Producers’ symposium from 1-2 March as part of moves to increase collaboration between European film schools.
O’Brien, co-founder of Sixteen Films, has made several films in Scotland with Loach and fellow Scot screenwriter Paul Laverty, including My Name Is Joe.
She will speak about the challenges facing producers and film schools in the 21st century, from new technologies to changing business models.
The conference has been organised by Screen Academy Scotland, A Skillset Film and Media Academy, in collaboration with the National Film School at IADT (Ireland), and under the auspices of GEECT, the European chapter of the global films schools association, CILECT.
The conference is supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and is a contribution to the Year of Creative Scotland.
Full press release available to download.
20 February 2012
Professor Robin MacPherson, Director of the Institute for Creative Industries, recently addressed the First Minister at a film investors evening at the Glasgow Film Festival.
A new fund has been launched to attract investment in films with strong Scottish connections. The event centred on a presentation to the potential investors about the new Mackendrick Film Fund which launched to attract investment in films with strong Scottish connections. Professor MacPherson gave a speech which included a summary of Scottish film and how much talent/opportunity there is in the country. He said: “If we can increase production levels here from the single figures typical of the past decade to something closer to the levels of other small countries, then we are much more likely to produce the hits that can attract audiences, generate real returns for investors, and deliver the sustainable industry that we all want to invest in.”
The Mackendrick Film Fund was formed following a run of prominent movies shot in Scotland in the past year. Mackendrick, which has drawn together a range of UK funding experts, will offer a mix of debt and equity finance for domestic and overseas feature films.
Targeting investors in Scotland and beyond, the fund has already attracted a commitment of £500,000 from Creative Scotland. That money will be ring-fenced for projects involving Scottish producers who originate projects north of the border.
The Scottish-based fund is looking to support film projects with a minimum budget of £3m up to a maximum of £20m.
1 January 2012
This year has been designated Year of Creative Scotland 2012 by the Scottish Government. A full programme of cultural and creative activities throughout Scotland has been planned, with opportunities for additional funding still available.
Further information is available from www.visitscotland.com/creative, along with details on how to support activities throughout the year.
1 December 2011
'Fragments of a Love Story', a new short film by Sana Bilgrami (Screen
Media Research Centre), is now showing at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery as part of the 'Migration Stories' exhibition until 31 October 2012.
'Fragments of a Love Story' is a 15-minute film about Sana's great-grandfather who came to Edinburgh from India in 1896 as a medical student. He returned to India after 10 years in Edinburgh and this is Sana's search for traces of his time spent here.
23 November 2011
Edinburgh Napier University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), which will see a Visiting Chair in Tagore Studies established at the Centre for Literature and Writing (CLAW). The ICCR will also fund two PhD fellowships dedicated to researching the works of the influential Indian author, poet and songwriter whose 150th birthday has been celebrated across the world this year.
The University said the signing was a “significant step” towards opening a Scottish Centre for Tagore Studies, which it hopes will also become an international hub for promoting Indian culture, education, philosophy, art and literature. Tagore was the first non-white Nobel Prize winner for Literature in 1913 for his collection Geetanjali ("The Song Offerings"). He wrote more than 1,000 poems and 2000 songs and his work has been translated into all the major languages of the world.
His connection with Scotland primarily came through his lasting friendship and meeting of minds with Sir Patrick Geddes, the pioneering Scottish town planner. Tagore’s grandfather, the industrialist and entrepreneur Dwarkanath Tagore, was also honoured with the Freedom of the City award by Edinburgh in 1845.
3 November 2011
Creative Edinburgh, a not-for-profit membership organisation set up to connect and support creative industry businesses and individuals in the city, has opened its doors for business.
Officially launched on Thursday night by Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop at The Cube on Greenside Place, this initiative alongside the recent launch of the Institute for Creative Industries at Edinburgh Napier University, are seen as welcome boosts for local creative talent in the city.
Creative Edinburgh has a remit to bring creative businesses together to meet, discuss and collaborate. The Institute for Creative Industries will be working with Creative Edinburgh to ensure that this talent has access to the knowledge and expertise of our staff, associates and partners to innovate and grow their businesses.
13 October 2011
The Institute for Creative Industries was formally launched at Merchiston Campus (Edinburgh Napier University) on Thursday 13 October 2011. This very successful reception included speeches from the Institute Director, Professor Robin MacPherson, and Creative Scotland CEO Andrew Dixon, along with an opportunity for key creative industries practitioners to network.
Our brochure detailing examples of how we work with the creative industries in Edinburgh, Scotland and internationally, can be downloaded here.
Please contact us through our enquiry form to find out more about how we can work with you or to receive our newsletter or details of our upcoming short courses.