News from Cove Park - November 2020

Firstly we are pleased to announce the appointment of Francesca Bertolotti-Bailey as CEO of Cove Park. Further information is given below and we look forward to welcoming Francesca to Cove Park in January 2021.

Since reopening in September this year Cove Park has hosted over 25 UK-based artists, including visual artists Rowan Paton, Ben Sanderson and Corin Sworn; writer Jane Rogoyska, ceramicist Dawn Youll, textile artist Mariam Syed, writers Polly Atkin, Lawrence Illsley, Giovanna Mackenna and Sarah Urwin Jones and the curators of the 8th edition of the Artists Moving Image Festival Adam Benmakhlouf and Tako Taal. Full details of our autumn programme is available here.

Cove Park's new Crisis Residency Programme funded by Freelands Foundation was launched in October 2020. This series of residencies supports early career visual artists based in Scotland and to date we have welcomed Saoirse Anis, Francis Dosoo, Kerrianne Flett, Ross Little and Adebusola Ramsay. We look forward to the arrival of Thomas Abercromby, Rabiya Choudhry, Caitlin Dick, Rhona Jack, Amy Jones and Natsumi Sakamoto and to working with everyone.

The safety and welfare of all the artists and Cove Park's staff remains our priority at this very challenging time. Like several other arts organisations in Scotland, we took the decision at the beginning of this month to pause our programme for 4 weeks in response to the revised Scottish Government guidance relating to travel between tiers in Scotland and to and from England. However, we will continue to work closely with all the artists due to come on residencies and look forward to reopening fully as soon as travel restrictions allow.

Our annual open call for applications is now live with deadlines across December. Scroll down for information on the residencies available as part of our Craft & Design, Experimental Film & Moving Image, Literature & Translation and Visual Arts programmes.

Finally, we would like to thank the trusts and foundations supporting our residency and creative learning programmes this year: The Andor Charitable Trust, The Bridge Awards, The Craignish Trust, Freelands Foundation, The Garfield Weston Foundation, The Mickel Fund, The Monument Trust, The Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Young Start.

Image: Cove Park's Artists Centre (photography, Alan Dimmick)

Francesca Bertolotti-Bailey Appointed
CEO of Cove Park

We can today announce the appointment of Francesca
Bertolotti-Bailey as Chief Executive Officer of Cove Park. She replaces Julian Forrester, Cove Park's Director since 2009, who retires in December this year.

Francesca Bertolotti-Bailey is a producer, curator and editor with a background in economics, management and cultural policy. She recently worked as Acting Head of Programme at Kettle’s Yard, the modern and contemporary art gallery of the University of Cambridge. Between 2014–18 she was Head of Production and International Projects at the Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art, where she co-curated the 2016 and 2018 editions. Between 2010–13 she was responsible for multi-disciplinary curatorial programmes at Artissima, the international contemporary art fair in Turin, Italy. Previously, she worked at Fondazione Pirelli Hangar Bicocca in Milan and in various art galleries and not-for-profits in Italy, France and the US. Between 2016–18 she was Associate at Large of Council, a Paris-based organisation focused on societal issues, and the integration of artistic, scientific and civic forms of action and expertise. Since 2016 she has been co-directing The Serving Library, a nomadic institution that variously serves as a publishing platform, a seminar room, a collection of framed objects and an event space.

As CEO, Francesca will lead Cove Park into the next stage of its development, resetting and reorienting the organisation’s strengths and resources. She will expand existing networks and build new partnerships to connect Cove Park locally, nationally and internationally, reflecting the diversity of current artistic research and engaging with the most pressing issues of our time.

For further information and statements on Francesca's appointment from Cove Park's Chair Lauren Dyer Amazeen, Founders Eileen and Peter Jacobs and Francesca herself, please see the full Media Release.

Image: Francesca Bertolotti-Bailey (photography, Juha Törmälä / Quiet)

Open Call for Applications Announced

We are pleased to share details of our funded residencies in 2021 and to announce the deadlines for applications to our Craft & Design, Experimental Film & Moving Image, Literature & Translation and Visual Arts programmes. These fully funded residencies support research, experimentation and the development of new work in an inspiring context.

Residencies awarded through these funded programmes will take place during the late spring and summer of 2021. Please view the Application Guidelines for each programme for further information. The deadlines for application are as follows:

Craft & Design: 
Monday 14 December 2020
Experimental Film & Moving Image: 
Wednesday 16 December 2020
Literature & Translation:
Monday 7 December 2020
Visual Arts: 
Monday 14 December 2020

Image: 2019 Craft & Design Resident, Raisa Kabir (photography, Alan Dimmick)

Winter & Spring Independently-Funded Residencies

In January, February & March 2021 Cove Park will run a series of Independently-Funded Residencies. These offer artists working in all disciplines the chance to step away from their domestic sphere and spend time dedicated to their work and practice within the peaceful and inspiring context Cove Park offers.

Please see the Guidelines for details of available dates, costs and the application process or contact Catrin Kemp (Partnerships Manager) directly to discuss this programme.

Image: Cove Park's Highland Cows & Pods (photography, Ruth Clark)

Limited Edition Prints and Postcards in time for Christmas 2020!

Shopping local - and supporting smaller scale producers - is proving
to be particularly important as the impact of the current crisis continues to unfold. Cove Park has a wonderful series of outstanding limited edition prints and postcards that would make ideal gifts this December: our Shop includes work by internationally acclaimed artists such as Claire Barclay, Christine Borland, Nathan Coley, Louise Hopkins, Charlotte Prodger and Ross Sinclair. The artists generously donated these works to Cove Park and all proceeds from sales directly support the development of our residency programme, creating new opportunities for artists at this critical time.

To see Cove Park's limited editions and the 20th anniversary set of postcards, produced this year, please visit the Shop or contact Alexia Holt directly.

Image: Christine Borland, Untitled, 2006, Screenprint, 56 x 76cm.

Hands-On Cove Park
Online Christmas Workshops

We are pleased to announce new HOCP at Home workshops for
Christmas! Led by the Glasgow-based textile artist and former resident Deirdre Nelson, the workshops 'Embroider a Christmas Decoration' are suitable for primary 3 school age children upwards (accompanied by an adult) and take place on 28 November.

Book your place now on one of the two free workshops available. An activity pack, including all the materials required for this event, will be sent directly to all participants.

Don't forget, all of the HOCP at Home films and activity sheets produced this year are available to download from Cove Park's website. The films are wonderful introductions to the work of many or our alumni, including Laura Aldridge, Roanna Gonsalves, Duncan Marquiss and Oliver Pitt, and offer fantastic projects to try at home.

Image: Hand stitching, Deirdre Nelson (image courtesy the artist)

Support Cove Park and become a Supporter, Friend or Patron in 2020

As for all artists and charities working within the cultural sector as a whole, the current global crisis means 2020 is a critical moment for the future of Cove Park. Although our plans to celebrate our 20th anniversary this year are now on hold, our commitment to the artists and communities we serve continues. At a time of considerable uncertainty for everyone, providing opportunities for artists from all backgrounds and at every career stage to devise and produce new work is more important to our culture and society than it has ever been.

Please join us by becoming a Supporter, Friend or Patron in 2020. We offer a number of ways individuals and groups can support our work, take part in our programme and spend time at one of Scotland's most beautiful locations. To find our more and to join Cove Park please visit our Support Us page.

As a registered charity Cove Park welcomes all donations, small or large. Gifts of any amount will make an enormous difference to our work. Please donate today if you can. Thank you.

Image: Cove Park's Artists Centre, June 2019 (photography, Alan Dimmick)