February at Cove Park

Despite storms, sleet and snow, this month sees new programme collaborations and the welcome return of long-established partners. As part of its acclaimed Satellites Programme, the Edinburgh-based visual arts organisation Collective will for the first time bring emerging visual artists and guests to Cove Park for a group residency. Returning to Cove Park again in 2020, Cryptic's Residency Programme supports national and international artists to develop new work. Since the launch of this key programme in 2012 we have hosted over 50 Cryptic Associates and artists connected to their programme. We look forward to hosting artists from Argentina, France, Ireland, Spain and the UK during February and March.

Scroll down for new programme announcements, calls for applications for future residencies and details of our forthcoming Hands-On programme.

Image: Oak Pod and the view of Loch Long (photography, Ruth Clark)

The Scottish/Thai Makers Residency

Applied Arts Scotland and Cove Park are delighted to announce the selection of Scottish and Thai makers for a special residency as part of the 'Meet, Make, Collaborate' project supported by Creative Scotland and the British Council. The participating artists are: Prach Niyomkar, Kawisara Ananasaringkarn, Stefanie Ying Lin Cheong and Lynne Hocking-Mennie. Bringing these makers to work together at Cove Park for 10 days, this project supports the development of new work on the theme of collaboration, identity and sustainability in craft practice. An exhibition of the resulting work, alongside work from other making partnerships from Scotland, Mexico and Canada, will open at Thurso Museum in July 2020, before moving on to Inverness Museum and Art Gallery and then travelling to Canada in 2021. 

Image: The Scottish/Thai Makers Residency

Varuna Residency Announced 

We are delighted that the Australian writer Leah Kaminsky has been awarded the 2020 Varuna Residency. This is the second year of our three-year collaboration with Varuna, the National Writers’ House, Katoomba, Australia, and a new residency exchange programme supported by The Bridge Awards for writers based in Scotland and in Australia. Leah's residency will coincide with the Edinburgh International Book Festival this summer and we were pleased to work with the Festival on the selection process for this programme. The second residency in this year's exchange, for a writer based in Scotland, will be announced in March.

Image: Varuna, The National Writers' House, Australia

The Lighthouse & Cove Park Residency:
Call for Applications

We are pleased to share details of The Lighthouse and Cove Park Residency 2020. The Lighthouse, working in partnership with Cove Park, has developed a new residency and exhibition opportunity for emerging designers and architects. The residency supports research and the development of new work and this year will run from 18 May - 1 June 2020. This is a fully funded residency including a fee for the resident and the opportunity to exhibit work within the Review Gallery at The Lighthouse. Further details and information on how to apply is available here. The deadline for applications is 16 March 2020 (5pm).

Image: Social Alchemy by c.a. walac​, 2019 Resident

Residential Masterclass:
How to Make Your Work Stand Out to Agents, Editors and Readers

Building upon a successful pilot in 2018, we are pleased to share details of a new Residential Masterclass taking place from 27 - 30 March 2020. This is designed specifically for those writing fiction or non-fiction, for adults or children, and are yet to secure an agent or have their work published.

Led by writer and former resident Genevieve Herr and LBA Books literary agent Louise Lamont, this course will focus upon how to make your writing stand out to agents, editors and readers, the process of publishing a book and the roles of the agent and editor. Further information and details of how to book - by the deadline of 13 February 2020 - are available here.

Image: Cove Park's Library, the Artists Centre

Cove Park 2020: Archive Project

Cove Park will host a number of special events throughout the year to celebrate its 20th anniversary. We hope, in addition to introducing new friends to our work, we can welcome back as many of our former residents as possible. Over 2000 artists have taken part in our programme to date, travelling to us from over 30 countries worldwide, and Cove Park’s growing Archive documents the artists on site, their work and events. During 2020 we will develop this Archive further and would like to ask former residents to share updates on their work, publications and their own documentation of their residencies. Please send any relevant material to Julian Forrester or Alexia Holt. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in 2020.

Image: Screening by Taro Izumi, Scotland/Japan Residency Exchange Programme 2013

Hands-On Cove Park

Saturday Studios are free monthly workshops devised and led by former Cove Park residents for school-age children and young people, currently in Primary 3 and above. The next edition takes place on 29 February 2020. This includes a Shadow Puppets Workshop with Sandi Kiehlmann (for Primary 3-4 and 5-7) and a Scratch Animation Workshop with 2019 resident Raydale Dower (for Secondary School students). Further information and details on how to book are available here. 

Image: Saturday Studios, December 2019, Family Workshop led by Lauren Gault

We would like to thank all the individuals, Trusts and Foundations supporting our programme in 2020. They include: The Andor Charitable Trust, The Binks Trust, British Council Scotland, The Bridge Awards, The Craignish Trust, Creative Scotland, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, The Hope Scott Trust, The Monument Trust, Outset, The Paul Hamlyn Foundation, The Rix-Thompson-Rothenberg Foundation and Young Start.