July 2022

As summer continues we welcome many more artists, writers, choreographers, researchers, and creative practitioners, traveling to us from France, Germany, Indonesia, Nigeria, across the UK and the US. Our funded residency programme continues with literary translator Polly Barton, filmmaker and artist Ufuoma Essi, poet Tim Fab-Eme, maker and artist Nilam Sari, and researcher and artist filmmaker Hope Strickland.

Cove Park's ongoing European Residency Programme welcomes the Marseille-based artist Eva Medin for a second residency. We were also delighted to host choreographers Alex McCabe (Glasgow) and Stefanie Schwimmbeck (Cologne) for a CROWD residency brought to Cove Park by The Work Room, and facilitated by former resident and Glasgow-based choreographer Emma Jayne Park. This project culminated in a multi-generational workshop 'Moving Together' offered as part of our European programme.

Our independently-funded programme in July hosts interdisciplinary artist Sarah Calmus, screenwriter Haley Dercher, visual artist and researcher Evie Edwards, interdisciplinary artist Amber Elison, poet, writer, and artist Claire Jussel, interdisciplinary artist Hallie Maxwell, film and media scholars Debashree Mukherjee and Lotte Hoek, theatre and filmmaker Julia Samuels, artist and writer Erica Scourti, and poet Eohgan Walls. 

Please scroll down for news of our Youth Arts Bursary programme, a residency devised in partnership with Artlink Central, this year's Sophie Warne Fellowship, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland residency, and calls for applications for several new programmes taking place in the autumn, including the continuation of our Translation residency programme and new opportunities for Cove Park's Associates. 

News from the Team

We can announce that Francesca Bertolotti-Bailey has stepped down from her role as CEO of Cove Park to pursue new opportunities in Europe. Francesca has contributed significantly in her time here, forging exciting new local, national and international collaborations and partnerships, and raising funds which have helped secure the organisation through the pandemic and beyond. Francesca’s tenure has seen Cove Park widen its programme to include an ambitious interdisciplinary line of enquiry on the climate crisis, and an Associates programme which has strengthened our commitment to the long-term support of artists and creative practitioners beyond the scope of their residencies, and we wish her every success in her future endeavours.

Cove Park's Senior Director of Programmes Alexia Holt has been appointed by the Board of Trustees as Acting Director. 

Images: Above, Cove Park's Pods, July 2022 (photography, Alan Dimmick); below, 'Moving Together' a European Residency Programme workshop, July 2022 (photography, Emma Henderson).

Youth Arts Bursary Programme

Bonnie MacRae is the third of Cove Park's Youth Arts Bursary recipients to join us this year. The programme supports early-career practitioners based in Scotland working in design, digital practice, literature and theatre. An award-winning writer and director, Bonnie is now focusing on a new feature script inspired by her last short film, 'All Up There'.

Mentoring is a key aspect of each Bursary and to date Bonnie has worked with Noelle Viñas, a Uruguayan-American playwright, TV writer and educator, currently writing an upcoming series 'MRS. DAVIS' that will be streamed on NBC’s Peacock. The award-winning writer Anita Vettesse has been Bonnie's second mentor. Anita is a former Cove Park resident, taking part in programmes devised with Playwrights' Studio Scotland and with BBC Writers' Room, alongside fellow residents such as Fern Brady, and visitor to the programme Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Image: Bonnie MacRae, Youth Arts Bursary Residency, July 2022 (photography, Alan Dimmick)

Artlink Central Residency

In partnership with Artlink Central we were pleased to host artist Lauren Bremner in July for a one week residency with support artists Annette Laing and Robyn Woolston. Inspired by her love of nature, Lauren develops ideas with her studio support artists, taking inspiration from local surroundings and landmarks. Read more about Lauren's work and future projects here.

This residency is part of a two year pilot programme developed in partnership with Artlink Central and Project Ability. The programme is supported by the Rix-Thompson-Rothenberg Foundation. We are grateful to the Foundation, and to our project partners, for their support.

Image: Lauren Bremner, Artlink Central residency, July 2022 (photography, Alan Dimmick)

The Birkbeck/Sophie Warne Fellowship

Our partnership with Birkbeck, University of London, Creative Writing and the Sophie Warne Fellowship continues, and this month we were delighted to host the London-based writer Tian Yi Zheng. 

The Birkbeck/Sophie Warne Fellowship at Cove Park was established in 2011. It offers an outstanding graduate of the Creative Writing MA at Birkbeck a funded residency to support the development of their work. Former residents include Robert Akam, Graham Paul Donovan, Julia Gray, Gemma Elwin Harris, Genevieve Herr, Lou Kramskoy, Sadie McKenzie, Paul Martin, Josey Rebella, and Laura Tapsfield.

Image: Tian Yi Zheng

Royal Conservatoire Scotland Residency

Our collaboration with The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers recent graduates from its Contemporary Performance Practice course a research residency at Cove Park. The recipient this year is Nell O'Hara. 

Nell is a Bristol born, Glasgow-based theatre maker, performer and movement practitioner. She makes political, bold and playful work that strives to push the boundaries of theatre, aiming to find new and innovative ways to best serve a story. She works collaboratively with a focus on devising and enjoys working with multimedia, live music, text and movement. 

Image: Nell O'Hara

Call for Applications
Translation Residency 

Applications are invited for a two-week funded residency for a literary translator based in a Nordic country (translating from an associated language to English). The aim is to support the development of the translator's practice, and offer focussed and supported time to make progress on a current project or begin work on a new translation.

We are delighted to offer this residency in partnership with Lolli Editions, an independent publisher based in London and specialising in literary fiction in translation. Cove Park's translation programme was launched in 2016 and this residency is part of our ongoing European Residency Programme, supported by British Council Scotland and Creative Scotland. Please read the Residency Information and Application Guidelines for details of how to apply.

Call for Applications
Visual Arts Residency

We are pleased to offer a new two-week residency for Scotland-based visual artists aged 50 or above. This funded residency is scheduled to take place from Monday 29 August to Sunday 11 September 2022, but alternative dates during the autumn and winter of 2022/23 can be negotiated. The deadline for applications is Monday 29 August 2022. Further information is available here.

This programme builds upon Cove Park's research into how residences can best support artists aged 50+. This research was supported by British Council Scotland's Connections Through Culture Fund and developed jointly by Cove Park, Luminate, and Taipei Artist Village, Taiwan.

We are grateful to the Turtleton Charitable Trust for their support.

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

Call for Applications
Associates Residencies 2022/23

Cove Park's Associates Programne was launched in 2021. It creates new national and international residencies and professional development opportunities for its members. All of our former residents are welcome to join and more information is available here. 

We are pleased to offer the following funded residencies during the autumn and winter of 2022/23:

Early Career Residency: A two-week residency for an Associate working in any art form or creative discipline and based in the UK. The resident will be invited to devise a Saturday Studios Workshop at Cove Park for participants based in our local community.

Visual Artist Residency: A two-week residency for Associates based in Scotland and aged 50 or above.

Artists in Schools Residency: A one-week residency for an Associate based in Scotland. The resident will be invited to deliver a workshop for pupils at John Logie Baird Primary School, Helensburgh.

Please click on each residency title for further details and information on how to apply, or contact Programmes & Communications Producer Alex Marrs directly.

Image: Former resident and founding Associate Jordan Baseman, Cove Park, 2017 (photography, Alan Dimmick)

Unexpected Gardens, Picnics
& Dandelion Day Camp

Our Unexpected Gardens at Cove Sailing Club and Centre 81 in Garelochhead officially opened on Friday 23 June. We are now looking forward to the Unexpected Picnic at Cove Park on Saturday 6 August from 1.00 - 5.00pm, with food, music and activities for everyone. The event includes workshops and commissioned installations across our 50-acre site, designed by the Unexpected Gardens artists Hannah Brackston, Rudy Kanhye, and Siôn Parkinson. To find our more about this free event please visit our Eventbrite page and register today. If you would like to attend the Forest Sounds workshop with Vicki Dale or the Music and Tree Walk with Jessica Kerr, please pre-book on registration to be sure of your place.

The Unexpected Gardens are part of Dandelion, an ambitious creative programme demonstrating the power of collective action through a nationwide grow-your-own initiative. If you are able, please bring along home-grown produce or family recipes to feature on a recipe wall showcasing our community's favourite recipes. 

Dandelion Day Camp is taking place at Cove Park, Cove Sailing Club and Centre 81 this week, welcoming 20 children for a five day programme of creative activity during the school holidays. Activities have been devised and led by former residents - visual artist Laura Aldridge and writer Alison Irvine - and by Niki Taylor and Cove Park's Curator of Engagement, Emma Henderson. Expect to see artwork by the Day Camp participants at the Picnic!

We look forward to welcoming everyone to the Unexpected Gardens and the Picnic.

Image: Engagement workshop at Cove Park, spring 2022.