CAVLP Programme B project sheets

Programme B B1 Supporting Volunteers B2 Memory Bank B3 The Inspiring Landscape

B

Supporting Volunteers

B1

The communities within and adjoining the Clyde and Avon Valley have been identified as providing a valuable resource to support the implementation of the projects through the involvement of volunteers.

The community perception study, coupled with a range of community events and workshops, has revealed that there is no shortage of local groups active within the CAVLP area. The range of interests is diverse, ranging from cooking and wellbeing to song-writing and event-promoting. However, these activities are replicated in a number of villages across the CAVLP with many groups engaged in similar activities but with limited or no contact with groups doing the same things in neighbouring or nearby villages. We have not as yet identified why this is the case, but it would be reasonable to assume that this stems from a strong sense of local identity, a desire to do things on your own and feel responsible for a particular product, or because there is currently no vehicle for sharing experiences across the CAVLP area. As a result, many events, activities, festivals and initiatives are very local and supported and enjoyed only by the local community within which the activity has been arranged. Although this results in a very local focus, it can mean that attendances are low, that some ventures are constrained by lack of funding/revenue or support – which in turn may limit the quality or duration of the event – there may also be missed opportunities to share ‘lessons learnt’, to benefit from wider patronage, make ‘outsiders’ more aware of particular villages, and duplication of effort and resources within the CAVLP area. The aims of this workstream are to organise community training events to support the implementation of the projects across the landscape partnership programme. This includes the specifically identified needs in relation to nature conservation and supporting orchards.

Supporting Volunteers Projects in this work stream include:

B1

B1.1 Training: Groups and Volunteers B1.1.1 B1.1.2 B1.1.3

Community Training Training: Biological Recording Skills Training: Invasive Species Identification and Survey

B1.2 Volunteer support and management

B1.2.1 B1.2.3 B1.2.3

Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Community Engagement Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Clyde Valley Orchards Group Capacity Building Lesmahagow Community Allotment and Orchard

B1.1

TRAINING: GROUPS AND VOLUNTEERS

Context Engaging the community in the management of the landscape provides an important opportunity to enhance learning opportunities and generate community ownership. Providing community training also provides local skills to assist in the implementation of the projects, and sustain them into the future.

The Project Proposals

B1.1.1 Community Training B1.1.2 Training: Biological Recording Skills B1.1.3 Training: Invasive Species Identification and Survey Benefits and Justification Providing community training will provide a local resource of skills and knowledge, which will be important for sustaining the project into the future. It also helps to generate community ownership and understanding of the work of the landscape partnership.

These projects contribute to the aim of increasing community participation in training opportunities and practical volunteering tasks.

Risks Without the implementation of these projects there would be a lack of community participation and involvement in the work of the Landscape Partnership. Community involvement in taking forward elements of projects within the Landscape Partnership proposal is important to their delivery through providing a local workforce equipped with the required skills.

B1.1.1

COMMUNITY TRAINING

Context Projects across the CAVLP Programme provide opportunities to train volunteers and community groups in a wide range of arts, heritage, conservation and horticultural skills.

This project aims to fill any gaps identified in community skills, where training does not fit into other projects but that will enable communities to delivery outcomes for the Programme e.g. IT skills.

This project will also develop a cultural and heritage CAVLP Festival, this will co-ordinate community training, “Come and Try” sessions and event outputs from projects across the Programme into a schedule that can easily be promoted and can celebrate the achievements of the Partnership.

The Proposals 

Community Training Sessions

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CAVLP festival

Benefits and Justification This project will provide training to individuals and groups within the CAVLP area. It will result in an increased capacity for community groups to manage conservation projects and take ownership of assets once they have been developed. It will allow communities opportunity to try something new, without any major commitment to see if it is something they would like to get involved in. It will provide a concerted opportunity to promote the CAVLP aims and objectives through a Festival and celebrate project achievements.

Risks Unless individuals and groups attain levels of skill and confidence in the practical management and administration of community projects, there will be a risk that the projects are not sustainable without constant recourse to contractors.

Audience: Local volunteers and community groups Outputs: Community Training Events, CAVLP Festival programme Media outputs: Leaflets and web advertising to promote events Training and education: The focus of this programme will be to provide training through the other projects identified in the landscape partnership Partners: SLC, VASLAN, CAVLP team Private land involvement: Where possible agreement can be reached on appropriate projects being pursued as part of the Landscape partnership

B1.1.2

TRAINING: BIOLOGICAL RECORDING SKILLS

Context This project aims to raise the skills of local community groups and volunteers in terms of species surveying, identification, habitat management and practical conservation tasks. It will enable them to contribute to volunteer surveys, national citizen science projects, and better look after local biodiversity sites.

The Proposals Develop inclusive training programme.

Carry out training.

Benefits and Justification Skills training for volunteers and getting people involved with their environment. A mapped record of habitats and species for the project area, and a greater understanding of our landscape and its ecology. Potential for further training in data management for interested individuals.

Risks Risks to the project include insufficient volunteer interest in training to support the running of courses and completion of subsequent required surveys.

Audience: Local communities Outputs: People trained in biological recording, series of mapped records.

Media outputs: None proposed, though potential for output of results.

Training and education: recording skills Partners: To be led by Community engagement officer Private land involvement:

B1.1.3

TRAINING: INVASIVE SPECIES IDENTIFICATION AND SURVEY

Context A number of the projects proposed under the Landscape Partnership scheme require volunteer input to recording and surveying. This includes surveying invasive plant species. The aim of this project is to set up a training programme for volunteers involved in surveying and recording. Clyde River Foundation and Central Scotland Green Network are the lead partners in this project with support from SLC Countryside and Greenspace Team.

The Proposals Train local volunteers in surveying and recording of invasive non- native species.

The training of local angling groups in the identification and recording of riparian INNS and basic control methods.

Public events- Community awareness raising days.

Benefits and Justification Invasive species are prolific in the CAVLP area but are poorly mapped. Work to survey for invasive species is underway but areas remain under-recorded. Local volunteers and angling clubs who visit sites are a useful resource in monitoring the extent of priority invasive species. Angling clubs and trained volunteers will be a vital resource in helping control the spread of invasives.

Risks Risks to the project include insufficient volunteer interest in training to support the running of courses and completion of subsequent required surveys.

Audience: Local communities and angling clubs Outputs: people trained, series of mapped records, public events Media outputs: None proposed, though potential for output of results.

Training and education: recording and control skills Partners: CRF, CSGN, SLC, local volunteers Private land involvement: Private land to be used for access to sites.

B1.2

VOLUNTEER SUPPORT AND MANAGEMENT

Context Supporting existing groups within the community to enable them to carry out their own projects, and to help them realise their full potential. Providing community training in group/ project management skills also helps groups be sustainable them into the future.

The Project Proposals

B1.2.1 Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: Community Engagement B1.2.2 Reviving the Clyde Valley Orchards: CVOG Capacity Building B1.2.3 Lesmahagow Community Allotment and Orchard Benefits and Justification Providing community training will provide a local resource of skills and knowledge, which will be important for sustaining community groups and businesses into the future. It also helps to generate community ownership and understanding of the work of the landscape partnership.

These projects contribute to the aim of increasing community participation in training opportunities and practical volunteering tasks, including running projects or organisations.

Risks Without the implementation of these projects there would be degradation of local involvement in community groups and organisations, and a lack of community participation and involvement in the work of the Landscape Partnership. Community involvement in taking forward elements of projects within the Landscape Partnership proposal is important to their delivery through providing a local workforce equipped with the required skills.

B1.2.1

REVIVING THE CLYDE VALLEY ORCHARDS: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Context CAVLP sees it as important that they involve people in the development of the services, sites and spaces that they use or are affected by. In relation to orchards this involves creating opportunities for people to learn about best practise and to use this information to make decisions on project development and delivery and influence the direction of the initiatives. In addition collaborating and creating opportunities for people to develop and deliver project, taking a facilitation or delivery role and empowering people to have ownership of the project, make final decisions and deliver activities with some independence.

The Proposals 

Community based tourism: There are many best practice examples of community participation activities in the development of sustainable tourism throughout Europe. The aim of the project is to work with other countries to share good practice, establish country forums and to collaborate on community tourism engagement, with a clear focus upon environmental and sustainable development principles. This project will engage with similar groups in Europe to develop sustainable tourism, to share best practice and learn how other countries promote their culture and heritage through development of sustainable community tourism activities. The project will help to increase the community benefits derived from the development of low-impact, culturally and environmentally sensitive visitor experiences, to develop sustainable tourism and achieve the utmost benefit of sharing best practice and learning from experience of others. In other countries the tourism trade is very active in developing private sector opportunities and working collaboratively with voluntary and public sectors. Many countries are also good at encouragement and involvement of young people in developing economic tourism opportunities and thus helping them to stay in rural areas. During the life of the project partners will become familiar with different ways of increasing community participation techniques and will be able to share and learn from each other. Many countries have had experience in developing themed trails, for example in Slovenia there are a number of heritage trails which have been planned with local communities on the basis of the tourism carrying capacity of individual sites and attractions. To maintain the quality and standard of the present tourism product a new and innovative element of IT technology and GPS system to package and promote the routes will be looked at.

Learning Visits and Best Practice Guide ÂŁ17000 Community projects ÂŁ14000

Benefits and Justification See above.

Risks It is essential organisations have the capacity and capability to deliver and sustain projects. Unless this happens the CAVLP investments will not be maintained and the orchard landscape will deteriorate. Engagement and buy-in from orchard owners is needed alongside interest from the wider community.

Audience: Valley Communities, CVOG Outputs: Best practice sustainable tourism development guide / engagement with communities to deliver tourism projects / increase delivery capacity of community groups, learning and capacity development.

Media outputs: Press opportunities at launch of best practice guide Training and education: Increased capacity of community groups.

Partners: To be led by RDT Private land involvement: Private land to be used for access to sites.

B1.2.2

REVIVING THE CLYDE VALLEY ORCHARDS:CVOG CAPACITY BUILDING

Context The Clyde Valley Orchard Group are key to the revival of the orchards. Within the orchard resource there is substantial under-capacity especially in terms of maintenance requirements, and fruit picking and use. The lack of capacity has implications for how the fruit is utilised, its quality and quantity. There still remains a sizeable fruit resource that is significantly underused.

There is also potential to increase production from the orchards of the Clyde Valley by restocking and more proactive management. Income from the current outputs of the orchards, sold in their current form and via the current routes, does not balance the costs of inputs.

There is significant potential for biodiversity but management methods need to be amended if the full potential is to be realised.

The Proposals 

CVOG capacity building: The Orchard Group is currently a collection of independent orchard owners who operate collectively for training and information projects. CVOG has an important role to play as an interface with the community for all orchard projects. Indeed, it has an important role to play as a key partner in the whole revival. However it currently has limited capacity as a voluntary organisation.

Developing the capacity of the organisation is a task that needs to be undertaken if it is to play its role to the fullest extent. CVOG understands that it needs supporting through this process both on administration and governance. CVOG also needs to consider its relationship with the new community enterprise in particular if initially it can trial projects that can that be commercialised.

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Orchard skills :It has been identified that training is required to assist orchard owners develop a skill base that aims to assist with managing an orchard and improving productivity. The pattern of orchard ownership has changed significantly, and today most orchard owners are not growers or farmers. Many are professional or retired people, who have chosen to live the area. In association with the CVOG a two year bespoke training schedule has been established including pruning, grafting, managing orchard floor vegetation, use or surplus fruit, juicing, bee keeping and control of pests and diseases. £19,000

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Equipment: CVOG also needs capital assistance to purchase group assets, such as equipment, it can use to facilitate both orchard management and added value product development, as well as pump priming revenue support for administration and governance. Initially CVOG require to supplement existing juicing equipment to make the operation more efficient and enable a greater retail focus that will earn income for the Group. In addition a key element of reviving the orchards will be

improved orchard management and this requires the purchase of specialist equipment that can be used by members. £ 6000 Benefits and Justification Reaching out to the wider community and engaging thoroughly is an important element of the LCAP. The established elements of the CVOG activities are:   

Training & advice for orchard enthusiasts Developing capability and capacity of orchard owners Publicity to raise awareness

However there is a need to build on existing work and to continue to develop the capabilities and capacity of the Group.

Risks All this requires engagement and buy-in from orchard owners and the group and a willingness to extend their activities to embrace the concept of wider community benefit rather than just self- interest.

Audience: CVOG and orchard owners Outputs: Increased capacity of CVOG, developing orchard skills base Media outputs: Press releases Training and education: Partners: CVOG and RDT Private land involvement: Private land to be used for access to sites.

B1.2.3

LESMAHAGOW COMMUNITY ALLOTMENT AND ORCHARD

Context Lesmahagow Development Trust has developed a project on the edge of the settlement, on land owned by the Forestry Commission to develop a community allotment and orchard. An award has been made from the CSGN Development Fund to support associated pathway development.

LDT Growing Project: Initially work needs to be undertaken to establish the viability of a community based project on a site currently owned by the Forestry Commission on the outskirts of the village. A particular issue is access.

The project would create a community allotment on a currently underused field on the edge of the town. It has been researched by LDT and is a key community priority for the organisation. The project would also establish training and learning opportunities and the local High School as expressed an interest in becoming involved.

The Proposals The project initially needs design and development work including:      

Mark out plot allotment spaces; Conduct soil sampling; Prepare allotment regulations and contract details; Prepare land and plough and import soil to improve condition; Deer and rabbit fence; Conduct local survey and invite potential allotment holders to pre-register. If more than 10 show interest, increase plots accordingly.

This initial set up would be followed by capital implementation costs in year two including community orchard preparation and planting and car access and parking spaces, path network for pedestrian access, shed erection and further soil improvement Benefits and Justification It would help the local community establish opportunities to grow their own produce, eat healthier, give communities a sense of community pride, and create learning opportunities for schools.

Risks The site is not available at reasonable cost.

Access arrangements are not forthcoming.

Audience: Valley residents, youngsters, difficult to reach groups Outputs: Intergenerational cooperation and understanding Media outputs: PR opportunities through local press Training and education: Growing skills, link to High School Partners: Lesmahagow Development Trust Private land involvement: Private land could be leased to implement project

Memory Bank

B2

The Clyde and Avon Valley has a rich history, and local history societies hold a wealth of information but have limited opportunity to share this resource. There is also further research, which can be carried out to develop the existing knowledge base to provide a comprehensive resource, which can inform future project development.

The aims of this workstream are to present the existing information on the cultural heritage of the Clyde and Avon Valley so that it can be accessed both virtually and physically, and to carry out further projects to extend and develop the existing information resource.

Projects in this work stream include:

B2.1 The Cultural Hub B2.1.1 B2.1.2

Virtual Museum Resource Centre

B2.2 Mapping our Cultural Past B2.2.1 B2.2.2

Putting Clydesdale on the Map Flow of Time: training through heritage

B2.1

CULTURAL HUB

Context The projects that will be delivered through the CAVLP programme will produce a wider range of resources and information about the history and culture of the Clyde Valley. In addition, there are many societies that already have a lot relevant information they would like to share, however they have limited resources to make this information available to the wider community.

The Project Proposals

B2.1.1

Virtual Museum

B2.1.2

Resource Centre

Benefits and Justification The creation of a virtual museum and physical cultural resource centre will provide a CAVLP cultural hub centralising information on the history of the area. It will make information on the area more widely available and generate community interest and involvement in transferring the information to the virtual museum. The development of the physical hub will provide a location for reports, physical archives, which are also not currently accessible to all.

These projects contribute to the aim of increasing community understanding of the local area, involving local groups and increasing participation in practical volunteering tasks.

Risks Without these projects, the extensive historical information resource held by local societies would remain inaccessible to the wider public, and opportunities to use this information to inform other projects would be lost.

B2.1.1

VIRTUAL MUSEUM

Context The landscape partnership area is rich in terms of its landscape history, historic artefacts and archives, cultural heritage and memories, art history, local folklore and traditions.

This project will develop an online cultural hub where memories, artefacts and information about the area can be captured, catalogued, archived and made accessible to a wide range of audiences, both within the partnership area and further afield, safeguarding this important resource for future generations. The cultural hub will be an important mechanism for capturing, dissemination and archiving information and resources produced through projects undertaken in the delivery years of the partnership.

The Proposals 

Expand existing landscape partnership website to incorporate a cultural hub, which can be populated with audio and visual material collected, contributed, and created by local people, interest groups and dedicated projects.

Benefits and Justification Local volunteers and interest groups trained in web use, archiving, artefact photography and scanning. Important information and cultural heritage about the area recorded and archived, and made accessible to local people and those from further afield. Encouraging learning about the area and celebration of all it has to offer.

Risks Risks to the project include the huge quantity of information that exists about the area, which is unrecorded and include insufficient volunteer interest to record all information.

Audience: Local interest groups, school groups, local community, general volunteers, local libraries, disadvantaged groups.

Outputs: cultural hub created, local information uploaded and disseminated widely via the world wide web, oral history repository. Digital heritage routes.

Media outputs: News stories associated with recruiting volunteers, local artefacts, memories, history.

Promotion of the project more widely Training and education: The majority of training will be developed through other projects creating digital content for the museum, small budget for training on use of website.

Partners: Project to be co-ordinated by LP community officer Private land involvement: None

B2.1.2

RESOURCE CENTRE

Context The landscape partnership area is rich in terms of its landscape history, historic artefacts and archives, cultural heritage and memories, art history, local folklore and traditions.

The cultural resource centre will be a physical place to house the information and resources developed through projects undertaken in the delivery years of the partnership.

It will house equipment bought to support volunteer activities, both cultural and natural heritage activities, so that the community and partners can continue to access these resources beyond the Partnership lifespan.

The Proposals 

Creating a base for cultural heritage training opportunities and a location for lending out equipment to community groups and partners to use in projects beyond the life of the partnership e.g. oral history recording equipment and resources.

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Purchase equipment when project budgets do not cover it but identified as a requirement for delivering volunteering or legacy opportuities

Benefits and Justification Important information and cultural heritage about the area recorded and archived, and made accessible to local people and those from further afield. Encouraging learning about the area and celebration of all it has to offer. Make equipment accessible for local people to do their own natural and cultural heritage projects during the Partnership and beyond.

Risks NO venue presents itself to use as a physical base. No one makes use of the equipment.

Audience: Local interest groups, school groups, local community, general volunteers, local libraries, disadvantaged groups.

Outputs: Equipment to borrow, training venue for cultural heritage, accessible project archives Media outputs: News stories advertising these resources Training and education: This facilities training but the training will come out of other projects Partners: Project to be co-ordinated by LP community officer Private land involvement: None

B2.2

MAPPING OUT CULTURAL PAST

Context A series of activities which aim to interpret the historic landscape and develop the information resource on the history of the area through map based research linking to the associations with William Roy, training in a range of skills that relate to the historic environment or the topics researched.

The Project Proposals

B2.2.1 Putting Clydesdale on the Map B2.2.2 Flow of Time: Training through Heritage Benefits and Justification These projects make a further contribution to the rich information resource on the heritage of the Clyde and Avon Valley. They provide research on information which is not yet documented and opportunities for further community engagement.

These projects contribute to the aim of increasing community understanding of the local area, involving local groups and increasing participation in practical volunteering tasks.

Risks Without these projects there is a risk that the opportunity to investigate the map related history of the area is not carried out and does not contribute to other projects, that local volunteers are not involved in researching historical archives and are not engaged in safeguarding the history of the area, and the crucial timeframe for recording oral histories from the older residents is lost forever.

B2.2.1

PUTTING CLYDESDALE ON THE MAP

Context The partnership area is home to the birthplace of William Roy, the renowned surveyor and cartographer of the eighteenth century. This project will build on Clydesdale’s rich mapping heritage. Parish maps workshops will be held to allow local people to record and share their ideas about what contributes to landscape character, sense of place and cultural identity within the valleys. Place-names research will be conducted to learn about and further reveal the area’s rich landscape heritage. On-line materials will be developed for the virtual museum and ‘heritage routes’ will be created for the area. Small public displays/exhibition will be held to celebrate and promote the area’s rich mapping heritage and its Roy connection and to share ideas about what contributes to the landscape character and sense of place locally.

The Proposals 

‘Parish maps’ project with local groups, schools and individuals. A series of workshops will be held to create culturally expressive maps of the partnership area in different formats and styles, which document and share local people’s thoughts and feelings about what contributes to local sense of place and identity within the area.

The ‘parish maps’ will be digitised and recorded on the ‘cultural hub’ and exhibited at community events within the partnership area. The information will be used to inform future landscape strategies for the area and will possibly create themes and content for the larger CAVLP exhibition in B3.1.1.

Benefits and Justification Specialist place-name research training provided to local interest group and local people involved in researching and recording the area’s important landscape history. Local people involved in recording and capturing their ideas about what contributes to the area’s local landscape character and identity. Interpretation materials developed to celebrate the area’s rich mapping and place-name heritage. Local people better informed about the area’s landscape and cultural history.

Risks Risks to the project include insufficient volunteer interest to complete place-names research or to create ‘parish maps’ for the whole of the partnership area.

Audience: Local interest group (Lanark Writers Circle), school groups, local community Outputs: Local interest group trained in place-names research, place-names history recorded for the area, ‘Parish Maps’ created by local people to communicate their ideas about sense of place and local identity, Heritage Routes developed, ‘Putting Clydesdale on the Map’ display/exhibition held, content for the virtual Museum Media outputs: News stories associated with place names history and William Roy; Promotion of the project more widely e.g. to other landscape partnerships.

Training and education: Specialist training in place names research, creative skills to complete ‘parish maps’, increased awareness about the area’s landscape history.

Partners: Project to be co-ordinated by LP community officer, local place- names research to be completed by Lanark Writers Circle Private land involvement: None

B2.2.2

FLOW OF TIME: TRAINING THROUGH HERITAGE

Context The archaeology and history of the CAVLP stretches back. The programme largely focuses on the history of the landscape since the developing of the grand estates in the 17th Century. However, people have been living in the valley and utilising its resources since prehistoric times. A range of projects in the programme seeks to develop local communities to undertake a range of historical and archaeological research skills, such as excavation, archive research and place-name research. This project seeks to consider what skills can be acquired that relate to the history of the valley and create a programme, working with service providers, that allows young adults and hard-to-reach audiences how to explore the past through hands-on experiences.

The Proposals 

Training in a range of skills while exploring the history of the Clyde valley, from experimental archaeology to jam-making

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Educational resource and booklet

Benefits and Justification The benefits to individuals will be increased skills, increased sense of ownership of the landscape, improved health and wellbeing.

Risks No service providers will be interested.

Audience: Young adults, hard-to-reach groups Outputs: skills workshops in range of activities, educational resource, booklet, content for website Media outputs: News stories Training and education: Training and education covering the history of the valleys and related skills Partners: Northlight Heritage, service providers in the area Private land involvement: None

The Inspiring Landscape

B3

The Clyde and Avon Valley has important associations with literature and art from the works of Turner, Walter Scott and Dorothy Wordsworth.

The aims of this work stream are to stimulate interest in the inspirational nature of the landscape through a series of art related projects which engage people with the landscape.

Projects in this Work stream include:

B3.1 Art in the Landscape

B3.1.1

Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Exhibition

B3.1.2

Artist Residency

B3.1.3

Art Sculpture Trail

B3.1.5

Landscape Art Courses

B3.2 The Language of Landscape

B3.2.1

Fruit of their Labours

B3.1

ART IN THE LANDSCAPE

Context The Clyde and Avon Valley has important associations with art and developing a series of art related projects builds on this historical context and provides new opportunities for engaging people with the landscape and understanding the significance of key views.

The Project Proposals

B3.1.1

Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Exhibition

B3.1.2

Artist Residency

B3.1.3

Arts Sculpture Trail

B3.1.4

Landscape Painting Courses at New Lanark

Benefits and Justification The valley landform can restrict views and creates challenges for gaining an overview of the landscape as a whole. Using art to interpret the landscape helps to overcome some of these challenges and bring the landscape to a wider audience.

Developing art projects contributes to the aim of increasing community understanding of the local area.

Risks There is a current lack of engagement between local people and the landscape, and there is a risk of further disengagement.

B3.1.1

CLYDE AND AVON VALLEY LANDSCAPE EXHIBITION

Context To develop a touring exhibition celebrating the unique social, cultural and agrarian history of the Clyde and Avon Valleys. To encourage people to reconnect with this unique landscape through the results of the information and outputs achieved through a range of community participation projects exploring the nature, art, history and landscape of CAVLP area.

The Proposals 

Develop a touring/modular exhibition to raise awareness of the biological, landscape and cultural heritage of the area and agrarian developments throughout the centuries. As far as possible, augment any visual displays with period artefacts loaned for the purpose.

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Develop content from other projects for the Virtual Museum element of the website.

Benefits and Justification 

Enhance visitors experience and enjoyment of the Clyde and Avon Valleys.

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Help local people reconnect with the landscape that has served their communities for generations.

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Stimulate research into less well known areas of the culture and history of the area.

Risks Venues with suitable space and security to display whole exhibition may be limited.

Audience: Local Communities, visitors and researchers Outputs: A touring/modular exhibition, published content Media outputs: Various Training and education: Curriculum for Excellence - strong links to Social Studies elements: "Develop my understanding of the history, heritage and culture of Scotland, and an appreciation of my local and national heritage within the world."

Partners: Led by Northlight, content to come out of their projects, SLLC. Private land involvement: N/A

B3.1.2

ARTIST RESIDENCY

Context A number of the projects proposed under the Landscape Partnership scheme are aimed at recording natural elements of the landscape, for example community biological recording projects or recording designed landscapes. This project aims to act as a complement wherein, a range of audiences are encouraged to explore nature through artistic responses. Through this process, participants will also produce and curate their own content for exhibition, mentored by an artist-in-residence.

The artist-in-residence will work with partners across the Landscape Partnership and collaborate to create opportunities for people to record and explore nature in a new way.

The Proposals 

Work with partners to create art opportunities out of their nature recording projects or deliver new opportunities to explore and record nature.

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Deliver integrated and inclusive learning or training programme for a variety of audiences

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Deliver artwork to highlight group achievements

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Showcase mentoring artist’s work as legacy for area

Benefits and Justification By inviting the public to learn through the visual arts, knowledge transfer and skills about natural ecologies and art can be increased. Likewise by working and collaborating with an artist-in-residence, participants are given direct access to a subject expert, and can learn with the artist, as they develop their own artistic responses.

1) publish and share results online to form teaching and learning archive 2) legacy building: launch community photogram exhibitions, specific about the Clyde and Avon Valley ecologies, and work by mentoring artist 3) legacy building: install permanent artwork produced utilising photogram technologies in agreed community area Risks Health and Safety training must be an integral part of the programme in regard to travelling through uneven terrain, avoiding the harvest and collection of poisonous or noxious plants, and likewise, the use, handling, and storage of photographic materials.

Audience: LOCAL COMMUNITIES including: Youth groups, Schools, Photography clubs, Seniors groups, Arts Groups Outputs: All learners: • Introduce participants to basic plant identification techniques • Encourage participants to think about plants and weeds in the art-making process • Explore how artists express ideas in abstract and visual ways • Introduce the basics of visual literacy (e.g. composition & design) • Foster new ways to understand the intersections between art and science.

Also produce permanent work of art, Project archive, exhibition, public walks/talks, content for website Media outputs: Press Training: Training in artistic skills, curation of exhibition, plant identification Education: Learning about nature Partners: Schools, Community engagement officers, Scottish Wildlife Trust and Clydesdale Community Initiatives.

Private land involvement: Private land to be used for access to sites.

B3.1.3

ARTS SCULPTURE TRAIL

Context: Designed landscapes are an important feature within the Clyde Valley. Throughout the valley we can still see evidence of the use of design to enhance our enjoyment of the dramatic natural beauty of the valley’s landscape, which has inspired many artists, writers and poets.

This project aims to strengthen links between two designed landscapes, the old Castlebank Estate, now Castlebank Park, to New Lanark and the Falls of Clyde via the Clyde Valley Walkway through the creation of a public art sculpture trail.

It focuses on achieving the Landscape Partnership’s outcome to allow the public opportunities to investigate for themselves how the landscape has influenced culture.

This will be done through a participatory arts project, where artists working in different medias or styles will work with a range of community groups to develop public art that explore themes relative to the aims of the Landscape Partnership, these are listed in Proposals section below.

The trail will provide a lasting legacy for the Landscape Partnership and a new opportunity for the public to engage with the Clyde Valley Walkway, New Lanark and Falls of Clyde as well as improve local links from Lanark via Castlebank Park.

The Proposals 

Engage communities in the development of public art, through creative consultation and creative play.

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Develop an integrated and inclusive learning programme to provide learning opportunities for artists and a range participating community groups through investigating the following themes as inspiration o

History of the landscape

o

Artistic legacy e.g. Turner

o

Folklore

o

Community Engagement

o

Creativity

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Creation and placement of a series of public art works that reflect the above themes, creating new opportunities for the public to engage with the landscape.

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Supporting artists to work within a participatory setting.

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Create a digital resource that tells the stories behind the artwork.

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Add to the long term legacy of New Lanark, Falls of Clyde and Castlebank Park as a centre of artist excellence.

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Enhance awareness of the impact of art in a public setting

Benefits and Justification This project offers an opportunity to do use innovative community engagement to achieve a high quality and high profile arts sculpture trail, which will be enjoyed by both locals and visitors to the area. It will improve access by providing a new way to explore these places, and improved signage and publicity will draw Lanark residents into the valley. It will promote partnership working between local organisations, again strengthening links between Lanark and New Lanark.

While there have been public arts projects in the area, there has not been a project that has really explored how to engage communities in this process to its fullest potential. The project aims to offer opportunities for different community audiences to learn through visual and physical art, new transferable skills, such as research, observation and decision making through the creative process. This will ultimately lead to an end result that the community feels belongs to them. In addition it provides an opportunity for artists to develop skills, mentored by Impact Arts, to work with community groups in this way.

Lastly it will celebrate and allow us to promote what is amazing about the area of the CAVLP, the landscape and how it has inspired creativity through art, folklore and community.

Risks Insufficient interest from community groups to get involved.

Landownership issue for a small section of the proposed route.

Audience: Each artist will work with a different community group – suggestions include schools, New Lanark residents, young adults, mental health groups, old folks home, scouts. Groups to be finalised with project.

Outputs: A series of sculptures along the Clyde walkway, creative consultation and creative play sessions with community groups, a digital resource recording the development of the sculptures, public lectures and discussion, guided tours.

Media outputs: Regular Press, podcast trail, webpages for CAVLP and partner websites, opening event Training and education: Training for artists to build capacity for working with communities through Impact Art. Partners: Impact Arts, Lanark Trust, Lanark Community Development Trust, Scottish Wildlife Trust, South Lanarkshire Council Private land involvement: A small section of the proposed route of the Clyde Walkway runs on the land, if this is an issue we will not place any artworks on this section.

B3.1.4

LANDSCAPE PAINTING COURSES AT NEW LANARK

Context New Lanark and the Falls of Clyde have provided inspiration for artists and poets such as Turner, Wordsworth, Coleridge and Nasmyth since the 18th century, and there are many paintings and prints of the area in national and private collections. We propose to run short residential courses at New Lanark for those interested both in the history of landscape painting, and in practical art classes. We have an established art studio in the village, and we would work with the proprietor to provide painting classes, while our Heritage Manager would arrange seminars and talks on the history of art and artists of New Lanark and the Falls of Clyde. We have a range of accommodation available at New Lanark, Hotel, selfcatering and Youth Hostel, and would propose to develop a series of residential study courses to suit groups from different backgrounds and levels of interest.

The Proposals 

Develop residential study courses at New Lanark on the history of art and artists at New Lanark and the Falls of Clyde;

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Provide talks and lectures on related subjects;

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Offer drawing and painting classes in studio and outdoors;

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Mount an exhibition of new artwork at New Lanark Visitor Centre.

Benefits and Justification The project would build on the long history of art and poetry inspired by New Lanark’s glorious landscape setting. The aim would be to inspire and enthuse both local residents and visitors alike, and engage them with an appreciation and understanding of the natural and designed landscape at a new and practical level.

Risks Insufficient interest in the classes and study days to make project viab

Audience: visitors and local residents especially in the older age-groups as participants in classes and study days Outputs: Range of Study courses ( including residential); Art exhibition Media outputs: exhibition publicised in listings, plus appropriate press and publications/radio and TV coverage Training and education: enhanced appreciation and understanding of landscape painting and history of designed landscapes Partners: New Lanark Trust, The Wee Studio, New Lanark.

Private land involvement: n/a

B3.2

LANGUAGE IN THE LANDSCAPE

Context Our experience of the landscape is inextricably linked to the way we describe it, either through words, music or art. There is a history of the written, spoken and sung word in the Clyde and Avon Valleys, which should be celebrated.

The Project Proposals

B3.2.1

Fruit of our Labours

Benefits and Justification To increase community involvement in the expression of the landscape, and to celebrate our local culture and history Risks There is a current lack of engagement between local people and the landscape, and there is a risk of further disengagement.

B3.2.1

FRUIT OF OUR LABOURS

Context The Lanarkshire Songwriters Group has been in existence for some 14 years now and was started to bring together songwriters from throughout Lanarkshire. The Group meet in The Crossford Inn, Crossford and over the years we have developed into an organisation that provides support for songwriters of all stages and one of our main aims is to encourage new songwriters to write, record and perform their work wherever possible.

The Proposals 

Oral History – collect interview of former fruit growers and horticulturalists about how the industry was in the past in the Clyde Valley, as well as those currently working in the industry today e.g. those who have adapted the garden centres.

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To write, record and perform songs inspired and based on the content of these interviews about the local fruit and horticultural culture past and present. This will be working with members Lanarkshire Songwriters, advertised to wider community as a learning opportunity through the community group.

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To work with local primary schools in song writing with experienced songwriters and introduce them to the fruit growing and horticultural past of the area and the people who were involved through a song writing project.

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To celebrate through a concert and CD the results of the project, website to build capacity for the songwriters group and encourage new members and involvement.

Benefits and Justification This project will have the effect of promoting the fruit growing and horticultural past to a wide audience through the research and writing of the songs and through concert performance. It will also make the children of the local schools more aware of their local heritage and history and bring young and old generations closer together Risks No one gets involved in the project, loss of oral histories due to these memories not being collected, young generations not aware of the fruit growing history of the area.

Audience: Avon and Clyde Valley Schools and community Outputs: 3 schools involved in creating songs, CD, 3 concerts or musical events for adult songwriters, content for CAVLP website, oral histories collected and archived, new website for community group to pomrote project and build capacity, equipment for songwriters group to build capacity Media outputs: Press, Media, Internet social sites, Training and education: Training opportunities for people wanting to learn about songwriting, training for songwriters to work with schools Partners: Lanarkshire Songwriters Private land involvement: