May 2008 Feature: Virtual Dinner Party

THE GREEKS had a word for it—symposium. Today, that sounds like a rather stuffy, formal affair, but for Plato, Socrates and their mates it was just a dinner party. Except that some of the most influential ideas in Western thought were hammered out by them over the figs and the watered wine.

THE GEOGRAPHY of the Highlands and Islands can make it difficult to get people round an actual dinner table, and so HI~Arts, in association with the UHI Millennium Institute, has introduced the Virtual Dinner Party. Here’s how it works: a select group of guests are invited to take part in an e-mail-based debate for a set period of time, on a pre-set topic. The resulting e-conversation is then edited down and placed on the Northings and UHI websites to make, we hope, an interesting read!

Dr Sheila Lodge, Dean of Faculty Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, UHI Millennium Institute, sends the following message:

UHI is keen to fulfil that aspect of its mission statement which refers to playing ‘a pivotal role in [the]…cultural development’ of the Highlands and Islands. One of the ways in which we hope to do this is through increasing the range and diversity of the cultural events in which we are engaged: and as a result, we see the ‘Virtual Dinner Party’ as a particularly appropriate way of encouraging debate and reflection across the region on matters of cultural interest. Given UHI’s use of technology, such as video conferencing and virtual learning environments using the World Wide Web, the use of such technology to enable this discussion to take place seems very apt.

On behalf of UHI, I am delighted that we are taking part in this activity, and hope that it will be useful and enjoyable.'

With the next Highlands and Islands Visual Arts Gathering coming up on 15/16 May 2008 we took the theme of the Gathering for our first debate topic—Artists are doing it for themselves.

Join the Dinner Party!

Post your comments and responses to this month's Virtual Dinner Party.

3 Comments

Firstly, thank you for the Dinner Party idea. It was an interesting read.

Please let me briefly introduce myself. I was born and raised in Inverness and studied in Edinburgh where I received an exciting education in the Fine Arts.

I graduated in 2006 with a B(A)Hons in Photography and Visual Culture.

I currently play in the instrumental band Shutter and work in a menial IT job.

I moved back to the Highlands after graduating because I feel passionate about the Highlands. This is my home.

I'd just like to raise a few points:

What is the current state of the Arts 'scene' in the Highlands? Is it particularly 'bad' in comparision to other cities? (In my opinion, there is a minority of exciting artists that are doing some refreshing work in the Highlands)

Who is responsible for developing our culture and arts? (Aren't we all?)

I believe Artists do have a platform to showcase their work, whether its a piece of thought provoking avant garde or yet more landscape water-paints of the River Ness.

My father used to say: "Son, You can't educate pork". But are we really that dismissive that we don't want the avant garde/ postmodern work to be seen? Does all work have to be 'aesthetically pleasing' to be accepted? I disagree. Ask Joe Bloggs in any city in Scotland who Martin Parr or Gregory Crewsden are and they aren't likely to know or care.

We have a small population but a high volume of Artists and
I don't think we should be so dismissive of our Arts scene.

If an Artist wishes to show his work to the world, then they should do so. Take the initiative. We shouldn't wait for opportunities to be given to us on a silver plate.

I think we should we be optimistic and celebrate our Arts.

But are we creating Art simply for other Artists? Do we want our Art to be shown to the mainstream? If yes, then go and do it.

On a side note, the music my band creates isn't widely accepted in the Highlands due to its 'instrumental post rock' nature. But slowly more and more people are accepting it and enjoying it. People now approach us and ask us to recommend other similar bands for them to enjoy. This is what playing music is all about to me. Sharing ideas and bands with others. Turning people 'on' to new ideas. I would love to be able to apply the same idea to Joe Bloggs with regards to 'different' types of art. Perhaps people need some time to accept change.

Matt Campbell
12 May 2008

Looks like it was a good party! It's not easy to get this kind of conversation without heading of to Glasgow or Edinburgh.

I agree about the rarity of an artist being able to survive purely on their vocational work. But I also think that there is always a compromise going on because the survival transaction takes place in a marketplace of money. It's the work and being able to be true to that and yourself that is really most important.

I am a film maker and designer (after six years in the voluntary sector) using film to express the experiences of real people on a variety of issues. I've never trained as an artist of any kind but I've variously been (or still am) a playwright and poet, a musician, a performer, a graphic designer, a cartoonist. I've been thirled to the day job for most of my life until now there's just me.

And that's it. I think there is a way ahead when we begin to regard some artistic activities as ones which can happen in an non-artistic context. That brings the opportunity to do artistic work, but to do it for wider audiences and in different ways. Earning its keep…

Then there's an attitude thing… It is evident not just in the Highlands but across Scotland as a whole. Other artists and writers have agreed with me that it exists. It happens when doors seem to be closed when people (agencies really) find you're local. It's like some commissioning bodies don't believe you are good enough because of where you are. I was involved in an art-science project trying to get an installation into visitor attractions and arts venues. It was a hard slog. One Dundee-based organisation refused on the grounds that 'we only take stuff from Europe…' Oh and it's a barrier for social and community enterprises too (like Taigh Chearsabaigh).

We have to tackle this one too.
Brian Hill
05 May 2008

Surveying the coffee cups, it seems to have been a good dinner party!

To return to what Simon is saying about how is it possible to be an artist here without being somewhere else first - I returned to the Highlands in 1999 bringing a film and television archive business with me, because the internet had finally made it possible to come home.

At that time I had primary and secondary age children and was enthused by the promise of a University of the Highlands and Islands. Nine years later, astonishingly and regrettably, this promise is still unfulfilled and very few people seem to care.

Imagine the difference to the artistic landscape if we had high quality tertiary education in all the arts right here. The stunning Highland locations could attract practitioners and students from all over the world and revitalise our artists in unforeseeable ways.

Until the UHI problem is sorted our young folk will continue to move south to get their artistic careers begun before - hopefully - returning. And our artistic and cultural landscape will continue to be unbalanced by their absence.
jennie macfie
01 May 2008