The conference was an ideal opportunity to take stock of
the remarkable amount that has been achieved in the arts in Moray in the last
three-four years, and to place those achievements in a wider regional and
national context (the Chair for the day was Bryan Beattie, special advisor to
the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport). A full house heard about
examples of exciting and innovative projects in different Moray communities, and
shared experiences and ideas, especially with guest speaker John Byrne, who gave
less a formal presentation and more a frank and open discussion with the
conference delegates!
These three presentations give a flavour of the
day: Nick Fearne, Moray Council’s Arts Development Officer, talks about
the Moray Arts Strategy, and what has been achieved in implementing its aims,
from the hugely successful visit of the Royal Shakespeare Company to Forres, to
projects with disaffected young people. Andy Fairgrieve describes the
remarkable Glenfiddich International Artists’ Residency programme, and makes
some interesting parallels between the processes of whisky production and arts
development! John Cushine, Chair of the new Buckie Festival, has some
intriguing reflections on what ‘profit’ means in the arts, and how to develop
audiences.
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