2023-24
Annual Report 2023-24: Back to the Future
This year we have been able to return to the full-scale delivery of in-person events, exhibitions and activities, whilst maintaining the expanded online programme and audience we reached during the pandemic. Key projects completed or launched this year include the conclusion of an artist residency at St Andrews Botanic Garden, opening our flagship exhibition Cra ed Selves at St Andrews Museum and Kirkcaldy Galleries, delivering Materialise 6 in an online exhibition and hyperlocal pop-up, launching online exhibitions Life Lines and Cerys Williams’ Jewellery Revolutions, as well as the continued tour of our popular Craft Pods and annual collaboration with StAnza: Scotland’s International Poetry Festival.
This public programme was supported by a grant from William Grant Foundation which enabled an extensive programme of learning and engagement events and activities connected to our public programme. The Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust once again supported our annual Summer School.
We continued to focus on our journey towards Net Zero, and to support artists and the public to build sustainability into their own practices and choices. This included our collaboration with Circular Arts Network (CAN) in May 2023, and trialling the use of an electric vehicle over a three-month period to reach rural spaces with the support of Fife Rural Development Fund.
Planning has continued towards our 2024-25 programme including the development of our next flagship exhibition, and the appointment of a Fife-based artist to deliver a significant public art project for Dunfermline Learning Campus across 2024 and 2025.
Our Town Hall offices were reopened in May 2023 and the team have been reinstating the office space to enable a hybrid working and partnership meeting space at our base in St Andrews once again. This has helped us fulfil our commitments to offering flexible and family-friendly working patterns alongside our Living Wage and Fair Work commitments. Two team members were on maternity leave during the year,
Student at the annual Wilhemina Barns-Graham Trust Summer School 2023
How We Make it Happen
Fife Contemporary’s Board has continued to support the new team through their experience, expertise, guidance and advocacy. Chair, Wesley Rennison, has continued to lead the Board and the whole organisation remains grateful to all our Board members for the time they give as volunteers.
Fife Contemporary Board in 2023-24 comprised:
•Wesley Rennison (Chair)
•Helen Voce (Deputy Chair)
•Lori Anderson
•Andrew Demetrius
•Sean Kingsley
•Gillian Macdonald
•Jason Nelson
•Judith Vandecasteele
Fife Contemporary is a charitable company limited by guarantee. It receives core revenue funding from Creative Scotland and Fife Council. During this year the Board has supported the organisation to present Fife Contemporary’s applications to continue these multi-year arrangements, and we have agreed a new service level agreement with Fife Council to continue until 2027. During this year the Board also reviewed our Fair Work policies, and we have published our Fair Work Statement online alongside our Fair Pay Policy for Artists and Freelancers on our website.
Fife Contemporary has recommitted to being a Living Wage employer and a member of the Green Arts Initiative.
As a values-led organisation, we continue to advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as consideration for the environment and climate justice through our programme and operations. We continue to improve and evaluate our own impact through our EDI and Carbon Management Action Plans.
Additional income is generated by fundraising, and this year projects have been supported by the William Grant Foundation, Fife Rural Development Fund, the Cookie Matheson Trust and the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust and we are also grateful for their support and investment in the quality of our work.
Fife Contemporary exists to:
•Support the sustainable practice, professional and creative development of craft and visual artists (with a focus on Fife-based artists).
•Promote the practice and work of contemporary craft and visual artists (from local to international) to existing and new audiences, increasing the public’s access to a variety of innovative work.
•Encourage lifelong learning, creativity and greater health and wellbeing.
•Demonstrate best practice in embedding equality, diversity and inclusion as well as environmental awareness and sustainability in the activity of the organisation alongside strong governance.
Attendees at the Crafted Selves opening at St Andrews Museum, October 2023
Artists’ Programme
This year we have been able to develop more projects building on our Artists Development Network research and consultation. We have been able to expand our delivery of artist CPD sessions in line with the knowledge we gained about artists’ current needs from the Network. This has included the opportunity to connect with peers to get support and feedback, ongoing skills sharing and development, and a mixture of the need for in person events to help build networks and online programming which allows for greater flexibility and accessibility for more artists.
Online CPD events included a session on AI – Midjourney for Artists led by St Andrews Botanic Garden artist in residence, Emma Varley attended by 29 artists. An online session, Photographing your Work, was held with Alan Dimmick for 6 a endees. Three in-person CPD sessions were held, two at Off the Rails Arthouse providing full-day intensive critical feedback, connection and support to 14 artists, and a further 12 artists attended an in-person Photographing your Work session held at Fire Station Creative. With the Circular Arts Network we also organised a trial ‘CAN’ Van to visit studio spaces around Fife to encourage recycling and reuse of materials – this event reached a further 25 artists.
Two significant projects grew out of the Network this year. Artists Kate Downie RSA and Gillian McFarland joined together to launch their collaborative community art project, ArtMovesFife, which grew out of conversations generated by the network. Fife Contemporary have supported them throughout the year through networking, resource sharing and mentoring to help get this project off the ground. Running from April to October this year, Fife Contemporary enabled and connected an online network of 7 artists who were continuing to be
It felt really joyful, affirming and fun. It was great to meet new artists, and I got helpful feedback, questions and comments
”
Donated paint box and paints at the CAN Van event
Staff and customer at the CAN Van event
affected by the aftermath of the covid pandemic (either through managing long-term health conditions, disability or bereavement, covid anxiety, or combinations of these). The group were regularly connected through moderated online meetings to develop a peer-support network, who then cocurated the online Life Lines exhibition of their own work alongside our team.
Direct Support
It looks fabulous! I’m looking at the online exhibition going “wow this really is me, my art” and feeling very happy “ ”
The national Visual Artist and Craft Maker Award (VACMA) scheme, providing funding to visual artists and makers was once more promoted and administered by Fife Contemporary for two regions, Fife and Perth & Kinross. We are always pleased and proud that our selection panel for VACMA is made up of artist peers and previous recipients and we were glad to welcome the expertise and contribution of Kate Trouw and Claire Heminsley this year.
I’m grateful that Fife Contemporary have a transparent approach to this process “ ”
In advance of the application deadline we offered 2 online open advice sessions attended by 8 artists. We received 39 applications;11 bursaries were awarded; 9 to Fife artists and 2 bursaries to Perth & Kinross artists. Most of our artist applications came from Fife.
Supporting Emerging Makers
An online career development session was delivered to Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, reaching 28 students. And our public talk at St Andrews Library was attended by 21 people.
The Materialise programme continued to provide profile and support to selected new Scottish design and applied art graduates.
Deff gonna check this out.. it looks fantastic! Congratulations to all involved! “ ”
The launch of the online exhibition, Materialise 6, for the 9 members of the 2022 graduating cohort took place in November 2023. The 10 members of the 2023 cohort were all awarded a bursary and have met online for supportive network sessions since December
The Materialise 6 Exhibition, Glisk Gallery
Public Programme
Our public programme has expanded significantly this year with the launch of multiple exhibitions as well as off-site projects online and across Fife.
Exhibitions and Off-site Projects
Our artists residency at St Andrews Botanic Garden concluded with the launch of Unseen Worlds: Fertile Ground at an in-conversation event attended by 80 people, the exhibition reached 10,494 people during its run at the Garden’s Bioscope Pavillion.
Cra ed Selves: The Unfinished Conversation launched at St Andrews Museum on 14 October 2023 and Kirkcaldy Galleries on 23 May 2024 and was attended by 7,397 people. The exhibition was accompanied by an extensive programme of events engaging 180 people who took part in 11 different talks, tours and workshops produced across both venues. A special Scottish premiere screening of Alberta Whittle’s The Axe Forgets But The Tree Remembers was attended by 76 people at The Byre Theatre in St Andrews. We were overwhelmed by the positive responses to both the exhibition and screening.
Hyperlocal Pop-ups and Tours
Enjoyed my visit immensely, a very interesting collaboration between architecture, ecology, AI and art “ ”
We have ensured this year that we expand our programming that can be accessed by audiences in their walkable and cycleable environment, and where possible are made with the engagement of local audience and networks. Our pop-up and touring exhibitions for these hyperlocal audiences included an exhibition at Glisk Gallery supporting Materialise makers which was attended by 120 local people.
Inside the Bioscope - Unseen Worlds by Emma Varley film screening
What Our Visitors Had to Say About Crafted Selves...
“Thank you for this wonderful exhibition. So great to see how art brings people together”
“The film is thought provoking, sad, engaging and beautiful. Hearing these violent acts is uncomfortable, makes you question your position and power in society”
“Beautiful, rich, diverse and thought provoking. Thanks for “A great introduction
A visitor said they loved the display and kept coming back to it. They also wanted to know how they might be able to have their own work included in the Cra Pods “ ”
Connecting to a Digital Public
Our locally touring Craft Pods completed a tour with Francesca Rae in September 2023 and started touring the 3D printed jewellery of Lucy Pearl Petts in December 2023. The Pods visited 11 community spaces, libraries and schools across Fife, reaching 13,460 people. Engagement with Lucy Pearl Petts’ exhibition was enhanced by the production of 200 family and schools’ activity packs created by local artist Sarah Wakeford.
The monthly digital programme newsletter – now called our ‘What’s On’ guide - was sent to 631 subscribers, a 4.5% increase since last year. Our readership is growing faster than last year as well.
Fife Contemporary’s website maintained strong engagement with 25,942 visits from 20,196 users. We continued to increase the delivery and promotion of content via our social media platforms, and our followers have grown substantially on each. At the close of the financial year Fife Contemporary had 3,009 followers on Facebook – a 39.2% increase; 1,996 followers on Twi er – an increase of 1%; and 2,701 followers on Instagram – a 13.2% increase.
We have loved having the Cra Pods here, they were perfect for the space. We will miss them. When will the next exhibition in them be do you think? “ ”
Our engagement remained well above industry norms on all platforms. Facebook engagement averaged 3.39% against an industry norm of 0.42% for arts and crafts. Instagram engagement averaged 8.81% against an industry norm of 1% for arts and
Link by Life Lines artist Kathryn Hanna
Creative Learning and Engagement
This year we were able to provide an expanded programme of access to learning, engagement and participation in our Cra ed Selves exhibition thanks to the support of the William Grant Foundation. As well as a detailed catalogue for the exhibition, the foundation also supported our screening of The Axe Forgets, But The Tree Remembers with Alberta Whittle. Our expanded programme included two tours by featured artists as part of the opening weekend schedule – attended by 13 and 19 people each. Being able to provide 17 free tickets to invited groups for the Alberta Whittle screening. As well as further tours and workshops, exploring weaving mask-making and embroidery at both St Andrews Museum and Kirkcaldy Galleries. The project employed 5 artists and curators and engaged 63 local people.
CARE: Making for Good
The CARE: Making for Good project concluded the last round of artist workshops with Fife Young Carers and further product ranges were completed and launched at Bowhouse in Fife at a Tea Green Market visited by approximately 2,500 people on 8 July 2023. The fayre concluded with £299 being made available for future distribution to partner organisations and Carers groups to continue their own projects.
Summer School
An uplift in grant support from Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust meant the annual Summer School was able to expand its ‘Hub’ model to include 3 Hub Secondary Schools reaching 32 pupils in collaboration with partner schools. This is a key programme for widening access to art and craft making education in tertiary education across Fife. 9 Fife schools participated in total. In addition to the Hubs session, 38 pupils and 6 teachers attended a full workshop and activity day at DJCAD which was very well received by all who attended.
Printed CARE bags at the Bowhouse Market 2023
Financial Summary
£32,550
£10,520
£18,700
£169,915
£202,289
£105,000
£19
£979
Fife Contemporary started the year with unrestricted reserves of £111,771. Our Board elected to make selective use of these reserves to support our operations and maintain our normal level of activity across our programme in the face of rising costs. This has been necessary while our income from Creative Scotland regular funding has remained static. In addition, we have grown our income from trusts and foundations to enable key projects within our programme to expand to meet need, specifically our Summer School and Cra ed Selves exhibition and related programmes. Our strategic plan for the next four years is to generate additional income from Trusts and Foundations and other sector support and seek an increase in Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland to make this possible.
Income for the year 2023-24 was £169,914 (2023 - £174,344) of which £166,788 (2023 £174,080) came from grants and donations. Expenditure on charitable activities was £202,291 (2023 £170,338) which resulted in net income for the year of -£32,377 (2023 £4,006). In this financial summary our staff salaries are split between our Artistic and Creative Programme and Administration costs. The delivery of our Artistic and Creative Programme also includes the employment of artists, technicians and other creative professionals.
Maintaining and growing our activity level this year enabled us to sustain support for artists and achieve our core charitable purpose to produce a high-quality programme of visual art and craft, facilitating engagement between artists and the public in Fife and enriching more lives. We employed 49 artists (2023 – 32) and supported 107 more (2023 – 42) with bursaries, CPD and in-kind support. We engaged 436 participants (2023 – 263) in creative activities and events and enabled 35,582 visits (2023 - 16,961) to in person exhibitions, while 6,941 visits were made to our online exhibitions, and we have 7,706 followers (2023 – 6522) across our social media platforms. INCOME
Looking Forward
In the coming year, our new exhibition, Hag., will be delivered at Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries opening on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2025. An online programme will be developed to partner this significant exhibition.
Deeper collaboration with StAnza for 2025 will continue with collaborative funding sought to develop a new commission for the festival.
The current Craft Pod tour with Lucy Pearl Petts will complete in December, and a new exhibition and tour will be designed and created to begin in early 2025 alongside Hag.
Our public artist for the Dunfermline Learning Campus will be appointed and will start work delivering consultative and informative workshops for campus users and learning communities in Autumn 2024. A completed design is proposed to be submitted to planning authorities by February 2025.
New targeted projects will be supported, explored and co-produced with targeted groups with protected characteristics facing barriers to accessing contemporary art and craft experiences. This is building upon our values-led approach to widening access, and diversity and inclusion within contemporary art and craft.
Another expanded Summer School will be delivered at 3 Hub Schools, maintained by a continued uplift in funding from Wilhelmina Barns Graham Trust, and in collaboration with Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design.
Further CPD events for artists will be delivered in partnership in ongoing response to the research undertaken with the Covid Recovery funding.
Our website will be fully redeveloped and relaunched alongside new strategies for social media, digital exhibitions, ticketing and digital engagement to ensure a successful launch. This will ensure our website is made more accessible and attractive for users, as well as reducing our digital carbon footprint.
Further online exhibitions will be developed and promoted as part of our website relaunch.
Hag. exhibition teaser. Township Bowl by Patricia Shone, photographed by Shannon Tofts
The Materialise programme will continue with further opportunities for in-person exhibition display and promotion led by the group with funding from William Grant Foundation. This will help deepen their connection to the craft and design sector, and the wider public, through the programme.
Future participation in the VACMA scheme will continue – with matched contributions from Perth UNESCO City of Craft and Fife Council. We plan to rebalance applications and grants between the two regions this year
2024-25 will necessarily be a year of change and development for Fife Contemporary as we await the outcome of our Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding bid in October 2024. The first half of the year will be an opportunity for developing our strategy and vision for the future, building on contributions from our staff and board together, as well as developing future programme and fundraising activity. We are looking forward to another busy and active year that will be as successful and impactful as this one.
The Craft Pods exhibition, Lucy Pearl Petts 2024
Summer School 2023 participants at DJCAD
www.fcac.co.uk | mail@fcac.co.uk
Registered Office: Henderson Black & Co, St Andrews, KY16 9PF
Registered in Scotland No 110152 Scottish Charity No SC 007748
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Image Credits: Alan Dimmick (front cover, circle image), Cerys Williams (page 6 top image), Kathryn Hanna (page 9), Tommy Ga-Ken Wan (page 10), Shannon Tofts (page 13), Fife Contemporary (all other images)
