AGENDA
Plans have just been anounced for a new Paolozzi Sculpture Gallery in Edinburgh. The £25 million conversion of the Dean Centre opposite the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art will be carried out under the guidance of Leith-bom sculptor Sir Eduardo Paolozzi. who wants to create a new ‘living centre for contemporary art' .
Timothy Clifford. director of the National Galleries of Scotland. also revealed a further £43 million would be spent on upgrading the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. enabling it to receive major international exhibitions.
Trained at Edinburgh College of Art. Paolozzi has built an international reputation as one of the world‘s foremost sculptors. The London-based artist was in Scotland this week to announce his plans for the new gallery.
in the design. development and running of what he intends to become both a
be a living gallery that will attract many more people of all ages to enjoy. and create their own works of art.‘ he explains.
Paolozzi is donating the contents of his studio along with his archive to the
gallery and working studio. ‘I want it to
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Paolozzi unveils plans for sculpture gallery
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The Dean Centre: the site of Sir Eduardo Paolozzl’s sculpture gallery
new gallery and there is the possibility that new castings will be made of some of his major works. Following on from
blind people in Germany. the sculptor's
plans range from a series of annual
public lectures to help explain how ‘crcativity actually works' to
organising children‘s picnics in the gardens at the front and back of the
' new gallery. Lothian Regional Council
is donating the Dean Centre and ltrnding for the conversion will come
from the Scottish Office. Work will start later this year. with the gallery due to open by the end of I996. Meanwhile. plans for a new National Gallery of Scottish Art in Glasgow. which Cifford said were unaffected by the Dean Centre scheme. are being pushed forward. The trustees‘ preferred option is to convert the old post office building in George Square. with proposals being finalised in preparation for a bid to the National Lottery Millennium fund. (Robin Hodge)
Glasgow AIDS groupsfafl out over cash
The position of Scottish AIDS Monitor, for years the main charity offering HIV-related services in Scotland, has been severely weakened by the loss of a substantial grant from Greater Glasgow Health Board.
The health board’s surprise decision to award its main outreach and safer sex education contract to a new organisation has taken SAM by surprise. It appears that SAM, whose head office is in Edinburgh, was perceived to have an east coast bias on its management committee.
The new group PHAGE West (Project
1 for HIV and AIDS Care and Education),
which is headed by former SAM chief executive Maureen Moore, was formed specifically to bid for money to
3 provide HIV services in the west of Scotland. SAM says it was not aware
of a ‘competitive tendering situation’,
5 but is committed to continuing its
buddy network and other support services in Glasgow.
‘We’re using contingency money,’ says SAM chair Dr linda MacGaIlum. ‘There’s enough to run a slimmer service for a year and we will be pressing the funders to look at our service provision not our management structure.’
PHAGE has already recruited several of SAM’s paid staff members and some
2 of its volunteers have also been ; approached by the new organisation.
‘People were genuinely concerned that locally-based services need to be maintained,’ says Moore of PHAGE. ‘There was concern that SAM had lost
credibility, which caused funders to question it.’
SAM’s problems started a year ago when it lost a contract with Highland Region, and a grant to run a gay men’s health prolect,which it expected to secure, went to another group. Moore herself left SAM after management level disagreements over policy. However Maccallum says the organisation was back on an even keel and approaches were being made to potential board members In an attempt to widen its Glasgow representation.
Both organisations say they are willing to work together, but it seems likely that if SAM stays in Glasgow some duplication of services will occur. Bad feeling between the two groups also seems inevitable. (Eddie Gibb)
PHAcE West is on 0875 830260. SAM’s Glasgow office is on 0141 353 3133.
The opening of Scotland‘s first permanent jazz school. which has long been a pet project of saxophonist Tommy Smith. has been confirmed with the first intake of students due in September. The school will be based at Glasgow's Jordanhill College.
Formal jazz education has been growing steadily in Scotland over the past decade. with the Fife and Strathclyde Youth Jazz orchestras leading the way. while initiatives like the Lothian and Aberdeen jazz schools have also attracted enthusiastic responses. The new National Jazz and Creative Music School will attempt to provide a permanent focus for that interest. The project grew out of Smith's commitment to musical
‘
Tommy Smith: committed educator training. while Mark Sheridan. head of music at Jordanhill. and SYJO director Bobby Wishart are also involved.
‘We are still in the process of raising
Scots saxophone star goes back to school
funding.‘ Smith explains. ‘but we now have enough to commit ourselves to a September launch. with an initial intake of 50 students. I'm drawing up a curriculum at the moment. based on ideas which have worked in America. It‘s important we get the right people. and the best players are not always the best educators.
Initially. the school will run for six months on Saturdays but there are plans to develop different course formats. It is open to anyone to apply. and there will be an entrance test to assess levels of proficiency. (Kenny Mathieson)
Don 'I Look Down is featuring tlte jazz school on Sunday /2 March at [1.15pm on Scottish.
I Dam busters The World Development Movement. which successfully challenged the Government's aid policy over the Pergau darn project. is screening a new WDM-produced video about equitable trade with the Third World. during the Peace Festival in Edinburgh. The Invisible Wall investigates the link between Third World poverty and the one-way trade barriers which benefit rnulti national corporations. The event is on Saturday l8 March at the Friends Meeting House at l0.30pm. Details on 0968 677325. Details of other Peace Festival events from Seb Fischer on 0l3l 554 2276.
I Fringe chairman Baroness Smith of Gilrnorehill. widow of former Labour leader John Smith. has taken over from Jonathan Miller as chairman of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Elizabeth Smith has always taken an active role in Scottish arts and culture. but since her husband's death has agreed to take on more public commitments.
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I REM cancel REM drummer Bill Berry recently underwent surgery after a brain haernorrhage and is recovering in a Swiss hospital. The band have cancelled the remainder of their European indoor tour. including the two shows at SECC. Glasgow in April. The Murrayfield concert on Thursday 27 July remains in place. Refunds for the SECC shows. which look unlikely to be rescheduled. will be available from Monday 13 March at the original point of purchase. and SECC ticket holders will be given priority when exchanging tickets for Murrayfield.
I Plaque attack To coincide with the centenary of cinema events this year. the Scottish Film Council is co- ordinating the siting of 100 commemorative plaques in famous movie locations around Britain. The Viewforth house where Sean Connery grew up is an obvious one. btrt members of the public have been asked to suggest places and buildings they feel have particular filmic significance. Fora nomination form. contact Helen Baker at SFC. 74 Victoria Crescent Road. Glasgow G12 9JN.
I Operatic appeal An appeal fund for a National Opera School in Scotland was launched this week by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. The proposed Alexander Gibson Opera School. named after the founder of Scottish Opera. would offer specialist facilities to enhance the professional training offered at RSAMD.
4 The List 10-23 Mar 1995