A ROTHESAY artist has been selected as one of just eight creatives from across Scotland to receive a prestigious Saltire Society commission as part of the organisation’s 90th anniversary celebrations.
Outdoor artist Luke Winter was chosen from more than 100 submissions to receive a £1,200 commissioning grant through the Society’s new To See Oursels – Re-imagining Scotland programme, which aims to encourage conversations around Scotland’s monuments, memorials and cultural identity.
Inspired by Robert Burns’ famous lines, “O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us / To see oursels as ithers see us!”, the initiative invited artists working in drama, literature, music and visual arts to develop projects exploring how Scotland remembers its people, places and history.
Luke’s successful project, Silver Linings, will begin its development in Rothesay before being designed to tour communities across Scotland and beyond.
The participatory artwork will combine oral storytelling, writing and sculpture to make public spaces more playful while encouraging local people to help create both visual and sound installations that reflect their community and shared values.
The project builds on Luke’s earlier work for the Remembering Together Covid project in Rothesay and aims to create public artworks and memorials that strengthen community cohesion and resilience.
Saltire Society council member Gerry Carruthers praised the proposal, saying: “Starting with Rothesay, this refreshingly optimistic, participatory art project — where the public help create a visual and sound installation speaking to community ideals — is delightfully portable to other towns and communities.”
Luke said: “I’m delighted to take on this commission. Thank you for this opportunity.”
The Saltire Society launched the programme as part of its 90th anniversary celebrations, with eight commissions awarded to artists from locations including Edinburgh, Dunbar, Kirkwall, Galashiels, Blairgowrie, North Uist and Rothesay.
Each artist has received a £1,200 grant to bring their ideas to life following assessment by a panel of Saltire Society council members.
Saltire Society convenor Susan Garnsworthy said the successful artists reflected the vitality, energy and wide-ranging imagination of contemporary practitioners working across Scotland.
She added: “Sadly, many excellent projects could not be funded, but the quality of submissions testifies to the strength and diversity of Scotland’s creative sector.”
The commissioned projects are due to be completed between September and December this year as part of the Society’s anniversary programme.
