Students’ island exchange
FOUR local textile students will travel to the Isle of Lewis in July as part of a new exchange scheme between Shetland and the Outer Hebrides.
Rebecca Baxter, Rhea Kay, Helen Laurenson, and Megan Smith will explore the success of the Harris Tweed industry on their trip.
The Western Isles’ Kate Macleod and Zoe Macinnes will head to Shetland in June to make a short film about the isles.
It’s part of a new inter-island exchange scheme launched by the An Lanntair Arts Centre in Stornoway and its Between Islands project, which brings together the Northern and Western Isles.
The scheme, which was open to applications from film and textile students, is being held to celebrate Scotland’s Year of Young People.
Shetland Arts’ head of creative opportunities Bryan Peterson described Between Islands as an “excellent project which has fostered strong cultural links between the islands groups, and we very much look forward to welcoming Kate and Zoe to Shetland”.
Between Islands coordinator and head of performing arts and cultural projects for An Lanntair Alex Macdonald added: “The Year of Young People encourages those up to the age of 26 to take part, therefore we saw it as a great opportunity to include our creative industries university and college students.
“This year we will focus on film making and textiles, but it would be wonderful if these types of exchanges could expand in the future to include other disciplines.”
Examples of the work produced by both sets of students will be featured at Las! Ignite!, An Lanntair’s Year of Young People festival in October.
Macdonald hopes the learning exchange will pave the way for similar projects in the future.
Between Islands has already seen two inter-island musical projects take place, while a book of short stories has also been published.
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“The beauty of all the Between Islands projects is that they encourage collaboration, and it would be wonderful to make these types of exchanges a natural part of what we all do, sharing knowledge, and encouraging our young creatives to work from their Island bases,” Macdonald said.
“The creative industries are also an important part of our economic future, so involving our students is essential, not only as a means of keeping us all connected, but also to showcase what an incredible bank of talent we have collectively.”
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