Glasgow School of Art Highlands and Islands campus show highlights links to community
ORGANISERS described this year’s Glasgow School of Art (GSA) Highlands and Islands open campus summer show as a “massive success”.
The teams involved in the programmes within the converted buildings at Altyre showed off their postgraduate student work, creative professional development portfolio, rural and place-based research and The Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre.
Four local companies were also included in the student’s “innovation network”, encouraging knowledge to be exchanged, connections built, and highlighting the area as an innovation hub.
The weekend started on Friday, June 14 when pupils from West End Primary School, Elgin and Lossiemouth High School were invited to preview the show.
Postgraduate students led three workshops featuring natural dyeing fabric where the attendees were encouraged to be creatively constructive with sustainable materials. Together they learnt how to dye fabric using food waste collected from local catering businesses, allowing them to explore traditional textile techniques and teaching them about circular making processes.
A GSA student involved said: “They impressed us with how active and engaged they were!”
Later on, a crafting innovation workshop brought together local stakeholders including representatives from the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Free Port, Moray Arts Development, Engagement (MADE) and the Leanchoil Trust. Participants took part in an interactive and craft-led strategic design session, focused on developing innovative approaches to skills challenges in key local sectors, including arts and culture, heritage, space, construction and renewable energy.
“The session sparked some exciting cross-sector connections and generated creative strategic approaches,” said a GSA spokesperson. “It allowed participants to view challenges from new and diverse perspectives.”
In the evening, GSA welcomed invited friends, family, partners and local businesses to a preview event.
A spokesperson said: “A wide variety of people including locals learned more about the innovation opportunities developing in Moray. It also gave our postgraduate students an insight into local businesses and companies that might offer graduate opportunities.”
Forres Enterprise-based space rocket launchers Orbex showed a scale model of their environmentally friendly design.
The Altyre Estate team, including landowner Sir Alastair Gordon Cumming, shared their work in regenerative farming, sustainable forestry and biodiversity restoration.
The Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Free Port was represented, guiding conversations about opportunities the port could bring to the region and how collaboration could maximize its success.
And Logie Timber used samples of wood products to illustrate the sustainable work they are doing and how they aim to increase the value of the resource.
“The campus was bustling,” said the spokesperson. “We had a marvelous turnout.
“Now in its third year, the summer show continues to grow. It has been an exciting evolution to see the campus develop and root itself.”
GSA Highlands and Islands director Irene McAra-McWilliam said: “The event has become an annual highlight for participants and visitors.
“This year, we shared the work of our students and our academic research colleagues with visitors from local schools, community groups, residents, and local businesses.
“We ran a successful craft workshop with local and national partners, exploring multiple opportunities for business innovation.
“We plan to continue our education, research and innovation activities with local communities and regional partners, creating positive benefits for Moray, and providing a creative innovation hub for the region with national and international reach."
