John O'Groats - Transformation launch

Submitted by HIE

6th June 2011

The iconic John O'Groats hotel is set to have one final moment of glory before work begins to redevelop it as part of the regeneration of the well known tourist location later this year.

It will form the centre piece of 'Transform', a weekend of community celebration at the start of July at John O'Groats featuring street art, video projections, ceramic firings, story-telling, and music.

The event is part of a wider arts strategy drawn up following consultation with locals, visitors and businesses on their vision for the future of the village.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has now invested £50,000, which has been matched with £58,500 of European LEADER funding, to deliver a range of projects to ensure that creative involvement is an integral part of the future design.

Carol Gunn, head of transformational projects with HIE, said: "One of the messages we got loud and clear from local people is that the future shape of John O'Groats, while meeting the needs of tourists, should also reflect the culture and heritage of the village."

"We have appointed a group of artists to kick-off the redevelopment through a range of exciting new projects, many involving the community as contributors. This community work has already started and the artists' projects will culminate in this weekend of arts activity for all the family with temporary works, events and an arts ceilidh."

The artists are all coming together at John O'Groats for the first time today (Tuesday) to officially launch the project.

With building work starting in the Autumn, the various projects will address long term design elements and the 'Transform' artists are creating temporary works that reflect and celebrate the changes about to take place.

Carol commented: "The transformation of John O'Groats is so important socially and economically to the local area. We are delighted that by kicking off our arts project now we can raise awareness both locally and nationally about the changes which are taking place here - and can invite people to be part of the process as it unfolds. We will be working with local schools and groups and we hope visitors at John O'Groats will enjoy seeing the Transform arts projects come together."

Local influence is an important part of the projects according to Arts Programme Manager Sue Pirnie.

She said: "Local people will recognise the significance of the 'Groatie Buckies' project. This is named after the small cowrie shells from the local beach which, if kept in your purse, will ensure that you will never be poor. Artists will work with the community to celebrate the wealth of the area as a place to live - its natural and cultural heritage.

"Several artists will be appearing at the Canisbay show where there will be opportunities for even more locals and visitors to see and get involved in their work. Later in the year more temporary works and activities will be programmed, and also the first permanent works as part of the redevelopment of the site and the surrounding area."

More information on the artists and their projects -

Transform weekend -

The largest Transform project uses the iconic Hotel as the 'canvas' for a major 3D artwork, before works starts on its redevelopment later this summer. DUFI team Fin Macrae and Alister (Al) MacInnes, based near Tain, are known for their street art and public art and are working on the Hotel with 4 other Scottish artists; Richie Cumming (aka Skint), Fraser Gray (aka Soul Relics), Martin McGuinness (aka Macism), and Mike Inglis.

This team previously collaborated on a major street art work in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and another in Inverness city centre. Titled 'are we there yet?' this work will be a colourful multi-image piece exploring perceptions of holidays, childhood and the idea concept of the journey. You will be able to see them creating their work on site in the last week of June.



Gavin Lockhart, based on the North coast, is working with local children and community to capture images of the people and their lives which will feature in a series of installations and video work. Over the weekend the works will transform the approach to John O'Groats and provide an exciting projection event. His lens and digital work has been featured in international art exhibitions, the National Gallery of Scotland, and within the local area - he projected imagery developed with local young people on the dome at the Dounreay nuclear site.

Brought up in the North East, Alexandria Patience worked internationally before settling in Portskerra on the North Coast. Her work is rooted in her background of a fishing and crofting way of life and crosses many media; from traditional storytelling to performance art and installations. She will be bringing together these skills; working with the community as story tellers, peat cutters and collectors of dreams, to feed into different temporary works. At the weekend she will create an outdoor installation and lead a story telling trail.

Allison Weightman is based at Ullapool, and her studio at Scoraig. Her own work is fine quality raku fired ceramics, which has been exhibited across the UK. She recently featured in 'Show Me The Monet' on TV where she persuaded the judges to back her shotgun blasted ceramic bowl. Her community project is based on Groatie Buckies themselves . Many locals will work with her to make hundreds of small cowrie shells in porcelain which will be the basis for an installation work at the Transform weekend, as well as other scales of ceramic shells which will also include hidden secrets. She will 'transform' many of these works in a dramatic paper kiln raku firing at the Transform weekend.

The arts programme is being managed by Sue Pirnie, Black Isle, who developed the strategies for several recent public art projects in the Highlands; Inverness Streetscaping, the Centre for Health Sciences, Ness Islands and Eden Court Theatre.

The programme co-ordinator , Kirsty Body, was born and raised at John O Groats - her parents own the John O'Groats pottery. She has been working with galleries and on public arts projects in the central belt and is now returning to the Highlands.

Information on the wider masterplan for John O'Groats can be found on the HIE website www.hie.co.uk/jog