J a n e t M c E w a n
CUSP
An arts enquiry for Banchory Alcohol Project,
Aberdeenshire, Scotland. 2010.
Following concerns expressed within Banchory communities about the perceived rising number of increasingly younger people putting themselves at risk through alcohol misuse, in 2010 a multi disciplinary steering group, which included health and educational professionals, local councillors and residents, successfully applied for funding to support an arts based project to explore this issue in the Banchory locale.
I was engaged as the visual artist for the project, and worked closely with members of the steering committee over a period of around 4 months: producing 2 short interactive digital films with input from local school pupils, which was shown at various locations, including the town's public library, a pavement intervention (the pavement peep show & text work), and a temporary installation in an unused building in Banchory town centre, which included creative responses from members of Banchory Academy Photography Group, Banchory Girl's Group, and Banchory Young Mum's Group.
The title "CUSP" emerged from a conversation with a Banchory parent who was talking about the vulnerable transitional time between childhood and adult life, when many young people will encounter alcohol in unfamiliar settings and have to make decisions about how to respond.
Further documentation and information about the project can be found on the website I created:
Stop frame animation produced for CUSP with technical support from Ian Gildea @ Peacock, Aberdeen.