Campaign in seaweed, wool and stone splashed across Scottish islands to highlight plight of artists

A campaign calling for the protection and preservation of the unique skills of island artists “often left out of the national conversation” is under way with a creative twist.

Using seaweed, wool and stone, artists across Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides have written the message #EvenHereEvenNow across their homelands.

The movement is to highlight island-based artists’ vital contribution to Scotland’s cultural landscape, but also the additional challenges that exist when it comes to making a living as an artist off the mainland, the organisers have said.

In a turbulent year in the arts in Scotland, marked by protests over funding cuts and an imminent review of Creative Scotland by the Scottish government, #EvenHereEvenNow will platform artists who are often marginalised in a debate dominated by voices from the central belt. | Tara Drummie

Campaigners said supporting the distinctive work on the islands is essential when it comes to preserving and developing island-specific traditional skills and indigenous language and culture.

The campaign follows the #EvenHereEvenNow manifesto, released earlier this year, which calls on decision makers to acknowledge the expertise of island-based artists, and for the geographical location to not be a barrier to support.

The #EvenHereEvenNow is happening across the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland | EvenHereEvenNow

Without the support, authors of the manifesto said these culturally-rich islands communities are at risk of losing what makes up their unique identity altogether.

Limited public transport, severe weather, higher energy costs, a lack of digital connectivity, and the expense of connecting to mainland Scotland, were cited as some of the added challenges island artists face.

Campaigners have been using seaweed, stones and wool to spread the message | EvenHereEvenNow

Andrew Eaton-Lewis, one of the leaders of the campaign, said: “Surviving as an artist anywhere in Scotland is increasingly precarious.

“With this campaign we are highlighting the additional challenges facing artists living in rural island communities through the stories of artists living in the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland.

“It is a call for recognition of the value of culture in parts of Scotland that are often left out of the national conversation, but where artists are often deeply embedded in the communities they live in, making a vital contribution to those communities – even here, even now - in a way that deserves wider recognition and support.”

The campaign builds on the work of Even Here, Even Now, a 2024 manifesto jointly created by a group of artists living and working in Shetland, Orkney, Uist, and the Isle of Lewis. | Kathryn Gordon

A 2021 University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) survey of artists in the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland found almost 70 per cent of respondents earned less than the Scottish average salary through their practice. More than 50 per cent earnt less than £10k, and just 11.6 per cent earnt more than £25K.

Some 60 per cent of respondents were working as sole traders, which campaigners said highlights the importance of funds such as Creative Scotland’s recently closed (then reinstated) Open Fund for Individuals.

Last month, artists and heads of art institutions warned that the sector is facing “death by slow cuts” because of a lack of clarity over funding, with delays and funding shortfalls.

The uncertainty has meant some major institutions could be at risk of temporary closure within months.

Earlier this year, Creative Scotland warned the country’s arts industry is facing years of “managed decline” after it was targeted for new cuts weeks before it was to decide on hundreds of applications for long-term funding.

More than £10 million worth of Scottish Government funding has either been cut from the arts agency's budget or has been put on hold, despite ministers pledging an “additional” £13.2 million worth of investment for its arts agency in this financial year.

#EvenHereEvenNow is a partnership between four island-based arts organisations: Shetland Arts, Pier Arts Centre, An Lanntair and Taigh-Chearsabhagh.

The creators of the manifesto include Barry Nisbet, a folk musician, and Helen Robertson, a landscape artist, both from Shetland, artist Sandra Kennedy from the Western Isles, and artists Jamilla Garrett, Arwen Haselden and Niamh Haselden from Orkney.