• 24 November 2017
    • SPAN Annual Symposium
    • The Tramway, Glasgow, 25 Albert Dr, Glasgow G41 2P

The SPAN Annual Symposium took place on 24 November 2017 and featured key note speaker Sara Lee, Artistic Director of The Irene Taylor Trust – Music in Prisons followed by a series of workshops for participants to chose from, these included:

  1. But what do you actually do in there? A session dedicated to talking about creative practice in prisons. Facilitator: Catriona McHugh MBE, Artistic Director and Writer, Open Clasp Theatre Company
  • How can art exist within a complex and compartmentalised system?
    A discussion exploring art, its ability to transcend boundaries and how this can present challenges and opportunities when working within the criminal justice system. Facilitator: Rosie Reid, KIN Project Co-ordinator, Vox Liminis
  • How to get money when everyone is going for it? A discussion on applying for funding and how to get the right support in project planning. Facilitator: Chrissie Ruckley, Creative Learning Officer, Creative Scotland
  • How do you say what you want to say and stay in the game? A discussion around the artist as advocate and finding your voice as part of a larger system. Facilitator: JessThorpe, Lecturer in the Arts in Social Justice, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

In addition to time given to network throughout lunch, participants (45 in total) were also invited to visit the Koestler Exhibition in the Tramway. The Symposium was a great opportunity to share with SPAN members and guests the progress of the Creative Conversations programme throughout the year and gather ideas and suggestions for future work.

Summary

Feedback from participants was gathered after every event and is detailed in individual reports for each event. Overall, participants found the events to be ‘informative’, ‘eye-opening’, ‘useful’, ‘interesting’ and ’proactive’. Feedback from participants showed an overwhelming positive experience with all participants suggesting they would attend another event in the future.

Future events for 2018 focus on work with young people in custody, in support of Year of the Young People, an event highlighting arts in criminal justice in rural areas of Scotland and arts and mental health.