Travelling Gallery, a contemporary ART gallery in a bus... • reviewsphere

An exhibition celebrating Travelling Gallery’s past, present and future over two floors at City Art Centre

28 July – 4 November 2018.

Travelling Gallery at 40 is part of Edinburgh Art Festival 2018.

A unique and integral part of Scotland’s cultural provision, committed to making art inclusive and accessible for all.

From Lerwick to Dumfries and Renfrew to Dunbar, Travelling Gallery has taken art to every part of Scotland so that people from every background and community have had the opportunity to engage with excellent, experimental and inspiring art practices.

In this its fortieth year an exhibition over two floors at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre will celebrate Travelling Gallery’s journey – past, present and future, and take pride in Scotland’s commitment to take art out to communities.

Housed within a newly commissioned and site-specific installation by Scottish artist Mike Inglis, an active programme of talks and events will provide a platform for bigger discussions on the accessibility and diversity of contemporary art in Scotland. The programme will not only celebrate the important and integral work of Travelling Gallery but will explore and test its values within todays contemporary context, advocating for its vision that Scotland is a nation in which everyone has the opportunity to experience and engage in the arts.

Travelling Gallery’s rich and socially important archive will also be shown for the first time alongside some of the original artwork from its incredible exhibitions history. The presentation will celebrate the enjoyment and excellence that has embodied the organisation since its inception in the late 70’s and will allow the viewer to reflect on the last forty years of the Scottish visual art scene.

The artists who have contributed to the Travelling Gallery over the years include Christian Marclay, Lucy Skaer, Tania Kovats, Tessa Lynch, Rob Churn, Torsten Lauschmann, Charles Avery, Rachel Maclean, Ilana Halperan, Christne Borland, Ross Sinclair, Nicolas Party, Ciara Philips, Douglas Gordon, Mandy McIntosh, Dalziel + Scullion, Jonathan Owen, Charlie Hammond and Henry Coombes to name but a few.

Of course, Travelling Gallery will still be on the road its 2018 programme will celebrate the organisations commitment to showcasing the best in current contemporary art. The Spring exhibition Are Teenage Dreams So Hard to Beat? Explores our adolescence through work by Arpita Shah, Alice Theobald and Holly White. While the Autumn 2018 tour will see a new commission by emerging Scottish artist Gordon Douglas, where he will cleverly observe Travelling Gallery as his subject.

Claire Craig, curator of the Travelling Gallery said,

Everyone involved in the Travelling Gallery over the last forty years is so excited to celebrate and shout about the incredible work the organisation has done and continues to do. Not just in providing access to contemporary art but making it fun, enjoyable and inclusive. The wealth of artists Travelling Gallery has worked with over the years should also be noted, commissioning work by exciting Scottish artists and exhibiting work which is reflects the best of international visual art.

A brief history

Travelling Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in a bus. It was initiated by the Scottish Arts Council in 1978 and began as a one-person curator and driver operation.

In 1983 it was considered so successful that SAC invested in a new bus, purpose designed, which went out on the road for the next 25 years.

In 1997 it transferred to CEC with funding to continue its national service. In 2007 the demand for the service and additional funds from the National Lottery and CEC enabled the building of a brand new, improved and inclusive Travelling Gallery bus.

The beautiful new Travelling Gallery bus was launched in Edinburgh on 12th April 2007 and has improved access, more floor space, new hi-tech audio visual equipment and increased security.

Each year it presents two 16 week exhibitions which tour to remote, rural, urban and suburban communities across the country. Each exhibition has a strong creative learning programme of artist talks, film screenings, workshops, events, learning packs and interpretative materials.

Lauren Printy Currie, installation view, Autumn 2017.

Travelling Gallery works well in partnership and over the years has collaborated with Glasgow Woman’s Library, New Media Scotland, Stills Gallery, Turner Prize and Tramway Glasgow, V&A Dundee, National Museums of Scotland and even Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

The Travelling Gallery is a fabulous resource which helps our young people to develop a depth of understanding of art. It challenges perceptions, raises awareness, promotes curiosity and enquiry. ~ South Ayrshire

What a fantastic gallery. So engaging and staff so interactive and friendly! Thank you for a great session. ~ Isle of Lewis

Thoroughly encouraging. Such insight expressed with skill, emotion and power. I wish that you will go from strength to strength. Many thanks. You are all wonderful ~ Dunbar

Have heard a lot about the Travelling Gallery and it’s great to be able to experience it for real. Fabulous community resource. ~ Birnam