Dates : 9 - 18 May 2014
Do you run, work at or volunteer at a venue? Would you like to connect with local groups and get involved in Voluntary Arts Week?
Then download our handy ' Guide for Venues ' to help you make the most of this year's
Voluntary Arts Week.
There are lots of exciting ways your venue could play host to an event, including brightening up your grounds, hallways or even exhibits through the colourful
- or surprise your visitors (indoor or out) with a lively
.
You can also read about how others venues got involved last year - and the benefits it brought to them.
Click the link below to download the guide - and start planning!
Voluntary Arts Week 2014 - A Guide for Venues
A rural arts group that ignited a passion for creativity in their local area, and a piping band that raised thousands of pounds to enter a mainland competition, have won the 2014

Scotland Epic Awards.
At an inspirational reception at Platform Arts in Glasgow, voluntary arts groups from across the UK and Ireland converged to share their moment of triumph. T he Epic Awards are an annual event run by Voluntary Arts, and shine a spotlight on excellence and achievement in the amateur/voluntary arts, and champion creative cultural participation.
Representing the Scottish Government, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs
Fiona Hyslop presented the awards and prizes to winners Braemar Creative Arts Festival , runners-up Lewis Pipe Band and People’s Choice winners, The Great Tapestry of
Scotland (who shared the award with the British Association of Barbershop Singers).
Click on the links to read more about each group.
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Scottish Government said: “The Epic Award Winner for Scotland, Braemar Creative Arts Festival, represents everything that is positive about voluntary arts activity in Scotland – bringing people together, showcasing new and traditional crafts, and celebrating our rural communities. Voluntary Arts
Scotland’s support is enabling more people to get involved in creative activities. These awards demonstrate an ongoing commitment to ensuring our communities get the support they need to create and participate, so all the hard work and imagination that contribute to their cultural life is recognised and rewarded.
“The Epic Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of people who participate in cultural activities and help others to do so purely for the love of it. The Scotland runner-up,
Lewis Pipe Band, has nurtured talent and ambition in young people from the Isles of Lewis and I look forward to their performance at the awards. I congratulate all of the voluntary arts groups shortlisted in the Epic Awards.”
Epic Awards 2014 Scotland Winner – Braemar Creative Arts Festival said: “Winning such a prestigious award in just the second year of our project left us speechless. The Epic
Award has given a tremendous boost to the confidence of the team behind the Braemar
Creative Arts Festival and given us affirmation that our efforts were all worthwhile. This recognition has given us the courage to continue to grow, take risks and strive to make
Festival 2014, bigger and better than 2013.
“We hope that the honour of winning this award will go a long way towards promoting next year’s festival, and attracting more people who want to get involved in the creative arts. It should also stand us in good stead when we approach funders and sponsors. The impact of the Festival continues to be felt in our village with fresh and sustained interest in music, drama, crafts, literature and dance.” (Marilyn Baker, Braemar Creative Arts Festival)
The 2014 Winners received a range of prizes, including memberships, cash prizes – and the beautiful Epic awards themselves, hand-made by GalGael and MAKLab. Being shortlisted, or winning an Epic Award can also have very positive effects for voluntary arts groups, who find

they are taken more seriously by funders and have their profile raised locally and nationally.
For more information about the Epic Awards, and see the full list of 2014 winners, visit www.epicawards.co.uk
.
Deadline: Sunday 23 March 2014, 5pm
The National Theatre of Scotland's 'Five Minute Theatre Show' will be created by anyone, for an audience of everyone.
Co-curated by David Greig and David MacLennan, the works will be performed at various locations across Scotland, the UK, the world and the web, streaming live over 24 hours on 23
June 2014, from 5pm.
The Great Yes, No, Don't Know, Five Minute Theatre Show will present a series of live scenes, songs, skits, rants and dramas, and will allow anyone, anywhere to democratically and dramatically respond to the theme of “Independence".
The National Theatre of Scotland is encouraging the people of Scotland and beyond to have their creative say in the most important decision in the Country’s history in modern times.
Professional or not, old or young, the Yes, the No and the Undecided, absolutely anyone can take part by writing, devising, directing, performing and producing a piece of theatre, five minutes long. There are no set skills requirements; no required qualifications other than a good idea, dramatic flair, and some bravery.
Click here for full information on how to apply
Deadline : Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Applications are currently open for the Scottish Charity Awards, which will honour up

to seven organisations and people that have made significant achievements over the past year.
Nominations are welcome in the following categories:

Charity of the Year – an organisation which has achieved in every area of its work

Charity Champion – an individual who has demonstrated outstanding dedication to a charity or cause

Cracking Campaign – the best charity led campaign of the year

Perfect Partnership – an outstanding collaboration by two or more third sector organisations or between third sector organisations and public/private sectors partners

Celebrating Communities – a community delivering a service or a project that is making a big difference to a group of people

Sporting Chance – a community or charitable sports group enabling people to leap hurdles and achieve goals
 People’s Choice – who does the public think should win? All shortlisted entries compete for public votes
Details of how to enter the 2014 awards and application forms are available at the Scottish Charity Award website
Singing Europe is a non-commercial, community driven, pilot research programme to produce reliable statistical data on 'people singing together'.
This knowledge will help national and European organisations set up programmes that better address the needs of the singing community and convince policy makers to support it. They want the whole European community of singers to benefit from the success of this effort.
If you sing with other people (in a choir, an ensemble, a vocal band, with friends, etc.) please help them by answering a short online survey. It should take 5-10 minutes to complete, and is available in 22 different languages.
Click here to add details of your singing group to the research.

Big Lottery Fund (BLF) has awarded funds to many outstanding projects all over the UK which have made a fantastic difference. But it wants to do more.
From now until July 2014, it is inviting people to add their voice to a UK-wide conversation around key areas of Big Lottery Fund’s work. For more background, read the interview with its
Chief Executive.
Your views will help Big Lottery Fund consider its role as a funder and help shape its vision and plans from 2015 to 2021.
To have your say, visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/yourvoice
Deadline: Sunday 23 March, 2014
BBC One is on the hunt for Britain's best amateur artists to take part in a new competitive arts series.
The programme is looking for amateur painters from all over the UK who have a passion for painting and drawing. If you are over 16 and like a creative challenge, they want to hear from you.
Applicants must not be professional artists and will be expected to work in a variety of different figurative forms and media - from landscape, portraiture and still life, to watercolour, oil and charcoal.
To apply, please send your name, address, age, occupation, contact number, a recent photo of yourself, up to three images that best represent the range of your work and a short paragraph about why you paint to email: amateurartist@bbc.co.uk
or by post to: Amateur Artist,
MC5 A6, BBC Media Centre, Wood Lane, London, W12 7TQ
(Please DO NOT send originals as these cannot be returned) If you have not heard from us by Friday 3 April it means that, unfortunately, you application has been unsuccessful. For

more information visit www.bbc.co.uk/arts/0/25951753
Deadline: 22 April 2014
Galleries, museums and visual arts venues throughout the UK are invited to submit proposals to host the 2015 Alexandra Reinhardt Memorial Award (ARMA), Artist in
Residence, worth £15,000.
The Award funds a 10-week artist/s residency and public art commission to be displayed within the host venue or nearby. A further £2,000 will be made available to the host venue to cover expenses.
Applications are invited from organisations with experience in hosting artist residencies and/or running learning programmes, and those with little experience for whom this would be a good opportunity to develop work in this area.
The residency will run from February to April/May 2015. The artist/s will create an artwork
(temporary, semi-permanent or permanent) for the venue or nearby, and will carry out education work with children, young people and/or family groups during the course of their residency. The commissioned work will respond to the venue, e.g. to a collection, display, the building, the venue's history or to an audience group who use the venue.
The venue does not need to have previously hosted an artist in residence or to have commissioned artists to create temporary, semi-permanent or permanent artworks to apply for this Award.
To apply please visit www.engage.org/apply-arma-2015

Deadline : 28 March 2014
The Scottish Music Centre's Music Training and Continuing Professional Development
Fund helps individuals, organisations and networks undertake training and continuing professional development that will strengthen youth music in Scotland for the benefit of young people.
Awards to individuals will generally be within the range of £100 to £750, while the range for organisations will normally fall between £500 and £5,000. To be eligible, applicants need to work outwith school settings and already be involved in the delivery of youth music projects.
For more information, visit www.scottishmusiccentre.com/ymitraining
Area : Ardrossan
Date : Wednesday 26 March 2014
Taking place at Ardrossan Civic Centre on Wednesday 26 March 2014 from 2 –7pm, the
Funding Roadshow will feature representatives from:

Big Lottery

BBC Children in Need

The Robertson's Trust

NAC Grants

Paths for All

Community Right to Buy

The Climate Challenge Fund

The Shaw Trust
 The Life Changes Trust
And many more . . .
This funding road show is a free event and is being organised in partnership with North
Ayrshire Council and the Third Sector Interface for North Ayrshire. The event will also provide information on what sources of funding is available and advice on how to write a successful application. Just turn up!
For more information, contact Ayrshire Community Trust on tel: 01294 443044.

Deadline: 28 April 2014
The Women Make Music grant scheme from the Performing Right Society (PRS) provides financial support of up to £5000 to women musicians.
New music in any genre is welcome, from classical, jazz and experimental, to urban, electronica and pop. Through the scheme, support is available to individuals and organisations/groups, including solo performers, solo songwriters or composers, promoters or event producers, bands/ensembles/orchestras, local authorities and schools, etc.
For more information, please visit www.prsformusicfoundation.com/Funding/Women-
Make-Music
Deadline: 31 March 2014 for expressions of interest
Nesta is currently running a £14 million Innovation Fund, to provide financial and non-financial support to help the impact and reach of innovations that mobilise people to help each other, working alongside public services.
They are currently looking for innovative ventures and programmes that use social action to help unemployed people improve their skills and get back to work, including through supporting enterprise and self-employment.
The Innovation Fund can provide financial support from £50,000 to £500,000 to individual ventures or programmes. The Innovation Fund is able to support public services, charities, social enterprises and for profit businesses provided they can demonstrate that their projects will deliver public benefit.
For more information, visit www.nesta.org.uk/project/centre-social-action-innovationfund

Deadline: 28 February & 31 August 2014
Healthy Heart Grants of up to £5,000 or £10,000 are available for new, original and innovative projects that actively promote heart health and help to prevent, or reduce, the risk of heart disease in specific groups or communities.
The grants are open to all groups, but they are very keen to hear from any not-for-profit organisations, from small voluntary or grass-root development groups through to charitable arms of sporting organisations.
Since the start of the Healthy Heart Grant programme they have funded over £1.2 million of exciting projects around the UK; from cycling projects for the visually impaired to circus skills workshops for teenagers.
For more information, and to download guidelines and application forms, visit the
Heart Research UK website .
Area: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland
Individuals and small groups of young people aged 14-25 are invited to apply for grants of up to £500 to run a project to benefit their community.
Over the past five years, over 800 grants have been awarded to young people who have used their creativity and passion to develop projects including stand-up comedy sessions to help young people build their confidence, cycling lessons to give young women from Bangladeshi communities independence, and a community 'earth ship' to educate local people about ecofriendly living.
Visit the website for further details and to download an application form:

vinspired.com/vcashpoint
Deadline: Monday 31 March 2014, 9am
St Magnus International Festival is seeking tenders to develop the Festival’s business and commercial activities for one year in order to achieve the outcomes required from the twelve month Collaborative Creative Communities pilot project which is being funding by Highlands & Islands Enterprise.
They are expecting the successful tenderer to come up with responses which are exciting, creative, innovative, realistic and achievable. The Festival’s initial views are that these could inclu de, but are not limited to, development around Festival’s brand, broadcasting, publishing, cultural tourism, commercial partnerships and sponsorship partnerships. The ideas should not be mutually exclusive.
As the pilot project only has one year in which to show results they expect that the successful tenderer will be dynamic, pro-active, self-starting and self-managing and will have extensive experience and a successful track record in ideas generation, change management, innovation and the delivery of tangible high quality results.
It is not expected that the successful tenderer will be based in or work from the Festival office in Kirkwall. The full tender brief is available from www.stmagnusfestival.com
or on request from: Tanya McGill, Festival Manager, St Magnus International Festival, 60 Victoria Street,
Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DN. Email: recruitment@stmagnusfestival.com
. Tel: 01856.871445.
Area : Paisley
Deadline : 25 April 2014
Paisley Thread Mill Museum, West College Scotland and Weaving Musical Threads are

working in partnership to bring the Great Tapestry of Scotland to Paisley.
This is a unique opportunity to help with the world’s longest tapestry which will be on display in the historic Anchor Mill in Paisley from 3 May to 8 June. They are looking for people who can either invigilate, sell merchandise in the exhibition shop, supervise or assist with craft workshops.
The exhibition will be open every Tuesday to Sunday from 3 May - 8 June, 10am-6pm, with late opening until 8pm on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. If you have a few hours to spare and would like to help with this exciting project please get in touch.
For further information, please email: admin@paisleythreadmill.co.uk
or tel:
01418471111
Deadline : Wednesday 30 April 2014, 12pm
Jupiter Artland is a sculpture park based on the outskirts of Edinburgh. There are many works by today's leading artists, sculptors and land artists that have been commissioned and then constructed in situ.
They are currently looking for summer volunteers to help invigilate the artwork within the indoor galleries and outdoor parkland whilst they are open to the public. Jupiter Parkland is open from Saturday 17 May – Sunday 28 September 2014, on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
There are also volunteering opportunities to help out on their Artsparks courses, children’s birthday parties and within their team of landscape gardeners. You should have excellent communication skills, as it is essential that all visitors are greeted in a polite manner, a get up and go attitude with excellent attention to detail.
To apply, please email pauline@jupiterartland.org
with a covering letter letting them know what area you would like to volunteer in and days/dates you would be available.
Or tel: or call 01506 889900 for more information.

Area : Glasgow
Deadline : 26 March 2014, 12pm
The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland is seeking an Ensembles Administrator. This is a permanent, full time post (35 hours per week).
Evening, weekend and public holiday working hours will be required, and the Ensembles
Administrators are required to be in residence at residential courses and tours and take an active lead in the courses.
Main Duties will include: planning and running NYOS orchestral and classical ensembles; overseeing additional courses and projects outwith the main core range of activities and supporting all NYOS ensemble activities.
For a full job description, please visit the NYOS website
Area : Edinburgh
Deadline : 21 March 2014, 12pm
Creative Pathways is Impact Art's 18-week employability project, working with young people aged 16 – 19 who were previously not in education, employment or training.
Participants are engaged with Impact Arts’ dedicated and inspiring tutors to undertake a structured programme of learning and training. They can choose between 3 pathways; Eco
Design — focused on set design, prop and product development; Eco-Chic Costume Design
— a costume design and fashion business project; or Performance – a drama, music and movement project.
Your role is to design and deliver a high quality and structured programme, in line with the
Creative Pathways objectives. You will lead and support a group of up to 15 young people teaching skills in performance, drama, theatre arts, music, movement and creative writing and the use of new media for example podcasting, and other relevant subject areas.
You will be highly skilled in theatre arts, drama performance, music or movement and have

the ability to adapt to work in a variety of creative art forms.
For more information, visit www.impactarts.co.uk/content/jobs
Area : Peebles, Scottish Borders
Deadline : 24 March 2014, 5pm
Following receipt of a Creative Place Award 2014 from Creative Scotland, Peebles has been given an exciting opportunity to develop some new and imaginative events that will enhance the artistic life of the town, and attract visitors from near and far.
The partners involved are therefore looking to appoint a freelance Project Co-ordinator to help develop, manage and promote a programme of creative events and activities in the town from April 2014 till the end of the year. The programme is structured around a featured event or festival each month, and will cover a range of different art forms.
This full-time post will be based primarily at the Eastgate Theatre and Arts Centre, and will involve liaison with other partner organisations such as Crossing Borders, Tweedlove, Nomad
Beat, Peebles Arts Festival, John Buchan Museum, as well as a range of other organisations and individual artists. Hours will be flexible, and will include some evenings and weekends.
For further information, please email: caroline.adam@eastgatearts.com
or tel: 01721
725777, or visit the Eastgate website
Area: Fife
Deadline : 21 March 2014
The Anstruther Improvements Association is looking for a marketing and programme development professional to provide up to 38 days consultancy between appointment and
July 2014.

The brief relates to a community building in Anstruther West, Fife, recently relaunched as the
Dreel Halls, and will involve:

Developing and implementing activities, projects, performances and events at the Halls to target the local community and beyond, ensuring the Halls are well positioned for a
 financially sustainable future;
Developing and beginning implementation of a marketing and PR strategy aimed at local residents;

Building relationships with the community and other relevant individuals and bodies.
They are seeking someone with practical experience of working with local communities, developing and managing events, programming venues and marketing/PR. Applicants should also be keen, enthusiastic and committed self-starters with excellent communication skills, an ability to get on with a wide range of people and a positive attitude.
This project is being part-financed by the Scottish Government and the European Community
LEADER in Fife programme 2007-2013. It is also part-funded by Fife Council. The AIA
Trustees will support and manage the contract.
If you would like further information please contact Kate Anstruther on email:
Deadline : Friday 28 March 2014, 5pm
Cultural Enterprise Office is Scotland’s specialist business support and development service for creative microbusinesses and cultural practitioners operating in Scotland’s creative industries and cultural economy.
They are currently seeking to appoint a new Chair and several new Board members who will bring a broad range of skills and expertise to the Boards of Cultural Enterprise Office and its trading subsidiary, Cultural Enterprise Ltd.
Bringing significant leadership and governance experience whilst demonstrating a strong and visible passion and commitment to the vision and values of Cultural Enterprise Office, their
Chair will have a rich understanding both of the needs of the practising artist and of the
Creative Industries.
They will be well placed within the organisation’s realm of stakeholders including Scottish
Government, Local Government and key Creative, Cultural and Economic Development
Agencies. The Chair will be plugged into key networks and act as both an ambassador and

public face of Cultural Enterprise Office.
Cultural Enterprise Office hopes to appoint new Board members from the following sectors: arts, design, games, technology, communications, legal, finance, investment and HR.
The Board is the governing and legally responsible body for the companies Cultural
Enterprise Office and Cultural Enterprise Ltd.
To find out more about this position and about what they do, please visit www.culturalenterpriseoffice.co.uk
Deadline: Friday 14 March 2014, 12 noon
Imaginate Festival is Scotland’s international festival of performing arts for children and young people. This year's festival takes place from Monday 5 to Monday 12 May
2014, in venues across Edinburgh.
It relies on the support of a team of volunteers each year to make the Festival happen.
Festival Assistants are the public face of the Imaginate Festival; helping school, family and delegate audiences at each venue, staffing industry and guest events, and supporting the
Festival team behind the scenes throughout the week.
In return for your time and commitment you’ll be able to see Festival performances and attend social events, and take part in a hugely exciting, creative and rewarding week.
You don’t have to be available for the full week, as shifts will be assigned. They ask for a good knowledge of spoken English, combined with an interest in working with young people, arts and culture or the voluntary sector.
To apply or for further information, please contact festival co-ordinator Andrew Eaton-
Lewis on andrew@imaginate.org.uk

This year's Voluntary Arts Week will take place from 9 - 18 May - so it's time to think about how you could get involved!
What's it all about?
Voluntary Arts Week is an annual celebration of cultural creativity. It's a way of showcasing what's already happening across the UK and Republic of Ireland - and encouraging others to join in.
What could you do?
Are you part of a group? Then why not show others what you do? Hold an open rehearsal or 'come and try' session. This year, we have two exciting projects to get involved with:


- decorate your area in colourful craft! Get together with fellow crafters to turn your local parks and buildings into a riot of colour.
- bring a smile to people's faces by bursting into song, dance or any kind of performance when people least expect it.
The Voluntary Arts Week website is currently being updated. When it's ready to go in mid-
March, you can add your own events, check out what others are doing, and download resources such as the CraftBomb and Flashmob packs to help you plan your event.
To view more arts events, or add your own, visit www.voluntaryarts.org/category/arts-events .

Unwind with a Book

The Absolutely Other: Exhibition of Prints by Mary Modeen

WHALE Arts - Craft Fairs (Edinburgh)

Hybrid Making - New work from Australia, Canada & Scotland
 Illuminated Letters: International Women’s Day Exhibition

Joyworks! Spring Laugh In

Arts in the Park
 Art ‘Works’ Exhibition - from Art in Healthcare's outreach programme

Let's Hang On - A Tribute to Frankie Valli








Elaine C Smith

Place (exhibitions)

Singin' I'm No A Billy, He's A Tim

Moray Arts Club - Member's Exhibition

Artist Talk by Rebecca Gouldson: Industrial Shift

Helensburgh Orchestral Society - Spring Concert

Rebecca Gouldson: The Industrial Shift

Motherwell College Musical Theatre students - Grease



Joyworks ! Laughter Yoga Leadership Weekend

Glasgow International Launch Event
 East End Women’s Heritage Walk

Oscar and the Lost City of the Incas

Little Princess Goldtree
GI: Palaces, Ballrooms and Battling Betty McAllister
A Feminist Chorus
The Pied Piper: In the Litte Fawn Caravan
Hats off to Led Zeppelin
Spring Fling 2014! - showcase for ages 50+
Hidden Gems of Garnethill Heritage Walk
World Book Night: Book Give Away
Badges of Honour Exhibition


Women of the Merchant City Heritage Walk
The Magic of Motown


Buddy Holly and the Cricketers
The Gruffalo


Women of the Necropolis Walk
The Livingston Players - Jesus Christ Superstar


Louise Hopkins & Carol Rhodes: Drawings, Paintings and Prints
What The Ladybird Heard
 Angelina Ballerina

Calum Colvin: The Magic Box

Nana Shiomi - '6+9=Zero, 9+6=Infinity'
To view more training events, or add your own, visit www.voluntaryarts.org/category/training-events .


Basic Lapidary Course - Learn how to cut and polish semi precious stones

Talking Bodies: an introduction to Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies
An Introduction to Arts Management (part of Interchange 2014, Aberdeen)

Crossover Scotland Creative Lab
 Inputs, Outputs and Outcomes

Federation of Scottish Theatre Producer Placement Bursary
 DrawingOutIdeas with Graphics and Cartoons

Crossover Scotland Development Lab

 Presetation Skills - Presenting a memorable message
You are receiving this enews because you opted in at www.voluntaryarts.org/runningyourgroup .
Unsubscribe kelly@vascotland.org.uk
from this list.
Our mailing address is:
Voluntary Arts Scotland The Creative Exchange, 29 Constitution Street Edinburgh, Scotland EH6 7BS United
Kingdom
Copyright (C) 2014 Voluntary Arts Scotland All rights reserved.