Call out for Artist to Help Co-Create Inverclyde’s Community Covid Memorial

CVS Inverclyde and Inverclyde Council are seeking to commission a local artist to co-create a memorial to remember those we have lost to the Covid-19 pandemic in Inverclyde.

Our memorial will be part of a Scotland-wide initiative called Remembering Together, delivered by greenspace scotland at the request of Scottish Government. The initiative will see a local artist working with partners to co-create a community Covid memorial in each of Scotland’s local authority areas.

The artist or creative practitioner can work in any art form: dance, theatre, visual art, craft, film, live art, literature, poetry, music, and more. The co-creation process will give space to all kinds of experience, from those with connection to people who lost lives to Covid, or those who lost their lives to other illnesses during the pandemic, as well as all those who experienced change, loss and isolation in other ways. It will also acknowledge the ways in which citizens supported each other.

CVS Inverclyde CEO, Charlene Elliott, said: “This is a hugely significant project and CVS Inverclyde is proud to be playing a leading role. The pandemic has touched every aspect of our lives and forced us to make unprecedented and often difficult changes to our normal lives.

“It is so important that we remember those we have lost in this ongoing pandemic and give a voice to those people who have suffered, and continue to suffer. The experiences and perspectives of Inverclyde residents affected by the pandemic are at the heart of the memorial and the artist will take a participatory and co-creative approach.

“Inverclyde’s contribution to the Remembering Together initiative will take an inclusive, learning and sustainable approach and is grounded in four core values: relevant, welcoming, aware, honest.

“Co-creating the memorial comes at a really important time as we are planning the Inverclyde Cares initiative: a cross-sector partnership strategy underpinned by values of kindness, compassion and equality.

“There is so much creative and artistic talent in Inverclyde and we showcased this recently with the Digital Open Studios video series. We look forward to reviewing the submissions and starting the process of co-creating Inverclyde’s community Covid memorial”.

Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “Covid-19 has had a profound impact on each and every one of us but none more so than those who have lost a loved one during the pandemic.

“It’s important that we remember those who were so cruelly taken from us directly and indirectly through coronavirus, as well as acknowledging the wider impact on our people and our community who have sacrificed so much.

“I’m pleased that we’re working with CVS Inverclyde to develop a memorial in collaboration with residents and other partner organisations that will act as a fitting tribute for all that we’ve lost.”

All details about the programme and submitting an application are on the CVS Inverclyde website: https://www.cvsinverclyde.org.uk/news/2327-inverclyde-artists-invited-to-share-their-ideas-for-covid-community-memorial