Shetland Arts has a dynamic approach to arts development across a range of art forms, including film, drama, music, craft, literature, dance and visual art.
A dedicated team of specialist artform officers devises and supports a high quality programme of events and activities based on the belief that creative opportunity should be available to everybody and that an arts organisation should listen to the ideas of the community it serves, develop skills, and wherever possible, facilitate dreams, ideas and ambitions. We will continue to challenge and inspire through the work we do, and we want you to be a key voice in the shaping of our future plans.
We realise the need to be flexible and adaptive; to be driven by our community and its aspirations. It is our arts officers’ job to work with you to devise radical and exciting new activity.
Shetland Arts welcomes your ideas. Suggestions for future arts activity can go straight from your computer keyboard to our planning meetings, so please feel free to contact us. It doesn’t need to be your own project: it could be something you’d like to see happen, or an artist you’d particularly like to see visit Shetland. Just let us know about it and we’ll get back to you.
Craft
Through Craft Development, Shetland Arts would like to encourage people to experience and appreciate contemporary craft. Opportunities are available at all stages of experience: skills exchanges and workshops in new and indigenous techniques. Advice is given on skills development, creative development, exhibition, marketing and promotion to practitioners at all levels.
Dance
Are you dancing? If not, we’d like to invite you to try some of our taster sessions, from hip hop to line dancing, or join in with our traditional dance workshops and events which are run for all ages in venues around Shetland. We will also be inviting some of the most exciting dance companies in Britain to perform here – come and see them, and be inspired.
Drama
Shetland Arts has an international reputation for presenting exhilarating and innovative work through Shetland Youth Theatre. Our aim is to support and encourage community drama groups and theatre practitioners throughout Shetland, whether you are interested in acting, stage design, play writing, stage management, lighting or direction.
Film
There is growing interest throughout Shetland in film-making and digital media production. Shetland Arts supports groups and individuals in a range of activities, including the provision of a bank of specialist equipment for hire. Shetland Arts supports film exhibition also, with various screening initiatives at the Garrison Theatre and at other venues, and we run Shetland’s annual film festival, Screenplay.
Literature
From writers’ residencies to readers’ groups, song writing to Shetland’s annual book festival, Wordplay, Shetland Arts encourages readers and writers of all ages and interests throughout the islands. We promote Shetland’s literature at home and abroad and encourage the Shetland dialect in its various spoken and written forms.
Music
Music is embedded in our cultural heritage and identity. We take Shetland’s music all over the world and bring the world’s music to Shetland at every opportunity. Shetland Arts strives to inspire and support musicians and music lovers of all ages and in all genres. Now that the digital age is with us, we intend to exploit the opportunities it offers for education, training, marketing and performance.
Visual Art
Shetland Arts offers a vibrant visual arts exhibition and education programme, supplemented with events, residencies, exchanges and workshops. We are committed to supporting both professional artists and arts in the community by offering training and employment opportunities for artists and activities for individuals and groups across Shetland.
