A STRIKING tribute to the Scottish business community’s support for the arts will be publicly unveiled this week as the two creative talents behind the piece prepare for seven months of work to culminate at a prestigious awards ceremony in Aberdeen.
North-east artist, Conan Abel, and Edinburgh-based Kathryn Hinton have collaborated to create the striking design for the individual awards which will be presented to category winners at the Arts and Business Scotland Awards in Aberdeen this week.
The public in Aberdeen can get a first glimpse of the creation at Seventeen, the centre for the arts on Belmont Street, between now and the ceremony.
It will be staged at the Music Hall on Wednesday (October 30), showcasing successful partnerships between the arts and businesses during the past year.
The gala event is being supported by Aberdeen Inspired, which is the banner under which the Aberdeen BID (Business Improvement District) operates.
It is a business-led initiative within the city centre in which levy payers within the BID zone contribute. Proceeds are used to fund projects designed to improve the business district.
The organisation has sponsored the creation of the award object the winners will receive, with SMART Consultants responsible for the commission and management of the project.
Abel and Hinton have combined to produce an innovative piece to reward winners and also put artistic talent in the spotlight.
Susan Bree, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Arts and Business Scotland Awards.
“The ceremony will bring a fresh focus to Aberdeen city centre and it is wonderful that our own arts community will be at the centre of that thanks to the inspiration provided by Conan and Kathryn’s work on the awards.
“We have a commitment to promoting links between business and culture as part of Aberdeen Inspired’s remit to create a buzz in the city centre and being involved in these awards is a good fit as they are designed to recognise some of best creative partnerships in Scotland.
“On a local level, we’re keen to explore opportunities on that same theme and have had success in previous projects with SMART Consultants, including the recent Interzone and PLAY Park initiatives. Creative thinking is key to our efforts to inspire positive change in Aberdeen.”
Ten awards will be presented on the evening, with each of the winners receiving a handmade version of the Abel and Hinton design.
David Watts, chief executive of Arts and Business Scotland, said: “Arts and Business Scotland is very much looking forward to holding the ceremony at the Music Hall in Aberdeen on Wednesday.
“The support we have received from the Aberdeen business community has been overwhelming and the award objects sponsored by Aberdeen Inspired are indeed inspiring, pairing the creativity of two of Scotland’s leading artists.”
For the artists this week’s ceremony will mark the grand unveiling of their latest work. Abel, who designs and creates contemporary craft objects from his studio in Aberdeen, specialises in woodwork. Hinton is a designer, jeweler and silversmith who divides her time between her family’s home in the north-east and her base Edinburgh.
Conan Abel said: “For Kathryn and I it was an interesting project from the perspective of bringing our ideas and skills together. We’re very pleased with the result – it will be very satisfying to see what began as a sketched concept being presented on the evening.
“Throughout the process we were conscious of the theme of partnership and the bond between arts and business. Kathryn and I know from our own experiences the positive support there is for the arts from the business community and developing those links is the driving force behind the Arts and Business Scotland Awards.”
ENDS
Issued on behalf of Aberdeen Inspired by Citrus:Mix. For further information please contact Paul Smith on 01224 439983, e-mail paul.smith@citrusmix.com or contact Elaine Porter on 01224 566291 or Elaine.porter@aberdeeninspired.com.
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