CONTEMPORARY ARTS INSPIRED BY ROBERT BURNS
25 JANUARY – 10 MARCH 2018
Burns Unbroke is a new contemporary multi-arts festival, celebrating the variety of artistic and performing practices currently on offer in Scotland, and beyond, through the unique prism offered by new interpretations of the life and work of Robert Burns.
Burns Unbroke is a partnership between Sheilagh Tennant of artruist and Summerhall, which will ambitiously develop the potential of this unique venue for a multiplicity of arts activity under one thematic banner.
The festival’s innovative visual arts programme features over 30 visual artists, including Graham Fagen and Laura Ford. There will be newly commissioned work by four Scottish based artists. In addition, the focussed programme of events includes an Alternative Burns Night, spoken word performances, children’s performances and a tailor made programme of music. Interdisciplinarity is at the heart of this project and new synergies will be offered to a diverse audience, providing a unique experience of contemporary interpretations of Scotland’s national bard.
An advisory panel has been appointed for Burns Unbroke: Gerry Carruthers, Professor of Scottish Literature, University of Glasgow, Calum Colvin, Professor of Contemporary Art Practice, Dundee University, Pete Irvine, Founder of Unique Events and Emma Nicolson, Director, Atlas Arts
Burns Unbroke will take place at Summerhall where the visual art will be on display in 11 galleries for six weeks, from 25 January – 10 March 2018, with the majority of performance events focussed around the weekend of 26-28 January 2018. The exhibitions will be open to the public every day throughout he six weeks and entry is free.
The primary aims will be to present a diverse programme of creative responses to Burns from visual and performing artists in order to explore Burns’s status as a ‘Scottish icon’. By widening the response to his mythologizing in our culture, audiences will be able to experience the many ways in which artists find vitality and relevance in Burns’ life, work, and status nearly 260 years after the birth of this iconic figure.
