Round up: If Only We Had the Space & Fire Stories

It's was wonderful to welcome Craft Scotland: If Only We Had the Space and Fire Stories: We Make the Road by Walking to Platform recently - with packed audiences for both events. 

In October, we hosted If Only We Had the Space panel discussion and exhibition (17- 26 Oct), which focused on contemporary craft responding to modern and contemporary politics of housing, property rights and access to ‘space’. The exhibition was curated by Rachel Ashenden, Soizig Carey, Jemima Dansey-Wright and Murray Morrant - and delivered in association with Craft Scotland, as part of COMPASS: Emerging Curator Programme, and Katy West, Programme Lead.  

A special panel discussion with Dr Adele Patrick and Deirdre Nelson took place surrounding the topic - hearing more about Adele’s decades-long activism and experience in housing projects, including Take Root, a pioneering women’s timber frame, self build housing project.  Known for her ability to translate social commentary into textiles, Deirdre spoke about her work featured in the exhibition: ‘Surplus’  - is a bright red knitted money box depicting a new-build house. It was created in response to Irish ghost estates (unoccupied or in varying states of disrepair or dereliction) that still exist as a result of the 2008 property crash.  

We rounded off with a drinks reception in The Den space at Platform and hosted free, drop in creative activities for kids by artist Jeni Allison to keep the wee ones entertained.

Celebrating a Century of Community Land in Scotland, the Fire Stories: We Make the Road by Walking event (Sat 2 Nov) was a cosy and relaxed afternoon of chat, song, poetry, film and performance - with sharing of histories and stories of The Craigallian Fire, Radical Glasgow, Scottish Land Reformers and the Community Spirit of Easterhoose! With a full turn out, the event focused round a ‘fireplace' set up, hosted by artist Keira McLean with special guests The Red Flag Players, Iain Craig from a Century of Community Land Digital Archive In Scotland, Doctur Normal, Joey Simons, Stephen MaGuire, Radical Glasgow Tours, Glasgow Struggle Housing Archive, Living Rent, Easterhouse Poet Laureate Jim Ferguson and Angela McLauchlin. 

We also have Two-Step's Scribbling/Scrabbling large scale artwork exhibition on and running until 11 January 2025 - free admission and drop in!

If Only We Had the Space images: Elaine Fisher