Looking back on 2020
It has been a really tough year, but we take massive solice in the amazing community gravitating, and growing around Gaada. It is because of this community that, despite this horrific ongoing pandemic, we have managed to end the year together with a lot of positive achievements behind us and with still so much to look forward to ahead!
Gaada would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has worked with us in 2020 - whether it was by attending a workshop, getting involved in one of the many projects, buying art from the online shop, or simply answering one of our many questions! Thank you to our local community in Shetland, the amazing artists on our doorstep and across the world, and the huge network of generous people who have advised us and helped grow Gaada over the year.
Today is Auld Newerdy [old new years day] in Foula, the island of our namesake Gaada Stack (a very special sea stack), and what better way to celebrate the new year by having a look back at 2020. So here’s our year, at a glance…
January
Creative Scotland awards funding for the Weemin’s Wark project to begin in March
The funding allows us to equip the Gaada workshop with: an overhead projector and large screen, an etching press (pictured), a letterpress, a computer, an urn, and materials. Importantly it secures regular pay for artworkers Amy and Daniel, 2 days a week for one year.
‘Artist one-to-one’ workshops continue to run with Shetland based artists
Gaada launches an online shop with an edition ‘4 Cards for Various Occasions’ by artist Struan Haswell
February
Getting the studio ready for the first Weemin’s Wark workshops to begin in March
Japan based developer Celsys Inc kindly donated software for artist Rhys’ Mouat to develop his digital drawing skills and continue work on his fantasy comic saga!
A local volunteer group accessed the Island Zine Library to get inspiration for a community publication project
The Daylight Company donated some amazing lightweight light boxes to the workshop
March
Another fantastic edition by artist Struan Haswell is added to the online shop
Finish off the last of installing new equipment, including hand stretching a fabric screen for the new projector!
Covid-19 Pandemic errupts and Scotland enters lockdown!
Weemins Wark is put on hold
Quarantzine is launched! The whole world works online…
Artist One-to-One’s go digital!
Gaada talks to Janice Forsyth about Covid-19 initiatives on BBC Radio Scotland’s The Afternoon Show.
April
Gaada collaborates with artist Struan Haswell for Self Directed Support Scotland’s 2020 conference
Weemin’s Wark is completely reconfigured so the project can progress during Coronavirus
Quarantzine Issue 1 is launched after over 160 entries from artists around the world!
May
Artist One-to-one’s continue remotely, with Gaada staff able to continue accessing the workshop…
A new edition of Struan Haswell’s “Are You Okay?” cards help folk wondering how that friend/family member/colleague is really doing!
Quarantzine Issue 2 is launched!
Gaada was featured in Scottish Contemporary Art Network’s Covid Impact Survey alongside Dundee Contemporary Arts and GoMA.
Gaada was commissioned by OSR Projects to create an ERRATA installation for Od Festival which took place in Yeovil, Somerset. Gaada Director Amy Gear took part in a remote Q&A about art workers in rural locales.
Project organising continues to bubble away on Weemin’s Wark v2.0
June
Following the global outcry after the tragic death of George Floyd in America, Shetland communities organised an island-wide demonstration of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Quarantzine Issue 3 is launched! By now issues 1 + 2 had over 300 submissions from across the world with 1457 individual readers who have spent over 179 combined hours reading the publications!
Artist One-to-One’s continue remotely: engraving plates are sent to the studio via Royal Mail and printed during Zoom calls.
Project organising continues to bubble away on Weemin’s Wark v2.0 …
July
SCVO Wellbeing Grant helps us to run socially distanced screenprinting workshops in the garden of artist Mari Johnson
Gaada secures core Interim Funding from the Shetland Charitable Trust for 2020/21 🥳
Quarantzine Issue 4 is launched!
August
Display installed by Brian Anderson from Burra based BA Builders (and did an excellent job!)
Artist Brooke Palmieri runs their first remote workshop with local equality group Up Helly Aa For Aa
Gaada begins production of Brooke’s exhibition materials
Gaada starts to welcome artists back into the studio for socially-distanced Artist One-to-One’s
September
Shetland artist Mari Johnson christens Display with an exhibition of her recent drawings.
Gaada continues to run blend of socially distanced + remote Artist One-to-One workshops
The first exhibition from Weemin’s Wark opens – Brooke Palmieri ‘Take Nothing for Granted: Theses on History’.
Gaada asks for applications to our first ever programme of Workshop Bursaries.
October
Art Honesty Box makes its debut: made by Burra joiner Ali Bruce + hand painted by Daniel
Vivian (Programme Coordinator) and Johan (Finance Administrator) join the Gaada team, each working one day a week.
Gaada welcomes artist Brian Sinclair to the workshop for Artist One-to-One’s
Public ‘Bubble Workshops’ are announced and quickly sell out
Exhibition #2 from Weemin’s Wark opens - Holly Graham ‘No winder you canna catch fish’
Artist Joyce Davies exhibits some of her Gaada screenprints at the Intersect Art Fair in Chicago (USA)
Artist Struan Haswell raises £30 for Donkey Heaven santuary through sales of his ‘Are You Okay’ card.
November
Gaada’s Peer Group programme commences
Gaada welcomes 3 new directors and an advisory board (more on this soon!)
Exhibition #3 from Weemin’s Wark opens - Hannah Harkes ‘As Long As We Make It’
December
After nearly 1 year in the making, artist Rhys Mouat’s fantasy epic comic goes to print (more soon!)
Peer Group continues with an incredible talk with artist Beth Collar
A range of Yule Cards are launched featuring work by Gaada artists
Weemin’s Wark exhibition #4 opens - Isabel Greenberg ‘Eetum Peetum Penny Pie’
Gaada produces an edition of two beautiful screenprints in collaboration with Isabel!
Preparations begin for Weemin’s Wark to be shipped to the Glasgow Women’s Library in January
The Shetland Charitabe Trust agrees to part-fund Gaada’s core programme into 2022!
The Future
With an increased presence of Coronavirus in Shetland, Gaada took the difficult decision to extend our winter closure to the public throughout January. We continue to operate with a skeleton crew within the studio, doing our best to deliver activities remotely wherever possible.
Who knows what 2021 holds, but we really do hope to see you this year. Stay strong. Happy Newerdy everybody!
x Gaada
