Second Location: Bonawe
November 2022 to Present
In November 2022, the installation was relocated to The Ardchattan Centre in Bonawe, a community that has undergone a significant decline in its population over time. The Ardchattan Centre, which formerly served as the primary school for the area, was established in 1866 and had up to 150 pupils enrolled at its peak. However, due to the declining population of the area, the school was closed in 2014 as there were no longer enough students in attendance to warrant its operation.
In 2018, the local community was able to acquire the primary school and has been working towards its restoration to ensure that it remains a vital social hub for the area. The decline in population and subsequent closure of the school had a negative impact on the community, as it was left without a public space for events or engagement. To address this issue, the community came together to establish The Ardchattan Centre, and in 2020, it received funding of £157,000 from the Scottish Land Fund to purchase the former school premises from Argyll and Bute Council. The Ardchattan Centre volunteer board is currently devising plans to refurbish and enhance the facility, with the aim of returning it to the centre of the community as a hub for activity, creativity, and engagement, which can serve to create jobs and encourage repopulation.
It is inspiring to see a community reclaim a space which has always been an integral part of its social structure and to collectively take steps to combat the negative effects of depopulation in the community. I will be working with the Ardchattan Centre to select a story from the community to select a story from the local area to turn into a new sculpture to add to the installation. Stay tuned for images and updates about the upcoming addition to the installation!
The sculptures leaving Lismore via the ferry to be taken to their new home in Bonawe.