ART will be showcased as part of the Royal National Mod in Perth this October for the first time since the event began.
An Comunn Gaidhealach is set to expand the ways in which it celebrates and champions different facets of Gaelic culture and Scottish life by incorporating an art exhibition and competition into the Royal National Mod, a fixture which will become part of the annual programme of events.
This year’s Royal National Mod is set to take place in Perth from October 14 to 22, and is world famous for its traditional music, spoken word and drama competitions and events.
The Highland Art Prize aims to promote art and artists from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
The event is presented by the Highland Society of London, in conjunction with An Comunn Gaidhealach and Perth and Kinross Council.
The exhibition will be held at Perth’s City Contemporary Art Gallery and will be open to the public with free entry throughout the duration of The Royal National Mod.
The exhibition will contain around 60 artworks selected and submitted by art organisations from around the Highlands and Islands, including local arts associations as well as galleries and community groups, all of whom have enthusiastically embraced the new addition to the Royal National Mod programme. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, September 15.
The competition will be judged by Heather Dewar, the Islay artist and presenter of BBC ALBA’s Dealbhan Fraoich. A shortlist will be announced at the beginning of the Mod week, and the prize-giving will take place at the City Contemporary Art Gallery at 12.30pm on Friday, October 21. The prize-giving will be free and open to all.
The £1000 prize will be shared between the winning artist and their corresponding art organisation, to help support local participation in art. The winning artist will also have the opportunity to present their work at an exhibition at the Briggait in Glasgow during 2023.
Duncan Byatt, president of the Highland Society of London, said: “The Highland Art Prize is an opportunity to celebrate and promote the diverse range of artists working across the Highland and Islands and to provide a national platform for their work.
“We are grateful to An Comunn Gaidhealach and Perth & Kinross Council for including this exhibition within the wider celebration of Gaelic culture which is the Royal National Mod.
“The Highland Society of London is dedicated to supporting both the arts and the Gaelic tradition of the Highlands, and this annual exhibition should prove to be a stimulating combination of the two.”
James Graham, An Comunn Gaidhealach chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to be incorporating art into the Royal National Mod this year for the very first time. The Highland Art Prize is a fantastic opportunity for artists in the Highlands and Islands to showcase their work.
“Art is an important expression of Scottish cultural life and one that will feature proudly as part of the Mod programme from now on.”
