The Scottish Community Foundation today (Monday 22 June, 2009) revealed the Scottish Book Trust, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and Edinburgh College of Art as the successful projects to progress to Stage 2 of the £3M Arts Funding Prize for Edinburgh.

The three short-listed projects fought off competition from 10 other Edinburgh based arts organisations to be in the running for the £3M prize. The prize – administered by the Scottish Community Foundation on behalf of an anonymous donor - is to create an arts facility of cultural and architectural merit in the Capital, in either a new or refurbished building.

The Scottish Book Trust’s proposal is to significantly improve the Trust’s premises at Sandeman House, off the Royal Mile. With a more useful space, the Trust hopes to work collaboratively with neighbours and colleagues in the literature sector, such as the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust, The Scottish Storytelling Centre and The Scottish Poetry Library, to create Scotland’s Literary Quarter. The Trust also aims to create an education centre within the nearby historic Trinity Apse (currently the Brass Rubbing Centre).

As an ambitious development to building new premises on their existing site in Newhaven, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop is seeking funding for a new world class research and production facility, the ‘Creative Laboratories’, which will be built alongside the new workshop building. The Creative Laboratories will include dedicated research spaces and a dynamic outdoor arena to support ambitious research, sculpture production and cross-disciplinary activity. The proposed new space will also provide the city with a unique venue for events, performances and exhibitions.

Edinburgh College of Art wishes to create a secure, modern and highly visible gallery space to display rare works of art from its own extensive collections. It would also provide state-of-the-art gallery space to valuable works from touring collections, which are too small for larger galleries in the city. The proposed design – which includes large outdoor sculptural plinths - would make the College more visible and accessible to the wider community.

The decision was reached by the prestigious judging panel of Professor Charles McKean, professor of Scottish Architectural History at Dundee University; Rt. Hon Lord William Prosser, former Chairman of Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland and Colin Liddell, a trustee of the Scottish Community Foundation and expert in charity law.

The panel was chaired by Bob Benson, also a trustee of the Scottish Community Foundation, said: ‘The judging panel is looking for a winner who has a viable idea to create a socially inclusive arts facility, which will add value to the arts in Scotland. The winning proposal will also have a physicality that will add to the Capital’s landscape. The panel felt the Scottish Book Trust, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and Edinburgh College of Art all have the potential to deliver these things.

‘I would like to thank all of the organisations that submitted applications to the £3M Arts Funding Prize for Edinburgh. Each entry demonstrated ambition, creativity and an enormous drive to add to Edinburgh’s vibrant arts scene.’

Marc Lambert, chief executive of the Scottish Book Trust, said: ‘This is a really important step for us. Whether we win or lose, we’re delighted our proposal stood up to the competition. To progress to the next stage of the competition is not only exciting for the Scottish Book Trust, but for all those who have a stake in literature in Scotland, including readers, writers, publishers and our colleagues in the literature sector.’

Irene Kernan, director of Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, said: ‘While we continue to move forward with the planned new workshop and studio centre, the chance to expand our vision so significantly through the addition of the Creative Laboratories building is really exciting. The Arts Funding Prize for Edinburgh would enable us to provide vital facilities for more ambitious research, international projects and events, and would also add a major new public dimension to our activities.’

Michael Wood, College Secretary for Edinburgh College of Art, said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to be short-listed. Since consolidating 11 buildings on three campuses across the city onto one unified campus at Lauriston Place, we’ve been keen to improve the frontage of the Hunter Building, and create a high quality, secure gallery space, which would be fully accessible to the public. Of course, money has been a barrier to us progressing with this idea, so the possibility of winning the £3M Arts Funding Prize for Edinburgh is incredibly exciting.’

Short-listed entrants will be required to develop their proposals in detail, with funding of up to £10,000 available to assist each of them in doing so, ahead of the Stage 2 summer 2010 deadline. The Scottish Community Foundation will announce the winning entry later that year.

ENDS

Further Enquiries

Nadine Urquhart, Scottish Community Foundation - 0131 524 0304

Notes to Editors

• If you would like to speak to Bob Benson, Marc Lambert, Irene Kernan or Michael Wood, please telephone Nadine Urquhart on 0131 524 0304 to arrange.
• There are artist impressions available for each of the named projects. Please email nadine@scottishcf.org to request images.

About the £3M Arts Funding Prize for Edinburgh

• The prize is being funded by an anonymous donor. All administration of the prize, including assessment of the applications and the eventual award of £3M, will be handled by the Scottish Community Foundation.
• The primary purpose of proposed projects must be to create an amenity, or building, whose primary purpose is to encourage public participation in the arts, or for the provision of facilities for artists. 
• Funding must be solely for capital work (i.e. design and construction) for the creation of a new or refurbished building. 
• The sitting on the judging panel are Professor Charles McKean, professor of Scottish Architectural History at Dundee University; Rt. Hon Lord William Prosser, former Chairman of Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland, Colin Liddell, a trustee of the Scottish Community Foundation and expert in charity law and Bob Benson, a trustee of the Scottish Community Foundation and chair of the judging panel. Distinguished architect Isi Metzstein, a former professor at Edinburgh School of Architecture, was unable to participate in this round of judging through ill health, but it is hoped he will be able to take part in deciding on the winner.

About the Scottish Community Foundation

• The Scottish Community Foundation distributes charitable funds on behalf of its clients. It works with people and organisations to help them give to good causes effectively and inexpensively. It offers independent advice on philanthropic giving, and distributes charitable funds through its professional grant-making service.