Broad Reach was a two-year curatorial residency based between ATLAS Arts and Taigh Chearsabhagh in North Uist. The residency brought together ATLAS Director Emma Nicolson and Project Curator Gayle Meikle in a partnership allowing cross-island programming. This unique partnership enabled both ATLAS and Taigh Chearsabhagh to develop their programming and bring work of international standard to a broader audience across the Hebrides.
Over the course of the project, Broad Reach worked with a range of artists developing work in a variety of forms. From exhibitions of local artists work in Taigh Chearsabhagh’s gallery spaces; to producing cross island work with international artists Joanne Tatham and Tom O’Sullivan as part of nation-wide project GENERATION: 25 years of Contemporary Art in Scotland; to hosting artists’ residencies; to bringing the first ARTISTS ROOMS exhibition in the Hebrides.
Broad Reach, a sailing term, describes letting sails out on a boat whilst sailing off the wind. A title chosen to resonate with the vision for the project and reflecting the journey of ATLAS Arts, travelling across the Minch to a neighboring island. With boating embedded in the shared culture and traditions of the islands, the expression was pertinent yet the meaning twofold, as both organisations aimed to create and deliver a curatorial programme that was outward looking and all encompassing. The two year programme aimed to reflect the broad cultural richness of the region – apt as it is said that the broad reach point of sail displays a boat in all its magnificence.
The artists /collectives worked with and presented throughout the Broad Reach programme were; Vija Clemins, Ceara Conway, In the Shadow of the Hand, Alasdair Gray, Let’s Talk About Space, Niall Macdonald, Fiona MacIssac, Norman MacLaren, Stuart McAdam, Sophie Morrish, Bobby Niven, Joanne Tatham and Tom O’Sullivan and Sharon Quigley.
A dedicated project website can be found here.