The School of Plural Futures is an alternative space for learning led by local folk aged 35 and under. It is a place to meet others, ask questions, try new things and engage in conversations that affect us both locally and globally.
The group is led by artist Emmie McLuskey, Emmie works with the group to programme a host of talks, screenings, trips, workshops, discussions and activities that relate to conversations including the climate crisis, land, social justice, culture and home. We regularly meet with local and international folk who are deeply invested in these discussions.
The school will meet four times a year with each session focused around a specific theme.
Sessions take place over two days and will happen in
November 2024 – Read about it here.
February 2025
May 2025
July 2025
We will also meet for an informal evening meal on Saturday 5th October as an introduction to each other.
It is important to us that everyone who wants to take part is able to. We have an access budget for each session. We understand that access needs differ for each person and we will discuss with each individual how best to accommodate them. The budget can be used for things like transport, captioning, interpretation, child care etc.
Read on for more information and how to get involved. Take a look here at Year One and Year Two to see how the school has taken shape in previous years.
How to get involved
If you are interested in joining the school or have any questions please contact Emmie via email on emmie@atlasarts.org.uk or send the ATLAS team a message or voice note via Whatsapp (07842504743) on facebook or instagram @atlasarts or at the info@atlasarts.org.uk email. We would love to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the time commitment?
We will come together for around 10 days over the year between October 2024 and July 2025. The schedule will be confirmed with the availability of the group, but we are looking for people to commit to coming along to as many sessions as possible.
2. How old do you have to be?
The school is open to anyone living in Skye, Raasay and Lochalsh who is aged 35 or under.
3. Do I have to have studied art?
No, you don't have to have studied, or have an interest in art to join the school. The school is designed by everyone who joins, and so the programme and activities will reflect the interests of everyone in the group.
4. I don't live in Skye, Raasay or Lochalsh, can I still join?
The school is for people living in the local area to speak about things that matter most to them, so is not open to people living elsewhere. Throughout the school programme, we do invite folk to join us for relevant sessions, if you think this could be you, get in touch with the ATLAS team. There will be other times throughout the year where we will have more public gatherings so keep an eye on the ATLAS events page.
5. I have access needs for submitting a note of interest/ participating in the school, can you help?
Yes, we understand people have different access needs, we will do our best to make it as easy for people to apply and take part. Get in touch with info@atlasarts.org.uk if there are ways we can make this easier.
6. What do you mean by 'alternative school'?
By 'alternative school' we mean a space to gather and learn together. There is no fixed curriculum, we recognise that everyone has something valuable to bring, and we share and learn collectively. Sometimes we'll invite people to join us who have particular knowledge or expertise we would like to learn from. There is no exam or qualification at the end, and the programme and direction of the school is decided by the group.
Access and Travel
We will do our best to make the programme as accessible as possible for everyone taking part. If you have particular access requirements, and would like to discuss them in advance, send an email to info@atlasarts.org.uk
The school will take place in different locations across Skye, Raasay and Lochalsh. Don't worry if you don't drive, we will help arrange travel with car shares/ lifts and minibuses when needed.
