Peacock Visual Arts

Peacock Visual Arts (PVA) is the main contemporary visual arts organisation in Aberdeen and the North-east of Scotland and is supported by Aberdeen City Council and the Scottish Arts Council.

PVA aims to play a leading role in nurturing a culture of creativity in Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland, and to be renowned internationally as a centre of excellence and innovation where artists and public engage to share and explore IDeaS and to make and present art in EXCITING, stimulating and challenging ways. PVA organises an annual programme of national and international contemporary art exhibitions, as well as talks, critical debates and workshops.

History

Peacock Printmakers (Aberdeen) Ltd. was established in 1974 by a group of artists, led by Arthur Watson, who wanted to have a facility in the city for making fine art prints. (These are prints usually made in small quantities – an edition of twenty would not be uncommon -where the artist is directly involved in their creation, as opposed to mechanical reproductions of an existing images commonly sold in the high street as “limited edition” prints.) After much searching an old workshop was found in the centre of Aberdeen and leased from the Trustees of St Andrew’s Cathedral; whilst the Scottish Arts Council agreed a grant of £2,900 (equivalent today to £18,600) for equipment and fitting out costs.

Throughout the seventies Peacock Visual Arts continued to develop and expand until the point came when larger premises were needed. It was then pointed out that the landlords, the trustees of [[St Andrews Cathedral], had a problem with their large church hall which was underused and under maintained.

On further investigation it was found that the trustees had already looked at the possibility of building a small new hall on a vacant site behind the Cathedral and were in principle behind Peacock Visual Arts moving into their large hall while also retaining Peacock’s existing building.

Both buildings off the Castlegate fall within the Castle Street conservation area at the east side of Union Street. The old workshop (now gallery), although much altered, was erected in 1710 whilst the present workshop was built as a school in 1860. The latter’s large windows giving good natural light, made ideal conditions for making art.

Peacock visual arts then began fundraising, which resulted in major grants from Aberdeen District Council, Grampian Regional Council, The Scottish Arts Council and the Scottish Tourist Board. Also at this time discussions were started with Artspace Galleries who were interested in moving their Gallery from Belmont Street into the old workshop. It was agreed that Peacock visual arts should oversee the exterior work on this building, re-slating the roof and harling the walls and then Artspace would convert the interior into two galleries while Peacock visual arts retained half the upper floor as a new framing workshop.

By the early 1990s Peacock visual arts had developed into a professional organisation with the some of the most impressive printmaking facilities in Scotland. From its earliest beginnings of employing just one, Peacock visual arts now employs 14 members of staff, numerous tutors and an ever growing band of volunteers.

Over the years Peacock visual arts has attracted many artists to work in it’s lively and busy workshop. The outcome has been a continuous and steady stream of exciting and high quality innovative work. Like all successful organisations Peacock visual arts has embraced change and has expanded and adapted to remain relevant to the needs of new generations of artists and public. It now has the widest range of visual arts production facilities openly available in Scotland and provides expert training in their use. Artists still make fine art prints at Peacock visual arts but are also as likely to be using video, photography or digital imaging.

Although Peacock Visual Arts continues to take pride in the quality of its technical facilities (such as a state of the art broadcast-standard video editing suite) and skills of its workshop team, its focus is now to bring artists and public together to share and explore ideas and to make and present art in new ways. It organises many artists, participatory and exhibition projects each year and its innovative work in visual arts education has won numerous awards.

Reflecting this expansion of activities it changed its name in 2001 to Peacock Visual Arts.

New Building

Background:

As at November 2008, Peacock Visual Arts (PVA) and their partners at Aberdeen City Council had secured over £9.5m to deliver a new international cultural centre for Aberdeen in Union Terrace Gardens. This stunning new building, designed by world-class architects Brisac Gonzalez, has full planning permission, 75% of its funding in place and will deliver significant economic, social and tourism benefits for the North-east, putting Aberdeen on the international cultural map.

This is now in jeopardy following Sir Ian Wood's announcement in November 2008 of his idea to fill in Union Terrace Gardens to create a new civic square and underground real estate. He is offering £50m towards the total cost of this on condition that at least £50m of public funds is also committed to it, and several other “parameters” or conditions. His scheme involves concreting over Union Terrace Gardens, a mature green space and municipal park. This will involve felling around 80 trees and the loss of Peacock’s new public arts centre.

What's happening now? Aberdeen City Council has empowered ACSEF (Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future), who are supporters of Sir Ian's scheme to run the public consultation process that will decide the fate of the Gardens. This was launched on January 11th 2010.

Peacock Visual Arts believes that this consultation must be objective and explore the full range of potential options for the Gardens without preordained outcomes. However, it has been confirmed that the people are only going to be asked what they want to be in Sir Ian Wood’s scheme, rather than having a broader and more fundamental debate on the future of their city centre. PVA believe that the public consultation MUST offer the people of Aberdeen a genuine opportunity to say whether they actually want a development that will cover up their Gardens forever. The citizens of Aberdeen have the right to have this debate.

Meanwhile Peacock’s funding is time-limited and project specific. The largest part of the funding package, an offer of £4.3 million from the Scottish Arts Council, runs out in March 2010. If this deadline passes without a decision PVA will be forced to abandon their plans for the Gardens and will be unable to pay for a new home when their lease runs out in two years time.

Sir Ian’s scheme therefore not only destroys a mature green space, public park and the unique topography of the city but also necessitates the abandonment of the new arts centre and the loss of the funding attached to it. If this goes ahead Aberdeen will lose a beautiful piece of its environmental heritage and a vital part of its cultural future.

Public Consultation

ACSEF have confirmed that Peacock's scheme is NOT to be included in the Public Consultation into the future of Union Terrace Gardens. PVA’s stated preference is that they would like to be part of a fair, open and inclusive process of consultation. PVA believe that as public money is being used to fund the consultation that the citizens of Aberdeen have the right to have an informed debate on the full range of options The City Council have received hundreds of emails from concerned citizens who want to ensure that the consultation process is unbiased, open-minded and that therefore it includes Peacock.

Whilst PVA understand that the consultation has been commissioned by ACSEF who are supporting Sir Ian's square plans, they believe that - as it is being paid for with public money - the process must be transparent and that therefore people must get the chance show their support for alternative uses of the Gardens including Peacock's new Arts Centre which has had over £1million of public money invested in it to date. Peacock's new arts centre has full planning permission, is fully costed and has secured 75% of its funding. It was ready to break ground in 2009 with doors opening to the public in 2011.

Peacock's development was designed to follow the natural contours of the gardens and retain the green space. As Sir Ian's vision involves filling in the Gardens in their entirety, there is no place for Peacock's original scheme in his plan. In spite of this the Scottish Arts Council agreed with the City to ring-fence Peacock's money for 12 months to allow the viability of Sir Ian's vision to be investigated. This deadline is now fast approaching and the danger is if the Peacock scheme is sacrificed whilst Sir Ian's is still being evaluated, the people of Aberdeen could end up with nothing.

PVA remain hopeful that a sensible option might still be pursued; one that uses Peacock’s money and planning permission to deliver a new arts centre as the first phase of a wider redevelopment of the Denburn Valley. However, PVA is now in an extremely vulnerable position as the City Square scheme necessitates the abandonment of their plans, the loss of their funding and of Peacock being made homeless after 35 years.

The search for a compromise

PVA approached ACSEF in late 2009 and suggested a phased approach to the regeneration of the area which could include partial decking over the dual carriageway and railway whilst retaining the Gardens and the Peacock building as designed. This inclusive compromise could give the city a win-win. It would deliver all the benefits of Sir Ian’s idea while respecting the topography and ecology of the site and not waste the £1m+ of public money already invested in the Peacock project. ACSEF have not been willing to consider this option.

Facilities

Printmaking

Peacock visual arts has the widest range of production facilities openly available anywhere in Scotland and provides expert training in their use. PVA offer equipment for screenprinting, monoprinting, etching, lithography and relief printing. Classes are available also.

Framing

Peacock Visual Arts offers a specialised picture framing service, with personal, professional advice on all aspects of conservation and preservation.

Digital

Peacock's Digital Department provides access and support for artists and individuals who wish to use digital imaging and moving image tools. Through community and artistic projects PVA encourage both participation and experimental practice. Advanced editing suite facilities are also available.

Photography

PVA has darkroom facilities and runs classes for photographers of all levels wishing to learn more about darkroom techniques.