Scotland in Europe - Cultural Connections, 1939 to the Present

Regional, national, and international Museum and Gallery collections and archives narrate and evidence the close links and relations in creative practices which connect Scotland with, and position it in relation to, European contexts. Examples of this rich heritage of historical and contemporary cultural exchanges include National Galleries of Scotland’s Surrealism collections and archives, the Wilhelmina Barnes-Graham Trust, the histories and legacies of Glasgow's 1990 European Year of Culture, festivals and biennales, Scottish participation in European cultural initiatives, art school travelling scholarships, cultural relations and diplomatic policies, and Scottish artists working in a variety of capacities in Europe, and European emigré artists working in Scotland. At a time of heightened political, social, and cultural questioning of national and international identities – including Scottish and European – these creative and cultural practices and exchanges reveal crucial insights into the interconnections, shared histories, and mergings of different cultural traditions and heritages. Awareness and understanding of these are crucial for art and cultural researchers, practitioners, and professionals to be able to respond to and productively develop dialogues around these significant political contexts.

Proposals are therefore sought for 20-minute presentations which address any aspects of these exchanges from a wide range of perspectives including (but not restricted to) art histories, pedagogies, cultural policies and industries, and art and curatorial practices.

Please send abstracts (200 words maximum) to Dr Gráinne Rice (National Galleries of Scotland, GRicenationalgalleries.org) and Professor Patricia Allmer (University of Edinburgh, patricia.allmered.ac.uk), by 1 April 2021.

This one-day conference, to be held on 25 February 2022, is a collaboration between the National Galleries of Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, and is supported by an Art Fund Curatorial Network grant. Presentations will be filmed, and a publication is planned.