The vibrant contemporary art scene in Scotland has been developed with institutional support but has also arisen from a critical mass of artist-led initiative. Generations of artists and cultural workers have taken responsibility for the development of one of the most discussed and revered contemporary art scenes of our time.
The attention that contemporary art from Scotland gains on an international level would not have been possible without the artists, educators, independent curators, critics, writers, project managers, institutions, agencies and new commercial galleries that support and promote the cultural ecology of Scotland.
As well as producing traditional artworks, artists and cultural workers in Scotland are recognised for expanded practices that have developed a host of initiatives such as: creating publishing and distribution systems; initiating and sustaining studio provision; establishing and maintaining artist-led spaces, setting up temporary galleries, managing record labels, programming events and screenings, curating exchange programmes and developing project-led and studio-based practices.
In tandem Scotland has also developed new institutions and refined existing ones. Certain institutions have not only been responsive to contemporary artists living in Scotland but also been active in supporting them by cultivating new forms of programming, committing to commissioning new works and most recently by collecting. Living artists in Scotland are being collected in our museums, their work and labour being valued and archived at this point in our artistic history.
The contemporary art scene in Scotland has been developed with an international perspective that has been influenced by: nomadic artistic practices; cultural exchanges and residency programmes; international programming policies; student exchange programmes; high levels of fine art graduate retention and a sensibility of generosity between cultural workers to share contacts and networks. This has resulted in creating a cultural scene that people move to Scotland to become active amidst.
Collectively these initiatives have provided Scotland with a heritage of projects and behaviours that have positioned the artist as a significant agent for cultural development.
