BUDDING young artists will be sought to help co-create a Covid-19 community memorial for Clackmannanshire.

Sculptor and creative Angela Watt, founder of Resonate Together, has been appointed by Remembering Together Clackmannanshire, run by Greenspace Scotland, to drive forward the memorial project.

Artists are being commissioned in all local authority areas to honour, together with communities, people lost and remember all the ways coronavirus has affected society.

As part of the project, Angela is looking to establish a mentorship programme for nine young people or newly graduated artists and crafters.

She said: “Although Scottish Government and Greenspace Scotland have aimed these national projects at artists to deliver, Stage 1 is focused on community interaction, evidencing what the community want and compiling the report to ensure all voices are heard from residents in all areas across Clackmannanshire.

“This is a process driven route requiring many skills and a level of experience that many young people have not had the opportunity to gain yet – so let's help them!

“We will be putting out a call to contract nine young people or newly graduated arts and crafters, to be mentees.

“They will be taken through the process, learn the skills, gain the experience, get lots of project management on their CVs and yes, they will be paid in line with the Scottish Artists Union rates – it is a great opportunity for each mentee who takes part.

“Due to Resonate Together's wellbeing economic focus, we will be calling all Clackmannanshire based artists, crafters and new graduates only – for we wish to keep all spend local, to benefit our communities.”

The reference group delivering the Scottish Government supported project in Clackmannanshire will be aided along the way by the council, CTSI and NHS Forth Valley

Kim Simpson, programme manager for Remembering Together at Greenspace Scotland, added: “Remembering Together will create space to reflect and remember all that we have experienced during the Covid pandemic, while reconnecting within our communities and inspiring hope and healing.

“While the memorials themselves will be important, the process of co-creating them, together, with those who have been most affected by the pandemic feels deeply meaningful.

“We look forward to supporting the many ways that memorial making emerges in communities."

Visit rememberingtogether.scot/clackmannanshire for more details about the project.