October 07, 2022

Here's our latest newsletter for SAU members; with information about our next Learning Events and Intersect Sub Group meeting, amongst other relevant information. All events are free to attend.
This October the SAU's learning programme contains FREE workshops, walks and talks in person from Ullapool to Ayr including a series of events, developed in collaboration with Scottish Union Learning and EIS, and lead by members in the Highlands to celebrate Black History Month.
This special programme will link the West and East coasts of the Scottish Highlands and aims to encourage the expression of voices from People of Colour within rural communities in Highlands and Islands as part of a collective exploration of contemporary experience for collective action around Fair Work as we face future challenges together.
You can book specific sessions or the whole day!
10 - 2pm, Creative Walk & Talk on Isle Martin. Artists Fadzai Mwakutuya and Julia Barton will lead a creative session and there will be a walk with archaeologist Cathy Dagg providing insights to the island’s historic herring industry and links to the Caribbean.
2 - 3pm, Lunch at the Ceilidh Place
3 - 5pm, In Conversation at the Ceilidh Place. Highland based artist Fadzai Mwakutuya (Afro Art Lab) will be in conversation with Francesca Sobande and layla-roxanne hill – as they reflect on how notions of nationhood, Scottishness, and Britishness are implicated in Black Scottish history. Followed by a book launch of Black Oot Here: Black Lives in Scotland by Francesca and layla-roxanne.
Registration Form |
1:30am - 12:30pm, Guided Walk with author David Alston and Nicole Bontemps will start at Cromarty Harbour. David will lead a walk and share stories which will provide insight into Women of Colour as well providing some information about Cromarty's long-standing connections with Guyana. Nicole moved to the Black Isle 3 years ago from LA and brings a fresh curiosity and international perspective, to a subject close to her heart.
1 - 2pm, Cornbread + Conversationwith Nicole Bontemps before the film screening. Like any foodstuff of the African Diaspora, cornbread has a history that can be complicated and painful to unravel.
3 - 5pm, Film Screening of Harriet at Cromarty Cinema. A film screening of HARRIET (2019) directed by Kasi Lemmons will be introduced by cinema volunteer/independent curator Susan Christie. This is one of a series of films which is being toured by the Black Artists Collective/Reel Roots with support from Film Hub Scotland. Book your place directly with the Cromarty Cinema here.
Registration Form |
A new 1-day intensive course on the conditions art is made under, the politics of work and the forms of power that shape this reality.
Using a radical and liberatory educational model, participants will use their own experience and (embodied) knowledge to understand how power dynamics dictate the conditions of our work and the art that we make. We will then learn how we can build our own, communal, power to restructure those conditions on our own terms.
The course is open to any worker in Scotland and we welcome the participation of those working across all art forms. The course will be particularly useful to people engaged or interested in community and/or labour organising.
Art, Work & Power: Ayr will be hosted by Narture at their new Peoples Art School.
Registration Form |
This discussion group has been developed by the union’s Intersectional Sub-group out of a desire to create a space to discuss anti-oppression strategies and equalities issues specifically in relation to our own working practices as artists and members of the union.
Each session we will look at material together - texts, films, podcasts etc, as a way of opening up conversation about how we can question, challenge and shift our working practices to adopt more inclusive approaches.
We have noticed that there is a low representation of creative unions at congress or conference held annually in different parts of Scotland.
The intersectional group is for all of our members, and in this session we will hear from member Fadzai Hamburgh Mwakutuya, who will discuss her experience of the STUC Women's Weekend and will be sharing with us, how to approach writing motions and conference protocols and procedures. If you are interested in going to a conference but are nervous or feel you don't understand conference behaviour etc then please come along and join us. Conferences can be fun experiences and you will gain an insight into the world of voting motions etc. This will 'provide you with the opportunity to expand your knowledge, skills, confidence, networks, feel more equipped and empowered to get more active, involved and organised both within your own unions and the wider STUC structures'. Here's a link to the STUC women's committee https://mobile.twitter.com/stucwomen
The SAU attends the following conferences and we hope this exploratory talk will encourage you as our members to take part in some of these. We would like to encourage members to attend as delegates, 'or other roles' to the STUC Conferences for Women, Black Workers, LGBTQI, Youth and Disability and we look forward to seeing you at this conference 'taster' session, specially delivered by Fadzai as part of the SAU Black History Month events. We hope to be joined by at least one of the tutors from the women's weekend school.
Scottish Artists Union is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: SAU's Zoom Intersectional Meeting
Time: Oct 19, 2022 17:00 -18:00
Join this Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 868 4044 5828
(Any issues with this link contact [email protected])
The next meeting of our Migration, Displacement & International Solidarity Working Group will take place online on Thursday 3rd November, 5-6pm, all members welcome.
Please email [email protected] for a Zoom link.
Wondering how you can support the union and spread the word to other creatives?? Check out our rather stylish new merchandise available to buy from our website.
We have produced Fair Work Leaflets that are now available to distribute. If you would like to help promote the Union please get in touch and we can send you a bundle. Email us at [email protected] with the title 'Leaflets'
Here's a link to our Recommended Rates of Pay, that should be used for the current financial year.
Here's a link to this year's Insurance Documents, which comes as part of you membership and that you can download when you need them. (We have stopped sending these out as paper documents in order to save on unnecessary paper and postage).
Have you checked out our list of Members Discounts ? As well as the free Insurance and legal advice that comes with your membership, you can benefit from big savings on art and materials supplies and various other relevant services.
Also: The Edinburgh International Festival have informed us that SAU members qualify for a 30% discount on tickets for Art Workers at this years EIF. Go to their website for more information. Tickets are subject to availability.
Our 3 FWC Templates can be used for creating or checking contracts for Exhibitions & Projects; Sales & Commissions; Workshops & Events; and are available for our members to download from the Resources section of the website HERE.
We are here to help. We are a small team of part time workers, all artists and creatives, and a voluntary executive, currently email is the best way to get in touch.
Stay warm, safe & healthy everyone.
Keep on Keeping on!!
Yours in Solidarity,
Everyone at Scottish Artists Union
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