Dunoon Brugh Hall, Heritage Horizons

Dunoon Burgh Hall, Heritage Horizons, Dunoon

CHARTS helped to support two Heritage Horizons placements at Dunoon Burgh Hall (DBH) with an in-person and online heritage experience. Jack McElroy, a 2020 art graduate of Glasgow School whose interest is in the social history of Joan Eardley’s Townhead works and Amy Johnstone a recent graduate from the University of Glasgow in Technical Art History who explored Eardley’s work for her dissertation.

With support from the key partners The Argyll Collection and Dunoon Burgh Hall over 12 weeks Amy and Jack assisted in the creation of a series of events and exhibitions at DBH to mark the centenary of Joan Eardley’s birth (JE100). Work for this exhibition was provided by  Argyll Collection, the Lillie Art Gallery, and the Clydebank Museum and took place between (29th April - 12th June 2022)

‘This gives young people the opportunity to work on projects they might not necessarily be exposed to, it lets them develop new skills, lets them have input into something they might not have otherwise had the opportunity to do… My experience has been positive, everyone is supportive, enthusiastic about having placements on board’ - Amy Johnstone 

“This opportunity has allowed me to delve even further into the artist and her work by visiting her work in galleries, libraries, and archives to write texts on the social history of her work. I have learnt a lot collaborating with Amy, sharing information, and learning from Eardley’s life and work” - Jack McElroy 

Image: Amy Johnstone, at JE100, Dunoon Burgh Hall. 

Dunoon Burgh Hall (DBH) supported the young people on placement by giving them access to valuable skills development opportunities and 1 to 1 mentoring support helping to set them on a career trajectory in the heritage and cultural sector. 

• Amy and Jack helped in the organisation and curation of an events programme relating to the JE100 Exhibition; 'Joan Eardley – In Conversation’ 28th April with arts journalist Jan Patience interviewing Pat and Ann Samson and ‘A Personal View on Eardley’ 30th April, Talk by Anne Morrison, Joan Eardley’s niece. 
• Amy and Jack both achieved Gold Archaeology Scotland Heritage Hero Awards and 100 hour Saltire Award as a result of their work. 
• DBH were able to support a new young artist, Jack, by showcasing his work “The Steamie (1988); Me and Gran in Maryhill Park, 2021” alongside Joan Eardley’s work.
• Since completing Heritage Horizons Amy is now involved in CHARTS Under 30s (a membership group to advocate and create opportunities for young people) and has secured full-time employment as of July.