Creative Scotland’s journey to the undertaker

Introducing Rakewell, Apollo’s wandering eye on the art world. Look out for regular posts taking a rakish perspective on art and museum stories.

Creative Scotland is offering one lucky creative the chance to become artist in residence at a funeral parlour. The arts body will grant the successful candidate £6,000 for a 20-day residency so that they might help the undertakers working there ‘explore their own journey in this caring but emotionally taxing profession, giving them a voice through a new medium’.

As far as the Rake’s concerned, it’s an interesting idea. But what’s all this about a ‘journey’? Rakewell delved deep into the bowels of its website and discovered that Creative Scotland is obviously given to itchy feet.

‘Dear all, I am pleased to announce the first steps in our journey towards Creative Scotland’s new structure,’ begins a statement from CEO Janet Archer.

‘… we revisit Goat Media’s ongoing journey through innovative and interactive dance performances,’ announces a press release entitled ‘Hyperchoreography gets audiences dancing.’

‘The Cultural Enterprise Office support Scotland’s creative businesses through all stages of their business journey,’ says another blurb.

And when journalists from The Scotsman asked the identity of the funeral home in question, a spokeswoman for Arts & Business Scotland (the body working with Creative Scotland to deliver the project) replied that ‘this is a taxing, emotionally-draining journey through the artist and we’re not ready to disclose that information yet.’

Despite criticism from many in Scotland, Rakewell is dead certain the residency will be a worthwhile, erm, undertaking. Let’s hope that said ‘journey’ doesn’t end up taking Creative Scotland to its Final Destination.

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