News & Projects

Bev Cornwell, Inge Panneels and Jules Horne were investigating LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and image sensors as part of research into Tweed mapmaking and creative visualisation of the Tweed catchment for the Connecting Threads project, run by Southern Uplands Partnership.

Joe is an established photographer, videographer and editor working across the Scottish Borders to champion local businesses, creative outlets and culture. Joe also worked in health and social care for several years, and understands the importance of having diverse and sustainable routes into a creative career.

Creative Coathanger trustee Jules Horne has been taking part in theatre company Civic Digits’ ‘Lightbulb’ programme on data, AI and creative tech.

The 12-part programme was a chance to explore the emerging field of data-driven theatre with pioneers working at the intersection of performance and data.

The programme was run by Civic Digits’ Artist Director, playwright Clare Duffy, together with hacker and inventor Rupert Goodwins, who famously hacked HRH Prince Philip’s computer in his teenage years, and whose story features in The Big Data Show.

Creative Coathanger Trustee Jules Horne has been helping local children to make mini felt robots with light-up hearts in Stitch and Spark workshops with Live Borders.

The mini maker session brought together hand sewing with bright felts, a simple circuit and a handmade switch.

Secondary schools across the region sent e-sports teams to take part in an exciting day of gaming in the campus lecture hall, as well as demos in the new Virtual Reality (VR) room at the college. Jules Horne and Michael Scott presented a demonstration of their interactive Tweed Tweed map, showing the use of simple microcontrollers and conductive textiles to trigger audio clips through capacitive touch.

Creative Coathanger has run several creative workshops as part of the UK-wide Multiply programme.

Participants took part in taster sessions on creative technology, simple circuits, and electronic music-making, using sound, rhythm, pattern, and timing as hands-on ways into everyday maths. The workshops were designed to be welcoming and accessible for adults interested in a fun reintroduction to numeracy skills.

The Creative Coathanger team have been attending the annual Creative Tech Scotland Gathering – an exciting meeting-point for Scotland’s creative industries and technology.

The day was packed with presentations, workshops and inspiration from leading industry experts from film, games, interactives, VR and AR. It was a chance to see a showcase of cutting-edge creative technology, learn hands-on skills, and meet people active in creative technology throughout Scotland and internationally.

Mapping the Borders was a week-long programme of events hosted by Creative Coathanger and curated by Inge Panneels that took place in November 2017 in the Scottish Borders, during the UK-wide Being Human Festival. Mapping the Borders interrogated the border culture through an exhibition of artworks by different artists (Zoe Childerley, Mike Collier, Alec Finlay, Kate Foster, Claire Money, Inge Panneels and John Wallace) paired with maps from the National Library of Scotland, guided walks, talks, mapping workshops and an experimental art performance (Claire Pencak and Felicity Bristow). This project was funded by Creative Scotland and the Being Human Festival. It was supported in-kind by the National Library of Scotland Map Collection, the University of Sunderland, CABN and local businesses.

The Festival took place at Venue 50 and Macarts in Galashiels and at The Bakery studio and Jedburgh town centre.

The Everything Festival was a community arts festival in Galashiels which brought together creatives, local businesses and partner organisations to hold a colourful, inspiring eight-day event to energise the Town Centre. The town was transformed through murals, popup shops and open door days across many venues. The festival provided a platform for artists to showcase their work, an entertaining visitor attraction, and an opportunity to come together as a group of Borders artists.

Councillor Vicky Davidson: ​

“The Festival showcases the very high quality of Border designers, artists, creative businesses and general creative talent so abundant here in the Borders. There are too many highlights to hang on one coathanger – this is a whole designer wardrobe full of creative delights.”