New art project  set to benefit young families across Fife

Set in the stunning Lochore Meadows, Starcatchers’ team of artists and artistic trainees met for the first time at the start of June to plan sessions for Where We Are.

The project will see creative activity embedded in communities across Fife and enrich direct engagement with babies and their young parents.

Where We Are will see the team of artists travel to Glenrothes, Dunfermline, Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath and Leven over eight months, with inspiring outdoors arts activity, designed so the voices of the participants – both babies and young parents are reflected and heard.

The project builds on an existing relationship with partner Fife Gingerbread as well as Starcatchers’ previous work in Fife with their flagship community engagement project, Expecting Something.

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The artists on the Where We Are team met in Lochore Meadows’ Fairy Trail to plan immersive and engaging creative play sessions involving messy play and finding sounds and rhythm in nature.

The sessions began last week and will run weekly in different outdoors spots in Fife.

Rhona Matheson, Starcatchers’ chief executive, said: “Where We Are is a fantastic new initiative that we hope will bring some joy, magic and creativity to children and young people who are currently involved with Fife Gingerbread.

"Central to Where We Are strand is the opportunity to engage artists to work directly in communities with teen parents and their babies who have found the impact of the pandemic particularly challenging, and to ensure access to artistic and creative experiences for the youngest children.”

Louise Harding, Fife Gingerbread support worker, said: “Fife Gingerbread families are super keen to get involved with this opportunity with Starcatchers’ new project.

"The project provides parents and their little ones with engaging outdoor creative play well as a platform for self-expression and socialisation with others.

"It’s going to be great fun, and we’ve seen the hugely positive impact play has with families – everyone is so excited!”

For more information, please visit: https://starcatchers.org.uk/

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