Cove Park is an international arts organisation based in Scotland, dedicated to the creative and professional development of artists working in all art forms; visual arts, crafts, music and literature. Founded in 1999 by Eileen and Peter Jacobs, Cove Park supports artists through an annual residency programme, which runs from May to November each year.

National and international artists at all stages in their careers are invited to take part in residencies lasting from one week to three months. Each artist is given a valuable opportunity to undertake research and develop new work in a supportive and stimulating environment.

The first Cove Park Commission was awarded to visual artist Simon Starling in 2006. The commission enabled the artist to create a major new project, Autoxylopyrocycloboros. To date, this outstanding project has been exhibited at Heidelberg Kunstverein and Casey Kaplan Gallery, New York. A limited edition original artwork by Simon Starling is included in the Cove Park Portfolio.

Cove Park is happy to support and facilitate the production of specific projects during residencies and, equally, to ensure that those artists who wish to develop new ideas without the constraints of the completion of a final piece of work are free to do so. The opportunity for individual research and development is enhanced through the interaction and discussion that takes place between the artists in residence. This is facilitated through a series of informal events, artists talks and presentations.

Residency Studios: Cove Park currently has five principal Studios which residents are allocated accordingly. Each Studio is a minimum of 26.4 meters square by 2.64 metres high. All are well serviced with power points and, with one exception, with sinks. Cove ParkÕs Studios all benefit from good natural lighting. Cove ParkÕs new Cube Studios are flexible spaces and, when required, can serve as general workspace/meeting rooms. Cove Park has a communal workshop with a basic selection of hand and power tools for use by the artists on residency.

Cove Park has two distinct types of accommodation: Pods and Cubes. Chosen for the quality and innovation of their design, they provide imaginative, comfortable and flexible accommodation for the artists in residence and for other visitors to Cove Park.

In 2001 Cove Park purchased two of the original four Pods commissioned by the BBC for its Castaway 2000 programme. Designed by Andy McAvoy, the Pods were made from green oak and employed traditional methods of construction. Transported from Taransay in the Hebrides to Cove Park, the Pods were upgraded by the architect to incorporate both living and work spaces.These turfed roof buildings blend in perfectly with the surrounding landscape. Both are furnished by Habitat and feature fitted kitchens, luxurious bathrooms and under floor heating. Both Oak and Taransay Pods have balconies that face towards Loch Long.

In 2002 Cove Park acquired three Cubes: converted freight containers joined together to produce individual units of accommodation. These units were designed and produced by Urban Space Management, London, in collaboration with Cove Park. In 2006, six new Cubes were installed, three of which serve as accommodation and three as studio/workspaces.

In 2006, seven of the UK’s leading visual artists were commissioned by Cove Park to produce a new limited edition print. This work is available for sale either collectively in a high-quality presentation portfolio or individually. Investing in the Portfolio is both an opportunity to acquire works by key contemporary artists, including 2005 Turner Prize winner Simon Starling and 2007 nominee Nathan Coley, and to support Cove Park’s internationally renowned residency programme. All the artists are closely connected with the west of Scotland and were commissioned to produce a new print which takes our location – its landscape, history and context – as its starting point. Artists represented in the portfolio are Claire Barclay, Christine Borland, Nathan Coley, Graham Fagen, Louise Hopkins, Ross Sinclair, Simon Starling.

Most outstanding projects in recent years:

Visual Arts

Abraham Cruzvillegas–2008

A new six-month Henry Moore Fellowship to enable the production of a new body of work. This residency was awarded to the Mexican artist Abraham Cruzvillegas and culminated in a solo exhibition at CCA, Glasgow, in September 2008.

Luke Fowler–2010. Scottish Arts Council Visual Arts residency.
Luke Fowler is a Scottish artist filmmaker based in Glasgow. Winner of the first Jarman award, last year his work was broadcast on Channel Four and featured in a solo exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery, London. At Cove Park he will be developing a feature-length film project.

Crafts
Deirdre Nelson–2010. Scottish Arts Council Scottish Crafts residency.
A graduate of Glasgow School of Art , Deirdre Nelson is a textile artist whose practice is informed by research into textile and social history. Her work combines both traditional and contemporary processes often in collaboration with others. In 2008 she received the Jerwood Makers Award. www.deirdre-nelson.com

Music
NEW MUSIC–2009
Cove Park has commissioned Alistair MacDonald to collaborate with the Scottish Ensemble on a new work, combining acoustic and electro-acoustic music. There will be an informal performance at Cove Park on 16th September and a lunchtime performance at the RSAMD on Thursday 17th September.

Literature
Christos Tsiolkas–2010
Christos Tsiolkas is an Australian novelist of Greek heritage. His novels include “Loaded”, “Dead Europe” and “The Slap”, winner of the 2009 Commonwealth Prize for Literature. He is also a playwright, scriptwriter and essayist. His work centres on questions of exile and memory, family and rebellion. “The Slap” is being published in the UK in 2010. Christos will be using his time at Cove Park to work on a new novel.

Cove Park’s Centre is a flexible space, and the focus of residents’ activities, the events programme, and meetings. It houses the offices, a communal dining area/meeting space, kitchen, laundry facilities, a computer suite (including a wide range of software) and the library.

The library consists of publications donated to Cove Park by former residents, artists and other arts organisations. It also includes wide range of journals and magazines such as AN Magazine, Crafts, frieze, and The List. The library also contains Cove ParkÕs archive and information on other local and UK arts organisations.