Whats For You Will Not Go by You

Och well - we didn't win at the Creative Scotland Awards - but being nominated as one the top three community projects in the Arts in Scotland last year was a huge honour. Congratulations to the winner - The Zombie Project from Paisley....and also to fellow finallist Elderflowers from Edinburgh.

We (well Tara did) managed to mooch enough tickets for 9 of us from Nothing About Us to attend the awards dinner in the fabulous Kelvingrove Art Gallery - great craic was had by all! Govan certainly made an impression....

Compere Fred Macauly on stage

The Govan Table

Poet Tom Pow reading 'The Change'

Govan Old Team with new friend in the Kelvingrove

The great news for us in the evening was the success of our great pals the Whysman project in the Visual category.....nice one folks - well deserved indeed!

The Michty Helen

The first bit of video has surfaced from Saturdays's NothingAboutUs event. Colin Speir's fine short film of the GalGael trebuchet in action is here

It Was Emotional

Verene Nicolas of The Centre for Human Ecology with her boat after successfully negotiating the 'Flotation Test'

Tonight was the last Govan Armada building workshop - what a wonderful wee world it has been.....huge thanks to the Galgael for their hospitality and generosity in so many way....you guys have anchored this project at a deep level for us all.

Particular thanks to Martin Campbell who ran the workshops for NothingAboutUs and to Norrie from the GalGael who kept everything moving along and contribute many design innovations to the fleet including the 'upside down cap screw' and the 'double stabiliser'.

Something about 'Nothing' in the Evening Times

'Nothing about us...' was featured in this article by Deborah Anderson in the Evening Times yesterday (that's our trebuchet in the background!)

"A Govan Armada will be taking over the River Clyde this weekend as part of a major public art event. Events will be held to link up both sides of the river and get communities involved in their heritage. Govan will be bombed with messages delivered by two medieval siege catapaults, or trebuchets. St. Kilda mailboats and a soundscape of sea shanties will also be some of the attractions at Saturday's event.  Even extracts from Upper Clyde Shipbuilder's hero Jimm Reid's speeches will be broadcast across the water."

Glasgow, Art, TV and Govan

Matt Baker and Tara Beall ...contemporary art as a collective action

BBC Scotland's Newsnight last night looked at the launch of the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art and featured NothingAboutUs - you can watch the clip here (you need to scroll to 16 mins 40 secs)

Govan Riverside Youth Group - Armada building

Placing a message in the bottle

Abbie and Sharron with their vessel ready for some long-range ocean action

As always the workshop was steered by artist Martin Campbell  assisted by Norrie, John and Rico from the GalGael

Trebuchet Rising

The GalGael's mighty machine is taking shape in Fairley Street

The 13 foot main beam is made from laminated elm and will be rounded down and tapered

'The most literally combative show'...is us?

Phil Miller of the Herald covered NothingAboutUs in his trail piece for the GI Festival in this morning's Glasgow Herald - dubbing us the festival's 'most literally combative show'

Read the full article online here 

The picture shows Ricco from The GalGael who is masterminding the Trebuchet build....big shout out to the GalGael tonight - their reception event at the Scottish Parliament should be great!

 

Govan Charm Projectiles

Drawing by Colin Begg of early designs for the projectiles to be fired by one of the Govan Trebuchets as part of the 'Charm Offensive'

The Real Thing

Mark, Ricco and Tam talk size

Whether it be a ship or a mediaeval siege catapult there is a special kind of energy that is generated by the building of something big and out of the ordinary. The NothingAboutUs Trebuchet is taking shape at the GalGael in Govan........

Meanwhile in other corners of the workshop it is business as usual:

Colin Macleod's carvings watch over proceedings

proceedings

Committed people discuss and test techniques

NothingAboutUs - between 'Curious', a jumble sale and '13 truths'.....here we stand

Drumoyne Demons

Youth Leader Liz Todd demonstrates her skill with a saw for Kyle, Zoe and Leigh

t s Beall talks St Kilda mailboats to the Drumoyne Demons and poet Jim Ferguson - Ricco and Norrie of the GalGael watch on

Govan Armada - The Fleet increases

The Govan Armada is getting bigger, thanks to Govan youth group The Whitefield Wanderers and The GalGael Trust! We had our first Armada building workshops at The GalGael yesterday, and the boats have heart...

There are more workshops scheduled, so there's still time to build your own boat (using 'redeveloped rubbish' from the River Clyde) before the Armada's launch on 28th April as part of our main event.

Book a place by emailing – aboutuswithoutus.armada@gmail.com

First Armada Workshop

The Nothing About Us crew was invited to be part of the final Govan Together event on Saturday at the Pearce Institute in Govan... this was the inaugural public Govan Armada building workshop - the pictures tell their own story:

We shared the amazing MacLeod Hall with the mighty GalGael (the boatbuilding table is in the foreground)

Part of our decorations around the hall - these are designs from the Harland Waymarkers

A great way to spend an afternoon - and the first 10 boats in the Armada complete and ready for the water on April 28th
Thanks to everyone at Govan Together for having us - Pearce Institute, Centre for Human Ecology, Fablevision, LegUp Community Garden and Govan and Linthouse Parish Church.

Govan Materials

River Clyde Driftwood - cleaned courtesy of GalGael

River Clyde bottles - cleaned courtesy of Martin Campbell

Ready for inaugural 2012 Govan Armada building workshop at Govan Together event tomorrow