Cove Park is a unique arts organisation located on an outstanding 50-acre rural site on Argyll’s Rosneath peninsula.

Founded in 1999 by Eileen and Peter Jacobs, the charity runs an annual programme of artists residencies, public events and education programmes.

As Cove Park approaches its tenth anniversary, it now hosts over 70 individual residencies each year for national and international artists at all stages in their careers. What makes this programme unique to the UK is the fact that artists working in all art forms are given the opportunity to develop new work without the pressure of completing a final performance, exhibition or presentation. The emphasis is upon research and development and Cove Park provides a valuable means of ensuring artists have the time, space and freedom to develop new work.

Although artists on residency are free from the usual constraints of deadlines and public presentations during their time at Cove Park, experience has shown that the residencies create a context that is extremely productive and work that has been developed at Cove Park has gone on to be shown at major national and international venues. Artists benefit from the opportunity to work alongside other professionals from different cultural backgrounds and disciplines, an experience that has led to a number of unanticipated collaborations and new directions in established practices.

Cove Park is a charity and receives support from organisations such as the Scottish Arts Council, the Jerwood Foundation and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. This funding enables Cove Park to provide a programme that caters both for artists at the very beginning of their careers and for leading established artists: Booker Prize winner Margaret Atwood, National Theatre Associate Director Tom Morris and Turner Prize winner Simon Starling are all previous residents.

The programme is enhanced by Cove Park’s breathtaking location. The site – a former conservation park – overlooks Loch Long and has stunning views across to the Cowall peninsula. Artists on residence are provided with workspace, studios and accommodation in Cove Park’s Pods and Cubes: unique buildings developed specifically for the site and the requirements of the programme. When the programme is not in progress, the accommodation and facilities are available for hire to both private individuals and other arts organisations, ensuring that Cove Park is a valuable local and national resource.

Since 2004 Cove Park has organised a number of programmes for students, artists and the wider local community in Argyll and Bute. School children from Kilcreggan Primary School attend a weekly after school art club during term time and, through Cove Park’s Artists in Schools Programme, students from the region’s secondary schools have had the opportunity to participate in workshops led by professional visual artists, makers and designers.

Cove Park’s 2009 programme will begin in May. At the time of writing, residencies are being  awarded to writers, poets, makers, designers, visual artists, curators, critical writers, musicians, composers, filmmakers and performing artists. The full programme will be announced on Cove Park’s website in March and updated regularly as new opportunities and programmes are confirmed.

During the summer, Cove Park organises a series of public Open Days, Open Studios events, talks and workshops. Everyone is welcome to join the Cove Park mailing list and to receive information about future events. For further information and to join the mailing list please visit www.covepark.org

© Alexia Holt
February 2009