Marchmont Makers Foundation is run on Marchmont Estate and supports creativity in the arts in the Scottish Borders and beyond. In particular, they support artists to become financially sustainable and projects that inspire art in the community, schools and the next generation.
Their key focus areas for supporting artists are:
To be kept informed of any new opportunities with Marchmont Makers Foundation, please sign up to the Foundation newsletter.
Anya joined us for a four-week residency supported by artist Charles Poulsen via a call out by Axis who support and encourage early career artists. As part of her practice Anya works with a variety of materials, typically creating sculptures and installations, which are used to produce artworks that could be described as forms of art-activism. Anya’s work at Marchmont included an eco-performance exploring our relationship to the dirt and the importance of topsoil regeneration. She was subsequently invited to Harrogate Art Fair to showcase the performance with co-creator Annabel Whightman.
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Vanessa worked from our Tower Studio on a commission residency to create some of her signature oils inspired by Marchmont Estate, a particular focus were the owls who live on the Estate as well as the vegetable patch in the Walled Garden and the ancient Polwarth Kirk.
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We were privileged to have Thomas Merrett staying at Marchmont, using our Old Squash Court studio to create a special commission based on his listener series; a beautiful set of sculptures exploring our relationship with the environment. The Listener for Marchmont will be made in bronze and is destined to live in our Home Wood. Updates on our News page for when the Listener will be installed.
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Ade took over our Old Squash Court studio as part of a commission residency to create a limited run print inspired by Marchmont House, using lino drilling and cutting techniques to create fascinating detail. Staying with his young family, Ade had lots of help in the studio and explored the whole estate – including the view from the roof of Marchmont House.
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Emma spent three weeks working from Fogo Cottage, the studio space set up by Rory McEwen thanks to a residency partnership with WASPS studios. Emma focussed on interconnectivity between history, art and society; looking into the links between objects, materials, forms and apparatus. “While interacting with the creative community here I’ve felt how important it is to cross pollinate others knowledge and differing crafts/practices. This lead to me learning woodturning with the Marchmont Workshop alongside getting etching inspiration from Rory McEwen’s lobster and developing patterns and motifs from Thomas Claytons plasterwork.”
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Noel joined us on a residency in partnership with Society of Scottish Artists. His work responded to the pastoral landscape of the Marchmont Estate, particularly reflecting on the cycles of life and death in nature and our entanglement with the non-human. “This residency has been a fantastic opportunity to experiment with new ideas and processes. I have been greatly inspired by the incredible landscape and spaces of Marchmont and the creative community and I know my time here will influence my practice for many years to come.”
Learn more about the ArtistMarchmont Makers Foundation also run open calls for their residency opportunities at their Creative Spaces.
They can also offer financial support to artists or community enterprise. They have a limited annual budget and so cannot assure you of support, but they hope to grow in their funds to deploy.
Where a project or work is not supported by traditional means, Marchmont Makers Foundation may also be able to help with loans. They have a budget for unsecured loans of up to £10,000 per year, where they charge a modest fixed interest rate of 5% and expect it to be returned over a period of 1-3 years, depending on the project.
To apply for funds please complete this form, or for residency opportunities please complete an application form below:
Applications will be considered at our quarterly Trustee meeting. You will receive a decision within two months after our next meeting following the application. Successful applications will show Persuasion, Inspiration and Purpose via our Inspiration Score which is graded by our Trustees, rating each of the following criteria out of five:
Our ultimate goal, as part of the Marchmont family, is to support sustainable creativity, so we also value entrepreneurial flair and the ability for the individuals and enterprises we support to stand on their own two feet.
The Foundation also offers the opportunity for creatives to rent studio spaces on a short-term basis as part of a self-funded residency. These experiences provide a modern and comfortable space to focus and get inspired while also allowing for total immersion into the idyllic landscape of Marchmont.
Rental spaces include Fogo Studio Cottage, the Old Squash Court, and the Tower Studio. If you're interested in learning more about private residences and rentals, please contact lucy@marchmontmakers.org.
Students learn Bee Keeping as part of the High School curriculum
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A special Artist Residency space in memory of Rory McEwen.
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Emma Jones will be funded by the Marchmont Makers Foundation as their Writer's Summer Retreat
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