Pieces incorporating performance, dance, music and digital arts exploring historical migratory routes from Scotland’s now uninhabited Gaelic islands, a mythological Gaelic creature, a traditional 17th-century Mull song in virtual reality, and the disconnection between Gaelic and the mainstream will now be developed.

GUIR, provides opportunities for artists to create new and challenging works exploring Gaelic culture across art forms.

The development of this new work is part of Glasgow Life’s Gaelic Art Strategy (GAS) 2018 – 2022.

Projects will be supported by the strategic partners of the GAS - the National Theatre of Scotland, Royal Conservatoire Scotland, Tramway and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

The four pieces will be developed initially through an incubation period. This will include short residencies at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig followed by a period of developing and learning for the artists and will culminate in sharings of the works in Glasgow in 2019 – the year the city hosts the Royal National Mòd.

The commissioned work include a solo outdoor performance by contemporary
dancer Rob Heaslip re-imagining the mythical creature the Brollachan in a modern context. In history,Brallachan is Gaelic for a shapeless thing, a creature of the night. Heaslip’s Brallachan is a contemporary garbed figure who appears on streets, industrial estates, ancient sites and other locations, it will be an entity trying to find its place in this modern Anglo-centric world.

Musicians Ross Whyte and Alasdair Whyte will create a virtual reality installation which takes as its starting point the traditional Mull song ‘A’ Chnò Shamhna’. The song dates back to around 1649 and laments the death of Sir Lachlan Maclean of Duart. Sir Walter Scott later used a translated extract of the song in his poem 'The Lady of the Lake'. The new installation will include a 3-dimensional stereo audio recording of the song and a performance filmed at Duart Castle.

The migratory routes from Scotland’s no longer inhabited Gaelic islands – including North Rona, Kilda, and Mingulay – will be explored and where possible, retraced in work by experimental performance maker Peter MacMaster. Using a range of media and performance, the artist will retrace and document the journeys taken by those who left the islands for their new lives in new communities, then look to re-present these journeys and landscapes using immersive digital technologies, while asking broader questions about migration and relationships to land.

The Glasgow based immersive media studio ISODESIGN, who recently completed ‘Digital Laocoön’ a new VR experience with Glasgow School of Art, and the interactive exhibits for the V&A Dundee, will investigate Gaelic’s place in contemporary Scottish culture through digital immersive experiences in their commissioned work. The project will explore perceptions and misconceptions around Gaelic, barriers and opportunities, and engage with new audiences through using the latest in VR technology. On hand at the residency will be ISODESIGN's, and Gaelic speaker, Lauren Glasgow, who will be helping take these early stage ideas and develop them with digital media in mind.'

Councillor David McDonald, Chair of Glasgow Life and Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council, said:

Gaelic culture is central to the story of Glasgow and Scotland’s past, and continues as a vibrant, contemporary strand which enriches our lives. This innovative new programme aims to explore and develop Gaelic culture using traditional and new artforms. The first four works chosen are diverse and fascinating and provide an invaluable opportunity to open up Gaelic culture to new audiences.”

Chaidh na ciad pròiseactan air an taghadh airson a’ phrògraim ùir Ealain Ghàidhlig, GUIR, ainmeachadh an-diugh.

Pìosan a bhios a’ gabhail a-steach gnìomhadh, dannsa, ceòl agus ealain dhidseatach a’ rannsachadh slighean imrich eachdraidheil bho eileanan Gàidhlig na h-Alba a tha an-diugh falamh, creutar Gàidhlig miotas-eòlasach, òran traidiseanta à Muile bhon 17mh linn ann am mas-fhìorachd, agus bidh an do-cheangailteachd eadar Gàidhlig agus am prìomh-shruth a-nis air a leasachadh.

Tha GUIR a’ toirt chothroman do luchd-ealain obraichean ùra is dùbhlanach a chruthachadh, a’ rannsachadh cultar na Gàidhlig tarsainn chruthan ealain.

Tha leasachadh air an obair ùr seo mar phàirt de Ro-Innleachd Ealain Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu (GAS) 2018 – 2022.

Gheibh pròiseactan taic bho chom-pàirtichean ro-innleachdail GAS – Theatar Nàiseanta na h-Alba, Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba, an Tramway agus Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

Thèid ceithir pìosan a leasachadh sa chiad àite tro ùine guraidh. Bidh seo a’ gabhail a-steach còmhnaidheachdan goirid aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig air an leantainn le ùine leasachaidh is ionnsachaidh do luchd-ealain agus thig e gu ceann le bhith roinn na h-obrach ann an Glaschu ann an 2019 – a’ bhliadhna a bhios am baile a’ toirt aoigheachd don Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail.

Tha an obair a th’ air a coimiseanadh a’ gabhail a-steach gnìomhadh aon-neach air a’ bhlàr a-muigh leis an dannsair cho-aimsireil Rob Heaslip, ag ath-smaoineachadh air a’ chreutar mhiotas-eòlasach, am Brollachan, ann an co-theacsa nua-aimsireil. Ann an eachdraidh, ’s e Brallachan a’ Ghàidhlig airson nì gun chumadh, creutar den oidhche. Tha am Brallachan aig Heaslip mar fhigear èidichte co-aimsireil a bhios a’ nochdadh air sràidean, oighreachdan gnìomhachais, làraichean àrsaidh agus làraichean eile, bidh e na nì a tha a’ feuchainn ri àite fhèin a lorg ann an saoghal cho-aimsireil na Beurla.

Cruthaichidh an luchd-ciùil Ross Whyte agus Alasdair Whyte stàlachadh mas-fhìor a tha a’ gabhail an òrain thraidiseanta Mhuileach ‘A’ Chnò Shamhna’ mar phuing tòiseachaidh. Tha an t-òran a’ dol air ais gu mu 1649 agus a’ caoidh bàs an Ridire Lachlann MacIlleathain à Dubhaird. Chleachd Sir Walter Scott earrann air eadar-theangachadh den òran anns an dàn aige 'The Lady of the Lake'. Anns an stàlachadh ùr bidh clàradh èisteachd stereo 3-thaobhach den òran agus gnìomhadh dheth air fhilmeadh aig Caisteal Dhubhaird.

Thèid na slighean imrich bho eileanan Gàidhlig na h-Alba a tha falamh an-diugh – a’ gabhail a-steach Rònaigh, Hiort agus Miughlaigh – a rannsachadh agus far an gabh e a dhèanamh, ath-lorgadh leis an neach-gnìomhaidh deuchainneach, Peter MacMaster. A’ cleachdadh raon de mheadhanan agus gnìomhadh, thèid an neach-ealain air ais a’ clàradh nan tursan a ghabh iadsan a dh’fhàg na h-eileanan airson beatha ùr ann an coimhearsnachdan ùra, agus an uair sin coimheadaidh e ris na tursan sin agus na cruthan-tìre sin ath-thaisbeanadh a’ cleachdadh theicneòlasan didseatach bogaidh, aig an aon àm a’ faighneachd cheistean farsaing mu imrich agus dàimhean le fearann.

Bidh ISODESIGN, an stiuidio mheadhanan bogaidh stèidhichte ann an Glaschu a chuir crìoch o chionn ghoirid air ‘Digital Laocoön’, gnìomhadh ùr VR le Sgoil Ealain Ghlaschu agus na buill-taisbeanaidh eadar-obrachail bhon V&A ann an Dùn Dè, a’ rannsachadh àite na Gàidhlig ann an cultar co-aimsireil Alba tro eòlasan didseatach bogaidh nan obair choimiseanaichte. Rannsaichidh am pròiseact beachdan agus mì-thuigse mu thimcheall Gàidhlig, bacaidhean is cothroman, agus conaltradh le luchd-èisteachd ùr tro chleachdadh air an teicneòlas VR as ùire. Ri làimh aig a’ chòmhnaidheachd bidh an neach-labhairt Gàidhlig, Lauren Glasgow bho ISODESIGN, a bhios a’ cuideachadh leis na beachdan tràtha sin an leasachadh, le meadhanan didseatach fa comhair.'

Thuirt an Comhairliche, Daibhidh Dòmhnallach, Cathraiche Ghlaschu Beò agus Iar-Stiùiriche Comhairle Baile Ghlaschu: 

Tha cultar na Gàidhlig aig teis-meadhain sgeulachd Ghlaschu agus an t-àm a dh’fhalbh ann an Alba, agus a’ leantainn air adhart mar dhual co-aimsireil beòthail a tha a’ saidhbhreachadh ar beatha. Tha am prògram ùr-ghnàthach seo ag amas air cultar na Gàidhlig a rannsachadh agus a leasachadh a’ cleachdadh cruthan ealain ùra. Tha na ciad ceithir obraichean a chaidh a thaghadh eadar-mheasgte agus tarraingeach agus a’ solarachadh cothrom thar luaich air cultar na Gàidhlig fhosgladh a-mach do luchd-èisteachd ùr.”