2020+1 Festival Programme

New Declarations

NEW DECLARATIONS is an original collaborative poem – a statement of values, hopes and intentions for our shared world. Inspired by the form and content of the Declaration of Arbroath (1320), this new letter combines multiple voices, while also creating space for those who are absent or often excluded.

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Heritage Walks

join us for a series of heritage guided trails around Arbroath developed by Blythe Stockdale. The history of our women, the town’s Industrial Revolution and the journey of the Declaration of Arbroath, each trail provides a route for people in the community to engage with their local heritage by celebrating Arbroath’s fascinating and unique history. Join Blythe for a live guided walk or choose to explore the townscape through an audio-guided trail, accessed via mobile phone. Stream the audio trails. Find link to each trail below.

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2020+1 Festival Flags

2 July - 8 August 2021

Dundee Print Collective have been commissioned to design a series of festival flags to mark the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath were installed and displayed on Arbroath High St transforming the town into a riot of colour.

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The Making of a Pageant 1947-2005

Online series of content

A special Arbroath 2020+1 community heritage exhibition within the Brothock & Corsar Galleries, Arbroath Library. Exploring the town’s extraordinary tradition of Pageantry in the 20th Century.

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ABRINCA

2 July- 8 August 2021

For the Pageant for Gallivants Town Trail, the Woolly Workers are creating a fantastic large-scale knitted outdoor public sculpture: Abrinca the Unicorn. Over the next few months this array of crochet and knitting will be fixed and arranged onto the willow-body of a magical unicorn, creating the most dazzling beast in Aberbrothock. Arbroath can rest assured no unicorns have been hurt in the process of creating this magical beast! All Arbroath can meet their very own Unicorn, Abrinca 

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Blueprints for Arbroath

2 July- 8 August 2021

1 July- 8 August, Multilocation artwork 

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Arbroath Embroidered Tapestry

July unveiling date TBC

The Arbroath Tapestry is an intricate embroidered three-panel tapestry created by Angus embroidery and textile artists to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath and the history and heritage of Arbroath Abbey.

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Clattering Cavalry

Friday 2 July- Sunday 8 August

Horse artwork pattern by Arbroath High School Pupil

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Harbour Histories

Illustration by Morag Smith Harbour Histories is a work undertaken in response to an Arbroath family archive of photographs which capture details of the working lives of Arbroath Fishers on the cusp of change in the sector. Working with Morag Smith, extended family, and other fishers,  the work teases out some of the underlying observations and impacts of being from a modern fishing family.

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Sea Washed Light

3 July

Arbroath residents in the Fit O’ The Toon join your local artists in shining a bright light on the Toon. A creative collaborative project right up your street!

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Ruffs Dogs in the Park

Sunday 4 July from 2pm, book your time slot

A a socially distanced medieval themed fashion photo shoot. Inspired by historic pageantry, dress your Furbulous dogs in medieval show-stopping regal coats.  

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Auchmithie Haar Live

Saturday 10 July two performances 1:30pm and 3:00pm

A very special live event for Arbroath2020+1. Auchmithie Haar group brings Auchmithie’s past vividly back to life through a live history performance taking place at Arbroath harbour fish sheds this July.

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Arbroath Murals Project

A public art movement in the town of Arbroath, working with locally based artists, working hard to brighten up parts of the town. Creating work about the town and its people.

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Angus Writers Circle Event

Thursday 29 July 7pm

A Kist of Scots

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Whale Song

Sunday 8 August at 12:00 noon Booking Essential

A new collaborative performance of music for poetry inspired by Whale Song.  Join us for this special live event as part of Arbroath2020+1.

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Agnus of Dunbar the Puppet Pageant

Watch the making of NOW!

During lockdown pupils were involved in every aspect of making a puppet pageant. From crafting puppet characters inspired by a play and script by drama specialist Abbey Craig. From developing the narrative to designing and building the puppet set, creating fantastic puppet characters and producing the performance for film.

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The New Scriptorium

An ambitious new artist commission with Bobby Niven, for Arbroath Town. The New Scriptorium is an artist designed and built structure that is sited on the Abbey grounds.

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Guildry Bas Relief

The Bas Relief sited outside Arbroath Abbey tells the story of Arbroath and its people, from the construction of the world-famous Abbey to the Bell Rock Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World. The sculpture presents a timeline spanning from early Pictish settlements to the modern day and depicts the industries which have shaped our town and our people, including fishing, agriculture, weaving and engineering.

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Over Lunan

9-19 September SOLD OUT

SOLD OUT

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Arbroath Abbey Exhibition

A new exhibition opens at Arbroath Abbey visitor centre marking the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath.

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Morris Pert Recital

September date to follow

Recital of music for clarinet and piano/solo piano by award winning Arbroath born composer Morris Pert (1947-2010) whose double career as classical composer and session musician saw him recipient of Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal & several BBC commissions as well as renown in the jazz-rock field for work with Kate Bush, Mike Oldfield and Brand X.

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St Vigeans New Stone

A newly designed and carved stone monument by master craftsman artistic stone carver David McGovern. As a recipient of the Angus Artists Fund 2020 David has created a new public artwork inspired by the collection of early medieval stone work at St Vigeans, Arbroath. The project is a contemporary carving following in the Pictish artistic tradition that ended 1000 years ago.

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