Cupar Arts EDEN 2018 has been a great week! Renowned artist David Mach Collages Exhibition at our arts hub in the Corn Exchange, with two very different and exciting evenings, and a sunny, relaxed, Saturday afternoon Midsummer Henge event in the Haugh Park.
Friday 22nd June kicked off with a play – The Purple, White and Green about the Scottish suffragettes, which was informative and very moving at times, with a wonderfully realistic performance from professional storytellers, Lea Taylor and Nicola Wright. It was augmented by an exhibition about the suffragettes in Fife, on loan from Cupar Library, which added to the significance of the occasion, being the hundredth anniversary of some women getting the vote for the first time.
Saturday afternoon’s EDEN Henge in the Haugh Park, beautifully showed off the Pictish animal henge panels amongst the trees, made at the Corn Exchange arts hub, with the help of members of the public, visiting the David Mach exhibition. Thank you to all who participated – it looked colourful, splendid and serene amongst the trees. Nearby, extending its branches to the welcome sunshine, stood Sustainable Cupar’s Plastic Recycling Group’s recycled tree, wonderfully decorated with recycled fruit made by Bell Baxter pupils. Jenni Gudgeon, who also added to the mix on Friday evening, with a taster reading from her children’s book, Folkland Fables, displayed some of her fabulously intriguing and imaginative illustrations from her book, along the Haugh Park railings. Lifting the EDEN event to dizzying heights of traditional music fun, Muchty Music Makers played on the Bandstand in the park, which was greatly enjoyed by many gathered around, and further away at the henge amongst the trees, even encouraging some welcome dancing in this beautiful Haugh Park setting with the sun showing it all off beautifully.
The final Saturday evening’s Midsummer Music at the Corn Exchange kicked off with the fabulous duo – Billy Caulfield and Pip Dylan, skilfully negotiation some old and new rock numbers with their wonderful voice and guitar mixes, an absolute treat. Following came the beautiful voice and guitar of Tom Beaver, whose inventive, original sings, recreate everyday life into an intriguing and poetic story woven into wonderful tunes and voice interpretation, a unique and gorgeous combination. His fellow musicians, the Tarviteers, joined him for an eclectic, world music mix of their own, at times, French-influenced, quirky songs, with wonderfully inventive percussion interpretations, and covers which delighted the crowd who were looking for an excuse to dance and were not disappointed. Fantastic Midsummer fun was definitely enjoyed by all!
Cupar Arts would like to thanks everyone who appeared, attended, volunteered and helped in any way, to make our first EDEN, A Midsummer Exploration of Arts and Culture, a brilliant success. Having such an inventive and internationally recognised artist as David Mach, was a real treat, and we feel, has helped to keep Cupar and Cupar Arts firmly on the arts events map. We found the Corn Exchange made a wonderful arts hub for the week, where everything took place in the easily accessible (despite the temporary scaffolding!) downstairs area, and intend to use this formula again next year. We would be delighted if other artists, community groups and individuals would like to collaborate and join in with fringe events, augmenting this midsummer celebration, through the arts, of beautiful Cupar and surrounding area, with our gorgeous river Eden weaving and connecting throughout its well worth treasuring, constant journey.
Contacts us: cupararts.art@gmail.com
