Emma Currie
THE John Byrne Award is a place for people with something to say. For 10 years, via our online platform, we’ve been showcasing the creative talent of people across Scotland. We offer monthly and annual cash awards and we welcome submissions from all creative disciplines to our virtual gallery. Anyone over 16 years old, living, studying, or working in Scotland can enter.
But our audience isn’t just motivated by cash prizes, they want to be seen and heard, to meet in real life, have exhibitions, talks. So, we’re planning some of that, we’re sponsoring studio spaces for artists, producing a podcast, getting people involved. The John Byrne Award space, be it virtual or physical, becomes a kind of ideas palace.
As Chair, I’m inspired by John Byrne himself, who was involved at the very beginning of the award, back in the days when it was a schools’ competition, before it dawned on us that life was actually the school and that ‘grown ups’ needed a place to express themselves creatively, because most people are creative, but simply don’t get a chance to be so; people get pointed in other directions by the circumstances of life, with all its low vibrations and tedium.
It seems to me that John Byrne, as a man, has never allowed the low vibrations and tedium to get in the way of his artistic expression. Everyone on the board feels in awe of his beautiful spirit and being. It’s always a thrill when he’s able to join us, to give awards or to attend events. He’s our muse. His ethos blows away a world plagued by petty-bureaucracy and small complicated rules which, but for the human spirit, could render us stupefied. And John hates paper-pushers too, so we’ve tried to keep the competition straightforward and clutter-free. I’m glad to say we’ve got fantastic financial help from Capricorn, who recognises the role art plays in society; we want to find similarly evolved companies to partner with and sponsor us.
Historically artistic expression has been banned at times of totalitarian oppression or dictatorship; art is freedom and creative voices are the measure of a nation, providing ways for people to connect, discuss, cope. During the pandemic, competition entries increased significantly - people felt they could speak freely. We are not machines and we build empathy and communities through art. The economy is as much emotional as it is financial. I think the rise of corporate culture and the commodification on everything has left us all feeling that there is no joy left in the world.
Scotland needs a place for creative discourse – let’s make that the next virus. Art can infect us all with a new language and take us away from the endless tipping point the media tells us we’re at. Art can help us to fall in love with our community again, lead us to believe in our country and restore our faith in humanity.
Emma Currie is Chair of The John Byrne Award, Johnbyrneaward.org.uk
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