THE shortlist for the 2019/20 Margaret Tait Award has been announced.

Artists Jamie Crewe, Winnie Herbstein, Stuart Middleton and Margaret Salmon have been shortlisted from a pool of eligible artists for the £15,000 prize, for a commission which will premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival in February, 2020, and subsequently tour with Lux Scotland.

The 2019/20 Award will be announced in February at the premiere of a new work by Alberta Whittle, recipient of the 2018/19 Award.

The Margaret Tait Award is inspired by the pioneering Orcadian filmmaker and poet Margaret Tait (1918–99).

The award is for "experimental and innovative artists working with the moving image" and was established in 2010, and is run by Lux Scotland, with Glasgow Film and Screen Scotland.

Previous recipients of the Margaret Tait Award include Alberta Whittle, Sarah Forrest, Kate Davis, Duncan Marquiss, Charlotte Prodger, Rachel Maclean, Anne-Marie Copestake and Torsten Lauschmann.

Nominations are assessed by a jury of artists and professionals.

This year’s jury is: Richard Ashrowan, of Alchemy Film & Moving Image Festival, artist Kate Davis, Kate Gray of Collective, Sean Greenhorn at Creative Scotland, Richard Parry of Glasgow International, Adam Pugh of Tyneside Cinema); Amy Sherlock (frieze); Nicole Yip (LUX Scotland, chair) and Sadie Young (Timespan).

www.luxscotland.org.uk

THE Halloween and Spree festivals in Paisley led to a £2.4m boost for the economy in the area, according to a new report.

Paisley’s Halloween Festival attracted 34,000 people for two nights, a figure up by 8000 on 2017.

There was a 30% rise recorded in visitors from the rest of the UK, while the festival attracted almost 13,000 Scots from outside Renfrewshire.

The Spree provided a £434,702 total economic boost from a 10-day music, arts and cultural festival.

Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said: “It was phenomenal to see such great numbers coming along to Paisley’s Halloween Festival and to Spree and now this report shows exactly how it translates into more money for the local economy and more spend with local traders.

“We’re working hard with our partners to put on unique events which are a fixture on the calendar for Renfrewshire residents and which attract new audiences from Scotland and the rest of the UK.

“It was particularly pleasing in the Year of Young People to see so many families experiencing the Halloween Festival, added to the hundreds of gifted young performers taking part and the popularity of Spree For All spread the benefits of the festival around Renfrewshire.

www.renfrewshire.gov.uk

SCOTTISH artists and organisations can apply for £100,000 fund for European collaborations

British Council Scotland and Creative Scotland are seeking proposals for bids for a joint fund.

The fund aims to "build on existing connections between Scotland and Europe, which already see Scottish artists and organisations participating in major international platforms and festivals, such as Classical Next, the Venice Biennale and Cannes Film Festival."

Norah Campbell, British Council Scotland Head of Arts, said: "International cultural exchange is of crucial importance to the Scottish arts sector.

"With this funding we aim to enable organisations and individuals to strengthen their links with partners in Europe.

"We understand this is currently of particular concern and would encourage all those with an interest in building long-term arts partnerships and collaborations to apply.”

A total of £100,000 is available for projects taking place in 2019-2020.

www.britishcouncil.org