Welcome to Ayliffe and Eve

Arts in the Scottish Borders has received a boost following the appointment of two new Young Creatives roles.

Hawick singer Eve Robertson has secured a new Performing Arts/Community Arts Modern Apprentice role, while Jedburgh-based Ayliffe Rose has secured the position of Youth Arts Mentor

The appointments are part of an 18mth project sustaining Borders Live Touring, run by charitable organization Live Borders, and a new programme of Borders Young Creatives supported by £100,000 external funding secured from Creative Scotland and the European funded Scottish Borders Leader programme.

Eve’s role is to support Borders Young Creatives in the delivery of performing arts events, working with programmers, providers, drama, dance and music companies and artists. In doing this she will undertake an SQF level 6 which is equivalent to a Higher qualification.

‘’I am extremely thankful and excited about this amazing opportunity I have been given, working as part of such a great team on a fun and exciting new project,” said Eve.

“My background is dance and theatre but mainly music as singing is a great passion of mine.

“I can’t wait to learn new skills and gain my Community Arts Management SCQF Level 6 qualification but most of all I want to give something back to the community and young people in the upcoming 18 months.’’

The scheme will support the youngsters in attaining an Arts Award which is a nationally recognised creative industries qualification.

Youth Arts Mentor Ayliffe will work closely with 10 young people, not in education or training, to help them become young promoters and to explore jobs in the performing arts, dance theatre and music, at the same time as supporting them to develop programming, planning, develop and promote events in their own local communities.

The mother of two has worked at grass roots level in the arts in Europe and the UK and latterly for Tomorrow’s People in Galashiels.

Ayliffe told us said “‘I’m really excited to be joining this amazing with Live Borders.

“My background is in employability and the arts and I am looking forward to using that experience to support young people in the Borders to play a key role in programming and promoting live events in their own communities.”

The project meets the articulated needs from the Youth Voice consultation undertaken across the Scottish Borders, in conjunction with the Year of Young People 2018. The consultation highlighted the desire for more employment opportunities and career options for young people so they don’t have to leave the area; more culture and arts events for young people and more of a say in the school/community and the variety of learning experiences that young people are offered.

Ewan Jackson, Chief Executive, Live Borders, added: “The project makes concrete Live Borders commitment to Year of Young People 2018 with a lasting legacy, which responds to their key needs as demonstrated in the consultation.

“Through securing the funding, building on good work with local communities undertaken by Borders Live Touring over the last four years and working with partners in SBC And Youth Borders, we made the case for extending support for the Borders Live Touring network and made the case for a new project to support young people to develop their skills through experience, training and opportunities in the performing arts.”

For more info on our arts programmes, click HERE.

Live Borders is a charity. Every penny you spend with us is reinvested into supporting active, creative and healthy communities in the Scottish Borders.