Calling All Artists!

We are seeking an artist to develop family workshops and online activities linked to the museum’s science collections and current Heriot-Watt University research. This is part of our Places of Science Project.

The museum is excited to be awarded The Royal Society Places of Science Funding. This funding stream supports museums to engage local communities through their heritage and science collections.

The Project

As part of this project, we are delivering activities linked to scientific objects in the museum collection.  The project will explore the museum collection through the lens of current cutting-edge scientific research and will take visitors on a journey from local historical discoveries to present day developments. The project focuses on three areas of the museum collection. Firstly, the pharmaceutical collection and our collection relating to David Waldie, a local who trained as a surgeon but went into chemistry. He is reputed to have been involved in the discovery of chloroform. Secondly, Linlithgow’s ‘Future Heritage’ connection to Montgomery Scott aka Scotty in ‘Star Trek: The Original Series’ who will be born in Linlithgow in 2222.  Lastly, our photography collection and the science behind creating photographs.

We hope to deliver 2-3 family workshops aimed at 5 – 14-year-olds. The workshops will have two different activities aimed at the lower and upper limit of this age group. We are looking for an artist to work with the museum and HWU researchers to develop these workshops and deliver them with the support of museum volunteers. The artist will also develop ‘At Home’ online resources which will be hosted on the museums ‘Museum Makes’ webpage. The workshops will be delivered by museum volunteers beyond the life of the project.

 Artist’s Role: 

  • Develop the format for 2-3 family including associated materials

  • Deliver 2 workshops with the support of museum volunteers (Provisional Dates: October 2022, February 2023, May 2023)

  • Create 2-3 ‘At Home’ activities available via the museum website

  • Feed into marketing plan and roll out of advertisement 

  • Feed into project evaluation. 

This is a freelance role. The Artist takes full responsibility for any tax and national insurance contributions relating to the fee.

How to Apply

For more information and how to apply please download the artist brief here. Applications should be in by 9am Monday 8th August 2022.