Education in its broadest sense is at the core of the activities of the Pier Arts Centre. The Centre provides free access to its collection and exhibitions supported by a programme of interpretation and gallery publications. The gallery provides opportunities for children, young people, students, artists and the casual visitor to engage with its collection and temporary exhibitions in a stimulating and supportive environment.

Our aim is to extend the opportunities for all sections of the community and to offer a range of activities that stimulate the imagination, inspire confidence and develop creativity at all levels of experience.

Educational activity engages with a wide range of local and national organisations including the RSPB, Historic Scotland, RCAHMS and Orkney Islands Council, while our involvement with the formal education sector extends from pre-school through to post-graduate study. 

Satellite exhibitions touring to the outer isles, work placements in the gallery, artists' talks, practical art workshops and research/partnerships with Scotland's art colleges all form part of the educational programme of the Pier Arts Centre.

Since re-opening in July 2007, the gallery has presented events, activities and projects all designed to enhance the enjoyment and educational potential of every visit to the Centre.

Highlights 2007

Pier Group
Pier Group is an on-going programme for 16 to 18 year olds who have a particular interest in the visual arts. The programme involves a range of experiences including practical workshops, visits to exhibitions, artists’ studios, and artists’ talks. The Pier Group is supported by Talisman Energy and the Norie Trust

Children & Families Programme
The Big Draw – 13 October 2007
Drawing activities were set up throughout the gallery, in order to relate to the artworks within the gallery’s permanent Collection and contemporary exhibition programme.

Many of the activities were self-directed and others were artist-led. Some deliberately involved working with a partner or in a small group. Some of the activities were quick and simple, others could be more involved should the participant want to spend more time on the activity.

StoryQuest - 3 November 2007
The Pier Arts Centre was selected by the Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation to participate in a set of standard-setting storytelling events organised by StoryQuest.

The event took place throughout the gallery spaces focussing on 8 artworks, 4 from our permanent Collection and 4 contemporary works from a north light~cynosure, the gallery’s reopening exhibition. Storyteller, Lesley Maclean, used the artworks as the starting point for traditional stories some with universal themes like the Storyteller’s Coat and other more locally based tales like Asipattle and the Muckle Stoorworm. By creating a parallel between the artwork, particularly the contemporary artwork with traditional stories established a new way of looking at the artwork. The stories were interspersed with short art activities that further extended the relationship between the story and the artwork.

Formal Education
We have an effective partnership with Orkney’s schools and the Islands Council Education Department that continues to develop use of the Pier Arts Centre and its services as a key learning resource. School visits to the gallery and workshops carried out in the classroom highlight the impact that a broader engagement with the visual arts can have on young people both in the wider school curriculum and beyond

The Pier Arts Centre has developed a close relationship with Orkney College, a partner in the UHIMI and has a continuing dialogue with Scotland’s Art schools and Colleges especially Edinburgh College of Art.

Gallery based Events & Activities
Activity packs are available for young visitors to explore further the works on exhibit. Workshops take place throughout the year including Leading Lights, workshops for younger children (5-12 years old) that focus on aspects of the Collection and temporary exhibition programme.

Events & Activities outwith the Gallery
The Pier Arts Centre is very committed to working with other organisations both within the  local community and beyond.

Stromness Shopping Week
Stromness Shopping Week is a major event in the local calendar. During this gala week, the Pier participates with art and craft activity workshops and the annual pavement artist competition.

RSPB Big Picture
In 2007 the ‘Big Picture’ was developed as a community art & education project by the RSPB in collaboration with the Pier Arts Centre as part of the RSPB’s Marine Awareness campaign.

Locally based artist Marian Ashburn was commissioned to created the ‘Big Picture’ painting specially for the project, bringing together the many rich and varied aspects of Orkney’s marine life that was reflected in the hundreds of drawings and paintings received in response to the project brief by Orkney’s schoolchildren.
During the 2007 Orkney Science Festival the painting was recreated on an emormous scale in the Pickaquoy Arena with over 200 sections being assembled over two days to make a picture over 6x5 metres.

Since re-opening, new relationships have formed with those working in the non-arts sector. Projects with both the OIC Childcare Partnership and St Colm’s Day Centre have provided the opportunity for the gallery to present visual arts activity to young parents in the case of the former and provide practical training for the later.  

Supporting Artists
Artist Support & Mentoring Scheme –  A pilot programme of more formal artist support and mentoring was recently presented, bringing artists and visual arts professionals together in a structured and supportive environment.