Clare will turn the spotlight on food

Everything from chip shops to foodbanks will be the subject of a project by the new artist in residence at Paisley Arts Centre.

Clare McGarry will produce a show inspired by talks with people of all ages about food in the local culture.

And this will include memories of the many Italian chipshops and cafes in Renfrewshire, and some of the area’s famous food manufacturers such as Robertson’s jams and Brown and Polson.

She will also look at differences in what people eat today compared to years ago and the need for foodbanks in recent times.

Clare, who has been appointed by Renfrewshire Leisure, and is also the artistic director of Grinagog Theatre Company, said: “Many of my previous shows have been about food as I’ve discovered food is a wonderful mechanism for people to begin to talk about their wider life experiences and social histories.

“One of the main focuses of the project is community engagement.

“I want to work with a diverse range of groups across Renfrewshire to find out about their rituals when they are making and eating food – what they like to eat when they have something to celebrate and what recipes and tradition have been passed from generation to generation.”

Clare will interview people of all ages. These will include school pupils, community and family groups, people who meet up to discuss their area’s heritage to ethnic minority groups, food-growing initiatives and foodbanks.

The project is part of a partnership with Imaginate, an organisation that promotes, develops and celebrates theatre and dance for young people in Scotland.

Plans are also being finalised for workshops and masterclasses in the performing arts.

Clare’s research work will culminate in a show performed by professional actors at Paisley Arts Centre and there are also plans to take the show to Renfrew Town Hall, Johnstone Town Hall and the Tweedie Hall, in Linwood.

She said: “I am excited about letting the process of this year guide and shape the content of the final piece.

“The performance will be a celebration of the stories we hear and I’d like to explore a multi-sensory approach during the show to include real baking, or cooking on stage, creating real smells and the audience being able to taste the food.”