New artwork in the making for centre

A NEW Room 13 Spean Bridge (13SB) artwork is in production for the community centre in Spean Bridge.

It is part of the Sustainable Spean Bridge project that has so far seen developments in the community including a polytunnel and food growing at Spean Bridge Primary School, cooking workshops and seed and plant swaps.

There are new windows, lighting and insulation at the community centre and a separate heating system is being installed in May/June.

In one of the final events, Alison O’Rourke from Sustainable Spean Bridge contacted Ali Berardelli who, along with Jen Deschenes, is working with Spean Bridge Primary School on a visual arts programme using the model of Room 13 International, a thriving community of young artists from around the globe.

The management team from 13SB has created a giant artwork, using recycled material kindly donated by All Round Signs, which illustrates local scenery with an environmentally friendly message. 13SB was established in Spean Bridge Primary School in November 2017. The artists working alongside the pupils have been visiting regularly and the team has started to fund raise for their own project work.

The challenge to create a giant artwork has involved many people from the local community who came along on Good Friday to help.

Ali Berardelli, an artist involved with the project, said: ‘Room 13 Spean Bridge spent a day at the community centre designing all the ideas that the group had and on another day families came along to help complete the artwork. Getting a lot of people involved is the aim of the project. Everyone enjoys contributing to the final design which groups using the community centre will hopefully enjoy for years to come.’

Funding for the Sustainable Spean Bridge project has come from the Climate Challenge Fund and the Scottish Government Greener Scotland.