£4550 to help Perth host iconic war statue
Perth will be only Scottish visit forthe Haunting
Councillors have voted to award the Black Watch Regimental Trust £4550 from the Perth Common Good Fund for its display of The Hauntings.
Black Watch Regimental Trust has secured Scotland’s only visit of The Hauntings - a sculpture made of scrap depicting a battle-weary, WWI soldier returning home.
The funding award was agreed by Perth Common Good Fund Committee on Monday, May 22.
The privately commissioned sculpture - six metres in height - will go on display at the Black Watch Museum, Balhousie Castle from July 1 until November 12, Remembrance Sunday 2023.
The sculpture will be free to view. There will also be three panel exhibitions on three themes: Culture and Community; the Impact of Conflict; and Remembrance and Commemoration, as well as free hourly talks on the sculpture in the castle grounds.
Black Watch Regimental Trust applied to the committee for a fund of just over £18,000. However the trust has also applied to other funding sources.
Depute Provost Andrew Parrott - who convenes the committee proposed an award of £4550. This will allow: 1000 schoolchildren admission to the museum; a workshop with veterans; a jewellery workshop with Ukrainian refugees, and a still life workshop with mental health veterans.
The SNP Perth City Centre councillor said “all of which were benefiting people in the community”.
Black Watch Regimental Trust also sought funding to help with the costs of transporting and installing the statue, marketing and advertising, production of a souvenir brochure, as well as the creation and installation of supporting exhibitions.
Depute Provost Parrott had concerns and said: “I think there are aspects of this which are more commercial and should be left to Balhousie Castle to cover themselves.
“The Hauntings is a one-off opportunity but I do think Balhousie should be bearing most of the costs.”
This was seconded by Perth City North SNP councillor John Rebbeck.
Bailie Chris Ahern proposed a grant of up to £18,000.
The Conservative Perth City Centre councillor said: “This is the only visit to Scotland of The Hauntings.
“In terms of trying to put across the Black Watch’s and the armed forces’ history I think this is very important.”
Cllr Peter Barrett seconded Bailie Ahern’s proposal.
The Liberal Democrat Perth City Centre councillor said: “This is an exciting and enticing prospect for Perth. I hope that having The Hauntings at The Black Watch Castle and Museum will be as big an attraction as the Poppies: Weeping Window exhibition proved to be in 2016.
“Given that Perth will be the only venue to host The Hauntings in Scotland this is a unique opportunity for our city and a superb attraction for visitors this summer and right through the autumn culminating with the end of its exhibition after Remembrance Sunday for visitors. I am very happy to support this application and am grateful to the Black Watch Museum for their initiative in securing this poignant and emblematic sculpture commemorating soldiers who died in World War I.”
Councillors voted by six votes to three with one abstention to award a grant of £4550 as proposed by the Depute Provost.
This is an exciting and enticing prospect for Perth Cllr Peter Barrett