It’s algebra exam, the musical!
THEY could be boggling, complex and even rather dull.
But it is now hoped exam questions from the past will ignite creativity in an attempt to influence performance art.
The National Library of Scotland is to use assessment papers from the 1930s and 1960s as inspiration for artists to create ‘punk musicals’, dance shows and other projects.
It will offer six bursaries of up to £1,000 each to enable creative re-interpretations of old exam questions.
However, the unusual plan have been slammed by campaigners who called the grants ‘obscene’.
It come after the Scottish Government announced plans to cut the cultural collections budget – which includes funding for the national library, museums and galleries – by 5 per cent this year.
The library, which has recently digitised its collection of exam papers from 1889 to 1963, is hoping to demonstrate the re-use potential of its collections for those working in the creative industries.
There will be two opportunities to create dance shows based on the 1932 Higher geometry paper and two visual art projects based on either the 1937 or 1938 Day School Certificate Higher general paper.
Up to £2,000 is available for two musical performances – punk, indie or choral – based on questions from the 1962 Higher mathematics paper. But Tax Payers’ Alliance spokesman James Price said: ‘This story is simply baffling. How anyone can think that this is an appropriate use of taxpayers’ money will be beyond all those of us who will be forced to fund it. When Scotland’s chronic overspending and a deficit that is the worst in Europe is taken into account, it borders on the obscene.’
Graeme Hawley, the library’s general collections manager, said: ‘This will test the creative ability of artists while helping the exam papers to live again. If algebra made you want to scream when you were at school, now’s your chance.’
A National Library of Scotland spokesman said: ‘This is a modest expenditure in support of encouraging positive engagement with young artists.’