SHIFT//SEÒL Statement

05 February 2014

IOTA researched and proposed an arts commissions and events programme (entitled SHIFT//SEOL) for the River Ness, Inverness - working closely in partnership with The Highland Council's flood team over a period of 18 months.

IOTA prepared an outline programme, fundraising package and submitted a funding application to Creative Scotland in June 2012.

On the 25th September 2012 Creative Scotland awarded The Highland Council and IOTA £46.6k towards development costs, and ring-fenced a further £259k subject to a successful Stage 2 application form.

A new Members group was established by The Highland Council (ICArts Working Group), which met for the first time in December 2012.

After 7 months of endeavoring to work positively with ICArts, IOTA concluded that the integrity of the artistic process and quality of outcomes were being compromised to a degree that made working further with ICArts untenable.

Thus IOTA officially withdrew from managing the project at end of July 2013.