Going once, going twice... Going to Calton Hill

With their lofty sights set on a future in Edinburgh’s City Observatory, Collective is holding a fabulous fundraising auction. We spoke to director Kate Gray to find out more

Feature by Kate Andrews | 01 Mar 2013

Ever wondered what goes on in the grand old auction houses of Edinburgh? Well, this March 14th presents the perfect opportunity to find out – to fund its move from Cockburn Street to new premises on Calton Hill, Collective gallery is holding an auction at Lyon and Turnbull.

Collective has employed its winsome charms to bag one of the most iconic and enviable sites in the capital for its upcoming relocation. Work is already underway atop Calton Hill to transform the former City Observatory into a world-class venue that aims to present a fresh perspective on what enlightenment means in Scotland today. Come June, the City Dome will house the Collective’s international programme, while grand plans for a sculpture garden, residency ‘pods’ and outdoor performance areas will be unveiled over the next few years.

The auction at Lyon and Turnbull will be a celebration of an epic new chapter for the gallery. Proceeds will be channelled directly into the development of a further gallery – a dedicated space for emerging practice (a reworking of the New Work Scotland Programme), which will now be a focus of Collective’s programme all year round. Director Kate Gray tells me she is “really rooting for emergent artists and striving to find new ways to deliver more, to sustain support and build long term relationships.” Her excitement to see how these relationships will develop in this new historic context is clear.

There is always a difficulty in contextualising a gallery which is more focused on research and development than the production of ‘blockbuster shows’ – this can certainly prove to be a ‘hard sell’ for an unfamiliar audience. The auction is a way to communicate how instrumental it is in supporting the development of artists throughout their careers.

“The artists who have really kindly donated their work to our cause are telling this story for us,” says Gray. It is a story of mutual affection: the generosity of these contributors is clearly testament to the affection they hold for the gallery. In many cases it was Collective who presented the artists with a first significant opportunity to show their work in a supportive but professional context outwith the art school bubble.

The impressive list of over 60 works on offer at the auction hints at the stonkingly successful bunch who have worked with Collective over the last 30 years. Lots include local names such as Rachel Adams, Claire Barclay, Michael White and Andrew Miller, as well as Turner Prize winners Martin Boyce and Jeremy Deller.

“We were blown away by the support – people have been fantastically generous,” says Gray. “We build up strong relationships with people, but we couldn’t have anticipated the level of support we got. It was quite humbling.” The team was especially thrilled with the number of one-off and new works produced for the auction. Gray assures me that despite the high profile, the auction will present something for all tastes and wallets.

If all this talk of money and markets seems a world away from the humble workings of the not-for-profit organisation, Gray reassures me that they haven’t turned to the dark side – the relocation won’t mean any change in priorities. Yes, there will be a coffee kiosk up on the hill, but it will not be franchised from an evil multinational! The auction and the move represent a chance for the gallery to celebrate its story so far and to look to a dazzling new horizon for a future which is thoroughly invested in unearthing Scotland’s talent. 

The auction is on 14 Mar, 6-8.30pm at Lyon and Turnbull. Online bidding is open now. The auction and reception are free to attend http://auction.collectivegallery.net/