About Arts in Merkinch

It was in 2004 that the first Merkinch festival of the arts was held, initiated by Brian Macleod, then Merkinch Enterprise's development officer. Brian organised the ceilidh and other performance events, while local artist Bette McArdle set up a gallery and art exhibition at No4 Grant Street, then an empty shop now the premises of the Merkinch Partnership.

So many people visiting the three-week long exhibition said they wished it was open all year round and showed an interest in attending art classes or a writing group that it was decided to set up Arts in Merkinch and to launch these. The aim was to support arts and crafts activities already operating in the area and to set up new ones where there was a perceived need.

Indeed, so successful was the festival that Arts in Merkinch was formed and the first Community Arts worker, Catherine MacNeil, was appointed, initially for three months. She stayed a good deal longer and when she left was able to provide enough funding for her successor, Annie Marrs, to be assured for some time.

But to return to 2004: Bette, an experienced tutor and chairwoman of Arts in Merkinch, voluntarily set up an arts group while Brian organised a writers' group and a local history group. Both those have had setbacks over the years, but the writing group has recently been re-established. Meanwhile Highland Council were persuaded to support the art group as a further education class which meant Arts in Merkinch were able to employ a tutor.

Festivals, well supported by Merkinch Primary School, the Corbett Centre's Studio'03 artists, the Janny's Hoose, mp33, Inverness Camera Club and many other local artists and individuals, took place annually wherever space could be found. The Inverness Courier, the Art Society of Inverness were also generous in providing prizes for the annual show.

Meanwhile Arts in Merkinch had set up its own theatre group which became increasingly popular with the development of a theatre proscenium at Merkinch Community Centre.

2007 saw the first summer festival held in the Grant Street building known as The Bike Shed. Very much an industrial building constructed in corrugated iron it has been the premises of a motorbike business for some years. Then mp33 took it over as a place to repair push bikes. In 2008 Highland Council invested in the building, creating a smart white box environment for young people from mp33 to meet.

However, successive floods meant they no longer felt able to continue to maintain the building and in 2009 they were happy to hand over tenancy to Arts in Merkinch, who from the beginning had always hoped to have its own premises. But this was only thanks to the unflagging enthusiasm, drive and efforts of Annie Marrs and Anne Sutherland of the Merkinch Partnership, which had taken Arts in Merkinch under its wing.

The Bike Shed opened in January 2010 and now is home to a range of art and craft classes, projects such as Eden Court's monthly theatre crafts days. It also provides a meeting place for small numbers of people and rehearsal space. In mid-2010 a small dais was built which provides a small space suitable for one-man shoes and small, intimate theatre productions. The premises are also available for artists to rent in order to work on special projects, and in November/December it sees the first seasonal Gift Exhibition and Sale of small paintings and crafts.