Workshops

Workshop Development for Vulnerable Artists

While my practice is rooted in observation, collecting, and studio-based making, I am also interested in socially engaged approaches that deepen my understanding of place. Engagement with local communities offers perspectives and experiences that sit alongside my own research, informing how I think about landscape, belonging, and relationships between people and environment.

A Tapestry of Connection– Phase II

As part of *A Tapestry of Connection*, I developed a series of community workshops with two non-speaking autistic adults, using drawing, collage, texture and printmaking as ways of working together. The project gradually became a more socially engaged part of my practice, with the participants’ marks and ideas feeding directly into the final work. This led to a collaboration with Sollas Bookbinding, where the workshop material and my own photopolymer prints were brought together in a concertina artist’s book. The process opened up a new way of thinking about printmaking for me — not simply as individual images, but as a collaborative form that could hold different voices, experiences and ways of making within one object.

As a direct continuation of my work with service users at the Lionacleit Day Care Centre, I designed and implemented a two-day workshop. This initiative formed a core component of my A Tapestry of Connection project – supported by VACMA Scotland.

I designed three print-based workshops aimed at enhancing the creative practices of vulnerable artists associated with the Day Care Centre Craigard at the LEC in Linonacleit. This initiative was, focused on fostering inclusivity within the arts community. The goal of these workshops was not only to empower participants but also to create opportunities for increased funding that supports minority community engagement in artistic endeavours. This initiative was to support and promote greater visibility for minority communities, with the intention attract additional funding and resources dedicated to enhancing participation in the arts.

Feedback:

“Thank you so much for all the support you provide to day care services. Your hard work and dedication in arranging and delivering amazing and appropriate workshops is very much appreciated.” – 2025

“Thank you so much for sending us your report on the Art-workshops. Our service users thoroughly enjoyed your workshops. Feedback from our support staff and service users was very positive and we would like to request opportunities to join you for more workshops. I am looking forward to discussing this further with you next week. – 2024

Thank you again for taking the time to organise and deliver exactly the kind of session we were looking for. Your workshops met the needs of our service users and boosted their confidence and self-esteem especially when there was an end product to take home. Feedback was that they were very enjoyable and a real sensory experience. – 2024

Your support is very much appreciated.”

Workshops

“Thank you so much for time on Monday. The workshop was great; so much learning and lots of inspiration! We both enjoyed it and got such a lot out of the session. You made the whole day a really positive experience.”

Developing inclusive training programmes and workshops is important to my art practice. Through my workshops, I aspire to cultivate a vibrant artistic community that values diversity and encourages active participation from all individuals, from all backgrounds. The primary objective of my workshops is to provide a supportive environment where all kinds of levels of students and artists can explore their creativity through a variety of techniques.

Location workshop – *Sound as spatial practice* for UHI- NWH

Hard, & Soft Ground Etching with Aquatint – A 3 day Workshop with NC UHI-NWH

Sculpture Workshop – *Casting as spatial practice* for UHI- NWH

Soft Ground Etching with BA (Hons) students UHI-NWH

Learning and Living Wildness Workshop

Feedback:

“Many thanks nicola, honestly one of the best courses I’ve done.“

“Many thanks again for such an amazingly immersive experience. Still pinching myself that we had such a bespoke opportunity! Would love to do part 2!! “

“Once again thanks for a great time on the LLW course. I absolutely loved it. I’ve only just opened the wee transfer file and its all come flooding back – what a great time! “

View → Matter of Time Totems

View → Matter of Time Totems

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sculpture/installation

In This Day and Age – collaborative project with Professor John Kippin included developing the Virtual Symposium, Imagining an Island (iAi), This was was held at Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre on 25th and 26th September 2020. Isle of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides.

John Kippin and Nicola Neate’s presentation from the two-day Symposium, Imagining an Island (iAi) – on 25th and 26th September 2020. In collaboration with University of the Highlands & Islands, Centre for Rural Creativity and the Art School at UHI, North Uist, in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, foregrounding Contemporary Landscape Practices in Photography and Film.

Contributors include:
Friday
Neil Simco, John Kippin & Nicola Neate, Maya Derrell-Hewins, Andy Mackinnon, Alix Rothnie, Kevin Atherton, Helen Fox, Keith McIntyre, Ysanne Holt, Francesco Sindico, James Ellsmoor, Michael Cope, Dr Siun Cardin, Dr. Andrew Jennings, Huw Wahl & Stephen Watts.

Saturday
Robin Gillanders, Kate MacMillan, Roxanne Permar, Fraser Macdonald, Rachel Fermi, Matt Sillars, Rosie Blake, Benjamin Skop, Amund Bentsen, Anne Bevan, Anna-Wendy Stevenson, Simon Bradley and Joshua Bonnetta.

Heartlands Project Cornwall Redruth included Artist led community workshops in order to inspire engagement from local neighbourhoods to produce artworks for the use in the site-specific installation –