Photo David ArrowsmithMission Statement
Hidden Door is an Edinburgh-based, not-for-profit collective for established and emerging artists working in Scotland.
Our mission is to:
• Provide a platform for collaboration, development of practice, discussion and debate.
• Create works with cultural resonance.
• Engage audiences with a variety of art forms in new ways.
We do this by running a year-round programme of innovative cross-arts experiences and events.
About Us
The idea that started Hidden Door was simple enough: to bring a dynamic mix of artists, performers and art forms under one roof and create an exciting immersive environment together. I felt this could radically enhance the audience engagement with the arts; act as a platform to bring people together; inspire and encourage artists and creatives; ignite the sparks and fuel the grassroots culture in Edinburgh, making the city an exciting place to live and work.
Traveling around Eastern Europe, I was struck by the attitude and energy of D.I.Y art culture, and inspired by the central role of music in bringing groups of diverse practitioners together. I felt that Scotland- and particularly Edinburgh- could do with more of that kind of go-for-it attitude. If the talent had the opportunity to let rip in that kind of spirit, something extraordinary would happen.
The idea grew, and by the end of 2010, two ambitious weekend-long events had been produced, each attended by over 2000 people. They brought together over 50 bands, 100 visual artists, 20 poets and 30 film makers from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and beyond, who funded everything by contributing small deposits up front which were then reimbursed through money raised by ticket sales.
By the end of that first year, there seemed a genuine demand and excitement for Hidden Door to develop an emphasis on collaborative practice, alongside opportunities to push boundaries of individuals' practice and performance.
Now it's time to establish Hidden Door as a collective that does just that; a cloud of creative practitioners working in Scotland, creating a platform for ambitious collaborative projects across art forms, staging remarkable events, and bringing emerging and established talent together to challenge, celebrate and stimulate our culture.
In an age of great financial difficulty for the arts, this is the time to start growing the roots. As artists, we can't wait for someone to do it for us.