food, culture and creativity IN STIRLING
International students tried Scottish foods as part of the cultural celebration.
International students at the University of Stirling have been exploring how food, culture and creativity can enhance their wellbeing in a new project bringing together Stirling’s cultural partners with support from See Me.
With food sponsored by iconic Scottish brands, the project got Chinese students to their feet exploring all that Stirling and Scotland has to offer. Encouraging them to share their own ideas and priorities for ensuring good mental health and wellbeing whilst exploring collections, taking part in workshops and developing a welcome and wellbeing guide for future students, to be launched later in the year.
As a key event in the programme, Artlink Central, in partnership with The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, hosted a creative wellbeing event for 35 international exchange students that involved a social exchange and celebration of traditions, combining Chinese Lunar New Year and a Burns supper.
On Wednesday 9 February, the students were welcomed with a tour of the Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum. On display was the 8ft-long tiger decorated entirely with Tunnocks teacake wrappers by Fife artists Robert and David Mach.
Chinese students with the Mach Tiger at Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum.
Heather Caroll, Event & Exhibition Officer at the Smith, and Nicola Wilson, Collections Manager, presented to the students the Museums’ special collection of Chinese Objects, which are usually not on display at the museum. With gloves on, the students were able to handle the objects and study their details up close.
Lead artist on the project, Aya Iguchi-Sherry said:
“This has been a great opportunity for the students to be introduced to Scottish culture and, with the museums’ Chinese objects collection, starting the conversation about links between Scotland and China.”
The event was opportunity to handle the musuem’s collection of Chinese objects.
Students then enjoyed traditional Scottish food staples including haggis, black pudding, and scotch pie, with drinks and sweets kindly sponsored by Irn Bru, Tunnocks, and whisky from Deanston Distillery.
Ceilidh dancing featured in the cultural exchange.
Students took away a postcard featuring the Chinese Scottish Tartan 2006, and an invitation to an online participatory cook-along event to be hosted by Sean-Wai Keung on February 16th.
Music was shared, with students Yihao Yan, Hong Xie and Kexin Zhang singing and performing on ukulele a Chinese pop song. The afternoon concluded with a performance of traditional Scottish music and Ceilidh led by Scottish fiddler and vocalist Mairi Docherty.
The students tried their hands (and feet) at the Dashing White Sergeant, Strip the Willow, and the Gay Gordons.
The project has evolved from a British Council matched partnership between Artlink Central and a Chinese charity, A Perch for Thorn Birds, exploring the arts and mental health between Scotland and China, culminating in Flyways, a virtual exhibition, online events and talks, and a physical exhibition in Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Forth Valley, with corresponding exhibition in Shanghai, the largest ever arts and mental health exhibition in China, hosted last year.
The online international global project brought artists from both countries together and highlighted how stigma and mental health can be challenging for international students living in Scotland.
A Perch for Thorn Birds and other creative networks and artists in the UK are now involved in delivering supporting the See Me funded work with students which demonstrates the best of local and international grassroots arts collaboration in Stirling.
Kevin Harrison, Director of Artlink Central and Manager of Scene Stirling’s cultural partnership said:
“Stirling’s bid for UK City of Culture 2025 is for everyone who lives, works and studies in Stirling, and we are delighted that with projects like this we can explore the ways in which creativity can enhance lives and experiences of our resident international students and create more ways to welcome everyone to Stirling to see how special it is.
“With Stirling currently bidding to become UK City of Culture 2025, this is an opportunity to draw the nation and international eyes on Stirling and to invite Stirling’s 12,000 strong student body to help shape Stirling’s cultural vision for the future and ensure everyone can be involved and included.”
Back Stirling’s bid at Stirling2025.com and share your support with the hashtag #Stirling2025