Capturing The Coastline Exhibition To Tour The Highlands

Winning images from a national photographic competition have been brought together to form a year-long touring exhibition entitled “Capturing The Coastline” which opens in Inverness next weekend (Saturday 29 March) before visiting other Highland venues in Thurso, Wick and Kingussie.

The competition, run by SCAPE (Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion), challenged adults and children to capture images illustrating any aspect of Scotland’s coastline.   Launched in September 2007 by world-renowned photographer Colin Prior, its aim was to raise awareness of Scotland's coastal heritage, with particular emphasis on changes caused by climate change, erosion, storms and sea level rise.

Around 1,000 photo entries were received, illustrating coastlines the length and breadth of Scotland.  Professor Smout, Chairman of SCAPE was hugely impressed by the entries.  He said:  “The pictures that were taken for the competition are splendid and it was a hard job selecting entries to be included in the touring exhibition.  Young budding photographers and those more experienced in using cameras highlighted what the miles of coastline we have in Scotland means to us all.  It is tragic that so much of the archaeology, which can tell us how our ancestors lived in this environment, is now at risk of destruction from increasing storms and sea-level changes.

“Capturing the Coastline” runs from 29 March to 3 May at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery before visiting the Swanson Gallery in Thurso from 10 May to 7 June, the St Fergus Gallery in Wick from 14 June until 12 July and the Iona Gallery in Kingussie from 19th July until 16 August.

After its Highland tour, the exhibition will be visiting other venues on mainland Scotland, including the Scottish Parliament, before touring some of the Scottish Islands.