As part of our European Residency Programme – designed to develop, celebrate and promote dialogue between cultural organisations and artists based in Europe – we are collaborating with the Nordic Artists’ Centre Dale (NKD) Norway, for the first time to host a Norwegian artist at Cove Park this autumn. The aim of the residency is to support a period of research and experimentation, focused broadly around the themes of national identity, migration and borders. This programme is made possible with support from British Council Scotland and Creative Scotland.

Our inaugural residency exchange with NKD involves two two-week residencies happening simultaneously in Norway and at Cove Park under our Craft & Design programme. Following a nomination process we have selected former Cove Park resident Deirdre Nelson to travel to Dale in October. At Cove Park we will host Norwegian textile artist Lillian Samdal.

Lillian Samdal is a Norwegian artist and singer-songwriter. She graduated in 2006 with an MA in Visual Arts at Bergen National Academy of the Arts. During her BA in Textiles she was an exchange student at Manchester Metropolitan University, Embroidery Department, Faculty of Art and Design. At Cove Park she will be working on reconstructing textile elements from her childhood home, a house that she moved from when she was 8 and that was taken down when she was 13. The research of these elements will result in the making of three blankets representing the three floors of the house.

Deirdre Nelson is an Irish artist/designer based in Glasgow. Nelson studied Textiles at Glasgow School of Art (graduating in 1992) and received an M.Phil in 1996. She has exhibited nationally and internationally and undertaken residencies both in the UK and Australia.