The shortlist for SURF’s prestigious national awards scheme, which showcases success in regenerating Scottish communities, has just been announced.
The SURF Awards are delivered each year by SURF, Scotland’s independent regeneration network, in partnership with the Scottish Government.
Having assessed over 50 applications across seven categories, SURF’s panel of 22 judges, drawn from national bodies and community groups, have announced 16 shortlisted projects for 2015. They are:
Scotland’s Most Improved Town Category:
- Large Town sub-category:
- Irvine
- Kilmarnock
- Small & Medium Town sub-category:
- Barrhead
- Kelso
The axolotl, an amphibian proficient at adapting to difficult circumstances, is the ‘face’ of the 2015 SURF Awards
Large Scale Infrastructure Category:
- The Crescent (Whitfield, Dundee)
- Ullapool Harbour Ferry Infrastructure Enhancement (Wester Ross)
- Vineburgh Regeneration Initiative (North Ayrshire)
Employability Category:
- Canal College (Falkirk)
- Creative Pathways (Glasgow)
- Wheatley Pledge (Glasgow)
The arts-industry centred ‘Creative Pathways’ employability initiative by Impact Arts features on the 2015 SURF Awards shortlist
Creative Regeneration Category:
- Ayr Gaiety Partnership
- Glasgow Women’s Library
- Laurieston’s Open Spaces Project (Glasgow)
Community Led Regeneration Category:
- Atlantic Islands Centre (Isle of Luing, Argyll & Bute)
- Bellsmyre Development Trust (West Dunbartonshire)
- Helmsdale Affordable Housing Project (Sutherland)
For more than a decade, the SURF Awards have covered regeneration projects of all sizes from across Scotland. This year‘s shortlisted projects range from the Borders to the Highlands & Islands, and from major infrastructure and town centre investments to activities delivered by community groups and arts organisations.
Over the coming weeks, the judging panel will be visiting all of these diverse projects to develop a better understanding of their impact and the contexts that they are operating in.
The six winners will then be announced by a leading Scottish Government Minister on the evening of Thursday 10 December at the 2015 SURF Awards Presentation Dinner event in Glasgow’s Radisson Hotel.
The 2015 SURF Awards are delivered by SURF in partnership with the Scottish Government, with additional support from Architecture + Design Scotland, Creative Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, PAS, RTPI Scotland, Scotland’s Towns Partnership, and Skills Development Scotland. The Sunday Herald is the 2015 SURF Awards media partner.
