Question Time with Max Macleod
The first in a short series in which Maxwell poses the same five questions to a number of shakers and movers:
DAVID COATES
1) What is it that you do?
I work with a small group of people attempting to ensure the survival of Summerhall (a private Arts enterprise in Edinburgh) through the current darkness into the safety and light of a hopefully post Covid 19 future. I am also working with the three Maclean brothers who rowed across the Atlantic last year, to set up a new series of challenges to raise funds for charities.
2) What's your background?
My background is in design consultancy and marketing
3) What is your biggest project at the moment?
Currently Summerhall is, as is the rest of the world, battling to find a future for our unique and groundbreaking arts venue here in the heart of Edinburgh. Most would contend that being right in the centre of the creative and hospitality business that our goose is well and truly cooked. We don't think so, We have kept the majority of our staff on, assisted by the furlough scheme and have kept our bars and exhibitions running as and when we can, generating much needed income for the future.
4) Why do you think your work is relevant at this time of national crisis?
Our effort is driven by securing the economic wellbeing of us all and particularly, in our case, the cultural economy. Without the arts and the creative industries it is a bleak world and very thin gruel indeed. What will inspire the young and our children's vision for the future if not the arts and sciences?
5) How would you like people to respond to your work
By visiting Summerhhall whenever possible, whenever able and whenever allowed.
LESLEY RIDDOCH
1) What is it that you do? Good question. I write two weekly newspaper columns, record a weekly podcast, write books, occasionally turn up occasionally on TV/Radio to opine about politics and try to keep up with all things Nordic as Director of policy group Nordic Horizons.
2) What's your background?
A bit mongrel. Mother from Wick, dad from Banffshire, born in Wolverhampton, brought up in Belfast, moved to Glasgow, university in Oxford and Cardiff, BBC training course in London, then back up the road for first job in Radio Scotland. I've skipped between broadcasting and print journalism, with a fair dose of activism over land reform, feminism and latterly Scottish independence throughout.
3) What is your biggest project at the moment?
It's a toss up between trying to shift copies of my new book when even that phrase sounds like a toe-curling cliche - and thinking how to support change in Scotland as the Covid crisis hits the Brexit bumpers in January.
4) Why do you think your work is relevant at this time of national crisis?
Well, I'm always trying to look beyond the here and now to see how the experience of our forebears shapes us and how the results of our northern neighbours inspires us. I think we all need some anchoring in our best traditions, some unravelling of what's ae been and some vision to move on.
5) How would you like people to respond to your work?
Feel that change is possible and desirable.
