In 2008, East Lothian Council’s Museums and Arts Services secured funding from Museums Galleries Scotland to enable several schools to become involved in an Artist in Residency project. Since then, every Primary 6 pupil in the Prestonpans Cluster area has been working with local artist Ettie Spencer on the ‘East Lothian’s Our Home’ project to create an artwork based upon the exhibition about the slave trade. The schools involved are Cockenzie, Longniddry, Prestonpans and St Gabriel’s Primary schools.

Each child taking part in the project has used different textile skills to create a fabric square, which represents their idea of ‘home’. The final art piece is a large tent that illustrates the ideas of displacement and home.

The fabric squares by the children are extremely colourful and varied, reflecting the diversity of life in East Lothian today. The artistic skills, and the understanding of the topic shown by the children have been impressive.

The tent will be on display until October.