Seeing the Bigger Picture
When we started the mural, we focused on the artwork created by our artist Chris Rutterford and the paintings generated by the community. Once we saw the mural installed inside the tunnel, and engaged in conversations with the visitors, we knew we needed to go further with our visual storytelling. The mural generates so many stories about Ayrshire history, the people who have lived and worked here, the iconic places we’ve illustrated, the music and poetry of Robert Burns, and indeed the story of the mural project itself. Every time we work in the tunnel, we are inundated with questions about the paintings and all the stories they tell.
One way we have responded to this interest in our heritage is to create short films which visitors can access using their phones to scan a QR code. Throughout the mural you will see round discs in a Celtic frame, and this is where you will find the link to each film. They are also available in our website video gallery. It’s enabled us to create a more interactive and immersive visitor experience. Our filmmaking helps visitors see the bigger picture!
To make our films we reached out to local schools, Ayrshire College, local businesses and voluntary organisations inviting them to get involved with our creative storytelling. Everyone responded with enthusiasm, and it’s been a lot of fun making each one. So far, we have created 22 films with 8 more in production.
Our most popular film is ‘Of Mice and Men’ and it tells the story of the Clydesdale Horses and the close bond between the farmer and his horse as they ploughed the fields. We filmed this at the Scottish Ploughing Championships in 2023 at Monkton Farm. Ayrshire is known for Ayrshire Tatties and Ayrshire milk and we’re busy creating these films for release later this year.
Another industry we’re famous for across the world is golf! The pupils of Maidens Primary helped us to learn more about the history of Turnberry and why it’s become a world-renowned course. It's great to see visitors from across the globe finding out more about this aspect of our history.
We filmed pupils from Forehill Primary School who were preparing for a Burns Supper and it’s wonderful to hear their musical and poetry performances in the tunnel as you view the artwork. next time you visit, give them a listen!
We’re very grateful to Kenny Caldwell from Beingthere Media in Ochiltree for part sponsoring and creating the majority of the films. The standard of his photography work is exceptionally high, and we are honoured that he has got involved in this project and we’re proud of each of the films.
We’ve also worked in partnership with the Iris Centre, the Ayr Racecourse and the South Ayrshire Young Carers to help the young people learn filmmaking skills and tell the history of the Racecourse. Ayrshire College Graphic Design students also learned filmmaking skills as part of their core skills course and helped us to tell the story of the Maybole Boot Industry.
Thanks also to the Branding Hub in Ayr for sponsoring all the QR code plaques helping people access all these films. It’s great to have local businesses involved in the mural doing what they do best.
You can view all the films in our website video gallery.
Shelagh McLachlan, Trustee
