WORKING Perspectives, the partnership between Peebles Creative Place 2014 and Crossing Borders, is one of six projects shortlisted in the national Arts & Business Scotland Awards 2015.

Open to every arts/business partnership in the country, this nomination in the placemaking category acknowledges the quality of the project, one of 13 delivered by Peebles Creative Place 2014, based at the Eastgate Theatre.

Working Perspectives took 12 individual Borders-based artists out of their studios into residencies in ten local businesses ranging from a dentist to a supermarket, from a plasterworks to an aerial assault course adventure company.

Originally conceived by artist co-operative Crossing Borders, the project was developed in partnership with Tweeddale Museum and Gallery and realised with funding and support from Peebles Creative Place 2014.

The inspiring results were made public at a hugely successful exhibition at Tweeddale Gallery.

Caroline Adam, general manager of the Eastgate Theatre said: “Peebles Creative Place 2014 was a year of projects and events that brought artists and community together to celebrate the creative ambition of this small Borders town.

"Working Perspectives was one of the most ambitious of the projects delivered during the year and I am delighted that, with this nomination, Arts & Business Scotland has recognised the strength of the vision and partnership that produced it.”

Claire Blyth, of Crossing Borders, said: “As originator of the Working Perspectives idea but with no experience of a project this big, I had a lot to learn! Firstly, it was important that I keep hold of the original, clear and simple idea as there was a danger of the enthusiasms of partners and the requirements of funding pulling the project in many different directions.

"Secondly, the support and positivity of the partners was essential – they informed me when I didn't know what to do, and buoyed me when I might have given up. My faith in the artists was confirmed – they all came up with the goods in a wholly professional way.”

Artist Siobhan O’Hehir (Go Ape residency) said: “As a painter of landscapes, I’m used to working with natural environments, but what I find alien is having a man-made structure within something as natural as a forest. I thought at first it would be the thing that inhibited me, but it’s actually what has sparked off the ideas. It’s making me do things I wouldn’t normally do, but it’s also given me a bit of freedom.”

Go Ape’s Iain Ronaldson said “I’ve never looked at the course in this way before. When I told the staff about what was happening, I think they imagined someone sitting there with an easel. This has been very different.”

The winners of the Arts & Business Scotland 2015 Awards will be announced at a ceremony in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Wednesday< Fenruary 3 next year.