Graeme Gilmour

GRAEME GILMOUR

An Appreciation

Graeme Gilmour was one of Scotland's great theatre designers and makers. When we set up UZ Events in 1994 he was part of a group of talented sculptors and designers – Acme Presentations. We started what was to become a creative friendship where ideas were pooled and shows and events created that featured his often playful but always beautifully executed designs.

We developed annual large-scale parades to celebrate Glasgow and its communities for a festival called Shine On Glasgow. Over the years he introduced a wide range of artists from his days at Glasgow School of Art and Welfare State: Andy Scott, Ewan Hunter, Caroline Scott, Wilma Eaton, Julian Crouch and many more.

The climax to the parade work was an event in 1997, Pure Glasgow, to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress. Graeme's generosity with friends and collaborators led to more introductions and the commissioning of Improbable Theatre's legendary Sticky in 1999 to celebrate Glasgow's Year as UK City of Architecture and Design.

In the new millennium, Graeme moved to Brighton and became an influential figure in the local artistic community. He made his own work including wrapping Brighton Dome in bubble wrap for Brighton Festival. He designed shows for Tim Crouch, Dot Comedy and Spymonkey Theatre and returned to work with Improbable as co-designer of Shock Headed Peter, which was nominated for five Olivier awards.

Meanwhile, his designs appeared at UZ events nearly every year. He designed the rocket ship for Mischief La Bas that "crashed" into Glasgow for the millennium, an Orary to complement GroupF's launch of the Glasgow Science Centre, Millie the Fish to re-open the Forth and Clyde canal and frequent projects with Ian Smith and Mischief La Bas.

We worked together on many projects with Mike Roberts of World Famous and Phil Supple of Lightrefreshment, including Iconic Burns to launch the Year of Homecoming. Then memorably with Mandy Dike, Maria Hingerty, Thor McIntyre-Burnie and the Slovenian Band Terra Folk and others to create Full Circle, one of the all-time highlights of Scotland's National Street Arts Festival Big in Falkirk.

He was the ideal creative partner – always generous and honest, he demanded and received the highest production values, was utterly reliable and a brilliant designer, sculptor and maker. His dedication to meat, aversion to "salad filth", his love of Scotland and Brighton and salty language was legendary.

Graeme leaves his brothers Stuart and Neil, mother Molly and an international network of friends all connected by his work and play.