MERZ Reconstruction & Fabrication

MERZ is located in the former lemonade factory in Sanquhar while ZIPStudio, Museum of Model Art and art-houses occupy the site of the former abattoir: once derelict and neglected sites within 100m of the town’s historic Tolbooth Museum.

MERZ was set up by the artist and filmmaker David Rushton and the Institute of Local Television. ILT is a not-for-profit company, a social enterprise limited by guarantee. Founded in 1989 the Institute developed policy initiatives around local and locally accountable TV and now runs www.summerhall.tv to provide arts-news throughout Scotland with several related .tv channels on a variety of scales, including artinscotland.tv, artinireland.tv, writerstories.tv and festivalcity.tv.

In Sanquhar MERZ manages and contributes to Facebook Pages in Upper Nithsdale, Dumfries and Galloway supporting news clips by and for 7-12 year olds on Nith.TV as well as local arts and cultural events on Discover Upper Nithsdale: What’s going on?

MERZ is supported by an Advisory Panel of local residents and artists who together help develop local and incoming arts and cultural initiatives to engage through enquiry and regeneration with the communities of Upper Nithsdale.