The Royal Bank of Scotland has donated paper confetti made from notes withdrawn from circulation for an art project at the Pier Arts Centre to help make young people think about recycling and what they can do to help tackle climate change.

Following a series of successful children’s activities that have taken place out and about in Orkney’s parishes this summer, the arts centre has launched a further programme of events focussed around the last weekend of the month.

Funded by Museums and Galleries Scotland, the Centre’s summer programme comes to a close with events taking place in both Kirkwall and Stromness.

In a collaboration with the Royal Bank of Scotland, two large collages will be created using recycled shredded Royal Bank of Scotland paper bank notes. With the bank as principal partners in the COP26 Climate conference taking place in Glasgow in November, they are keen to present a series of artworks at the conference that have been made across Scotland.

The idea to hold a project in Orkney was developed by Margaret Keenan, senior relationship manager, corporate & commercial banking Scotland, said: “COP26 has brought into sharp focus the small, positive changes we can all make to safeguard the future of our planet and improve the communities in which we live.

“Royal Bank has produced banknotes in Scotland for almost 300 years and, as we look towards the future, this project shows what value a note still offers when it is taken out of circulation and recycled.

“We can’t wait to see what local artists and families from across Orkney create as they turn old notes into fantastic works of art.”

The majority of Royal Bank notes are now made from polymer as opposed to paper. Earlier this month its first polymer £50 note entered circulation.

The workshops to make the artworks will take place in Kirkwall on Saturday 28 August at Tankerness House Gardens and on Sunday 29 August at the Pier Arts Centre. Designed as a family drop-in activities from 11am to 3.30pm, participants will get the opportunity to contribute to the collages. These activities are free of charge and no booking is required.

Meanwhile, over in Stromness, there will be the chance to take part in a family workshop led by Ingrid Budge and Katherine Diaper. Entitled Landscape and Light there will be four bookable sessions taking place at Warbeth beach. On Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 August, family groups will be able to produce a small sketch book and create a cover for the book by making a cyanotype print.

LCarol Dunbar, learning and engagement programme manager, at the Pier Arts Centre, added: “We have had a very busy month, providing activities across the County, seeing some wonderful art and craft work created by our many young budding artist and makers. The funding from Museums Galleries Scotland has enabled us to present a wide ranging programme that we would have been unable to do otherwise.”

In addition, there will be drop-in zine making workshops at the Pier Arts Centre on Friday 27 August, 11am-4.00pm.