The Spacers were off on our first go-see of the programme in January. Zooming up the A76 to Ayr, gently serenaded by James on the kazoo (see our Instagram Reel from the day), we were all buzzing to get into the nitty-gritty of another fantastic arts organisation.
Narture, founded in 2020 by father-daughter duo Robert and Saskia Singer, is a community arts organisation funded by their very own sourdough bakery, where they produce fresh breads and pastries each day. On this foundation of good food, they “re-invest all surplus profits into creative projects, as an instigator of town centre regeneration. The spaces host a community darkroom, Riso printer, exhibitions, events, workshops, holistic therapies, and talks.”
We arrived and were welcomed to their cosy and creatively decorated café by Saskia, and were able to grab some delicious lunch while we got chatting. We were then introduced to Saskia’s dad and co-founder Robert, and were given some of Narture’s backstory. They have both studied art, and Robert has a background in catering, all of which comes together in what they do at Narture. We could really feel the passion and dedication they both have for the organisation, and they clearly have put a lot of hard work into building what they have. You can read more about Narture and what they do on their website: https://www.narture.co.uk/.
We then went on a tour of the spaces Narture uses on Ayr High Street. Seeing what they’ve done with the spaces—the artist studios, Riso printer, etc.—was inspiring and definitely got us thinking about what could be transferable to our own town in Dumfries, as well as our own creative practices.
It was brilliant to get out and about as a team, and spending the day with a new organisation has definitely brought a fresh perspective. The car ride home was full of discussion and chat about new ideas—we left Narture with a sense of connection with the organisation and their community.
Creative Spaces is a Dumfries-based collective of young creatives, working with and advocating for our region’s young artists.
Situated in the heart of Dumfries, Creative Spaces collaborates with young creatives from across the region, providing young people with opportunities to engage in the arts. Whether it’s through events, workshops, mentorships, or our annual Associates Programme, we aim to enhance Dumfries and Galloway’s creative scene by offering free access to opportunities and paid commissions.
Keep up to date with the Creative Spaces team on Instagram: @creative.spaces_
We are delighted to share that The Stove has been awarded Multi-Year Funding by Creative Scotland for the period of April 2025–April 2028. We are honoured to be part of the national portfolio of cultural organisations in Scotland for the third time. This decision feels like a true affirmation of the work we do.
The significant growth of funded organisations in our region demonstrates how fundamental the arts are to life and work in Dumfries & Galloway. We are proud to stand alongside six other creative organisations in the region—DG Arts Festival, Upland CIC, CatStrand, Wigtown Festival Company, CAMPLE LINE, and Paragon Music—who are all making valuable contributions to the cultural, social, and economic well-being of Scotland’s communities.
The Stove, as it stands today, has evolved from a conversation in a bar in 2011 among a group of artists. Our hope then remains the same as it is now: to use creativity and the arts to shape the future of our town. Collaboration has always been at the heart of our vision, and we dedicate this recent success to everyone we’ve worked with—the community across the region, the incredibly talented network of freelancers, and, of course, our members.
We’ve taken time to publish our message of thanks and gratitude for Creative Scotland’s support out of respect for the many organisations across Scotland who have not received the outcome they had hoped for. We acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead for many of these organisations who undoubtedly invested a tremendous amount of time and energy into the application process. As we stated previously in our response to the closure of Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, we stand in solidarity with creatives everywhere, as well as with public and third-sector workers, and offer our support in any way we can.
Looking ahead to the next three years, with the stability provided by this funding, we are pleased to continue with our ambitious plans. The Stove’s original mission for Dumfries—enabling creativity and creative people to make a positive contribution to the town and surrounding communities—has now expanded into a region-wide endeavour. Over the next three years, we will focus on delivering community-embedded arts practices with the communities of Dumfries, as well as advancing regional creative placemaking and creative sector development:
We’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the continued support from all our much-valued funders and partners, who enable our ongoing mission for Dumfries & Galloway.
Since its inception over four years ago, Creative Caerlaverock, commissioned by Historic Environment Scotland has embodied a fresh, grassroots approach to heritage engagement. Rather than following a ‘descended’ model—replicating the same methods across different sites—this project has embraced a deeply place-based philosophy, rooted in the unique stories, landscapes, and people of the Caerlaverock area.
One of the core challenges in engaging with heritage sites lies in the conventional narratives of history—stories often written by the victors, steeped in patriarchal perspectives, and leaving vast silences where marginalised voices should be. Creative Caerlaverock has sought to challenge this by asking provocative questions: Whose histories are we telling? What about the untold stories—the queer, the repressed, the forgotten?
This project strives to create equal opportunities for connection with one of Scotland’s most remarkable historic sites. Whether through personal stories tied to the land, collective memories from local communities, or imaginative escapism, it encourages participants to use history as both a mirror and a canvas. By blending tactile engagement, creative exploration, and open dialogue, the project has inspired participants to reimagine their relationship with heritage—not as a static past but as a living, evolving force.
Over the past year, Creative Caerlaverock, delivered in partnership with DJ McDowall of The Imaginarium, has worked with diverse groups—young people, local residents, and LGBTQ+ communities—to rediscover Caerlaverock Castle and its surrounding landscape as spaces of connection, creativity, and inclusivity. By exploring the intangible threads of identity and history, participants have uncovered new ways to see themselves in the fabric of Scotland’s past.
As we step into a new year, full of uncertainties, one question lingers: Could our reimagined engagement with history serve as a guiding light for the future?
Site & Sound
Sonic Labs & Creative Toolbox (Creative Wellbeing Network)
Site & Sound is a collaborative project that brings together the creative expertise of the Stove’s Sonic Labs collective—explorers of sound and music—and Creative Toolbox, part of the Dumfries & Galloway Creative Wellbeing Network. This youth-focused programme offers activities to young people dealing with low self-esteem, low confidence, or poor mental health by fostering creativity as a tool for growth and connection.
Over Autumn and Winter, Site & Sound guided participants through an immersive creative process, including sound foraging, free improvisation, circuitry, creative writing, and spoken word. The result? Six powerful audio tales and poems, written and performed by the young people themselves, inspired by the rich landscape and history of Caerlaverock.
These imaginative stories will soon be available via the Echoes App, geo-located across the Caerlaverock site. Visitors will be able to embark on a unique auditory journey, immersing themselves in the vivid worlds crafted by young voices and their fresh perspectives.
Led by The Imaginarium and in partnership with the D&G Heritage Service, Our Land, Our Stories brings the rich tapestry of Caerlaverock Estate’s history to life. By working with the older farming community of the Caerlaverock Estate, the project captures stories, memories, and reflections deeply tied to the estate’s 800-year legacy. These are more than just anecdotes—they delve into profound themes like climate change, community celebrations, agricultural transformations, and the enduring bond between people and the land they cultivate. From zeppelins soaring over the estuary to Viking longships and local legends, these stories bring history to life.
In 2025, these recordings will take on new life. Through community gatherings and folk nights, The Bookshop Band, Wigtown’s renowned musical duo, will collaborate with the local community to research and reinterpret these stories, resulting in the creation of up to three original songs.
Our Land, Our Stories serves as a poignant reminder of how personal histories connect to broader narratives, ensuring that the voices of the past resonate with and inspire the future.
The Imaginarium’s Missing Museum
The traces of queer history in Scotland have long been overshadowed or confined to the struggles of the 20th century—protests, legal battles, and the fight for recognition and justice. This narrative of resistance has shaped much of LGBTQ+ history, but as we trace this thread further back into the depths of medieval history, the trail fades, becoming overgrown and obscured.
This is where The Missing Museum steps in, offering an innovative approach to heritage engagement. A Museum Without Walls, it invites you, as Community Curators, to notice what is absent in our cultural heritage stories and to redress the gaps. It’s time to bridge the omissions in our shared histories, ensuring more honest and inclusive representations of the past.
Once you don your top hat, smooth your mustache, and pull on your handling gloves, the question arises: what changes will you make to ensure the museum collections reflect a richer, more inclusive tapestry of the past?
Working with an open collective of LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies, Queer Caerlaverock provocatively explores what is missing in our histories. LGBTQ+ people have always been here—so how can we reimagine and interpret our past through their lens? This project blends the tactile, lived experiences of marginalized communities with the dominant monarchist and heteronormative narratives of history.
Coming in February and March 2025, The Missing Museum will host a series of sessions culminating in an evocative installation on the grounds of Caerlaverock. Together, we’ll reassemble the fragments of the past to create a more inclusive and imaginative story of our shared heritage.
Interested in Creative Caerlaverock?
Feel free to reach out to us or discover more by visiting our project page on our websitehere.
When we look back on 2024 from a distance in years to come, there is no doubt that for many, it will be remembered as a tragically difficult year, one marked by events beyond their control. From the heartbreaking loss of life and destruction in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, to the relentless exploitation of populations by autocratic regimes in countries like Russia, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe, to the rise of divisive populist leaders spreading hate in the US, Hungary, Scandinavia, and Germany. The question we face now is whether this period will be remembered as a descent into deeper human self-destruction—or whether we can pull back from the brink. These are big and daunting questions—almost overwhelming when viewed from the perspective of our daily lives in a small corner of the world.
At The Stove, we’ve always approached such challenges by ‘digging where we stand’—focusing on making a positive impact within the world we can influence with the hope that multiple local efforts can, over time, connect and grow into something much larger. Our work is about involving people, connecting ideas, and using creativity to empower individuals to have a voice in the world around them, and to make positive change in their lives and communities. I believe this approach is foundational to pushing back against the rise of populism in our country, and perhaps it can serve as an example to others. Populism thrives on feelings of exclusion and disconnection—allowing manipulative leaders to exploit alienation and sow division. But we can resist this by doing the opposite: by including, involving, and creating opportunities for people to engage in positive change in the world around them.
These are big thoughts for the end of a tough year, but hopefully they can serve as a strong base for the new year. This requires collaboration and connection with other groups and individuals striving for a common goal. None of us can do this alone.
Looking back on 2024, I hope we can take pride in the small steps we are making in this big world. This year, we’ve hosted 264 public activities, reaching a total audience of 10,417 and engaging 6,835 active participants. We’ve also awarded 178 contracts to creative freelancers, totalling £187,000—42% of which were to people we had not commissioned before, and 31% to individuals under 25.
As we reflect on these figures and the impact of our work, we are reminded of the vital role that creativity plays in creating change. At our AGM earlier this month, we shared highlights from the past year and our ambitions for the year to come:
Looking ahead to 2025, like many Scottish arts organisations, we are awaiting Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding decision at the end of January with a mix of nervousness and hope. Whatever the outcome, we’ll make the best of it and are excited about the key initiatives we’ve planned for the year ahead.
It just remains to say a huge thank you, from all of us at The Stove, to everyone we’ve had the pleasure of working with this year—whether a participant, a collaborator, a partner (local, national, or international), a Stove member or supporter, or a Trustee. We deeply value every connection and are continually inspired by the commitment and passion of all those we work alongside.
Wishing you all peace and happiness as we welcome the new year, however you choose to celebrate. Here’s to another year of positivity, collaboration, and mutual support.
On 6th November, we had the privilege of leading a significant discussion at the Scottish Parliament, which focused on the power of Creative Placemaking. For us, this event marked a milestone in our ongoing mission to use creativity as a catalyst for positive change in communities. Co-hosted by local MSPs, from the South of Scotland, Emma Harper and Colin Smyth, the evening brought together artists, community leaders, policymakers, and funders from both Scotland and Ireland to explore how creative initiatives are reshaping local communities.
Over 70 individuals attended, each eager to share ideas and explore how creativity can drive cultural regeneration. We were able to share some insights from our Creative Placemaking Approach—published in partnership with South of Scotland Enterprise—and to highlight the work of the What We Do Nownetwork, which serves as a support structure for community-driven creative projects, connecting people and organisations that are committed to cultural regeneration.
It was encouraging to see MSPs Clare Adamson, Claire Baker, Ariane Burgess, and Maggie Chapman at the event, showing just how important cross-sector collaboration is in advancing the role of culture in society.
Emma Harper MSP, Colin Smyth MSP
Culture in Communities: Sharing Stories from the Grassroots
The success of the event was deeply embedded in the contribution from the people and their stories, reflections and experiences of creative placemaking in action. Maureen Kennelly, Director of Arts Council Ireland, Helen Trew, Co-Director of Art27 Scotland, and Rosie Lynch, Creative Director of Workhouse Union (Co. Kilkenny), joined us in discussing a wide range of innovative cultural projects, all of which are driving meaningful, positive change in communities.
What was truly special about this discussion was the diversity of ideas and experiences shared. We opened the floor to the audience, inviting them to share their own ideas and experiences, creating an inclusive dialogue that reflected the spirit of creative placemaking itself.
Maureen Kennelly, Arts Council IrelandHelen Trew, Art27 ScotlandRosie Lynch, Workhouse Union (Co. Kilkenny)
The Power of Creativity: Building Cross-Sector Partnerships
One of the central themes that emerged throughout the evening was the transformative power of creativity – how the arts and culture can forge cross-sector partnerships, foster long-term community transformation, and create real social impact. We focused on how culture can improve public health, inform community planning, and unlock new opportunities within the cultural sector.
Reflecting on the Energy in the Room
As the conversation unfolded, it was clear that creative projects hold tremendous potential to address urgent challenges—from public health and regeneration to social well-being. However, it also became evident that to fully harness this potential, we need better support from policymakers, more resources for creative initiatives, and a concerted effort to remove barriers to creative growth.
Moving Forward: Shared Purpose and Momentum
As the event came to a close, there was a strong sense of unity and momentum in the room. Attendees shared a collective determination to advocate for the resources, networks, and policies that will enable creative placemaking to continue thriving across Scotland and beyond.
We left the Scottish Parliament feeling energised and committed to continuing the conversation. The evening’s discussions reaffirmed our belief in the power of collaboration, and we are excited to keep working with others across sectors to expand the reach and impact of creative placemaking. It’s clear that this is just the beginning.
Watch the Full Session:
We invite you to join the conversation and share your thoughts on social media using the hashtag #CultureInCommunities.
A general meeting of members of The Stove Network was held on Tuesday 12th November 2024 to discuss the motion to adopt new Articles of Association for the company. Seven members attended with a further 18 giving their apologies and appointing the Chair of the company as their proxy to vote on their behalf.
The meeting became a very engaged and positive discussion of the history and reputation of The Stove as an organisation for the community of Dumfries and Galloway which had always sought to act transparently and inclusively and that the new Articles of Association were very much in keeping with this tradition and appropriate to the evolving practice of The Stove. Suggestions were made about new policies supporting the rights of children in line with United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as adopted by Scottish Govt and adding game design to the list of creative activities promoted by The Stove.
The meeting voted on the motion:
“That the Articles of Association in the form annexed and initialled by a director of the Company for the purposes of identification be adopted as the Articles of Association of the Company in substitution for and to the exclusion of the existing Articles of Association of the Company.”
The motion was carried unanimously by the seven members in attendance and the eighteen members voting by proxy.
The new Articles of Association for The Stove Network have been ratified by the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator and will be uploaded at Companies House where they are publicly available to view. Anyone wishing a copy can write to [email protected]
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