Evidence for Committee: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
By Matt baker
The Stove often contributes to Government consultations – these are one of the ways that policy is shaped. Committees are the way that Government oversees what it does, so the Culture, Media and Sport Committee looks after the work of the Dept of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), by suggesting new policy directions and holding ministers to account for what they have promised. It is these Committees that run consultations – when they want to explore something, they call for people’s views, they then hold committee sessions to discuss what has been submitted and often call people to speak to them at these sessions. Following this, a committee will make set of recommendations to Ministers and often new policy results.
As part of the DMCS’s most recent consultation, or ‘Call for Evidence’, in a subject very relevant to the work we do here at The Stove, I asked members of The Stove Network to contribute their thoughts to the Stove’s submission. The following is that submission which incorporates the feedback of our members.
Here at The Stove Network we use arts and creativity to enable communities to vision, create and enact new futures for themselves and their places. At the core of our mission is an understanding of arts not as something solely for an ‘arts audience’ but rather as a vital contribution to society on all fronts.
TSN has a venue in Dumfries, in the South West of Scotland, which acts as a hub from which to work across the wider region. We work closely in partnership with the local authority, community organisations, local businesses and charities to catalyse meaningful change in places and communities. Initially this was focused on Dumfries High Street itself, but as the organization has grown, our focus and reach has become region-wide. We are recognised nationally and internationally for the quality of our work in creative placemaking with communities.
Our vision is to make Dumfries and the wider region a place where communities thrive through collaboration, enterprise and risk-taking; a place where everyone is supported to be involved creatively, and to take part in the celebration and making of our culture.
We do this through place-based work and embedded arts practice. As well as operating from our hub in Dumfries High Street, offering space, facilities and arts programmes to engage wide and diverse communities, we also work in places throughout the region on a project basis seeking to build local capacity in creative placemaking. We work with partners and strategic bodies to support meaningful collaborations for place-based working, and to develop pathways for skills development and access to creative careers. We build and sustain networks locally, regionally, nationally, and increasingly internationally through which we share best practice, most recently through publication of our Embers research on creative place-making in the region.
Over the ten years that we have been operating, we have developed and sustained a public programme of place-based and community-focused work. In 2019-20, The Stove Network delivered 5+ public events per week with 5,800 people directly participating in creating projects and over 150 groups/organisations collaborating on the shared vision of our work.
How can culture reanimate our public spaces and shopping streets?
Our experience is in the long-term embedding of cultural initiatives in town centres where there is NO existing cultural infrastructure to support this. You can read HERE the story of how The Stove established itself, built a cultural sector and started a community-led regeneration initiative that has brought 5 High Street buildings into community ownership as part of a £25M redevelopment programme for Dumfries town centre.
Please see Q.3 below for evidence re supporting similar processes in other places without existing cultural and creative infrastructure.
The key precondition to starting initiatives such as this are:
Access to affordable space in town centres. In order for this to happen policy needs to make it more difficult for commercial property owners to leave premises empty. Inducements/sanctions are required to force owners to allow creative initiatives to start in town centre properties.
Easily accessible project funding to pilot creative initiatives in town centres
Follow up core funding to sustain initiatives that show promise
Support for regional arts organisations to supply mentoring support/capacity/resource to help new local initiatives to grow in locations around a region.
Support for bringing national festivals/events into regional town centres to augment grassroots creative infrastructure as it begins to grow.
Doing this will create:
vibrancy in town centres – a significant new offer for towns and creating new footfall for existing businesses
new creative businesses and opportunities for young people giving them reasons to stay and contribute to their home towns
creative and community-led visioning for towns
new identities for places that will attract new businesses and people to relocate
How can creatives contribute to local decision-making and planning of place?
The Stove Network has pioneered the practice of Creative Placemaking on Scotland:
Creative Placemaking uses creative practice to engage communities at grassroots level, building on the existing culture, activity and relationships in each place. It brings people, communities, groups and organisations, public and third sector agencies together to co-develop better strategies for our places. It is a collaborative framework that allows communities to take a lead and creates opportunities for personal growth in participants, the growth of new initiative/enterprises and supports a sustainable creative and cultural sector.
This was based on 6 months research with 21 community-based organisations in South of Scotland and presented recommendations for a Creative Placemaking Network approach to support this practice in communities throughout the region.
Case studies on The Stove’s Creative Placemaking practice to support local decision-making and place planning are linked below, they have been written by:
How can the Government support places without established artistic infrastructure to take full advantage of the opportunities that the levelling up agenda provides?
The Embers report refenced in Q.2 above gave a blueprint for a regional support network for Creative Placemaking through a network approach. In 2021 The Stove began a pilot for a regional Creative Placemaking Network for Dumfries and Galloway. Through this The Stove is supporting 5 community anchor organisations (3 of which are not ‘cultural’) to host 2 creative practitioners for a year to work in communities that are not usually heard in local planning processes and work with them to develop practical visions and projects to improve their places and their own lives within them.
The pilot is called What We Do Now and has just received continuation funding rom Scottish Govt.
How should Government build on existing schemes, such as the UK City of Culture, to level up funding for arts and culture?
Schemes such as UK City of Culture could actively promote Creative Placemaking and regional support networks. The Stove was recently part of a South of Scotland/Borderlands bid to UK City of Culture – it was not successful because it did not follow the model of regeneration laid down by the scheme in previous years. This felt like a missed opportunity and out of step with current practice and reality in post-covid communities.
Ahead of Creative Space’s mindfulness month, team member Jenna Macrory shares her thoughts on using Stoicism as a method of mindfulness for creating.
Note: Each of the following points could be an essay in its own right. It was extremely challenging whittling down such an expansive way of thinking into a few points. Although I’m an avid fan of Stoicism I am no expert. What I do not what the following text to be interpreted as is me preaching an approach to being creative (although I hope you do find elements of it you can employ in your own life). This is simply an account of how I use this thinking in my own practice
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As a teenager, I used to wish there was a way to know how to make the “right” decisions. I would get incredibly overwhelmed and often burnout because of the pressure I placed on trivial matters. Then I encountered Stoicism, an ancient school of philosophy emerging in the third century B.C.
Initially developed by the Greeks and expanded on by the Romans this approach to life became incredibly beneficial for me because it provided a set of logical rules to live my life by. Stoic teachings made sense of the difficult times and provided me with a way to navigate life’s complexities. As I’ve progressed through my musical career I find myself turning to the ancient teachings as a way to navigate a highly competitive sector.
One of the most common misconceptions about Stoicism is that it is simply about remaining stoic. Rather than being concerned with enduring hardship Stoic thinking is about facing these difficulties head-on by identifying what is, and what is not in your control. Roman Orator Cicero offers the analogy of an archer shooting an arrow to aid us in comprehending this:
“Take the case of one whose task it is to shoot a spear or arrow straight at some target. One’s ultimate aim is to do all in one’s power to shoot straight, and the same applies with our ultimate goal. In this kind of example, it is to shoot straight that one must do all one can; none the less, it is to do all one can to accomplish the task that is really the ultimate aim. It is just the same with what we call the supreme good in life. To actually hit the target is, as we say, to be selected but not sought.”
The archer can do everything within his control to hit the target, from strenuous training to the selection of adequate weaponry but despite this, there are still variables once the bow leaves the arrow. The shooting of the bow is in the archer’s control but the arrow colliding with the intended target is never guaranteed. This is extremely relevant for the majority of creatives in our modern world.
When I release a song there are many factors within my control including the sound of the track and the marketing but alas this does not guarantee the commercial “success” of the song. The number of times my song is streamed or shared is not something I control even though I have aimed for my personal goals. I have selected my target but it is not sought after.
This brings us to my next point, who are you making your art for? To illustrate this point I would like to reference the Byzantine Military Commander Belisarius. Born in 500 A.D., Belisarius accomplished a plethora of notable military conquests in his life including recapturing Rome following the demise of the Western Roman Empire. One would expect a commander of this calibre to be adorned with military accolades but contrary to this Belisarius was condemned by the paranoid emperor that ruled over him. Emperor Justinian the first grew suspicious of Belisarius and his achievements were underwritten by bad politics which eventually led to him being tried and convicted for conspiring against the Emperor. The irony of this is that Belisarius had the opportunity to cease the throne multiple times but he chose not to. He identified that this was not his path, it was not his work and he took pride in the career that he did have. He showed up, he did his job and he expected nothing more.
Despite historians and scholars criticising Justinian’s treatment of Belisarius, according to records, he was not one to complain about his poor treatment. Although extreme examples of Stoic values such as this are not uncommon in the Classical Era, they are highly applicable to the situations many artists find themselves in. Belisarius was able to bypass the negativity associated with his circumstances because he was simply doing his job. He identified that not only did he not have control over how the Emperor may treat him but he knew that any additional praise that resulted due to his conquest was simply a bonus. This is how creating art should be.
Interpreting the Stoics it becomes evident that the purpose of creating music or any art form is not to receive praise. Any praise received is a bonus.
“Believe in your art and make art that is true to you and your ego will get out of your way.“
It is very easy to say all of this but from my experience with Stoicism, it is an intense philosophy to live by. It is not as easy as just being the best version of yourself it is naive to think it is this simple. Life often gets in the way but that is okay, it is okay to stumble and falter when we are trying to be better, and we can see this depicted by one of the world’s most prominent Stoics Marcus Aurelius:
“When jarred, unavoidably, by circumstance, revert at once to yourself, and don’t lose the rhythm more than you can help. You’ll have a better group of harmony if you keep on going back to it.”
New Year resolutions are the perfect antithesis of this quote. Too many of us are familiar with the process of setting an overly ambitious goal which will leave us disheartened when we inevitably give up because we are unable to incorporate our new goals into our lives in a healthy manner. Rather than reprimand ourselves for this, Aurelius conveys that this will be unavoidable at times and that is okay. But we should not give up. We should go back to our goals and approach them in a manageable way. Before utilising Stoicism in my practice I would spend long days at my computer making music before getting frustrated because I had not produced any quality work. This would result in long hiatuses from music-making which would make returning to composing incredibly daunting. Now instead of pressuring myself into long sessions, I dedicate two or three hours every night to making music. It is a healthy part of my schedule although I do also have a social life which does often result in socialising during this time. Although I am strict with my music-making when I miss a session I do not get frustrated at the fact I have not composed that day. Rather I recognise this, reflect and set the intention to compose the following day.
Despite history repeating, we tend to disregard the teachings of civilisations that came before us. Stoicism has guided many people since ancient Rome through life and as long as humanity remains it will continue to guide many more generations. Although Stoicism has been adopted by a variety of people it still seems absent in the creative industries. Through implementing Stoicism into your creative endeavours there is an opportunity to supercharge your art practice while becoming resilient to the mental strains of life.
How do you cope with the stress associated with being creative? Next week Creative Spaces launch their block of workshops on mindfulness. We’ll be launching this block of workshops with an open discussion on mindfulness next week (Thursday 3rd) at in The Stove Cafe from 7pm. If you’re under 30 and would like to attend you can register below:
OnFriday 3rd December, we had the opportunity to host theWinter Gaitherin – our festive celebration in Fountain Square! Dumfries town centre became a warming, magical place to be with lots of twinkling lights, fun workshops and wonderful live performances all taking place outside The Stove and in lots of other venues around the town!
If you couldn’t join us on Friday, here’s a little recap of what went on.
Preparations started early on Friday morning, as we set up the picnic tables and dressed them up with some Christmas decorations to get everyone in the spirit!
There was lots to do and see, with hours of festive fun about to unfold in the town.
Kicking off our celebration, Susi Briggs and Alan McClure of Oor Wee Podcast joined us on the Winter Gaitherin stage with a lovely live storytelling performance from their family-friendly podcast.
We then had a very special visit from the Pirate and the Pixie from Moat Brae! Telling their own special story and keeping lots of families entertained with their tales of adventure.
Oor Wee Podcast
Over at The Smithy, Big Burns Supper had a brilliant lantern-making workshop for all the family to enjoy, as well as artist Andy Brooke on hand to show us how to make your own window decorations. They were also joined by Arts End of Somewhere, who were taking part in discussions around their award-winning storytelling and performances!
Festive Window Decoration Workshop hosted by Andy Brooke
Lantern Making Workshop Hosted by Mia from the Big Burns Supper Team
(Stay tuned for Big Burns Supper’s carnival in January, when they will have a lantern procession that you can take your lanterns from the workshop along to – find them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.)
Just outside at the Plainstanes, we had D-Lux holding a pop-up video making workshop. Their tent was equipped with colourful lights for people to make their own light videos – D-Lux will be gathering all of these short video clips to project them all onto a Dumfries town centre building very soon! Stay tuned on this by following D-Lux on Facebook or Instagram.
D-LUX Light & Video Workshop
Round at The Wobbly Shelf bookshop, they held a letter-writing workshop for people to write their own creative letters, or to send warm wishes of hope to refugees – kindly taken in and sent on by the Dumfries charity, Massive Outpouring of Love.
Flourish also hosted their own crafty workshop for kids with Mr P’s Festive Craft Club! And Kings coffee shop even had their house jazz band, ‘Kings Own Blend’ for their customers to enjoy while they enjoyed a warm festive treat in the cafe.
Summerhill Community Centre joined us with some fun Christmas games to enjoy at their Christmas party!
Summerhill Community Centre Stalls
There were also some familiar characters who arrived to say hello…
Summerhill Community Centre Disney Performance
Later, Bogle Mufty took to the Winter Gaitherin stage with their lively folk music!
Bogle Mufty
And Michael Grant, too!
Michael Grant
Chris Gray then took to the stage with a special piece composed especially for Dumfries to welcome winter to the town, before Dumfries Community Choir gathered round for some Christmas chorals!
Chris Gray & Band
After all, what’s a Christmas celebration without a choir?
Dumfries Community Choir
Firstly, we’d like to say thank you to Dumfries and Galloway Council for approaching us to host a Christmas celebration in the town this year.
We’d also like to say a huge thank you to all that took part in our Winter Gaitherin, from the hard workers at The Stove to every single participant in our events programme – without you the Gaitherin wouldn’t have been possible!
And of course, an even bigger thank you to all those who joined us as they were passing by, or marked the date in their calendar to celebrate Christmas with us at the Winter Gaitherin.
It was about time we had something to celebrate again – and we all earned it.
Dumfries High Street
You can watch a short film covering the event created by photographer and filmmaker Ruari Barber Fleming on our youtube channel here:
– From all at The Stove, have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year when it comes.
The Committee for Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture is currently examining future directions for funding culture in Scotland. The Stove gave evidence to the committee on 16th September and this blog builds on the themes developed in our evidence and the evolving conversation about the role of culture and creativity in society as a whole – a conversation given extra focus and urgency in the context of Covid and Climate Change.
Culture & Wellbeing The Stove Network Evidence Session on Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee 16 September 2021
In periods of lockdown during the pandemic, creative practitioners filled many of the gaps created by the withdrawal of local authority services for people with additional support needs. In my own area, I have many, many stories of the extraordinary efforts of creative people during this time and of the positive impacts on clients and patients, some of whom experienced creative practice for the first time and have made progress that has astonished their carers. Similar stories are perhaps more widely known in education, with creative and cultural organisations and individuals providing physical and digital resources to support home-schooling.
Could the pandemic result in the widening of attitudes to education among parents/students and of outcomes for people with additional support needs and chronic health conditions?
These examples are part of a wider phenomenon through which myriad examples of arts practice embedded in communities came to the fore in Scotland, developed through local support networks during the pandemic. These can be added to the many community-led initiatives and social enterprises that have been started by a cultural project or the involvement of artists in local activism. The key connecting aspect of all these examples is the direct participation of people – people using creativity as a tool to change their own circumstances and/or the places around them, people being involved in shaping and making their own culture, rather than passively consuming culture that has been made for them.
Investing in Cultures The Stove Network Evidence Session on Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee 16 September 2021
Perhaps it is time to ask a fundamental question about the way we do culture in Scotland? Could we consciously support a culture of participation and popular ownership of culture as a key part of our national toolkit towards a just transition from both Covid and Climate Change?
It might be useful to look back at how we arrived at the current model we have inherited for the public support for culture. There are very interesting parallels with the pandemic in this regard. 80 years ago, another national crisis caused us to look anew at culture: during World War II people participating in and making their own culture was a vital factor in maintaining morale. This was recognised in the formation of the Council for Encouragement of Music and the Arts (CEMA) in 1940 which had two distinct strands of activity: one supported people to participate directly in the making of their own culture, whilst the other supported professional practitioners to create cultural work and events for the public. The participatory strand was very successful with projects such as the ‘Travelling Musicians’ programme which in 6 months started 244 amateur choirs and 37 new orchestral groups.
Despite this success, in 1946 CEMA was restructured as the Arts Council of Great Britain and support for participation in culture was discontinued with the first Chairman of the Arts Council declaring: ‘It is about the best not the most. The principle is we support professional artists. That’s our obligation. And our second obligation is to enable others to appreciate, understand and benefit from that’
Substantially, this is the way things have continued to the present day.* We, as a society, have come to understand culture as something that is professionally produced for others to enjoy.
It is a leap I know, but imagine how different life could have been in our communities and for our arts sector had we continued to support participation in the making of culture? Our way of thinking about learning, health, inclusion and empowerment in our communities might be very different. I’d like to propose that we use this moment of resetting with Covid to make a bold step as a country and to use culture as enabler and connector across multiple sectors in our society. Could we imagine something like a national Cultural Investment Programme supporting the mass participation in culture as a vital building block for a wellbeing society as part of an essential re-set after Covid?
It’s important to stress from the outset that this new approach to culture would be additional to the traditional support for the professional production of culture not instead of. In practice there would be expansive synergy between the two approaches to supporting culture in Scotland, with cross-fertilization in funding across organisations, projects and practices and opportunities for individuals to develop portfolio careers across different forms of practice.
Such a programme would be an integral part of our Covid/Climate transition and delivered through a partnership approach with Health, Education, Economic Regeneration and Community Development. It could be thought of as similar to the way in which Sport is supported – where one funding strand supports participation in sport (as part of wellbeing) and another funds elite sport…or like the distinct support paths for applied research and pure research in academia.
Developing this new strand of cultural support would start by bringing together existing experience and excellence in arts in education, health and community development (e.g. Arts in Education Recovery Group, Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland, Creative Scotland Place Dept, Culture Collective, Creative Communities) to work with the various other sectors and across budget strands such as the Place Based Investment Programme.
Future Vision for Culture The Stove Network Evidence Session on Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee 16 September 2021
Core elements of Scotland’s Cultural Investment Programme (SCIP) could include:
(NB ‘artists’ is used as a collective term to include: musicians, performers, dancers, visual artists, writers, designers, filmmakers, producers)
Education – artists in residence in schools, the Room 13 model, the Sistema model
Health and Wellbeing – social prescribing, artists in healthcare settings (eg ArtLink), wellbeing groups
Community Development – artists embedded in communities – supporting the growth of new initiatives and groups e.g. bringing unheard voices into community planning for longer term investment
Community-based Organisations – to become hubs supporting a population of local freelance artists (and associated creative disciplines) to work in the SCIP. Organisations also promote partnership working and develop new initiatives/projects. Many of these organisations will be community-based arts organisations, working across both strands of support for culture
National Network – to link and support community-based organisations and freelancers to share capacity, experience, skills and resources.
Skills and Training Programme – for artists and associated creative disciplines to work within SCIP settings and deliver ongoing professional development.
Action Research – as part of the roll-out of SCIP, with a remit to monitor progress, share best practice and identify effective synergies with existing cultural infrastructure.
Joined up working/funding across diverse sectors at national Government/Agency and Regional levels
We already have brilliant experience nationally of this kind of work across the board in education, health and communities, the principle of this vision would be to pool experience and resources across different fields and agendas to make a commitment, as a country, to a long-term, innovative and joined-up approach to building a wellbeing economy – using culture.
Chapter One – Image, Kirsten McEwan PhotographyOpen Hoose – Image, Colin Tennant
Artists and the diversity/sustainability of the cultural and creative workforce is central to the idea of such an investment programme. Artists would be employed on Fair Work principles to work as artists within the settings described, this is not ‘artists as social workers’ rather a commitment to genuine co-production with communities and regular local contracts will give new opportunities for artists to develop their own individual practices and grow new collaborations with other artists through the national network.
Local hubs, community participation, arts in education settings and fair work principles will also create the conditions for people from diverse backgrounds to enter the cultural and creative workforce and support all creative people with multiple opportunities to develop careers and creative practices.
Brave New Words – Image, Kirstin McEwan PhotographyCharter 14 – Image, Colin Tennant
Important initiatives such as Culture Collective and Creative Communities have already grown from the National Culture Strategy. The Culture Strategy makes an incredible opportunity for Scotland to use these as foundations around which we can attract people and practices and build a world-leading initiative that puts culture and the cultural workforce right at the heart of the effort to build a country based on wellbeing and climate justice.
*the Community Arts movement of the 1970s and 80s is one amongst few notable exceptions along with individual projects within the fields of health, education and community-based practice in recent years.
We can’t quite believe it, bit it’s true! The Stove Network is 10 years old.
A decade ago, a bunch of like-minded folks got together with the spark of an idea that creativity could play a part the future of Dumfries town centre. This band of local creatives had shared, practical experience from working on projects that had helped bring vibrancy, confidence, and partnership working to other places around the country, they wanted to see what they could do for their hometown and ta’da, The Stove was born.
The key idea of The Stove was that its agenda should be driven by local people – first and foremost The Stove set out to be a place that was accessible to everyone, somewhere that listened and somewhere run by people who saw their role to facilitate and add value to the ideas people brought to The Stove.
This core belief of community, collaboration, and support, continues to this day. It is the people who have made The Stove what it is and allowed us to continue our mission – to help make Dumfries, and our region, a place where communities thrive and a place where everyone is supported to be involved creatively and take part in the celebration and making of our culture.
We’d like to thank everyone we’ve worked with, those who have supported, participated, challenged, and pushed us to create meaningful and memorable experiences, opportunities and pathways for learning, collaboration, expression, and development across the region and beyond.
“… to celebrate ten years of the Stove we’ll be sharing the stories of those who have come through our doors, sharing their favourite memories…”
We asked some of our members, partners, friends, and colleagues, to tell us what The Stove means to them, and what they’d like to see next:
Stove Member, Gary Hunter
Gary found the Stove a few years ago and has gently become part of the heartbeat of the place. You can usually find Gary in the café giving an optimistic and encouraging word to everyone, but also look out for him at Brave New Words – his guitar playing and singing will touch your spirit.
1. How did you first get involved with the Stove?
I became involved with The Stove through the cafe, the ‘downstairs’. By seeing different events advertised, organised by ‘upstairs’, I’ve attended figure drawing classes, contributed poetry for an exhibition and taken part in Brave New Words.
2. What is unique about the Stove?
What is special about The Stove, is the generosity. Despite the ups and downs of life, there is a spirit of kindness felt in the cafe exuded from the staff. What I see about ‘upstairs’ is the opportunity it is attempting to provide those wishing to express creativity. An extension of the generosity of the cafe. This is what makes The Stove unique, it is not driven by business enterprise but by creativity.
3. What’s your fondest memory of the Stove?
My fondest memory of The Stove is from the cafe. A young woman came in for a coffee but didn’t have enough money to pay for it. She looked like she’d been sleeping rough and was about to leave, when the member of staff serving her reassured her and said the coffee was free. I’ll never forget her expression and gratitude as she left. Apparently, this is something done by other places, but I’ve only seen it done in The Stove.
4. What have you done with the Stove that you’re most proud of?
I’m not beating my own drum here, but what I’m most proud of is the first time I performed at Brave New Words, a couple of years ago. It was nauseating, exciting and extremely terrifying but I managed to do it without any hiccups.
5. To someone who’s never heard of the Stove, how do you describe it?
I could say it is a bastion of opportunity, positivity and creativity, an expression of free thinking and identity, but I would say, The Stove is something you have to see for yourself.
6. What would you like to see in the next 10 years?
I would like to see more events organised for the over-thirties. It is right that an emphasis is placed on helping the younger generation and The Stove has done that, but in time they too will become the older generation, and will form, like the rest of us, the majority of the local community. I think The Stove should ‘level the playing field’ so to speak and extend the good work they’re doing for young people to include the rest of us.
7. What’s the biggest change that’s happened over the last 10 years from your point of view?
Growth. The Stove has proliferated from the time of its conception to become more than a hub for artistic folk. The Mid Steeple Quarter is a recent reflection of this and highlights The Stove’s investment in the local community.
8. If there’s one word that sums up the Stove to you, what is it?
Positivity.
9. If the Stove were a drink/food/object or colour, what would it be?
A tall, chilled glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day.
10. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Stove?
Fun.
Director of LIFT D&G, Angie Gilmour
Angela is the ‘Queen of Lochside’ some years back she decided she had had enough of her area being cried a place of deprivation and formed Lochside is Families Together (LIFT) and the rest is history! She was employed by The Stove for three years as our Community Engagement Worker for the Creative Futures project in NW Dumfries and continues to work in partnership with The Stove – currently with our What We Do Now project.
1. How did you first get involved with the Stove?
I first got involved with the stove when I went for a job interview in 2017.
2. What is unique about the Stove?
The unique thing about the stove is how once you start getting to be involved it is like an extended family.
3. What’s your fondest memory of the Stove?
My fondest memory, apart from doing events and seeing them all come together and thinking, “We did that!” are the friendships I have made through the stove, there is some awesome folk there.
4. What have you done with the Stove that you’re most proud of?
I have been proud of every event and project we have done with The Stove as we’ve been able to give people opportunities that might not have been open to them before.
5. To someone who’s never heard of the Stove, how do you describe it?
The stove is a forward thinking, amazing place, that opens your mind to different cultures.
6. What would you like to see in the next 10 years?
Mini stoves pop up everywhere.
7. What’s the biggest change that’s happened over the last 10 years from your point of view?
I had no idea they did so much.
8. If there’s one word that sums up the Stove to you, what is it?
Openness
9. If the Stove were a drink/food/object or colour, what would it be?
Orange
10. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Stove?
Opportunities
Fan and Occasional Teammate, Steph Phillips
Steph is one of the stars of Brave New Words, a talented and fearless singer-songwriter, they always have the right song for the occasion! Of late, Steph has been doing shifts in the cafe and is very much part of the Stove family.
1. How did you first get involved with the Stove?
I first became involved with the Stove in 2017 after I moved to Dumfries for uni. I wasn’t sure if there was much going on in the town, but one evening I stumbled upon Brave New Words and it changed everything! After that I made an effort to attend Stove events and meet new folk, which helped build my confidence and get to know the town.
2. What is unique about the Stove?
There is nowhere quite like the Stove! It is unique in its welcoming community atmosphere and the range of creative opportunities it offers. The cafe is a lovely safe space for all, and in the evenings, it often turns into a venue for all kinds of wonderful events and workshops.
3. What’s your fondest memory of the Stove?
My fondest memory of the Stove is from April 2019 when I attended my first Plaza event (at the Rowing Club). Although I knew a few Stove folk’s faces I hadn’t yet been brave enough to introduce myself properly. I went to the gig on my own and was awkwardly hovering near the back when Pam (who I recognised from the cafe team) approached and invited me to join her and a few others. It was a lovely venue with great live performances and getting to meet the lovely folk behind the event was an added bonus! After that I made more of an effort to be brave and introduce myself to the team, gradually getting to know them at different events (and at the pub!). All in all, it was the start of many new friendships which changed my perception of Dumfries and shaped who I am today.
4. What have you done with the Stove that you’re most proud of?
The Stove has helped me to become a more confident individual and face my stage-fright by performing at a couple of BNW open mics. I still get scared and can’t always perform, but I’m proud of the progress I’ve made since finding the Stove.
5. To someone who’s never heard of the Stove, how do you describe it?
To someone who has never heard of the Stove, I would describe it as a safe space for every individual from every background, which welcomes and encourages creativity and learning new skills.
6. What would you like to see in the next 10 years?
In the next 10 years I would like to see more of the same! The Stove has created a wonderful community which is working hard to improve the opportunities within Dumfries and develop the town centre into somewhere enjoyable for locals and visitors alike.
7. What’s the biggest change that’s happened over the last 10 years from your point of view?
I’m not sure what I would say the biggest change in the last 10 years has been. Perhaps the change in other people’s perceptions of the town, and what The Stove and other projects have to offer in the way of community development, has been the most noticeable.
8. If there’s one word that sums up the Stove to you, what is it?
One word to describe the Stove – ‘collaboration’.
9. If the Stove were a drink/food/object or colour, what would it be?
I see the Stove as a brightly coloured microphone, giving the town and its individuals a voice and a platform to express themselves.
10. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Stove?
I think of a warm smile and people I can rely on, as well as opportunities I wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
Community Artist, Kirsty Turpie
Kirsty is just about the best advert you’ll ever meet for the power of art and creativity – a true community artist who brings positive energy to every situation. She has been part of just about everything you can do at The Stove… Blueprint 100, Creative Futures, Brave New Words, Nithraid… she has been at the heart of all of them at some time! She is currently working for DG Council in Youth Services.
1. How did you first get involved with the Stove?
In 2015 when I returned to living in the area, the Stove were involved in running the Environmental Arts Festival. I volunteered at the festival, met many of the stovies and heard about the exciting creative events that they were running. I then began attending events at the Stove regularly especially enjoying Tuesday night Blueprint 100 workshops (now Creative Spaces) and Reel to Real film nights. I was given the opportunity to exhibit a selection of drawings for the opening of the Stove Cafe and run a creative workshop at Blueprint 100 which gave me a great deal of encouragement with my creative practise.
2. What is unique about the Stove?
There is such a welcoming and friendly atmosphere at all the events and on a day-to-day basis in the cafe. They’re approach is holistic and organic to the needs of the community. They support and connect artists of all different ages and specialisms which has created an exciting and thriving creative community in the region and beyond.
3. What’s your fondest memory of the Stove?
It’s very hard to choose one. I have so many wonderful memories of Brave New Words Open Mic Night as it has been where I’ve formed many friendships. It makes me so happy when I see a friend getting up and sharing music and poetry at Brave New Words and being supported and welcomed by the community. I’ve also loved attending and being part of Nithraid over the years as it provides a full day celebration of our town and its creative talent.
4. What have you done with the Stove that you’re most proud of?
Working with the Creative Futures team for 2 and a half years and running many exciting community events and public art projects in Lochside and Lincluden.
5. To someone who’s never heard of the Stove, how do you describe it?
A community arts centre that has something for everyone.
6. What would you like to see in the next 10 years?
The Midsteeple Quarter buildings being used well and helping the creative scene in D&G to flourish even more.
7. What’s the biggest change that’s happened over the last 10 years from your point of view?
The growth of the stove team and number of spaces.
8. If there’s one word that sums up the Stove to you, what is it?
Incredible
9. If the Stove were a drink/food/object or colour, what would it be?
Gold
10. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Stove?
Belonging
John Wallace
John has worn the Stovie bunnet from the earliest days. It’s rare to see a photo of John as he is usually behind the camera and has made some of the finest Stove movies, including A House on The High Street that played such a formative role in starting Midsteeple Quarter. John styles himself an ‘Insider Artist’ and has built a national reputation as a video installation artists from his beloved Eaglesfield.
1. How did you first get involved with the Stove?
First Foot! Three months of art-planning mayhem culminating in two nights of art mayhem
on the High Street back in January 2012.
2. What is unique about the Stove?
Its general sense of purpose and industry around the idea of better places to live and be. It’s
not just art for art’s sake.
3. What’s your fondest memory of the Stove?
Too many. And I’m still forming them – thanks for that The Stove!
4. What have you done with the Stove that you’re most proud of?
Not into being proud of things, but it’s always a pleasure to see the public – new folk –
getting involved and getting a kick out of art-led projects around the town centre where it
all began. Plus, I love seeing the facade change the way it speaks to the street and the
people there – always a joy to play any part in that. It’s a great Stove tradition that continues
with all the superb signwriting.
5. To someone who’s never heard of the Stove, how do you describe it?
A nexus. A powerhouse.
6. What would you like to see in the next 10 years?
7. What’s the biggest change that’s happened over the last 10 years from your point of view?
Getting the building sorted out. Fifty years of retail knock-throughs and modernisations
hadn’t left a very practical space either for the number of people or the range of uses that
100 High Street now regularly supports.
8. If there’s one word that sums up the Stove to you, what is it?
Hame.
9. If the Stove were a drink/food/object or colour, what would it be?
Well, mine’s a cortado with one sugar if you’re anywhere near the café, ta.
10. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Stove?
Did I lock that door?
Alec Wallace
Alec is the son of John and Betty Wallace and has been an ever-present at Stovie events, always keeping us right and asking the best questions. How will D+G feel different to those who have grown up with The Stove we wonder?
1. How did you first get involved with the Stove?
The first time I was involved with the stove was the opening of the stove cafe.
2. What is unique about the Stove?
Anyone can become involved, and it is welcoming and engaging.
3. What’s your fondest memory of the Stove?
My fondest memory of the Stove was Parking Space, at the NCP.
4. What have you done with the Stove that you’re most proud of?
I have helped with lots of different projects, and enjoyed being part of a team, and so I am proud of all the projects I have helped work on.
5. To someone who’s never heard of the Stove, how do you describe it?
I would describe the stove as: A place and a community that do creative things together to make Dumfries a better place.
6. What would you like to see in the next 10 years?
To see it continue with a larger community.
7. What’s the biggest change that’s happened over the last 10 years from your point of view?
The fact that the people of Dumfries own big chunks of the high street.
8. If there’s one word that sums up the Stove to you, what is it?
People.
9. If the Stove were a drink/food/object or colour, what would it be?
A fried egg – sunny and nutritious
10. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Stove?
Cake
Linda Mallett
One of the founding members of The Stove, Linda has been at the forefront of just about every new development in the arts in the region for as long as anyone can remember… a true radical spirit and who is the local benchmark for integrity and commitment to her art.
1. How did you first get involved with the Stove?
When D&G Council said they were going to cut all funding for the arts, back around 2010(?) quite a few of us thought that was not a great idea and got together to discuss strategies. My memory of the particulars has faded, but somehow out of all that, a small group of us got together to discuss the idea of taking over a three-story shop building in the centre of Dumfries, as a base for arts and community projects.
2.What is unique about the Stove?
That it started out as a collective project of active, professional artists in the public arts field, working together in a non-hierarchical way to develop strategies, raise funding and initiate community projects. It has obviously become more structured (and better paid) over the years, but it still has the truly collective ethos.
3.What’s your fondest memory of the Stove?
I think it has to be the early days and months of all working together to create something new that none of us could quite foresee, with very few resources and a lot of trust. Can I really say that unpaid all-day meetings fuelled by coffee & sandwiches, followed by winding down in the pub are fond memories? Well yes, they are!
4. What have you done with the Stove that you’re most proud of?
So many… I’ll pick the first ever Nithraid event. This initially came from the idea of wanting to celebrate the River Nith and reclaim it as a true centre of Dumfries rather than just a carpark and bus-station that floods regularly. We put out an open call for anyone interested in discussing ideas for the project to come for a meeting. From that developed the idea of a boat race from the coast to the centre of Dumfries, to ‘reclaim’ it as the flourishing port and market it once was, and to commission various associated arts projects and events for the day. On the day – 21st September 2012 – I was rushing around from project to project, checking out all was going to plan, that the tide was rising as it should, that people were where they were supposed to be… At some point, crossing the Devorgilla Bridge, I paused, and looked out down the river. A couple of thousand people were lining the banks, waiting for the boats to arrive. Wow, I thought – they are all here because of us!
More generally, I am proud of how The Stove has provided opportunities and inspiration for younger artists to move to/back to Dumfries & Galloway and be part of a dynamic and innovative practice. To show that ‘new’ doesn’t just happen in cities.
And I am also proud of how we managed to work co-operatively with the local authorities to develop ideas that were new to all of us, recognising on both sides that we needed to look at new ways of bridging our previous divide.
5.To someone who’s never heard of the Stove, how do you describe it?
Rather lamely, I tend to cop out and give them a link to the website! And recommend the great café.
6.What would you like to see in the next 10 years?
A continuation of more projects moving outwards to cover a wider area than central Dumfries
7.What’s the biggest change that’s happened over the last 10 years from your point of view?
Probably the sideways move from the stage of largely unfunded collective responsibility from all for everything, to more specialised areas and accountabilities – “proper jobs”.
8.If there’s one word that sums up the Stove to you, what is it?
Unique?
9.If the Stove were a drink/food/object or colour, what would it be?
A delicious pot-luck meal of Greek mezze or Spanish tapas. But Scottish.
10.What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Stove?
The difficulty of pinning down what the Stove is?
Chairman of the Board, Tony Fitzpatrick
Tony has been the Chair of our board now for 4 years, his has been a steady hand on the tiller whilst urging us on to push harder and further into uncharted territory. Tony has a past as the Director of Economic Development for DG Council and has a present as a rock and roller with local band Heart of Rust. Everyone at The Stove owes him the deepest debt of gratitude for his commitment and limitless enthusiasm… thank you Tony!
1. How did you first get involved with the Stove?
Basically, it was the café that drew me in initially. I was aware of the emerging artists collective through my work with the Council and involvement in the funding bid that purchased both the Stove and Oven buildings with Scottish Government grant.
2.What is unique about the Stove?
For me the unique thing was that it was the first project in Dumfries to link creative endeavour to community and economic development actions on the ground. Other projects had evolved in more rural settlements but The Stove had a much needed ‘urban cool’ feel to it….quite unique!
3.What’s your fondest memory of the Stove?
My first visit to the café and sitting for a spell and realising “….something different is happening here…is this Dumfries’s ‘Glad Café”? (a project in Glasgow that was now renowned for its creative programme as well as café).
4. What have you done with the Stove that you’re most proud of?
I took up a Board position several years ago and I have felt so proud to simply be part of the whole process, see the team evolve and develop and put Dumfries on the map locally, regionally and nationally. The Stove has achieved things that would take the usual agencies decades to achieve and built a support-base that the public sector always struggles to do. We have however had tremendous support from the key agencies, again due to the skills of the team.
5.To someone who’s never heard of the Stove, how do you describe it?
“An artist’s collective that is making the world a better place through positive activism, disruption and conversation”.
6.What would you like to see in the next 10 years?
A transformed town and region where people are empowered and creatively engaged through the Stove (and projects like it) and where our cultural, natural, and creative assets are recognised globally as our unique selling point.
7.What’s the biggest change that’s happened over the last 10 years from your point of view?
Projects like the Stove being recognised and respected for the innovation and drive they bring for doing things differently and making a real difference to the community. The Stove, to my mind, has brought that ‘cool’ factor that until now has really been the preserve of the city. Our young creatives are, as a consequence, returning or staying in small but significant numbers. Covid is causing many to view the ‘city lights’ as not quite the draw they were as new living , working, environmental, safety and quality of life factors come more to the fore. We have a job here….for life…and much to do!
8.If there’s one word that sums up the Stove to you, what is it?
‘Cool’
9. If the Stove were a drink/food/object or colour, what would it be?
It would be a small fleet of pastel and prime coloured Lambretta scooters with tartan seat covers parked outside a cool cafe waiting for Stovies to jump on and deliver work and joy to the town and beyond!
10.What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Stove?
Smiling!….and Matt and his hat poised at a jaunty angle…!!
Joe McGurk
Writer, Joe McGurk tells us what attracted him to become a member of The Stove and what he hopes for the future:
Each autumn, tens of thousands of wild geese arrive in Dumfries & Galloway after their long migration, some travelling over 2,700km to reach the region. This mass gathering of geese, including barnacle, greylag, brent and Greenland white-fronted geese, flock to Dumfries & Galloway each year, making our region one of the best places in the UK to see such a variety of geese.
As part of the 2021 Wild Goose Festival, we want to celebrate the beauty and wonder of our visiting geese, as well as the vast photographic talent found in our region. This competition is open to professional and amateur photographers from or based in Dumfries and Galloway.
To enter the competition, please send us:
Your chosen photograph (any nature/environmental themed photo taken in Dumfries and Galloway);
Your name;
Your email (so we can get back to you);
Your age;
Where the photo was taken;
And one or two sentences about your image.
Please enter the competition using this Google Form, where you will be asked for the above information: Link to enter here.
The deadline to enter is midnight on 11th October 2021. The top 10 finalists’ photographs will be displayed at the Wild Goose Festival Closing Gala on the 23rd October 2021, where a winner will be announced.
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