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News Opportunities

Opportunity: Project Manager (Programme)

Location: The Stove, 100 High Street, Dumfries
Application Deadline: Midnight, Wednesday 24th June 2026

At The Stove, we use creativity as a catalyst for change—embedding socially-engaged practice at the heart of place-based work. We grow projects that nurture long-term thinking and build capacity within communities to test different ways of working creatively and collaboratively: with each other, with partners, and with everyone who has a stake in how our places are shaped.

Central to this work and the beating heart of our organisation is our programme—a series of activities, events, and developmental initiatives.

The Stove is looking for someone exceptional to lead the coordination and delivery of our programme by joining us in this newly created Project Manager role. You will bring structure and momentum to this vital area of our work, developing and managing our systems to ensure that creative ideas move effectively from concept through to delivery, while supporting our diverse teams to collaborate seamlessly.

Download the Job PACK

Role Details & Benefits
  • 18-month fixed term contract.
  • Part-time, 4 days per week (28 hours).
    While there is no guarantee of increased hours, there may be potential for the role to expand in the future, dependent entirely on future funding, organisational need, and the successful development of the role.
  • £28,000 – £32,000 pro rata
  • This is a fully in-person role, based at  The Stove, 100 High Street, Dumfries.
  • Reporting to Graham Rooney, Enterprise Director.

How to Apply

To apply, please send:

  • A CV outlining your relevant skills and experience.
  • A Cover Letter (maximum 2 pages) detailing your interest in working with The Stove and demonstrating how your skills and experience meet the criteria in the Person Specification.

Please email your application to [email protected] by midnight, Wednesday 24th June. We ask that total email attachment size does not exceed 10MB.

Applying in a Way That Works for You

We want our application process to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. We welcome you to communicate with us in the way that feels most comfortable and natural to you. You are welcome to submit your cover letter as a written document,
a short video, or an audio recording.

Further Information

If you have any questions about the application process, the role, or individual accessibility needs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at [email protected].

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Opportunities

Recruitment: Evaluation & Impact Coordinator (Creative Placemaking)

The Stove Network | University of Strathclyde | Dumfries

The Stove Network, in partnership with the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Marketing, is recruiting an Evaluation & Impact Coordinator to join the team in Dumfries.

This new role is part of a funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership and will lead an important programme exploring the value and impact of community-led creative placemaking.

You will help design and deliver a clear, practical evaluation framework. You will work across our regional network to gather insight, strengthen evidence, and support national conversations about culture, regeneration and community wealth building.

We are looking for someone who cares about community-led change, understands data and systems, and can communicate impact in a clear and engaging way. You will be based with The Stove team in Dumfries and work closely with academic partners at the University of Strathclyde to develop new tools and research approaches.

This is a strong opportunity to shape a nationally significant piece of work while building your own professional experience.


Interview date: 21 April 2026

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Opportunities

Creative Spaces Associate

We have 3 roles available this year, each with a different focus.

Location: The Stove, Dumfries
Application Deadline: 12 pm (noon) on Friday, 6th March

The Roles

Wild Goose Festival:

This role is for someone interested in wildlife, ecology and the natural world, and curious about how art and culture can engage with environmental issues. A background or interest in writing or storytelling, performance, music or sound might suit this role.

You’ll develop a creative line of work connected to the Wild Goose Festival, working with creative practitioners, partners and young people throughout the year. This role will contribute creatively to the development of outreach and education programmes in schools, with partners and with the programming & delivery team for Wild Goose Festival. 

This role suits someone who cares deeply about the natural world, who has a passion for inspiring the imaginations of young people and families, and can work effectively as part of a team.

What We Do Now

This role is ideal for someone with a strong connection to Dumfries & Galloway beyond Dumfries town centre, and an interest in public art, social geography and local decision-making. A background or interest in socially-engaged practice might suit this role.

Embedded within the What We Do Now programme, you’ll explore creative placemaking as a practical way of working — collaborating with communities and contributing to projects rooted in real places.

This role suits someone who has exceptional communication skills, can listen deeply and let that listening inform a creative process. You should enjoy working with others and building relationships.

The Print House

This role is for someone with an interest in print, creative writing, design, illustration or comics.

You’ll learn how The Stove’s Print House operates, work alongside the development of community programmes from concept through to delivery, whilst growing your creative practice. You’ll work particularly closely with the Off the Margin programme, supporting creative projects with marginalised and under-represented communities.

This role suits someone who enjoys making, learning by doing, and using creativity to widen access and participation.

Rate of Pay and Conditions

Pay range £753.20per month. 14 hours per week (2 Days). One day in the office, working with other associates, with the second day being more flexible.

How to Apply

Feel free to be creative with your application; have fun! We will accept any of the following formats: 

• Covering Letter (no more than 500 words)

• Video (no more than 3mins)

• Voice note

Answering the question “Why do you feel that a Creative Spaces Associate role is the right opportunity for you right now?”

Please specify which of the three Associate Roles (WWDN, Wild Goose Festival or Print House) you feel would be the best fit, and why. Please note that we will consider your application for all 3 positions, but it’s useful to know what your preference is. You can include in your application an idea for a specific project – workshop, event, creative output – which would link to one of the specific roles.

Please make sure that you include a CV or text sheet with your name, contact details and up to 5 examples of recent work (this could be images, videos or write-ups).

Please submit your application by email to [email protected] (max file size of 10MB) with the heading ‘Creative Spaces Associate’

For more information about the opportunities, check out the linked document here:

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION PACK ➔

Accessibility & Equal Opportunity 

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible programme for everyone. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences, and are happy to discuss any access requirements or adjustments needed to support people to apply and participate fully. Applicants will be invited to complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, collected anonymously to help us monitor and improve inclusion across our work.

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News Opportunities

Join Our Dedicaited Café Team

Location: The Stove Café, 100 High Street, Dumfries.

Hours: Minimum 15 hours per week.

Pay: £12.60 Per Hour.

Days Required: Mondays and Saturdays, with the possibility of flexible additional hours available Tuesday to Friday.

The Role

We’re looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, and reliable Café Team Member to join our friendly team, with an immediate start available.

If you love working in a busy setting, enjoy helping to create a positive environment, and delight in providing excellent customer service, we’d love to hear from you!

  • Prepare and serve hot and cold drinks, including coffee and specialty beverages.
  • Prepare and serve hot and cold food.
  • Take customer orders and provide warm, friendly and efficient service.
  • Handle payments accurately.
  • Maintain cleanliness and organisation of the café at all times.
  • Restock food, drinks, and supplies as needed.
  • Follow food safety and hygiene procedures.
  • Support opening and closing duties.

What We’re Looking For:

  • Experience is essential in a café or hospitality setting.
  • A positive attitude towards:
    • Working as part of a team.
    • Interacting with customers.
    • Creating a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere.
  • Strong attention to detail and pride in your work.
  • Ability to multitask and stay organised in a fast-paced environment.

What We Offer:

  • Real Living Wage employer.
  • Immediate start available.
  • Supportive and welcoming team.
  • A fun, energetic workplace.
  • Opportunities to learn new skills and develop within the role.

To Apply, please send your CV and a short message telling us why you’d be a great fit to [email protected].

Applying in a Way That Works for You

We want our application process to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. You are welcome to communicate with us in whichever way feels most comfortable and natural to you. If you have any questions—about the application, the role, or anything else—please don’t hesitate to get in touch at [email protected].

Categories
News Opportunities

Opportunity: Communications Producer

Location: The Stove, Dumfries
Application Deadline: 9am on Monday 6th October

The Role

The Communications Producer will play a central role in shaping how the Stove tells its story to the world – developing innovative ways to share our work, reach new audiences, and amplify community voices. You will bring a passion (and the required skills) for communications as a way of ensuring our stories reach the people and places they need to and the practical skills to deliver that across multiple platforms.

This role balances hands-on creative production (content creation, documentation, social media, copywriting) with assistance in strategic communications (campaign planning, brand storytelling, press engagement) and operational delivery (updating websites, event listings, newsletters).

Rate of Pay and Conditions

Pay range £25,000 – £28,000 dependent on experience. 28 hours per week (4 Days). This is an in-person role, working with our team at our headquarters based in Dumfries town centre with projects across Dumfries and Galloway. Reporting to The Stove’s Marketing and Communications Manager. 

Download the Job Description

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your relevant skills, experience, and interest in the role and in working with The Stove.

We’re keen to hear how you would approach this position and welcome you to share any documents that you feel supports your application – this could be examples of your past work, or an outline of the processes, tools, methods or values that are important to apply as part of a role like this.

  • Submit your application by 9am on Monday 6th October
  • Shortlisted candidates will be selected by Wednesday 8th October
  • Interviews will be held in person at The Stove on Tuesday 14th October, please state in your application if there is any reason you cannot make this date.

Please email your application to [email protected]

Applying in a Way That Works for You

We want our application process to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. You are welcome to communicate with us in whatever way feels most comfortable and natural to you. If you have any questions—about the application, the role, or anything else—please don’t hesitate to get in touch at [email protected].

Categories
Opportunities

Opportunity: Artist Commission

Deadline extended to Monday 8th September

In partnership with Fair Scotland and the Hear Here project: The Show Must Go On, The Stove Network is inviting proposals from emerging artists (aged 16–30) to explore and creatively interpret the relationship between young people in Dumfries and the town’s historic Rood and Spring Fairs.

Context

The Rood and Spring Fairs of Dumfries are one of Scotland’s oldest civic traditions, embedded in the town’s cultural fabric for centuries. First officially recognised in the 1592 town charter—but believed to date back to the 1200s—the fairs have long been a marker of seasonal rhythms, public life, celebration, and collective memory. From religious observances to community gatherings, the fairs represent a heritage that spans generations, with many locals recalling their youth through the lens of fairground experiences—sounds, lights, laughter and thrill. 

Yet as Dumfries evolves, how do these traditional events continue to resonate with the town’s younger generations? What memories are being created now—and what futures can be imagined for the fairs?

Opportunity

We are commissioning an emerging creative practitioner to explore this rich relationship between young people and the Dumfries fairs through a contemporary and imaginative lens. The creative practitioner will be supported by the Stove’s creative team and Fair Scotland to develop a final creative outcome in any form (e.g. visual art, photography, sound, podcast, film, performance, journalism, or mixed media). The work will form part of ongoing dialogue about belonging, identity, heritage, and cultural life in Dumfries.

Key Aims
  • To creatively document and explore how young people in Dumfries experience, remember, or relate to the Rood and Spring Fairs.
  • To investigate the significance of the fairs in contemporary youth culture: what they mean, how they are changing, and what they could become.
  • To consider how tradition can evolve—bridging generations while remaining relevant and resonant for the future.
Guiding Questions

Artists might wish to consider some or all of the following as prompts:

  • What role do the fairs play in the lives of young people today?
  • Are the fairs a site of joy, rebellion, identity, belonging or something else?
  • What sensory memories—sound, smell, colour, movement—define young people’s experiences of the fairs?
  • How do local stories, rites of passage, or social rituals tie into the fair experience?
  • In what ways might the fairs act as a mirror or contrast to young people’s wider lives in Dumfries?
  • Are there voices or perspectives which are underrepresented at the fairs, or in the conversations surrounding them?
  • How can we imagine or empathise with young people ‘behind the shutters’ – those who live and work with the fair?
  • How can we imagine the fair as a future civic space—a gathering, a reclaiming, a celebration?
Youth Engagement

As part of the commission, the selected artist will engage with 1–2 schools or youth settings in Dumfries and Galloway. This could take the form of workshops, creative sessions, interviews, or collaborative making processes. This engagement is intended to ground the artist’s work in lived experience and help co-create or inspire elements of the final outcome.

Support

The artist will receive:

  • Creative mentorship from The Stove Network and Fair Scotland.
  • Access to archival material, local knowledge, and communities.
  • A budget to support the creation and realisation of the final output.
  • Opportunities for public exhibition, presentation, or sharing of the work.

How to Apply

To apply, please send:

  1. A short cover letter (1 page max) telling us:
    • Why this opportunity interests you.
    • Any relevant experience or creative background.
    • What excites you about working on this commission. 
  2. Up to 5 examples of previous work, or links to online portfolios, recordings, writing, etc.
  3. A short outline (max 500 words) of how you might approach this commission – ideas, questions you want to explore, or communities you’d want to work with. This doesn’t need to be a final proposal; just a flavour of your thinking.

Applications are welcome from practitioners based outside Dumfries & Galloway; however, priority consideration will be given to regionally-based applicants.

Deadline for submissions: 12 noon, 8th September 2025 

Send everything to: [email protected]

Selection Process

To keep things simple and supportive:

  • All applications will be reviewed by The Stove’s Artistic Director, Creative Producer and a representative from Fair Scotland.
  • A small number of shortlisted applicants will be invited for an informal chat with the Artistic Director to discuss ideas and get a sense of approach, not as a formal interview.
  • The selected creative practitioner will then be commissioned.
Timeline
  • Application deadline: 29/08/2025
  • Selection chat: Late August/Early September 2025
  • Commission begins: September 2025
  • Final output shared: November/December (or as agreed) 2025

Fee: £1,200
Materials Budget: £300