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Opportunities Project Updates

Creative Commission – What We Do Now: Lockerbie

WWDN: Lockerbie

(This Opportunity is Now Closed)

Lockerbie Old School (LOS) in collaboration with the Stove Network are seeking to commission a creative practitioner(s) to work with LOS, its board, and local partners in engaging the community through an arts project exploring themes of possibility, identity, and re-connection.

Fee: £3,500*

Time: Flexible. To be agreed in early stages of the commencement of the project.

*There is a separate production budget associated with the project for materials and other expenses.

The Brief:

The creative practitioner(s) will work in Lockerbie, based at their High Street location, and use their practice to develop a project/series of events/artwork which invites the involvement of local people. The creative practitioner(s) will lead this co-created process to inspire new connections between people in the town and through this for possible future identities for the town to emerge which can be part of LoS’s ongoing work for the local community to take charge of its own future.

Following the key themes of; Possibility, Identity, Re-Connection, the creative practitioner(s) will work with key partners, community members and the residents of the town, it is expected the creative practitioner(s) will connect with individuals and groups in skills-based activity and conversation to understand, interpret and explore the future identity of the town.

LOS are eager to collaborate with a creative practitioner with a ‘hands-on’ practice in textiles, design, or craft to engage the community in new skills, utilising a dynamic creative practice to inspire and awaken new perspectives, ideas and hopes for the future. The project, it is expected, may serve as a prototype for forthcoming arts and community activities involving the wider community locally and regionally.

The commissioned artist will work with the Stove Network and LOS in determining the direction and approach of the project through a research an development period agreed by all parties, outlining key interaction points and determining the most beneficial approach to realise the project’s aims.

WWDN: Lockerbie, contributes in part to the ongoing ‘creative place-making* network’ of Dumfries & Galloway entitled What We Do Now. A collaborative project placing creative practitioners with community anchor organisations across Dumfries & Galloway, working with communities in a co-created process to explore and develop imaginative possibilities for residents, communities, and groups across the region.

The project, initially funded by Culture Collective, is one within a national network of socially-engaged, community-based creative practice across Scotland. LoS alongside the Stove Network are eager to hear from practitioners with experience in community-embedded practice, workshop facilitation and production.

*We define Creative Placemaking as: a community led approach that uses creative activity to support collective decision-making and positive change for people and the places they live.

About Lockerbie Old School:

The Lockerbie Old School Community Hub (LoS) are an anchor organisation for change within the town of Lockerbie and the DG11 postal region, aiming to put local people at the heart of regeneration efforts for their town. The Trust is run by a Board of volunteers who are working towards a number of significant projects in Lockerbie. Having been successful in gaining ownership of the former Academy through a Community Asset Transfer they have advanced plans to develop a not for profit but financially viable Community Venue where the people of Lockerbie can gather, learn and grow as a community. LoS are in the process of acquiring a permanent base on the High Street. It is intended that the space be a test-bed for future activity and will feature a community workshop space as well as act as a ‘front door’ to the Lockerbie Old School project for the local community to engage in.

How to Apply

To apply please send the following before 5pm, Wednesday 15th December 2022

  • Letter of Interest. This should tell us why you are interested in the commission, why you think you and your practice are suited to this opportunity and give us an outline idea of how you might approach the project if you were successful (NB we are NOT looking for fully formed project proposals at this stage – we are committed to arts practice whereby a project is formed by being in a place and working with the people there)
  • CV. This should tell us about your personal history, your experience and to date and give us an idea of the skills that you have.
  • Up to 5 examples of previous work. If you do not have 5 don’t worry – we are committed to making opportunities for people at all stages of their career, this is exactly the kind of thing we can discuss in an initial chat. We are looking for you to show us what you do in the way that you are most comfortable and happy with and can accept submissions in weblinks, photo files, sound files, or physical works (though please don’t send us original artworks!).

Please send your application to [email protected]

Submissions should not exceed 10MB in size. If you want to send or deliver a physical submission our address is: The Stove, 100 High Street, Dumfries DG1 2BJ

Selection Process

We are keen to hear from practitioners at all stages of development and from all disciplines. We’d encourage anyone interested in finding out more about the opportunity to get in touch for an initial informal chat – particularly people at earlier stages of their careers as we can explain more about what is involved in a project like this and what to include in an application. Please email [email protected] and we’ll arrange a time to talk (BSL interpretation is available)

It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too. Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you. We will accept applications from anyone and everyone who feels they have the skills required to fulfil this role.

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Opportunities Project Updates

Call for Consultant: Community Garden and Food Growing in Stranraer

(This Opportunity is Now Closed)

The Stove Network is seeking applications for a consultancy commission to develop a long-term plan and funding applications for the future of the Unexpected Garden in Stranraer.

Timeline

It is hoped that the consultancy commission will be completed within the first three months of 2023.

Fee

A fee of £3000 (inclusive of VAT) is offered for this commission. Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed at negotiated rates and an allowance is also held for any production costs required

Context and Brief

We are seeking an experienced consultant to support the development of the Unexpected Garden in Stranraer ensuring that it has a life well into the future. Stranraer is currently undergoing an exciting period of change and development and already the Unexpected Garden has demonstrated the potential to play a central role in Stranraer’s revitalisation. Significant cultural, economic and social initiatives are underway in the town and there is an ambition for community food growing and education to be a connecting thread in a future Stranraer. The commissioned consultant will:

  • Consult with project partners who have expressed a desire to be part of managing and running the Unexpected Garden (currently approx. 8 established, local, Third Sector groups)
  • Consult with other ongoing regeneration initiatives in the town (eg Stranraer Marina Project and George Hotel redevelopment). Currently a town-wide community place planning (Creating Stranraer) exercise in underway, led by Stranraer Development Trust. The Unexpected Garden is a significant part of the emerging Place Plan.
  • Develop long-term vision for the Unexpected Garden that is aligned with local/national strategy for food security/net zero. This vision will also include a proposed governance/operating structure with financial projections and a programming/development plan that supports the needs and aspirations of project partners.
  • Research funding sources for the future of the Unexpected Garden, develop a fundraising/income strategy and complete funding applications which, if successful, will ensure the initial implementation of the development plan for the garden.

The commission will be managed by The Stove Network and the consultant will work alongside the Community Gardener who will support consultation with project partners on the ground and contribute to the development of the development plan for the Unexpected Garden. Funding applications will be made through project partners Stranraer Development Trust. Additional garden expertise will be available through the project’s Lead Gardener.

Because of the existing strong presence on the ground of partners and project team it is not expected that the consultant will need to be based near to Stranraer; though local knowledge will clearly be an advantage it will not be a high priority within selection.

Funding is available for ongoing maintenance and potentially for some investment in garden infrastructure of the Unexpected Garden up to April 2023. This will be managed by The Stove Network.

How to Apply:

We encourage you to apply in a way that you feel most comfortable or you can submit your CV and a short covering letter, or video, to [email protected], explaining why you’re interested and what you could bring to the role. Please also give an indication of how you would approach delivery of the desired outcomes and how long you anticipate spending on each part.


Deadline for applications: 5pm, Friday 16th December 2022


It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too. Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you. We will accept applications from anyone and everyone who feels they have the skills required to fulfil this role.


Interested? Get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!

Background

The Unexpected Garden is a community garden situated on the waterfront of Stranraer, its creation was led by The Stove Network and Stranraer Development Trust. The garden was commissioned by EventScotland and funded via the Scottish Government, as part of Dandelion which was Scotland’s contribution to UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK. The Unexpected Garden was created in 2022 on an underused patch of ground next to Stranraer Harbour and the former ferry terminal, it has become a prominent and important symbol of the long hoped for revitalisation of the town and has attracted highly successful partnership working with many local groups. During the summer, the garden became a popular event space for community events ranging from open-mic nights to family craft workshops held in a tent in the garden. Also, the service users of our project partners use the garden regularly and through this activity the garden has become an important mixing space for different sections of the local community. The garden is designed as community food growing project and in September 2022 the Unexpected Garden was home to a community Harvest Festival which was attended by 750+ local folk.

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Opportunities

We’re Hiring – Marketing Assistant

(This Opportunity is Now Closed)

Want to join our team as the Stove’s Marketing Assistant?

We’re on the lookout for a new teammate to help us support all the great community focused events, activities, and opportunities The Stove has to offer.

Job title: Marketing Assistant

Hours: 28hrs per week, can be worked flexibly over 6 days Monday – Saturday (Typical core hours 10-4, Monday – Friday – some weekend and/or late-night work may be required, advanced notice will be given)

Salary: £20,000 pro rata, (equates to £16,000)

Holiday entitlement: 27 days (Includes public holidays)

Pension: Auto-enrolment via NEST pension scheme with 3% employer contribution


Led by the Head of Communications & Engagement (HCE) the Marketing Assistant will form a core part of a small, but effective, communications team and will support the overall outreach strategy of The Stove Network and our portfolio of regional projects, by telling our story, supporting our activities, and celebrating our community.

Key Responsibilities:

General

  • Assist in creating and updating digital content on multiple platforms, including website, social media accounts, blogs, and emails
  • Assist with the coordination of on and offline marketing and promotional materials
  • Collaborate with the communications, creative and production teams to develop project specific marketing strategies
  • Help identify market trends and key opportunities for innovation

This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to join a small but effective and dedicated communications team based in the heart of Dumfries. We are looking for a creative and content savvy person who can bring ideas to life.

The ideal candidate should have a creative flair, understand the principles of digital marketing, be IT savvy, have a friendly and approachable manner with great writing skills and the desire to learn and develop.

Experience in an office or hospitality environment would be a bonus, but if you don’t have this, don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you’re not the right person!

Here at The Stove, we believe creativity can make a positive difference to the lives of our local and regional communities. Through dedicated projects, commission opportunities and collaborative working alongside our local authority, community organisations, local businesses, and charities, we aim to create a place where culture, community, and enterprise work together to support a new vision of the town and the wider region.

Check out the full job pack, and if you have any questions let us know by emailing [email protected] or calling 01387 252 435

How to Apply:

We encourage you to apply in a way that you feel most comfortable or you can fire over your CV and a short covering letter, or video, to [email protected]explaining why you’re interested and what you could bring to the role.

Just make sure that your application is in by 5pm, Friday 9th December 2022

It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too. Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you.

We will accept applications from anyone and everyone who feels they have the skills required to fulfil this role.

Sound like the right job for you? Get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.

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News Opportunities Project Updates

The Stove’s Christmas Salon – Open Call for Artists


The Stove Cafe and Conversing Building invites artists and creative folk from Dumfries and beyond to submit artworks to feature as part of a Christmas selling exhibition.

Every year, our Cafe hosts a festive display and this year we’d like to use the space to support local artists and create additional space for the purchase of artworks during the festive season.

The exhibition will run from Tuesday 22nd November to Thursday 22nd December, open to the public during regular cafe hours at The Stove, Monday-Saturday’s, 9am-3pm.

We will host an additional evening as part of Dumfries Christmas Lights Switch On Friday, 25th November from 4pm.

How To Submit Artwork:

  • Artists may submit up to a maximum of two artworks per person.
  • 2D artworks should not exceed 60cm in any direction, and 3D artworks should not exceed 30cm in any direction.
  • Artworks must be dropped off during one of our scheduled drop off dates (see below), or by appointment only
  • Artists must complete a contacts form including BACS Bank Transfer information before leaving any artworks. These will be available during our scheduled drop off dates or by emailing [email protected].
  • Any unsold artworks must be collected on Monday 9th January 2023.

Artwork Drop Off Dates:

Artworks can be dropped off Tuesday, 15th November between 3pm and 6pm, or Wednesday, 16th November between 12noon and 4pm.

For more information drop an email to Public Art Lead Katie Anderson, [email protected].

*Conversing Building is an ongoing project at The Stove, that looks to activate spaces around The Stove through a variety of visual and public art projects and displays. For more info on the project visit our project page here.

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Opportunities

Artist Commission

(This Opportunity is Now Closed)

An Opportunity to Transform a Prominent Town Centre Location in Stranraer

About The Commission:

As a precursor to a Stranraer Street Art Festival (planned for summer 2023), our friends at Stranraer Development Trust are on the hunt for Contemporary Street Artist to undertake a commission to paint the first major wall painting in the town.

The commission forms part of ‘The Creating Stranraer Project’. The work will be positioned in a prominent town centre location, on the same building that will be home to a creative hub for the arts in the town.

This commission forms a part of the early stages of significant investment in culture as a catalyst for change in the town, and creative people will play major role in this change.

Currently a community engagement exercise is underway in Stranraer for local people to choose a contemporary / historical / fictional / real character who the community hopes will be someone who will inspire a new future of the town.

The commissioned artist will be asked to create a design for the wall that interprets the chosen inspirational character.

Elements of the commission:

  • Develop a design for the wall piece
  • Devise and lead two hands-on street art workshops (one with Secondary School pupils and one with FE College students)
  • Give an artists talk for local artists
  • Paint your design on the gable wall

(Workshops and talks will be coordinated by Stranraer’s Arts and Engagement Officer. Budget for access requirements for wall painting will be provided by the commissioner in addition to artist fee.)

Artist Fee: £3000

The fee is inclusive of VAT (where applicable), travel / accommodation and materials for the wall painting.

(NB preparation of the wall surface will be covered by the commissioner and spec agreed with the selected artist).

Time Frame: work to be complete by end 2022

Background:

Stranraer is at a very interesting point in its history – it is somewhere that has re-invented itself several times in the past as industries (eg herring fishing) have changed.

10 years ago the ferry service to Northern Ireland moved from Stranraer and a question mark has hung over the place since – what would the next version of the town be? Stranraer is the regional centre for one of the most beautiful and remote areas of Scotland, a place with a rich history through its connections to Ireland, NW England and Wales.

This commission is part of the series of significant arts projects in Stranraer (eg Dandelion ‘Unexpected Garden’‘What We Do Now’ and ‘Creating Stranraer’) – these projects are supporting a larger regeneration initiative for the town that places arts and creativity at the heart of a future Stranraer and includes the wholesale redevelopment of the former George Hotel as a Community/Cultural Centre.

How to Apply

Please send the following by email to Janet Jones at

[email protected]

  • Letter of interest – stating why you are interested in this project and think you are the right person for the commission. We are interested in hearing about what you are interested in and what motivates you. Tell us about how you might go about getting to know Stranraer and develop your ideas for the project, any relevant work you have done in the past and what you learned from that.
  • Up to five examples of relevant recent work – in any format (weblinks etc), if you are sending files by email, please keep these under 10MB.
  • The names of two referees who can vouch for you and your work (we will not contact anyone until we have offered you the commission)

We are open to submissions in any format  (eg. video, audio file etc for letter) – please contact us via the email address above to arrange an informal chat about the project and/or discuss any access need you have in order to apply.

Deadline for applications is midnight Sunday 18th September 22

It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value differences, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too. Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you.

We will accept applications from anyone and everyone who feels they have the skills required to fulfil this role.

This project is supported by:

Categories
News Opportunities Project Updates

OPEN HOOSE – Call out

Ours is an open hoose, 

The Stove is delighted to launch the Open Hoose once again.

After a successful pilot between January to March 2022, where we worked with our community to realise 10 new projects and events ran with, for, by and about Doonhamers.

Open Hoose is a project at the very heart of the Stove’s community venue work. Working with us, new (and established) community-led, grassroots projects are given the space, support, resource, and training to take even the most radical of ideas to the next level. From bread-making groups, to LGBTQIA spaces, Climate activism and creative writing, Open Hoose is a supported project, tailored exactly to fit the individual (or group’s) aims. 

Working with the Stove’s creative, production, café and technical teams, new initiatives are trialled and developed through our community venue programme. We have been able to provide free meals and drinks service, technical support, creative development and partnerships to help give ambitious ideas the space, time, support and encouragement they need to develop. 

It’s pretty vital to what we do. We believe wholeheartedly that our culture is nourished from the grassroots, not from the top down. That’s why our motto ‘Grow your own culture’ is intrinsic to just about everything we do here, and Open Hoose is at the core of this. 

A few examples of what we’ve been able to support 

FAQs

Can anyone apply to the Open Hoose?

Absolutely! We want to hear from as many people as possible. So whether you’ve never been to a Stove event or consider yourself a true Stovie, it doesn’t matter. We’re interested in you, your idea and why this opportunity is right for you. 

Can a group that’s already established apply?

Yes. It doesn’t have to be a new idea. Established groups that are already working are encouraged to apply. So whether you’d like to have your activity in the town centre or could do with some support to try out something new, we’re all ears. 

How many projects will be taken forward?

We want to be as flexible as possible with the type of support we might be able to offer. With our current cohort, we have identified spaces within our monthly programme for new Open Hoose projects to be considered, but we’re also open to hearing ideas that may not require the space, from podcasts to street art. 

How do you consider proposals?

We take a broad and open view of the type of project we’re able to support. Though some key considerations are worth bearing in mind before submitting:

How does the project seek to engage with the community?

Is there a cause or activist drive behind the idea?

How realistically to support something given our current capacity and resources. 

Get applying! 

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