What is Creative Spaces?
We are a Dumfries-based collective of young creatives, working with and advocating for our region’s young artists.
Situated in the heart of Dumfries, Creative Spaces collaborates with young creatives from across the region, providing young people with opportunities to engage in the arts. Whether it’s through events, workshops, mentorships, or our annual Associates Programme, we aim to enhance Dumfries and Galloway’s creative scene by offering free access to opportunities and paid commissions.
Want to Learn More About Creative Spaces?
Events
Discover more about our diverse range of events & workshops.
Opportunities
Find out about opportunities for artists, creatives, and community members to get involved with Creative Spaces.
Associates Programme
The Associates Programme at Creative Spaces offers a 10-month developmental journey for three artists, supporting personal and professional growth through collaboration and individual project development. It is a programme that strengthens Dumfries & Galloway’s creative community by providing events, workshops, mentorships, and networking opportunities for young creative freelancers.
Associates Directory
Learn more about our previous associates and friends of Creative Spaces.
News
Find out about the latest news and updates about our associates programme, projects and events.
The Team Behind Creative Spaces: Who Are They?
Mia Osborne | Producer
As someone who grew up in rural D&G, a lot of Mia’s work is centred around how local people, in particular young folks, engage with creativity in a rural context. This is something she explores in her work as Producer for Creative Spaces.
Mia supports our three Associate’s in their journey through the Creative Spaces programme and collaborates with them to help build a sustainable community for young creatives in D&G. Mia’s work with young people has been widely recognised in the region for its impact which is reflected by her win at the Dumfries and Galloway Youth Awards 2022 for Arts and Culture.
Mia approaches projects with creativity at the core whilst also championing the importance of non-traditional mediums of creativity and challenging stereotypes of the creative industry. This is communicated through meaningful, embedded and collaborative community work with organisations and projects that aim to enhance the local area and the lives of its people.
Erin Aitchison | Marketing
After graduating with an MA(Hons) degree in English and Film Studies in 2022, Erin returned to Dumfries & Galloway to pursue a career in Communications and Marketing close to home.
Erin works collaboratively with our Producer, Mia, to deliver Creative Spaces’ communications and campaigns across a suite of digital assets including social media, email and website content.
As a D&G local, Erin is passionate about forming and supporting opportunities for young people in its creative sector. Although not an artist herself, Erin uses creativity in her approach for all the communications she coordinates for Creative Spaces and beyond.
Anna Murray | Associate
Anna is an emerging mixed media artist, who’ll turn her hand to whichever creative expression feels right, from collage and object making to songwriting. Her work draws inspiration from the natural world, human connection & relationships, as well as her own life and experiences.
Having grown up in the small rural area of the Glenkens, Anna returned to Dumfries and Galloway after graduating with a degree in Scottish history in 2022, seeking a community-focused creative career.
After laying down new roots and forging connections in her home region, she has been able to explore her own creative practice on a more regular basis and also find part-time work in the local community within Shambellie House, where she is Young Person’s Development Officer.
Now, she’s excited to get to work expanding on these experiences within the Creative Spaces programme, and collaborating with her peers to share new perspectives through the project.
Sonah Chaudhry | Associate
Sonah, also known as Sonny, is the founder of Sonny Cooper Jewellery, a small jewellery brand. As a jeweller ‘from Scotland, from Pakistan’, their roots are in Dumfries, where they were born, and Moffat, where they grew up. Sonah has been self-teaching the art of jewellery making for four years. Jewellery is their primary creative medium, though they enjoy exploring various creative avenues.
Their work is deeply influenced by heritage and the intersectionality of culture, drawing inspiration from history, as Sonah is also a part-time history student. They love connecting with other creatives and collaborating within the artistic community.
Sonah first discovered the art of jewellery making in Cambodia. During the lockdown, they revisited this craft and has since dedicated themself to mastering its finer details.
Sonah’s journey in the jewellery world has involved extensive reading, teaching, and collaborating with fellow artisans. While their academic background in jewellery is minimal, their career is predominantly self-taught, enriched by the guidance and support of those who have accompanied them on this journey. They look forward to this journey continuing with the company of the Creative Spaces team.
James Gough | Associate
James is a born and raised Doonhamer* & multi media visual artist with a particular interest in portraiture and collage. He discovered his passion for creating at the end of 2022 whilst travelling across Australia & New Zealand and since then, he has felt as though he’s been able to make far more sense of the world around him.
James describes himself as a ‘newbie’ in the Creative Sector, as his previous experience has been mainly in the fitness industry, working as a personal trainer for five years. James also loves birds, snails, running and tattoos.
*A Doonhamer is a colloquial term to describe someone who is born and bred in Dumfries
What Is Our Mission at Creative Spaces?
Focusing on partnerships with organisations, places, and funders to influence national policy and be a voice for young people, we also aim to make young people’s creative expression central to the creative sector regionally.
We aim to spotlight, showcase, and create platforms for young creatives to highlight their practice. Also, we create responsive projects and activities that align with the needs and desires of young people in Dumfries & Galloway.
We recognise young people’s potential and are creating tailored development pathways to foster their careers. Also, we offer flexibility in our programme to ensure we are acknowledging practices outside of the traditional arts.
Young creatives are uniquely positioned to challenge power structures and services. We offer flexibility and the opportunity to reinvent. We channel energy through creativity towards broader personal and societal outcomes, i.e., health and wellbeing, careers, and creation. We also embrace fluidity and adaptation for change.
We aim to build spaces that are both nurturing and experimental. We acknowledge that the creative process can be messy and chaotic. We recognise that fun is as important as impact. Additionally, we provide opportunities to try out new experiences not traditionally offered by other youth programmes.
Want to see our mission in action?
Head over to the Creative Spaces YouTube channel for engaging content from young emerging creatives in Dumfries & Galloway.
Discover inspiring stories about a variety topics from astrophotography and drag performance to art film directing.
Follow Creative Spaces on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for your creative fix:
Creative Spaces Is Supported By
