Join The Stove: A Community-Led Arts and Culture Organisation
About
Our membership is made up of a diverse community of people who all believe in the value of arts and culture and want to take part in (and/or support) making creativity part of the place they live.
As a community-led organisation our ‘community of benefit’ is the local authority area of Dumfries and Galloway. While The Stove is involved in projects beyond Dumfries and Galloway our commitment to localised economies is at the forefront of our practice and our work nationally and internationally brings benefit through links and connections for our region and the creative practitioners based here. To ensure that the local community remains in control of The Stove a minimum of 75% of our membership are ordinarily resident in Dumfries and Galloway – while the remainder are spread across the globe reflecting the wide interest in the work of the organisation. As of Summer 2024, we have a membership of 600+ with 80% of these based in our home region.
Becoming a member is free of charge and, being a member is one way of expressing your support and influence in the work of The Stove. You will receive regular updates on activities and can attend informal gatherings where you can meet other members and add your voice into creative and open conversations about the direction of the organisation. You will be invited to official members meetings and entitled to vote in elections for members of board of trustees for The Stove. The Trustees oversee the operation of The Stove on behalf of the membership.
Our members care about a wide range of issues: culture and the arts, heritage, community activism, local democracy, regeneration and the environment.
Home Grown Hope: A Manifesto
Radical Imagination
Embrace imaginative approaches to foster adaptable and resilient systems. Small, collective actions can enact visible change.
Vision & Visibility
Embrace the darkness of the future, for it holds endless possibilities. Lead with a clear vision, fearlessly posing questions, and ensuring ideals shine brightly in every action, illuminating the path forward.
Adaptability
Welcome uncertainty and tackle challenges together. Consider successes and failures equally as opportunities for growth and learning.
Listen, Include, Empower.
Create inclusive, welcoming yet challenging spaces that empower diverse voices, skills, and viewpoints.
Collaborate & Communicate
Unite organisations and communities to identify, strategise and pursue collective goals. Clear communication = inclusive participation.
Accessibility
Recognise and address barriers to inclusion, actively striving for greater accessibility and representation for those less heard.
Our Membership Manifesto is the co-created output of our first members Gaither Inn event, where guests were invited to explore the topic of ‘Home Grown Hope”. The resulting manifesto outlines the approach The Stove, in collaboration with its members, will take over the next three years.
The Gaither Inn
In January 2024, we launched the inaugural Gaither Inn event. It marked the beginning of an ongoing, dynamic series of gatherings designed to kick-start new ideas and possibilities for our town.
These themed events encourage our members to get together in a social environment, to delve into the work of The Stove and to support new ideas where connectivity, engagement and value are at the forefront.
Members can attend these events, participate in the planning and delivery or even inform the topic of discussion. If you have an idea you want to bring to the table, reach out to us, we’d love to hear from you!
Member Benefits
Regular Communications
Our primary form of communication is by email, through our secure CRM system and as a member you’ll receive dedicated member updates, invitations to member only events, notifications of jobs and commission opportunities with both The Stove and our partner organisations. For more details on how you information is handled, please see our privacy policy.
Active Involvement
When you join The Stove, you can become actively involved in a community that seeks to improve the places where we live. The Stove hosts and supports a wide variety of events that you can get involved in as a participant or as part of the audience. We also provide opportunities for people to upskill, volunteer and mentor – a place where you can share your skills and experience as well as gain new ones. We’re always looking to support people who wish to provide opportunity for others as well as those who wish to volunteer with our projects.
Annual General Meeting & Board of Trustees
As a member, you have a voice in the decision-making process at The Stove. Each year we host our annual general meeting (AGM) where our members have the opportunity to come together, input into projects and events, discuss the future direction of The Stove and elect our Board of Trustees.
How to Join Our Membership
The Stove has a wide-ranging definition of creativity and community development – you don’t need to be a practicing artist or work in the creative sector to become a member of The Stove. We’re an organisation that welcomes diversity and we’re always keen to hear about what you’re interested in.
Being a member is free, and you can be as active or passive as you like, all we ask is that you agree to adhere to our core vision and values.
By joining, you subscribe to our monthly mailings which provide information on the organisation, opportunities and other news. The personal information provided on this form will be stored electronically by The Stove Network for membership and mailing purposes only and will not be disclosed to any other party. For more information please see our privacy policy.