We are delighted to share that The Stove has been awarded Multi-Year Funding by Creative Scotland for the period of April 2025–April 2028. We are honoured to be part of the national portfolio of cultural organisations in Scotland for the third time. This decision feels like a true affirmation of the work we do.
The significant growth of funded organisations in our region demonstrates how fundamental the arts are to life and work in Dumfries & Galloway. We are proud to stand alongside six other creative organisations in the region—DG Arts Festival, Upland CIC, CatStrand, Wigtown Festival Company, CAMPLE LINE, and Paragon Music—who are all making valuable contributions to the cultural, social, and economic well-being of Scotland’s communities.
The Stove, as it stands today, has evolved from a conversation in a bar in 2011 among a group of artists. Our hope then remains the same as it is now: to use creativity and the arts to shape the future of our town. Collaboration has always been at the heart of our vision, and we dedicate this recent success to everyone we’ve worked with—the community across the region, the incredibly talented network of freelancers, and, of course, our members.
We’ve taken time to publish our message of thanks and gratitude for Creative Scotland’s support out of respect for the many organisations across Scotland who have not received the outcome they had hoped for. We acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead for many of these organisations who undoubtedly invested a tremendous amount of time and energy into the application process. As we stated previously in our response to the closure of Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, we stand in solidarity with creatives everywhere, as well as with public and third-sector workers, and offer our support in any way we can.
Looking ahead to the next three years, with the stability provided by this funding, we are pleased to continue with our ambitious plans. The Stove’s original mission for Dumfries—enabling creativity and creative people to make a positive contribution to the town and surrounding communities—has now expanded into a region-wide endeavour. Over the next three years, we will focus on delivering community-embedded arts practices with the communities of Dumfries, as well as advancing regional creative placemaking and creative sector development:
We’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the continued support from all our much-valued funders and partners, who enable our ongoing mission for Dumfries & Galloway.
On 6th November, we had the privilege of leading a significant discussion at the Scottish Parliament, which focused on the power of Creative Placemaking. For us, this event marked a milestone in our ongoing mission to use creativity as a catalyst for positive change in communities. Co-hosted by local MSPs, from the South of Scotland, Emma Harper and Colin Smyth, the evening brought together artists, community leaders, policymakers, and funders from both Scotland and Ireland to explore how creative initiatives are reshaping local communities.
Over 70 individuals attended, each eager to share ideas and explore how creativity can drive cultural regeneration. We were able to share some insights from our Creative Placemaking Approach—published in partnership with South of Scotland Enterprise—and to highlight the work of the What We Do Nownetwork, which serves as a support structure for community-driven creative projects, connecting people and organisations that are committed to cultural regeneration.
It was encouraging to see MSPs Clare Adamson, Claire Baker, Ariane Burgess, and Maggie Chapman at the event, showing just how important cross-sector collaboration is in advancing the role of culture in society.
Emma Harper MSP, Colin Smyth MSP
Culture in Communities: Sharing Stories from the Grassroots
The success of the event was deeply embedded in the contribution from the people and their stories, reflections and experiences of creative placemaking in action. Maureen Kennelly, Director of Arts Council Ireland, Helen Trew, Co-Director of Art27 Scotland, and Rosie Lynch, Creative Director of Workhouse Union (Co. Kilkenny), joined us in discussing a wide range of innovative cultural projects, all of which are driving meaningful, positive change in communities.
What was truly special about this discussion was the diversity of ideas and experiences shared. We opened the floor to the audience, inviting them to share their own ideas and experiences, creating an inclusive dialogue that reflected the spirit of creative placemaking itself.
Maureen Kennelly, Arts Council IrelandHelen Trew, Art27 ScotlandRosie Lynch, Workhouse Union (Co. Kilkenny)
The Power of Creativity: Building Cross-Sector Partnerships
One of the central themes that emerged throughout the evening was the transformative power of creativity – how the arts and culture can forge cross-sector partnerships, foster long-term community transformation, and create real social impact. We focused on how culture can improve public health, inform community planning, and unlock new opportunities within the cultural sector.
Reflecting on the Energy in the Room
As the conversation unfolded, it was clear that creative projects hold tremendous potential to address urgent challenges—from public health and regeneration to social well-being. However, it also became evident that to fully harness this potential, we need better support from policymakers, more resources for creative initiatives, and a concerted effort to remove barriers to creative growth.
Moving Forward: Shared Purpose and Momentum
As the event came to a close, there was a strong sense of unity and momentum in the room. Attendees shared a collective determination to advocate for the resources, networks, and policies that will enable creative placemaking to continue thriving across Scotland and beyond.
We left the Scottish Parliament feeling energised and committed to continuing the conversation. The evening’s discussions reaffirmed our belief in the power of collaboration, and we are excited to keep working with others across sectors to expand the reach and impact of creative placemaking. It’s clear that this is just the beginning.
Watch the Full Session:
We invite you to join the conversation and share your thoughts on social media using the hashtag #CultureInCommunities.
Maya was recommissioned for Phase 2 of the Harbour project in July-November 2024 to continue their creative engagement process toward developing a community design concept for the new piece of dredged land within the Waterfront re-development. Alongside gathering local insight for the co-design process, Maya hosted a programme of events and engagement at Creative Stranraer to test ideas and continue engaging people in the creative vision for the future of the town under the regeneration. Visit Harbour Project Phase 2 Blog Update 1 here to read the first chapter of Maya’s journey.
Harbourland is an Opportunity to Make a Whole New Part of Stranraer.
As part of the process of extending the marina, some dredging must take place to make Loch Ryan deep enough for larger sailing boats. Within the plans for One Waterfront a new area of land will be created next to the East Pier using the material dredged from the loch. I’ve been working with local people to imagine what this new area of land could be:
‘The safest harbour is a world between land and sea. Harbourland is an ecosystem – a place to witness and protect many forms of life and provide a space for them to survive, thrive and connect with one another. It is place that belongs to everyone and somewhere that will show the best of Stranraer to visitors. Harbourland asks: ‘how can we act like the oyster and build an area that benefits both people and the coastal biodiversity? What are the types of ‘surfaces’ that communities in Stranraer can attach to and make their own?’
Harbourland Polling Station Results
If you came down and joined the thousands of tourists and celebrators at this year’s annual Oyster Festival, you may have come across the Harbourland polling station. As mentioned in the previous update, Oyster shells were historically used as the first ever ‘ballot cards’ during the early days of democracy in Ancient Greece. This year, I worked with the Rhins Mens Shed to create an interactive installation to bring this tradition back to modern-day Stranraer to inform the Harbourland consultation. Using the data gathered from countless conversations with local people, community organisations and from Raise The Sails Festival in April, I collated the main hopes for Harbourland into 5 key categories:
A sheltered place to sit and bide a while,
Tidal rock pools for coastal wildlife
A place to share stories of Stranraer
A space for community events and festivals
Interactive play structures.
Over the weekend, nearly 400 people cast their oyster shells to vote on what they would like to see as part of Harbourland. The oyster shells that are typically gathered for redistribution back into the loch were instead used to facilitate important conversations about the communities hopes for the future of the town, before making their way back to the water. We had older residents keen for interactive play structures so that they could ‘share the town with their grandchildren’ and ‘give them a reason to visit,’ along with younger generations of nature enthusiasts who were terribly excited at the prospect of tidal rock pools in Stranraer.
A landslide amount of votes for tidal rock pools was the outcome of the initial consultation as seen below. All of the information gathered from the Harbourland Polling Station is being fed directly back into the Waterfront regeneration.
Sandcastle Competition
At the end of September, I staged the Great Stranraer Sandcastle Competition on the shores of Agnew Park. I designed bespoke Stranraer sandcastle buckets inspired by the topographical oyster forms that I’ve been working with for participants to take home for future days by the Loch.
Sandcastle competitions are an ancient tradition for coastal communities, an excuse to spend time down by the water and exercise the creative potential of natural materials. We’re hoping to create a future waterfront that is a place where families want to gather and to feel more connected to. Stranraer’s waterfront regeneration is set to transform the town in new and exciting ways, and we’re keen for these designs to be co-created to ensure a future landscape that reflects the needs of all communities – both human and sea species!
Following from my ‘Siltcrete’ experiments, there’s a strong intention to make use of the dredged materials from Loch Ryan in the plans for the new piece of land in creative ways that benefit the unique natural environment. The competition gave people of all ages the opportunity to take part in co-designing future structures of the coast, to be inspired by the shapes of their local ecology, and to build ambitious sand sculptures down on a mostly disused shoreline.
Over 70 people came down to take part and Stranraer beach was transformed with people coming together to play and find inspiration from their native oyster beds. The landscape was soon transformed into a mass display of everyday creativity and celebration of local site-specific ecologies. Teams won prizes from categories including ‘best sportsmanship’ and ‘most imaginative concept’, and as ever, the creativity of Stranraer’s community didn’t disappoint. Some of the sand sculptures included the story of Esmerelda the lost mermaid, Oysterland castle, Ailsa Craig and her lighthouse, and a whale who loved smarties! By the time the tide was returning, the coastline was covered in hundreds of oyster forms, reminiscent of a community made oyster bed.
Harbour Hub Takeover
As the final installation within this latest phase of the Harbour project, I will be feeding back all of the community ideas, events and interventions that have taken place so far, and what there may be to look forward to in the next stage. This will take the form of a Harbour Takeover in the Creative Stranraer Hub (23 King Street). 3 display boards will detail each stage of the project, along with the initial design principles for the new piece of reclaimed land highlighted through creative consultation.
Alongside the 3 display boards themselves, there will also be a window screening of underwater footage commissioned by the SCAMP (Solway and Marine Partnership) project to captivate passers-by as our evenings begin to get darker. The film by the Newton Stewart Sub-Aqua Club and John Wallace documents the underwater world of the of the Solway Firth and gives us an insight into some of the ecosystems that we are aiming to foster through Harbourland. Huge thanks to the Community Re-Use Shop for their donation of a TV!
The final aspect of the takeover is a community boat report created by artist and consultant Anne Waggot-Knott. Anne was our researcher/recorder/reporter in Phase 1 of the Harbour project and has been embedded within the project since its conception. The Community Boat Reports are interactive, informative documents which are designed to be folded up into the perfect paper boat. These are available for all visitors to read, build and take home.
Come and visit the Harbour Takeover from October 16th through to November 11th at Stranraer Creative Hub.
Until Next Time…
If you want to find out more about the Harbourland proposal programme or the context of the project, please contact Maya on [email protected]
If you want to read more about the Creative Placemaking strategies currently taking place in Stranraer, please visit the What We Do Now resource written by Shawn Boden here.
At the end of June our Artistic Director Martin O’Neill and our Marketing Officer Erin Aitchison travelled over to Callan in Ireland to visit Workhouse Union. This trip is part of a year-long learning exchange between Workhouse Union and The Stove to share organisational practices, knowledge, and experience with creative placemaking. Read Erin’s account of the trip below.
The Workhouse Union and Stove Team – Image by Luke Brabazon
In June, I ventured overseas with our Artistic Director Martin to Callan in Ireland to visit Workhouse Union. Workhouse Union is a community co-design and creative placemaking organisation that supports the development of inclusive, meaningful, positive places and communities.
Workhouse Union Building – Image by Luke Brabazon
When I was asked if I wanted to be part of the exchange, I was ecstatic. This trip provided an excellent opportunity to use and share all I have learned about Creative Placemaking since joining the Stove, as well as learn first-hand from Martin throughout the week.
We arrived in Callan, a rather small town 11 miles South of Kilkenny, in the evening on Monday the 17th of June. We had flown over to Dublin from Glasgow and enjoyed a quiet coach journey from the airport straight to Callan – a feat in public transport that Scotland could take some notes from!
We were greeted by Workhouse Union’s Creative Director, Rosie Lynch, who walked us up the High Street, picking out interesting snippets of Callan’s history as we wandered to our accommodation. During our trip, we stayed with Rosie’s lovely mum Heather and we are very thankful for her hospitality and kindness throughout our visit.
Sharing & Learning
After a good night’s sleep and some breakfast, the real fun started. Tuesday was a day of exploration as we were given a tour of Workhouse Union. The team is situated in a wing of Callan Workhouse, a gorgeous listed building, that is also used as studio space for artist Ciaran Murphy, alongside a garden that was managed by Camphill Callan. WHU has an office, library and research room, and a screen printing studio ‘Print Block Callan’ – that we were able to see in action later in the week.
A quick afternoon trip to the sunny Kilkenny
We met team members Noortje Van Deursen, (Creative Producer & Co-Design Facilitator), and Alice Bowler (Community Co-Design Facilitator) as we chatted about our roles and how we each operate in our respective organisations. The explorative theme of the day continued in the afternoon when we were given a tour of Callan and told more about the network of art organisations and collectives that operate in the town. We visited KCAT Arts Centre; a multi-disciplinary centre that fosters creative ambition and professional development for those working in the arts. We toured the artists’ workshop spaces, meeting some of the artists in residence on the way, and watched the construction of a new exhibition that was opening that Friday by Jason Turner.
KCAT Arts Centre
On Wednesday, we had a day of shared learning with the WHU team and answering questions that ranged from how we action administrative procedures, to embedded Creative Placemaking in Scotland and Ireland. We were joined by Mark Girling, WHU’s Administrator, who joined us at the Stove earlier this year as part of the exchange. Afterwards, we stopped for lunch stop at the gorgeous Fennelly’s coffee house before getting stuck back in to sharing processes and experiences with the team. My highlight of the trip was on the Wednesday evening, when WHU hosted a Midsummer pot luck supper. At the supper we were introduced to the wider creative community in Callan; from artists to photographers, to theatre makers. It was a wonderful evening of sharing creative experience and feeling the embedded sense of community Callan has.
#iImages by Luke Brabazon
On our last full day of the exchange, we took part in Printblock’s ‘Maker’s day’. ‘Maker’s Day’ is for experienced textile printers to bring a project and use the studio facilities with support and advice from studio technician Michelle McMahon.
Although Martin has experience with screen printing, this was my first time trying it out. The design that we went with was a graphic made up of various images that I had captured over our trip. Martin had sketched elements from them and compiled them all into one graphic.
We printed our design onto fabric first – learning the intricate mechanics of screen-printing from Michelle before graduating onto tote bags. Whilst printing and chatting with the other attendees, you again got a sense of the engaged community Workhouse Union has created in their corner of Callan and beyond.
To summarise my experience of the learning exchange, it is clear that Callan is a place where creativity flourishes thanks to the community spirit that appears to permeate everything that is happening there. I could see so many examples of creative placemaking, and community-led engagement that I have learned from and taken back to our team in Dumfries. I’m looking forward to seeing the relationship between our organisations grow and adapt over the next year and beyond.
The Stove’s CEO, Matt Baker, recently participated in a summit between Scottish Government and COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) called ‘Connections and Partnerships: The Value of Culture in Communities’.
The aim of the event was to encourage partnership working in culture, at local and national level, to support cultural activity at community level.
Exploring challenges, opportunities, and potential actions for change, the event was also attended by some cultural leaders to inform discussions.
Angus Robertson MSP Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture introducing the event.
We caught up with Matt to find out what he was chatting about and how the idea of shining a spotlight on ‘Cultural Value’ can positively impact those working in the creative, social, environmental, and economic sectors at local level.
Matt’s talk followed a presentation by Inverclyde Council about their Culture Collective project 2021-23.
(Culture Collective is rightly celebrated in Scotland, and beyond, as an innovative new approach to connecting national and local cultural opportunity for communities).
‘Like Inverclyde, Dumfries and Galloway had a Culture Collective project which built capacity in community groups to work with creative practitioners to support their work in communities, particularly people and places that had been hard to reach previously.
WWDN Culture Collective Project for Dumfries and Galloway
The legacy of this project for Dumfries and Galloway is the WWDN network which was formally launched earlier this year. This is a vision of our region working together to share resources, capacity and knowledge, using culture to benefit communities.
The principle is that community anchor groups are supported to build experience in working with creative practitioners.
Different communities work together on joint initiatives and all this activity will support a population of local creative freelancers and small cultural organisations.
Community groups and creative practitioners are members of WWDN and use the network to develop new projects and share best practice etc.’
Matt then turned to the practice of Creative Placemaking as an example of one working methodology which can support partnership working across different sectors at local level and draw new support for culture into communities.
‘This approach builds on 12 years of work by The Stove implementing creative placemaking practice in Dumfries town centre.
Our work centres on a simple idea; to use creativity as a tool to support community-led change. Change for individuals, for groups, for social enterprises and for places in their entirety through place planning and the like.
At The Stove we call this ‘Grow Your Own Culture’, a belief in the intrinsic value of participation in creativity, that people making their own culture is equally as important as consuming culture made by other people. This approach often leads to unexpected outcomes right across the spread of social, economic and environmental impact.
In Dumfries, creative projects with communities shaped a conversation across the town about its future, and critically how local people could be involved in making that future. To cut a very long story short, this led to a campaign to ‘buy back our high street’, which became the Midsteeple Quarter project.
Now, five high street buildings are in community ownership and are being developed by the community with over £10M inward investment to date.
What has also become clear through this work is that forming partnerships and bringing culture into collaboration, with other placemaking agencies, helps the creative sector to thrive. In the last year The Stove has cascaded partnership projects to local creative freelancers with 180 individual commissions worth over £200,000 in total.
This year, with South of Scotland Enterprise, The Stove released ‘A Creative Placemaking Approach’ which is published on a creative commons licence and free for anyone to use.
The document aims to lay out a methodology for creative placemaking so that the opportunities and impacts for partnership working across different sectors are clear, and local authorities, for example, feel confident to approach cultural partners about potential collaborations on placemaking projects in health, education, community development, innovation, regeneration and place planning’
Highlighting recent developments in Dumfries and Galloway with the Local Authority taking a creative placemaking approach to connecting larger strategies for economic development with communities on the ground through a place-based approach, Matt went on to talk about practical examples of this work in practice.
This diagram from the publication gives an idea of the spread of impacts from partnership working with the creative sector in the context of place.
Creative Placemaking Impact Diagram – From ‘A Creative Placemaking Approach 2024’
‘We believe this area of work has huge potential for connecting culture with other sectors through the shared agenda of placemaking for the benefit of both.
By way of example – the Economic Development department at Dumfries and Galloway Council is seeing the cultural sector as a vital bridge between strategic infrastructure planning and local communities.
With the advent of Levelling Up and Community Empowerment it is now critical to national funding that communities are directly involved in the design of capital projects – yet in D+G there is a wide gulf between economic development and the grassroots of communities.
In Stranraer, cultural organisations have been commissioned by the council to conduct creative community engagement which is giving less-heard communities a voice in the shaping and delivery of the capital development of the former harbour area and a former hotel on the High Street.
Discussions are also underway about using creative activities as catalyst to bring communities together to develop new ideas which feed into the economic development pipeline.
This work has proved so successful that six weeks ago, Dumfries and Galloway Council advertised, what we believe is, the UK’s first ‘Creative Placemaking Framework’ to enable the council to more easily procure the services of local arts organisations to undertake creative placemaking work.
Of course, there are challenges but it was very encouraging to see this area of work highlighted in the recent National Culture Strategy Action Plan (see S7) and I hope a greater understanding between COSLA and Scottish Government will play a significant part in delivering parts of that action plan.
Matt Baker is CEO and one of the founders of The Stove (est. 2011). The Stove was a progression of his practice as a public artist. Through his career Matt became increasingly concerned with the potential for creative process to empower communities. He sees The Stove as a long-term experiment in embedding a creative resource within a community – the work is a co-directed journey with local people and Matt remains completely absorbed and fascinated by where that journey is leading.
Heather Taylor is a writer, storyteller and creative practitioner specialising in multi-sensory creative and performance practice, inclusion and accessibility, and is a member of The Stove’s board of Trustees. She recently attended the launch of WWDN, a creative placemaking network, and shares her thoughts and hopes for its future success. Read her blog below:
Image credit – Kirstin McEwan Photography
WWDN – A place for everyone
By Heather Taylor
Hey All!
I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying the sunshine we have started to get – let’s hope that’s not the start and end of it!
I just had to share my excitement about a fantastic event I attended recently.
On the 9th of May, The Stove Network launched something truly special at the Catstrand in New Galloway. It was the kick-off for the ‘What We Do Now’ (WWDN) network, and let me tell you, the energy in the room was wonderful!
As a member of the Board of Trustees, with a deep passion for accessibility and inclusion in community development and the creative arts, this initiative holds a special place in my heart.
The WWDN network has been in the works for the past couple of years, and seeing it now, and anticipating its future, is beyond thrilling.
Image credit – Kirstin McEwan Photography
The journey began with a highly successful pilot program where creatives collaborated with six hub organisations across the region.
The results were inspiring, showcasing the transformative power of creative placemaking in our communities.
Now comes the next phase of this incredible journey. The launch event was a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved.
It was heartening to witness so many people from diverse backgrounds coming together to explore creative placemaking and envision the future of this network.
What truly warmed my heart was the level of thought and consideration that went into ensuring the event was inclusive and that everyone felt comfortable in the space and most importantly – valued.
Image credit – Kirstin McEwan Photography
On a more personal note, I must admit that there are times when I question my place in both the trustee board and the creative community.
Like many others, I often grapple with imposter syndrome, wondering if I truly belong in these spaces. However, what truly struck me during the WWDN launch event was the undeniable sense of inclusivity and openness.
It became clear to me that there is indeed a place for everyone within this network. What’s even more remarkable is the opportunity it presents to dive in and make it your own.
Unlike many other initiatives, WWDN doesn’t require you to have all the answers or a predetermined end outcome. Instead, it welcomes you to come with ideas and offers support in realising them. This, my friends, is a game changer!
I have mentioned already in this post my appreciation of those involved, however, I would like again to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has been involved in bringing the WWDN network to life.
From the dedicated individuals behind the scenes to the creative practitioners who lend their talents, each and every one of you has played a vital role in shaping this initiative into what it is today.
A special shoutout goes to the incredible Stove team, whose unwavering dedication and boundless enthusiasm serve as a constant inspiration to me and countless others. Your passion for community development and the arts is truly infectious, and I feel privileged to be a part of this journey alongside you all.
Thank you for everything you do!
The launch of the WWDN network marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our journey towards a more inclusive and vibrant creative landscape. I can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together!
If you are interested in find out more about WWDN and how you can get involved in the creative placemaking network, head on over to the WWDN website here.
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