Wednesday, 23rd March 2022 marked two years since the first covid19 lockdown in the UK, a moment to reflect on the journey we have all made over the past two years, and the changes that have impacted all of our lives.
To mark this moment, The Stove hosted a series of events over the course of the week Charting Two Years of the Atlas Pandemica project. Atlas Pandemica took place from Summer 2020 to early 2021, and saw ten artists projects working with communities across Dumfries and Galloway and the direct impacts on them as a result of the pandemic.
The project culminated in the publication of a new Atlas, a series of Maps to a Kinder World, with each project contributing a map to help guide us in the next steps we all take. Atlas Pandemica also includes additional documents sharing future ambitions and research developed through the project, all of which can be found on our Atlas Pandemica webpage.
Our Charting Two Years events included:
The Cafe at the End of the World, hosted by Robbie Coleman, Jo Hodges and guest Joe Woods as part of the Distance: Proximity: Loss project.
Conversations were hosted around care and the work of unpaid carers hosted by Annie Wild and Emma Jayne Park.
A memorable guided walk around the Spring Fair was supported by TS Beall including a shot on the waltzers!
An official oak tree planting and writer’s readings afternoon at Dumfries Museum, featuring JoAnne McKay and Karen Campbell, with one of Karen’s stories inspiring the planting of an oak tree.
The Atlases have also been installed in the form of a temporary exhibition in the Dumfries & Galloway Council HQ building on English Street, and The Stove Cafe.
Alongside this, a limited number of print edition Atlas Pandemica’s are being gifted to influential and inspiring people up and down the country. We hope that the impact of the Atlas Pandemica project will continue to live on long after the conclusion of the individual activities.
As the Artists, place hubs and the communities of the five towns participating in What We Do Now, begin to move into the next phase of the project, we caught up with Patrick Rooney, one of the two What We Do Now documentarians.
Patrick Rooney – Image Credit: Kirstin McEwan
Patrick has recently spent time with the artists and communities in two of the five towns engaged the What We Do Now project.
Capturing the progress in both Northwest Dumfries and Sanquhar, Patrick shares with us two short films and his thoughts on the work being carried out in by the artists so far…
“What excites me most about documenting this project in Northwest Dumfries, in partnership with LIFT, is the goal that the three artists; Rosie, Alice and Andy have set out to achieve from the start, which is to build an art cabin for the community to use in Lochside.
I’m really like this concept that and I’m excited to see this come to fruition because it has so much potential to positively impact that community and make a difference to their lives.”
In this clip we get a brief glimpse into the collaborative and relaxed way of working that Rosie, Alice and Andy have together, showing how their creative process is a positive, open experience for everyone to be involved with from the start.
“For me, the most interesting aspect of Colin and Saskia’s project in Sanquhar is their interaction with young people in the area.
Their efforts to educate and bring young people together to create digital art has been really positive. Seeing those involved get excited about being creative, learning not be afraid to share their ideas and express themselves is a really wonderful thing and I’m thrilled to be able to document it.”
This short video gives a taste of how personable and engaging these workshops are and shows the opportunities that the young people living in Sanquhar have been offered by Colin and Saskia’s work as part of the WWDN project.
20 days (or 115 hours worked flexibly across more days), plus attendance/performance/presentation at the culminating Harvest event in September 2022.
Fee: £4,368
(21 days at £208, 20 days residency programme and 1 day attendance/performance at the Harvest event) There will be a small allowance available for local travel and subsistence.
We’re looking to for a creative musician, to join our Unexpected Garden – Stranraer team to compose a new piece of music in response to a community garden being designed and built in the iconic harbour area of Stranraer.
The Musician in Residence opportunity is open to both emerging and established musicians who are working in all genres of music. We are happy to consider applications from duos and bands, as well as individuals.
Situated on a piece of land, affectionately known as the Grassy Knoll, on beautiful Loch Ryan, the Unexpected garden – Stranraer will provide an injection of colour and life to the harbour area, supporting regeneration.
This will become a space for the community, who will play a key role in the design and transformation of the site into a garden.
The project will promote and demonstrate sustainable gardening, be a space for community events and take inspiration from the town’s nautical identity and past, playing with maritime themes.
Interested? Here’s how to apply:
Tell us how your work and practice fits with the nature of the Unexpected Garden – Stranraer project specifically, and what appeals to you about this opportunity.
Please apply in a format that feels comfortable to you. This could be in writing (maximum 2 x A4 sides for a covering letter) or by submitting an audio recording or a video (maximum 10 minutes).
Please also provide 3 examples of your work and a link to your website or social media.
All applications should be sent for the attention of Beth Piggott, Emerging Creative Producer to: [email protected]
Please note that there are 10 commissions available all over Scotland, so although we want to hear from folk in D&G it could also be applicable to organisations across the country.
We’re looking for a Content Coordinator to join the team
Website Content Coordinator
Contract Term: March 2022 – January 2023
Responsible to: Head of Communications & Engagement (HoC&E)
Fee: £6,000
Equates to: 1.5 Days Per Week (£600 PCM)
The Stove Network, Scotland’s only arts led development trust, are looking to recruit a website and social media content coordinator to work specifically on our Culture Collective project, ‘What We Do Now’. Interested? Keep reading…
You’ll be working on a new website due to launch at the end March 2022. The aim of this role is, initially, to provide content migration support during the pre launch phase of the site and to ensure all necessary content is included on the website and is laid out in a way that suits the user. Once the website is launched, you’ll work collaboratively with the Artistic Director and HoC&E to ensure consistent brand messages across all touchpoints, be responsible for writing, proofreading, and editing content, and sometimes sourcing and commissioning creative practitioners to deliver audio and visual assets.
We are looking for a candidate who can think both creatively and analytically and someone who is able to work with internal and external stakeholders to understand their projects and able to develop exciting and engaging messaging.
The successful candidate will receive technical training and support from The Stove Networks’s Web Developer & Analyst.
Key Responsibilities
General maintenance of the website and associated social media channels
Work with the HofC&E to formulate both short-term and long-term digital content strategies to meet aims of the WWDN project
Writing, editing and proofreading content
Work collaboratively with the AD and HoC&E to plan and develop site content, style and layout
Develop an editorial calendar highlighting key project milestones
Identify and commission additional content support where needed eg: copywriting, photography, graphic design, videography, etc.
Utilise analytics tools to track website traffic and to report on content engagement levels
Desired Experience
(Some training will be provided)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Highly computer literate
Experienced with digital analytic software
Analysis and report writing
Experience of keyword placement and SEO best practises
Experience in the management of social media platforms
Creativity and the ability to develop original content that provokes engagement
Able to translate complex information into clear and concise messaging
Experience of editing images and videos
To be considered for this role please send a CV and covering letter to [email protected]
Closing date for applications: Midnight 27th February 2022
We welcome applications from everyone and anyone who feels they can fulfil this role as described.
As the WWDN project develops, we’re excited to share with you an update from the towns, community groups (place hubs) and artists involved.
Currently in the research and development stage of the yearlong initiative, each of the five towns represented by the project, have begun to outline their respective project approaches, in collaboration with the commissioned artists and place hubs. Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing with you, the ideas evolving in each place and hearing from the community groups from each town, with video and images provided by our Documentarian Duo, Patrick Rooney and Kirstin McEwan.
Stranraer is a town in a stage of transition, dealing with the effects of post-industrial decline but with a wealth of human and natural resources.
Stranraer Pier
Stranraer Millennium Centre
Working through the project Place Hub, Stranraer Millennium Centre, a state-of-the-art building, facilitating a diverse range of community activities; artists, Hope London and Rory Laycock have begun to connect with community groups.
Hope LondonRory Laycock
Testing ideas and encouraging participation through a series of activities involving visual art, animation, music, words and new technologies they aim to encourage people to release their passions about the community.
Their work has begun with seaside-style mini-murals with blank, comic-book thought and speech bubbles for people to dream about possibilities, insert their thoughts and comments, and take photos which can then be shared with the wider community via social media.
It is their creativity and ideas of people in the town that the artists aim to build into their project.
For more information about the artists and to follow their progress click here
The NW Dumfries project is called ‘Living in Flats Together’ and will see artists Alice Francis, Rosie Giblin and Andy Brooke work with the residents of the c.70 flats that make up the six housing blocks on Dunlop Road in Lochside.
Rosie GiblinAlice Francis
Andy Brooke
The commissioned artists are working through the project Place Hub, LIFT D+G and building a working relationship with Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership who own and manage the flats.
Angie Gilmour explains more about LIFT D&G below:
The artists ran a workshop activity as part of the recent Lochside Gala and got a fantastic response from community members, their focus now is on an initial series of pop-up events for the Dunlop Road residents which will involve food and creative activities, this will be first of series of events aimed at co-creating with residents a shared set of aims for their year together.
The artists hope to develop new spaces for longer-term activities with residents through the year and co-create some meaningful improvements for Dunlop Road.
Community Sculpture at LIFT D&G
Follow Andy’s personal blog here and find out more about the artists and follow their journey here.
Stay tuned for the remaining updates from the towns, community groups (place hubs) and artists involved…
OutPost Arts will work with artists Jim Buchanan and Sian Yeshe to re-activate existing play and meeting spaces, and create new digital spaces for young people focusing on themes of ‘Ownership & Voice’.
Sian Yeshe
Emerging artist, Sian Yeshe, is working with young people in Langholm through the Arts Bronze Award in Langholm High School, exploring the role of film and filmmaking in the creative expression of young people’s voices. Whilst in residence, Sian is exploring the use of digital technology to create in collaboration with young people, an online space, owned, managed, and programmed by people under 25 in Langholm.
Jim Buchanan
Artist Jim Buchanan is exploring play as a means of activating forgotten spaces within the town. From play parks to trails, Buchanan is focused on uniting community voices around the possibilities of play through a variety of creative activities from parkour to projection to illuminate and inspire new imaginative possibilities for the future use of these areas.
Find out more about Jim, Sian and Outpost Arts here
A multipurpose arts centre, A’ the Airts, works with the community in the production and development of community festivals, art projects and related activity.
A’ The Airts, Sanquhar
Artists Jack Stancliffe and Saskia Coulson and Colin Tennant are working with A’ the Airts to engage young people in a creative project, exploring their relationship to their town and their voice within it.
Jack Stancliffe
Jack Stancliffe, a creative practitioner in fields of education, amateur art, and contemporary performance, will be facilitating a playful and energetic approach, inviting young people into an artistic response to the town, where it was, where it’s going and how we get there.
Saskia Coulson & Colin Tennent, CT Productions
Filmmakers and photographers, Saskia Coulson and Colin Tennant, will work collaboratively with young people to create visual stories that explore and share their understanding of identity and connection with place, and will invite other creative practitioners from music, design and gaming to connect with and inspire the young people of Sanquhar.
Saskia Coulson and Colin Tennant prepping for interview with Patrick Rooney.
For more information about the artists and to follow the project, click here
The What We Do Now project, in Castle Douglas, has begun by finding practical ways for the community to meet the commissioned artists, Martin Danziger and Kiera Manson.
Martin Danziger
The artists attended Castle Douglas’ food and bike festival in July, running three short circus workshops for children, on Market Hill in the Talking Horse marquee, which was very well received by the community!
Kiera Manson
Martin and Keira have engaged an action research approach to get to know CDDF and the community through participating in a live event to understand a better what the community needs and hopes for.
Through conversations, and active participation, we hope to begin to shape our What We Do Now project in Castle Douglas around community interests and needs. Our hopes are to build a vision that incorporates community arts as central to our development of Castle Douglas as a family friendly town and a place for creative play.
‘What We Do Now’ (WWDN), is a pioneering, experimental project working with creative freelancers, places, and communities across the Southwest of Scotland, through ten substantial commission opportunities for freelance creatives and artists to work locally on creative projects that directly benefit five towns in Dumfries & Galloway.
Forming part of the national programme, ‘Culture Collective”, What We Do Now focuses on culture and creativity and how these play a role in the nation’s long-term recovery from the pandemic.
The project provides creative practitioners the opportunity to work with community-led organisations throughout the region from over the course of one year, first launched in summer 2021.
A detailed recruitment process was undertaken to ensure each of the five place hubs were partnered with the right artist(s) to collaborate with and develop each brief, identifying and addressing the needs of the communities they represent.
Now in the next phase of the project, What We Do Now is ready to introduce the commissioned artists who will work with community groups to ignite and inspire new imaginative possibilities for the five towns across Dumfries and Galloway for the coming year!
This team, of experienced and emerging artists, will work together with communities exploring bold new ideas to celebrate the voices often unheard in our region. Over the course of the next year, What We Do Now will weave together and showcase a united, creative vision of our region. One that is built and inspired by the communities we all belong to and serve.
Supporting our artists on their journey and recording their progress will be documentary duo, Patrick Rooney of Dear Friend Films and photo-journalist Kirstin McEwan. Their work will illustrate the varied creative approaches each artist will undertake as well as follow the development of each brief, documenting the unique stories of each place, the communities therein and the vision each will evolve.
To find out more about out the artists, and community organisations they’ll be collaborating with click here.
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