Support Us

Tag: Dumfries

Categories
News Opportunities

Work With Us:

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.

Categories
News Opportunities

Your Opportunity to Join The Stove’s Board

YOUR INVITATION TO JOIN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Are you interested in supporting the mission of The Stove by adding your voice to the work of the Stove Board? Do you want to contribute to the future of the organisation and support the communities we aim to reach?
 
A couple of spaces on our board have opened up as long-term directors have stepped down – we’d be particularly interested in hearing from creative practitioners, younger people and those interested in community activism to fill these spaces as these are currently under-represented on the board.

(Practitioners please note that being a board member will not exclude you for applying for or undertaking paid work with The Stove)


We’re inviting notes of interest from members of or network, who feel they can contribute to the future direction of the organisation, be part of the directive decision making and support the core mission of The Stove.

The Stove Network is at an exciting stage in its mission to help make Dumfries and our region a place where communities thrive through creativity, collaboration, enterprise and risk-taking. A place where everyone is supported to be involved creatively and take part in the celebration and making of our culture.
 
Through place-based work and embedded arts practice, we are committed to supporting creative conversation, enterprise, and inclusion. We strive to bring together diverse communities and to promote and develop well-being and sustainable local futures.
 
In order to achieve these goals, we work with a diverse and dedicated team of core staff, a host of talented external colleagues and a skilled and passionate board of directors.
 
The Stove Board meets 4 times a year plus an Annual General Meeting and a handful of subgroup meetings. It is entirely up to you how much you decide to get involved beyond this basic commitment, there is no obligation in that regard. Our board is a relaxed and happy group of people who care about the values of The Stove and get a lot of personal satisfaction from playing a part in making great things happen.
 
If you are interested in joining our Board of Directors, please contact the Chair of our Board Tony Fitzpatrick with a note of interest saying why you like to be a board member via [email protected] 

Your interest will be followed up by the offer of an informal chat to discuss further what the role entails and what you could bring to the group.

WHAT DOES BEING A DIRECTOR ENTAIL? FIND OUT HERE

Remake Dumfries

A Month of Charity Shop Diving & Clothing Regeneration

February 14, 2022 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

If you’ve been looking for an outlook for your creativity, look no further! We’re in need of all the budding fashionistas, under the age of 30, for our own Dumfries & Galloway twist on Project Runway. Come and rummage through the treasures of Dumfries’ High St charity shops and then spend the rest of February regenerating and reinventing the pieces into a new, community made, fashion collection. Join a collective of like-minded individuals interested in fashion, textiles and sustainability – no experience required, just a desire to get stuck in and think outside the box!!

This is a 5 session event, participants are advised to attend all sessions in the series. All session dates are listed below:

SESSION 1

Saturday 5th February 12-3pm – CHARITY SHOP DIVE

Get a taste of what’s to come and join in with our charity shop rummage. We’ll meet at The Stove, discuss our project desires and collective #vision before hitting the shops and collecting the starting goods! What’s better than shopping I hear you ask? Shopping with someone else’s money! As a group, we’ll have a budget to spend on our starting charity shop finds, so no need to bring anything other than yourself and some excitement to get us through!

SESSION 2

Monday 7th February 5-7pm – CREATIVE PLANNING

Here’s where the ‘real work’ starts! We’ve got four weeks to turn these charity shop garments around and reimagine something new entirely! We’ll start off this session by curating our garments and materials, drawing and planning our project outcomes and initiating textiles test ideas of potential processes. Mood boards, concept ideas, visualisations…we’ll be doing it all…

SESSION 3

Monday 14th February 5-7pm – CREATIVE MAKING: TESTING & DEVELOPING

This week we’ll be in full making mode, developing and producing our community fashion collection through textiles and fashion upcycling processes. Sharing skills, we’ll be looking into all the different ways we can manipulate the garments we have to generate our desired outcome. Embroidery, stencil screen printing, patchwork, embellishment and maybe even some knitting (??) the possibilities are endless, and our minds are open!

SESSION 4

Monday 21st February 5-7pm – CREATIVE MAKING: THE MEATY ONE

There’s no way round it, there’ll be lots to do and much sewing, cutting and sticking(?!) to be done to get everything ready in time. Seeing the creations come to life we’ll be making sure everything is looking runway ready in no time. Think ‘Great British Sewing Bee’ with no tears or stress but lots of laughs and creativity!

SESSION 5

Monday 28th February 5-7pm – CREATIVE MAKING: THE FINISHING TOUCHES

It’s all hands-on deck for the final push to get this community fashion collection off the ground! As well as finishing off the collection itself (sewing in all those pesky threads!!), we’ll be solidifying the overall project aesthetic and creating visualisations to influence a final photoshoot before all is revealed at the Creative Spaces showcase in March.

Free

The Stove Network

100 High Street
Dumfries, Dumfries & Galloway DG1 2BJ United Kingdom
01387 252435
View Venue Website
Categories
News

Dumfries Tower of Light: Reflections

Post by Stove Public Art Lead, Katie Anderson

Dumfries Tower of Light: Image credit Ruari Barber Fleming

On Sunday, 19th December the Dumfries Museum Windmill Tower was lit up as it never has been before, with over 1000 individually lit candles gracing it’s unique architecture. The idea was first floated in 2020 when Dumfries and Galloway Council was looking for alternative ways to mark a Christmas Lights Switch On, but that could be hosted in a safe way for families and local folk to gather. The Stove Network team, working closely with Dumfries and Galloway Museum’s grew the idea but it wasn’t to be – first a delay caused by shipping issues from Europe, then followed by a change in covid19 guidance, meant that the project had to take a back step for the year.

Installing individual candles onto the facade of the Museum’s Windmill Tower

Fortunately since then, we’ve been able to build up the plans to host the event again this year – and finally, with a perfect evening, this temporary art installation took place. Each of the candles was hand placed on the many surfaces and edges of the Museum building by the installation team, and had to be taken down in the same careful manner to avoid damage.

The front steps of the Windmill Tower lit up at night. Image credit: Ruari Barber Fleming

Meanwhile, inside the Museum, specially opened for the day, were hosted crafting workshops with artist Helen Walsh creating felt robin tree decorations, inspired by the Victorian’s love of feathered friends in their festive greetings, and a series of puppet performances with Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre. The Jaggy Thistle Bistro also set up a pay-what-you-feel takeaway café for the afternoon, which completely sold out within hours!

The Tower illuminated, captured by Evie Copland

Marking one of the darkest days of the year, the Tower of Light came to life as the sun set – and was serenaded into the dark by the wonderful Cairn Chorus choir who stopped by to sing a collection of pieces. Visitors were invited to take a walk up through the Museum gardens, following light trails to view the artwork and look out over the town. Also visiting the site was Susi Sweetpea Fairy, who took the time to share stories, songs and conversations with those visiting. Over the course of the evening we welcomed 400 folk into the Museum grounds for a closer look and the opportunity to reflect on a challenging year and the New Year to come.

As part of the event, the Stove team gathered hopes and wishes for the year to come, which were all displayed on our Christmas tree – now available to view in The Stove Café – ranging from the poignant and heartfelt to playful and inspiring. In exchange,  craft packs were gifted out to take mini Museum’s home to decorate and hang on trees at home.

The moon making a star appearance. Image credit: Ruari Barber Fleming

The whole event was live streamed by Derry and Greg from the Battlestations crew, you can watch it back via our Youtube platform HERE and was also recorded using aerial footage by Stewart Gibson of Odin Aerial Solutions, see the beautiful film footage he recorder HERE

Stills captured by Stewart Gibson at Odin Aerial Soultions

As ever, these events can only take place with the hard work of the team and volunteers – special thanks to everyone who pitched in to make the Tower of Light happen, from cherry picker rescues, to guiding visitors around the site, hand lighting every candle to performing – the magic of moments like these is created by all those who contribute. Thank you! Special thanks also to the Museum’s team for all their support and trust throughout the project, and to DG Council for their support.

Image credit: Ruari Barber Fleming

Now what to do with 1,000 candles…

Categories
Musings News

Oor Wee Winter Gaitherin

On Friday 3rd December, we had the opportunity to host the Winter Gaitherin – our festive celebration in Fountain Square! Dumfries town centre became a warming, magical place to be with lots of twinkling lights, fun workshops and wonderful live performances all taking place outside The Stove and in lots of other venues around the town!

If you couldn’t join us on Friday, here’s a little recap of what went on.

Preparations started early on Friday morning, as we set up the picnic tables and dressed them up with some Christmas decorations to get everyone in the spirit!

There was lots to do and see, with hours of festive fun about to unfold in the town.

Kicking off our celebration, Susi Briggs and Alan McClure of Oor Wee Podcast joined us on the Winter Gaitherin stage with a lovely live storytelling performance from their family-friendly podcast.

We then had a very special visit from the Pirate and the Pixie from Moat Brae! Telling their own special story and keeping lots of families entertained with their tales of adventure.

Oor Wee Podcast

Over at The Smithy, Big Burns Supper had a brilliant lantern-making workshop for all the family to enjoy, as well as artist Andy Brooke on hand to show us how to make your own window decorations. They were also joined by Arts End of Somewhere, who were taking part in discussions around their award-winning storytelling and performances!

Festive Window Decoration Workshop hosted by Andy Brooke
Lantern Making Workshop Hosted by Mia from the Big Burns Supper Team

(Stay tuned for Big Burns Supper’s carnival in January, when they will have a lantern procession that you can take your lanterns from the workshop along to – find them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.)

Just outside at the Plainstanes, we had D-Lux holding a pop-up video making workshop. Their tent was equipped with colourful lights for people to make their own light videos – D-Lux will be gathering all of these short video clips to project them all onto a Dumfries town centre building very soon! Stay tuned on this by following D-Lux on Facebook or Instagram.

D-LUX Light & Video Workshop

Round at The Wobbly Shelf bookshop, they held a letter-writing workshop for people to write their own creative letters, or to send warm wishes of hope to refugees – kindly taken in and sent on by the Dumfries charity, Massive Outpouring of Love.

Flourish also hosted their own crafty workshop for kids with Mr P’s Festive Craft Club! And Kings coffee shop even had their house jazz band, ‘Kings Own Blend’ for their customers to enjoy while they enjoyed a warm festive treat in the cafe.

Summerhill Community Centre joined us with some fun Christmas games to enjoy at their Christmas party!

Summerhill Community Centre Stalls

There were also some familiar characters who arrived to say hello…

Summerhill Community Centre Disney Performance

Later, Bogle Mufty took to the Winter Gaitherin stage with their lively folk music!

Bogle Mufty

And Michael Grant, too!

Michael Grant

Chris Gray then took to the stage with a special piece composed especially for Dumfries to welcome winter to the town, before Dumfries Community Choir gathered round for some Christmas chorals!

Chris Gray & Band

After all, what’s a Christmas celebration without a choir?

Dumfries Community Choir

Firstly, we’d like to say thank you to Dumfries and Galloway Council for approaching us to host a Christmas celebration in the town this year.

We’d also like to say a huge thank you to all that took part in our Winter Gaitherin, from the hard workers at The Stove to every single participant in our events programme – without you the Gaitherin wouldn’t have been possible!

And of course, an even bigger thank you to all those who joined us as they were passing by, or marked the date in their calendar to celebrate Christmas with us at the Winter Gaitherin.

It was about time we had something to celebrate again – and we all earned it.

Dumfries High Street

You can watch a short film covering the event created by photographer and filmmaker Ruari Barber Fleming on our youtube channel here:

– From all at The Stove, have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year when it comes.

Categories
News Opportunities

OPEN HOOSE

Got an Idea? Get in Touch!

Open Hoose at The Stove Cafe

Open Hoose is a unique opportunity for anyone with a community-focused idea in Dumfries to use our cafe venue space alongside the resources of the Stove team to launch self-initiated projects and events through the support of the Stove’s experience, space, and production skills.

“Open Hoose is all about growing and nourishing new enterprises, projects, or events in the heart of the High Street.”

What is it?

Open Hoose is a funded* project all about giving good ideas a chance to grow. So whether it’s a regular jam night, a bread club, banner-making group or book club, we want to offer our space, our team and our support to help launch community-based and/or cultural activity in the town, housed within the Stove Cafe. Activity can be a one-off evening or a regular slot, it’s up to you!

Think of it as ‘testing’ an idea. So if you’re not quite sure of the details yet, or even how it will all work out, that’s okay! Come talk to us, it might just be what we’re looking for.

Who can apply and what we’re looking for

This opportunity is available to anyone with a community-focused idea.

We want to hear ideas that have the potential to grow. Even if you’re not sure. Sometimes the best projects can come from even a passing thought. You may even have a project already on the go but could do with that extra bit of support.

When?

Activity will take place between January – March 2022.

How ideas will be chosen

There are no exact hard and fast rules to the Open Hoose project, and we want to keep an open mind to new ideas that come through our door. As a community organisation, we believe no one should face barriers to participating in new experiences and creative activity.

With that in mind, we’re particularly interested in ideas that work with, for and about our diverse communities be them of interest, place, or identity.

We think of Open Hoose as a ‘testing ground’ for new ideas, from pop-ups to enterprises, new community groups or arts activity that may well eventually lead you to your next big thing.

Selections will be made against the following criteria:

  • The potential of the idea to grow and develop
  • Its potential to bring people together
  • Encourages people to try new things
  • Helps to grow the vibrancy of the town centre as a diverse, community-centred and lively place to live, learn and take part in activities

Whilst every idea will be considered, unfortunately not every project will be taken forward due to the resources, timescale and current funding available though we will ensure to provide detailed feedback in every enquiry.

We’re particularly interested in hearing from groups and individuals we haven’t yet had the chance to work with.

What the project cannot support:

  • Self – promotional and/or retail activity* (for eg: book launches, solo exhibitions, pop-up shops)
  • Private events
  • Corporate functions
  • Party Political Activity
  • Residency space* (for eg: private space for developing creative work)

All proposed activity should comply with the Stove’s values of inclusion, equality, and diversity.

Some examples of the type of activity the Stove has supported:

  • Drawing For Enjoyment
  • Doughlicious Bread Club
  • High Street Writers
  • Brave New Words
  • DoonGamers

What do you get out of it?

Dependent on needs, The Stove can offer free use of our cafe space in the evening, staffing, marketing support alongside technical and production assistance, decided on a case-by-case basis. We may be able to offer some financial contribution towards materials or other costs. We’re looking for ideas with the potential to grow, within or out-with the Stove Cafe.

Interested? Fill out the short enquiry form below!

OPEN HOOSE ENQUIRY FORM

Got a question or want to sound your idea out? Give us a bell on 01387 252435 or email [email protected]

*Funding: Scottish Government: Investing in Communities Fund

Skip to content