A Month of Charity Shop Diving & Clothing Regeneration
February 14, 2022
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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.
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 thebeautiful 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.
OnFriday 3rd December, we had the opportunity to host theWinter 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.
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!
November: New Beginnings & Fond Memories at 100 High Street
November’s here! For all its drizzly driecht, soggy leaves and howling breeze, it’s all go for a month of dance and exhibition, climate chats and birthday celebrations!
But first…you might have heard about COP26.
Yes, the glitterati of global politics will be arriving in Glasgow, in all their blue blazered, shooder-pads and pouting. Not to mention the news crews and protestors, police vans and placards, it all feels a little bit nerve-wracking. (Yes, just what we need from this year, another thing to worry about!).
So while the whole wide world tumbles on to George Square and Kelvingrove, we want to ask; what does all this mean for us down here?
A Doonhamer’s Guide to the End of the World
Creative Spaces are hosting a series of conversations, workshops and creative activities for people under 30 to share, collaborate and make their ideas heard in the big climate conversation. Working with Historic Environment Scotland the programme explores climate through story and myth, unearthing our local history to see what lessons can be learned from our past to guide the future we’ve yet to take.
Alongside this, Reel To Real, the Stove Cafe’s monthly film night, will be screening two films exploring climate, loss, distance and relocation, from Africa to Ireland. Our Reel To Real film nights include some scrumptious pre-movie scran courtesy of stew-maestro Marcus, from 5PM through till 6:30!
First beginning in June of 2019, Atlas Pandemica: Maps to a Kinder World is a compendium of 10 projects led by Dumfries & Galloway based creative people exploring different themes highlighted by life during the COVID pandemic, working directly with people in the region, it focussed on the impacts and learning from the community’s experience of the evolving pandemic.
The project is now drawing to a conclusion, aside from the many outputs each of the commissioned artists have shared, a collection of 10 maps, based on each of the project’s findings will be unveiled as part of ‘After the Pandemic’, Glasgow’s creative and cultural fringe at COP26. For more information on the project please visit www.atlaspandemica.org
Are ye dancin? We’re askin!
Join us on Saturday 6th November for an intimate evening of dance performance and conversation as DG Dance celebrate the end of their first season touring pop up dance across Dumfries and Galloway.
Martin McKeown, taken as part of Sanquhar Arts Festival.
The evening will include a performance of Matthew Hawkin’s Triple Echo, sharing excerpts from new screendance research with Emma Dove inspired by Emma Jayne Park’s touring performance And Now We Unravel, Again, and a performance of Louise Ahl’s newly premiered work heartbeats, fresh air, gestures, time.
This will be followed by an open conversation with lead artist Emma Jayne Park, and company dancers Claire Pencak, Jorja Follina and Malcolm Sutherland.
The following week, we’ll be showcasing the final UK screening of Penny Chivas’s ‘Burnt Out‘ this year, followed by an opportunity to discuss the work with the artist.
Brian Hartley
With original music by Paul Michael Henry, interwoven with the delicately detailed lighting design of David Bowes, this is an autobiographical dance-theatre work from the daughter of an environmental geochemist, bringing together fact and personal account. ‘Burnt Out’ is at once an intimate personal story and a universal meditation on our changing climate.
The Dumfries Fountain Project: Research & Studio Work
A pop-up exhibition at The Smithy, 113-115 High Street, hosted by artist Alex Allan. Allan has been working with the Dumfries Fountain Project coordinated by the Stove Network, exploring, and designing a proposal for a permanent piece of public art to be situated by the Dumfries Fountain to complement the historic landmark.
You are invited to consider the research gathered during their time in Dumfries, experiment and play with ideas and materials from the studio and contribute your own thoughts to the work. What would you like from a new piece of public art in the centre of the town? This is a unique chance to hear from the artist themselves and learn more about this timely and fascinating project. Come on in!
Dumfries Fountain Project: Film and Soundtrack Premiere
The Smithy, 113-115 High Street Saturday, 13 th November 5-7pm
Join us for a celebratory evening marking the conclusion of our two Holywood Trust commissioned artist projects, with a sharing of the short documentary film created by filmmaker Patrick Rooney, and film soundtrack by musician and composer Jenna Macrory.
After the screening we’ll be hearing from our two commissioned artists about their experiences with the project. Light refreshments provided. There is limited capacity available for the event so please sign up via Eventbrite to let us know if you would like to attend.
Can you believe we’re 10 years old? Seems like just yesterday, the Stove were chalk painting flagstones and launching a coo into the Nith (not an actual coo, don’t fret).
10 Year Celebrations
Join the Stove as we celebrate our 10th Birthday! We’ll be turning the Stove Cafe into a t-shirt printing factory where you can print your own 10th Anniversary t-shirt, and the cafe will be open with a special menu (yes, there will be cake!).
Our pals Dave Bass and the magnificent Dumfries Music Collective, fresh off the heels from their stellar 2021 conference are finally back to takeover the Stove Cafe with the U18 Acoustic Cafe. Featuring a line-up of fresh voices from the region, the afternoon is open to all to enjoy. More info coming soon!
Doughlicious
D’ough! Doughlicious are back in the building! Share ideas and recipes whilst breaking bread with like-minded folks. Featuring practical workshops exploring techniques and style, for those that kneed that extra bit of help and radical recipes for aficionados, from chapati to brioche!
Women Signwriters Assemble!
Dumfries Women’s Signwriting Squad are back again with the wee monthly meet-up. This session, open to beginners of all levels, will teach you the basics of signwriting. A popular event so sign up to guarantee your spot!
It’s not as gloom as it sounds, we promise. Dark Time is our yearly switch off, where we re-group as a team, drink too much coffee and chat all things Stove. From planning 2022, pouring over our members feedback (thanks by the way) and reflecting on a year unlike any other.
As we draw some breath from the run of festivals and projects, from wild geese to multiverses, we’re making time to ask some important questions. From who uses the Stove, to what we can offer our community and what themes might take us forward into the new year. We divide our conversations into three areas, which include:
Are you interested in Dark Time? Let us know by emailing [email protected].
The Smithy, 113-115 High Street, Dumfries An exhibition by artist Alex Allan
A pop-up exhibition at The Smithy, 113-115 High Street, hosted by artist Alex Allan. Allan has been working with the Dumfries Fountain Project coordinated by the Stove Network, exploring, and designing a proposal for a permanent piece of public art to be situated by the Dumfries Fountain to complement the historic landmark.
You are invited to consider the research gathered during their time in Dumfries, experiment and play with ideas and materials from the studio and contribute your own thoughts to the work. What would you like from a new piece of public art in the centre of the town?
This is a unique chance to hear from the artist themselves and learn more about this timely and fascinating project. Come on in!
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