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Talking Showcase, favourite projects and recruitment with Creative Spaces Producer Mia Osborne

We chatted to our Creative Spaces Producer Mia ahead of the 23/24 Showcase taking place on the 28th of March. Hear more about the programme, her highlights of what this year’s associates got up to and what you can expect at the showcase!

Q. 1 – Can you give us a very quick summary of what Creative Spaces is?

“Creative Spaces is a collective of young creatives aged sixteen to thirty who work with and advocate for the region’s young artists. We run a development programme every ten months where we hire in three emerging artists that work closely within the project and within the wider Stove.“

Q. 2 – Can you tell us a bit about your role as Creative Spaces Producer?

“So my role basically means that I support the associates throughout the ten months. So, I work with them closely, looking at their goals and their aims and what they want to get out of the programme and then help them develop the programme around that. I’m also there as the link between them as individuals and freelancers, and the Stove as an organisation. I work with them to develop different training and different opportunities that would be good for them as individuals, taking into account their creative practice and what they are like as creative freelancers. But, aside from that, I also work on the development of the programme in general and the engagement between Creative Spaces and lots of different organisations and partners.“

Q. 3 – Who were the CS Associates this year?

“So the 23/24 group of Creative Spaces are: Martha Ferguson, who is a set designer, who works within production design. Sahar El-Hady, who is a theatre-maker and an actor. And, Korey Patterson who is an illustrator and musician.”

Martha Ferguson
Korey Patterson
Sahar El-Hady

Q. 4 – What has been your favourite project that CS team have worked on this year?

“So, I think I’ve got two favourites from the year – although it’s really hard to pick because all of the projects have been amazing. One of them was the Muckle Mixer which was a freshers mixer that we did at the Dougie Arms. It was a really really good laugh and it got really really good engagement, and was an overall nice night. Quite different to that, was when we worked with Laurieknowe Primary over four days to delivery a series of small workshops with the primary school pupils around Wild Goose Festival. It was so lovely to work with primary school kids and watch how excited they got about geese!”

Q. 5 – Each of the associates is working on their own personal project that will be presented at the showcase. Can you give us a sneak peek of what they are working on?

“So I kinda want to leave a little bit of mystery, because they’ll be presenting fully what they have been up to at the showcase. But, what I’ll do is give you a couple of words, that I would say, describes what they are doing. So – Sahar: Discourse on immigration. Martha: Dystopian. And Korey: Robert the Bruce.”

Q. 6 – The CS team have been on quite a few adventures this year – where has been your favourite place that you visited?

“So it definitely has to be Bristol! We have been to a lot of really really cool places and seen a lot of amazing organisations, but, Bristol just completely topped it off. We had such a good time! We were so inspired and we left Bristol feeling like there was this new energy and I think it was a real turning point in everyone’s heads about not only what the team could do as individuals, but what Creative Spaces could do as an organisation in Dumfries. So, Bristol! One hundred percent.”

Q. 7 – What has been your highlight with the current round of associates?

“So my highlight has got to be working with such an amazing group of people. And, I mean, I say the same every year but, the team dynamic is always what makes you so energised. Every single person is so different but what they bring to the team is just so harmonious. Working closely with the Creative Spacers over the last ten months has been my highlight. It’s not been one singular instance, it’s been the whole thing!“

Q. 8 – The 23/24 Showcase is on the 28th of March – what can people expect from it?

“So I know the term ‘good vibes’ is usually quite cringe, but, I actually think that the showcase is such good energy. It’s hard to explain – I mean obviously there is the literal explanation which is you are going to see people presenting what they do and what they are about, and it’s a culmination and celebration of young creatives. But, the energy in the room is just always almost meditative. You leave and everyone just feels so good! It’s so empowering, but it’s fun and it’s silly, but also quite laid back. It’s just really quite inspiring. I think everybody leaves with a sense of how we have a really cool thing happening here and let’s just shout about it!”

Q. 9 – And finally – CS will be recruiting the next round of associates later this year – what do you say to someone who is considering applying?

“The first thing I would say is definitely come to the showcase! We don’t put on the showcase specifically for recruitment, it’s not part of the application pack. But, I would say that you can definitely notice people who have come to the showcase in comparison to people that haven’t. They have way more context when it comes to the programme. I think it sets them up in good stead because they can really see what the showcase and Creative Spaces is all about. I think it makes people feel a lot more confident if they are starting the role when they have seen what the last year’s group have done. It also gives the opportunity to ask questions in real life.

That brings me on to the second thing which would be – don’t be afraid to reach out! We’re a really nice group people and we love hearing about people who want to apply and having a chat with folk that have any sort of questions about the application process or about the programme in general.

The third thing would be don’t read the application pack and think ‘oh my goodness, maybe this doesn’t fit with me’. The Creative Spaces programme is so special because it really fits around the individual. The special thing about the past few years is every year has been different and everybody’s individual experiences has been different. Because, we work so closely with the individual through mentoring and through one-to-ones, that we can really adapt what the programme does for you based on your personal needs and goals.”

The Creative Spaces Showcase is taking place from 7:00pm – 10:00pm on Thursday the 28th of March. Hear from guest speakers from Dumfries & Galloway who work in the creative sector, learn more about the Creative Spaces programme and how to get involved and enjoy live performances!

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Musings News

Celebrate International Women’s Day with the Stove

This March, join us at the Stove as we celebrate International Women’s Day 2024 with programmed events by, for and to celebrate women!

On the first of March we are kicking off our short series of #IWD events with a screening of Wildfire; part of our Reel to Real programme.

Reel to Real: Wildfire (March 24th):

This powerful film explores the complex bond of sisters Lauren and Kelly, navigating loss, trauma, and community secrets set on the Irish border.

The film is triple F rated in that it is written and directed by women and features significant women on screen; and in this case all three by writer/director Cathy Brady.

BOOK WILDFIRE HERE
Doonhame Queens: Open Mic Poetry & Pamphlet Launch (March 8th):

On March 8th (this year’s official #IWD!), join us for an evening of powerful words and heartfelt expression at Doonhame Queens.

We will be celebrating the launch of ‘Mucky Pup’, a pamphlet of poetry by Elieen H Irvine. Edited and put forward by Susi Briggs, the Galloway Scots Scriever of the National Library of Scotland.

Doonhame Queens will also feature an open mic. Whether you’re a seasoned poet or just starting out, come share your work in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere.

BOOK DOONHAME QUEENS
Dumfries Women’s Signwriting Squad: Monthly Meet-Up (March 9th):

Our final event in our #IWD mini-series is our March edition of Dumfries Women’s Signwriting squad. This monthly meet-up is a space for women of all ages and backgrounds to learn and practice sign writing. It’s a fun and interactive way to develop a new skill, meet new people, and build a supportive community. No prior experience is necessary, so come with an open mind and a willingness to learn!

BOOK DWSS HERE

So, mark your calendars! International Women’s Day is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to welcome you to the Stove. What stories will be shared? What voices will be heard? Let’s connect, empower, and raise awareness for gender equality.

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News Opportunities Project Updates

Join Our Team – Membership Manager for What We Do Now (WWDN)

Job Opportunity

#We are hiring!

WWDN is a Stove led project focusing on the development of a creative placemaking network for Dumfries & Galloway and is actively recruiting for the exciting NEW ROLE of Membership Manager.

Due to feedback and review, this position has been re-framed to align more closely with the projected needs of the WWND membership.

This position is open to both those with less experience who are looking to learn as part of the job or to those who bring a greater level of experience to the role.

Salary rates may be negotiated within the given salary bracket as part of the process and will be reviewed as part of The Stove’s support and supervision process within the team.

If you are interested, please do reach out.

About the Role

The Role: WWDN Membership Manager

Duration: 18 months fixed-term contract (with review after 3 months)

Hours: 21 hours per week (3-days)

Salary: £24 000 – £26 000 (pro rata) depending on experience

Location: Dumfries & Galloway

Reporting to: WWDN Director

Start Date: 6th May (or as close to this date as able)

DOWNLOAD THE FULL JOB PACK HERE
DOWNLOAD THE CLEAR TEXT VERSION HERE

Key Responsibilities:

The Membership Manager will be responsible for all aspects of WWDN membership working closely with the WWDN Director to grow and support the network as it develops. This will include talking to and developing relationships with potential members, processing of new and renewal memberships, maintaining databases, and communicating with members.

We are looking for someone who is an excellent communicator and wants to be part of a new team.

Regular internal contact and collaboration will take place with other members of the team, as membership will be central to the functions of the WWDN network.

Training and support will be provided as part of the role.

Download the full job pack for further details:

DOWNLOAD THE FULL JOB PACK HERE

Main Tasks and Activities:

Membership Management:

  • Lead on membership recruitment, retention, and renewals, and liaison activity across all membership categories (practitioners, groups, organisations)
  • Develop and maintain effective membership processes, sign-up, review, and enquiry, working with colleagues across WWDN to champion high levels of service
  • Ensure membership admin systems are effectively maintained with support from the Web and Data Manager
  • Ensure membership data, trends and statistics are captured and reported in a way that informs WWDN strategic, operational, and financial planning

Communications / Relationship Building:

  • Work with the Communications and Marketing Director to devise and implement effective membership engagement campaigns
  • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of all membership marketing activity
  • Utilise a suite of communication assets including digital platforms: Newsletters, website, and social media channels – working closely with the Marketing Officer
  • Attend WWDN events and activities to promote membership recruitment and to build strong working relationships with existing members and key partners

Other duties:

  • Be first point of contact for WWDN service enquiries and direct to relevant members of the team
  • Support the WWDN team to develop, implement, and measure the impact of membership to meet strategic objectives
  • Feed into and support the development of systems and processes to support the continuous improvement of WWDN’s membership provision

This job description is not exhaustive, and the post holder may be asked to take on additional responsibilities not included herein.

Who We’re Looking For:

Person Specification:

  • Highly motivated and ambitious
  • Excellent communications and interpersonal skills
  • Excellent organisational and administrative skills
  • An interest in the mission and aspirations of Creative Placemaking and the desire to work collaboratively in a small team
  • The ability to tailor and adapt communications to specific audiences

Experience:

  • A good level of IT literacy including the use of databases and websites (preferably Mailchimp / WordPress, but training will be provided)
  • Experience in working with customers in customer service / sales environment
  • Knowledge of UK-GDPR and other legislation concerning membership is desirable but not essential as appropriate training will be provided
  • An understanding of the third sector organisations is desirable but not essential

How to Apply:

We encourage you to apply in a way that you feel most comfortable.

You can send us your CV and a short covering letter, or video, to [email protected], explaining why you’re interested and what you could bring to the role.

Application Deadline is 9am in Monday 15th April

Interviews are likely to take place week commencing 22nd April 2024.

It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too. Wherever you’re from, and whatever your background, we want to hear from you.

We will accept applications from anyone and everyone who feels they have the skills required to fulfil this role. Sound like the right job for you? Get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.

OPTIONAL – EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FORM

We will accept applications from anyone and everyone who feels they have the skills required to fulfil this role. Sound like the right job for you? Get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.

Categories
Musings Project Updates

Creative Spaces takes Bristol

During January, the Creative Spaces team took a trip to Bristol on their final ‘go-see’ trip of the year. The purpose of this trip was to meet with representatives from a variety of creative and cultural organisations in Bristol, particularly those that work with young and emerging creatives. The following article is a round up of their time in Bristol and reflections from the trip.

Korey

Meeting with Rising in Bristol – Watershed Venue

Rising is a Community Interest company and non-profit creative agency. They strive to cater/influence/support young creatives and artists under 30 within the city. With a fundamental goal to make creative facilities more accessible and lucrative for artists, Rising shares a lot of similarities with the Stove Network. The Creative Spaces team had a fun, light hearted conversation with members from the Rising team – Jess, Syd and Euella in their part time workspace – Watershed. We found ourselves relating to each being in a company whose focus is to bring young people in the community to a creative space to socialise, learn and interact.

Being from a smaller town I naturally assumed that Rising had a bigger issue on their hands since their operation was based in the big city. But their obstacles were more or less the same, especially concerning outreach and engagement. It was comforting to know that a city wide organisation doesn’t automatically guarantee anything in terms of the engagement numbers or the progress of development in the relative local creative sector. One thing we bonded on was the phenomena known to Rising as “The Returners”- young creatives who leave for university with the intention of staying away to then return with the desire to change or make a difference in their hometown. The Rising team we met were impressed and inquisitive about the Stove Network and Dumfries and Galloway’s creative output and compared their format with the Stove’s. Rising has what they like to call “Pollinators”, who are creative mentors/tutor/instructors who pollinate the city . The details of the Creative Spaces programme definitely left an impression on them as they were actively taking notes. To go to a meeting such as this was an eyeopener because I almost thought of us (being representatives for The Stove Network) were going to be asking all the questions and looking to them for advice but, instead it was a completely mutual experience where each team got an equal share of useful information and a compulsion to work together at some point.

One aspect of Risings’ format that sparked our interest was their membership system that recruits once a year. We took personal interest in their approach to engaging with their members – having one-to-one mentorship meetings with a member of the Rising staff, invites to exclusive events, and access to Risings own and partnered paid opportunities, most of which would be detailed in their weekly newsletter for members.

Then we wandered over to the Aardman studio building where Martha was scheduled to meet Peter Lord. The rest of us sat blissfully in the lobby where there was so much to look at and admire, such as a genuine Oscar award for Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were Rabbit, along with Baftas, Models and figures from Aardman films, and books filled with sketches and rough drafts of storyboards and character designs. The building was very inviting inside and looked like a brilliant place to punch in and out of each day. It was inspiring to think that real people were involved in these very real jobs inside this building and that it’s not in some distant Hollyweird land that appears to be a closed club.

Martha

Aardman Studios Tour

On our first morning, Mia gave me the very exciting news that Peter Lord of Aardman Studios may potentially be able to speak to me as I have an interest in working in Film & TV. I tried not to get my hopes up as he has an incredibly busy schedule… but after staring at my phone all day, I received a call!

We checked out nearby Spike Island as we patiently waited for 4pm to stroll over to Aardman Studio. The lobby was like a mini exhibition in and of itself, with a giant Shaun the Sheep model, a cabinet displaying an Oscar and Bafta trophies, and cartoon office props at the reception desk.

Having a personal tour of the game design office, the various animation studios and even some hot sets by Peter Lord himself was surreal. I was shocked to learn that animators are essentially actors who carefully manipulate the limbs of clay models in response to recordings by the voice actors. I was also shocked to see how many cameras are on set – something that is required to ensure each frame is shot from two positions for 3D productions.

Each location was bursting with memorabilia and original props from sets I grew up watching and confirmed how much I wanted to be part of this world. I had the chance to pick the brains of veteran animators and modellers and discuss everything from their typical day, to the way work processes were being affected by new technologies and AI.

It was particularly refreshing to see how hands on the work is at the studio despite how large scale the productions are. Learning that the analogue methods of stop-motion animation could not be replicated by CG work made me optimistic that the hands-on creative process that drew me to the industry will hopefully be protected.

Sahar

Arnolfini Arts Centre

On the Friday, we went to check out Arnolfini, an international centre of contemporary arts located on the picturesque harbourside. We started off by looking around the exhibition they had on, ‘Eregata’ by Ethiopian artist Elias Sime. There was a vast installation of ceramics and a lot of his art incorporated found objects, electrical parts and discarded wires woven into large tapestries and 3D sculptures.

Martha and I  then joined in with a weekly Women’s Craft Club held at Arnolfini in partnership with Bristol Refugee Festival. We enjoyed a chilled out time making jewellery with women from lots of different backgrounds, each absorbed in their own craft project.

The team then met with Keiko Higashi, Head of Engagement, in the cafe at Arnolfini and talked about what we get up to at The Stove. It was great to see the strengths of the Creative Spaces program through her eyes and be able to discuss different strategies on a level pegging with someone who had so much professional experience.

She shared a bit with us about what she does in her role and the history of the building. She talked about the challenge she is currently working on – diversifying their exhibitions. They have a huge amount of foot traffic in the building but their actual engagement is much less when you discount people coming in to use the cafe/toilets as not everyone is there to interact with the exhibition. It was really interesting to hear about challenges from her perspective of having a huge building in the middle of the hustle and bustle of a city centre, and it made me reflect on the similarities and differences with our reality at home.

After our morning at the art centre, we went to the nearby Bristol Old Vic, which is the English speaking world’s oldest continuously working theatre. They had an fun interactive exhibition on sound design for theatre, Foley art, and the use of analog tools in theatre to create gunshots and other sound effects. I liked the way they designed the exhibition, with interactive displays, buttons on the wall you could press to hear audio recordings of actors doing vocal warm ups, and machines you could use to make rain and thunder sounds. It made it feel like we were backstage designing the sound effects for a show!

In our free time we walked around St Nicholas market, saw a bit of street art, and walked to Millennium Square for a Wallace & Gromit themed escape room, ‘The Great Escape’. We also got to visit a cool area of Bristol called Stokes Croft and sat in The Canteen, a venue that has free live music and locally sourced vegan food.

Last Day

We did a heritage walk around the streets of Bristol city centre, viewing some of the iconic street art, graffiti and murals, and stopping in to see the cathedral and the historic Bristol Central Library. We visited a board game cafe on the Christmas Steps for some inspiration for the Vennel, and finished off our trip by touring some charity shops and the Bristol Museum.

On reflection, visiting Bristol was inspiring and motivating as we were each left with a positive sense of envy. To bring what a place like Bristol has to Dumfries feels achievable. It was great to see positive spaces being held for young creatives to connect with each other. With a renewed motivation from our trip, we feel we can bring more vibrancy and youth-led creativity to our town.

By our 23/24 Creative Spaces Team Korey, Martha & Sahar.

The 2024 Creative Spaces Showcase is taking place on the 28th of March! Keep an eye on the CS socials for updates.

Learn more about Creative Spaces here.

Categories
Musings

Festive Wishes from The Team

Illustrated by Jamie Stryker

As we get closer to the end of 2023, we want to say a big ‘thank you’ to all of you, our customers, communities, friends, advocates, and colleagues for the support and dedication you’ve given us over the last 12 months.

Thanks to your support and that of our funders, partners and dedicated team, The Stove has been able to support people, both locally and across the region, to work in the creative sector, participate in creative activity and develop new community-led initiatives and enterprises.

You lot are awesome!

We want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday, however you choose to spend it, and all the very best for 2024 – We look forward to welcoming you back to The Stove in the New Year.

The Stove Office and Stove Cafe will closed from 3pm Friday 22nd Dec, and reopen on Tuesday 9th January at 9am.

From all at The Stove, we wish you a happy festive season.

Categories
Musings News Project Updates

Championing the Economic Impact of Culture

Kirstin McEwan

On the 19th December 2023, the Scottish Government published its action plan, detailing the delivery methodology of its Culture Strategy for Scotland, originally published in 2020.

This Action Plan, developed in collaboration with the Culture Sector, sets out the next steps the Scottish Government will take to support the development of culture in Scotland.

Roundtable consultations sessions were initiated in 2022, one of which was held in Dumfries in January 2023 and attended by the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture, Scottish Government Culture Officials, and colleagues from across the Culture Sector, including Dumfries-based arts and community organisation, The Stove Network. These sessions looked at how cultural and creative organisations, can work with both Government and public bodies to effect positive change, locally, regionally, and nationally.

With a focus on resilience and three key pillars: Strengthening Culture, transforming through Culture, and Empowering through Culture, the action plan outlines the Scottish Government’s route to delivering their ambitious Culture Strategy.

At the round table consultation in Dumfries, The Stove was able to share with the Cabinet Secretary innovative cross-sector working in Dumfries and Galloway that uses cultural projects to empower people to change things within their own communities. An example being the way Dumfries and Galloway are working with the cultural sector to connect people on the ground meaningfully to strategic economic investment.

The Stove’s work, through What We Do Now (WWDN), a unique and ground-breaking initiative that supports a creative placemaking network within Dumfries & Galloway, working with artists, communities, and organisations, is highlighted alongside other examples, within the action plan’s second chapter, “Strengthening Culture”.

Extract from the action plan:

“Champion the economic impact of culture, in particular within the context of community wealth building and creative placemaking….

… The Scottish Government has embraced the internationally recognised Community Wealth Building approach to economic development as a key tool to transform our local and regional economies…

… harnessing local economic opportunities to address a range of challenges linked to addressing depopulation, regardless of whether affected communities are found in rural and island areas, or urban….

… There is a clear link with the principle of creative placemaking, which we know has tangible benefits for communities. For example, The Stove Network’s work across the south of Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government via the Culture Collective project ‘What We Do Now’, connects artists and community organisations to co-develop creative plans for the future of local places. We will learn from the outputs of this work and consider ways of scaling up the approaches taken.

“To see creative placemaking championed within the Scottish Government’s action plan for delivering the national culture strategy is fantastic. What We Do Now in Dumfries and Galloway is just one example of a very exciting strand of practice that is emerging across Scotland to place creativity at the heart of community-led change.”

Katharine Wheeler, Lead for WWDN

The full Culture Strategy for Scotland: Action Plan can be read here

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