FOCUS Summer 2024

Focus

A celebration of D&G creativity and talent

Summer 2024

Features:

Medieval Market and Fayre

Claire Watts

Penny McPherson

Big DoG Festival

Spring Fling

Emily Tough

Eden Festival

Hope London

Welcome to our Spring edition, a fitting time for this issue of FOCUS as we introduce you to our new brand, website, and team.

In this issue our showcase of creativity from around Dumfries and Galloway includes the Big DoG Festival – the annual literary treat for our young book lovers, a peek at the forthcoming Eden Festival and a closer look at the work of artists, Emily Tough, Claire Watts, Penny McPherson and Hope London.

We are proud to share some images from our recent conference, and please take some time to look at our new brand and website before visiting dgunlimited.org to explore further.

May and June always heralds warm sunny weather, rain showers, glorious bluebells and cheery daisies on the verges as we move toward summer. It’s how we’re all feeling too – energised and ready for new growth and possibilities, and a sense of positivity about the future. The whole team are looking forward to the coming year and to connecting to our members and the public in this region and beyond as we showcase the talent we have here in Dumfries and Galloway.

Enjoy all that this time of year brings.

Tabi

Tabi Mudaliar, Editor of FOCUS Magazine and Director DG Unlimited.

FOCUS is a creative digital magazine brought to you by DG Unlimited. FOCUS is free to access and download from dgunlimited.org. It is published to shine a light on the creative and cultural work, activities, and projects in Dumfries and Galloway.

FOCUS magazine is brought to you as a result of the generous support of Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Welcome to the new

Take a look at our new brand! You will see signs of our new brand whenever DG Unlimited materials are online or in print. We thought you would like a closer look in this issue of FOCUS. We started working on our new business plan in October last year and with that work, we decided it was also time for a brand refresh.

We worked with Steve Kirkpatrick of Artibrand to develop a fresh, colourful and engaging brand identity for DG Unlimited which inlcuded aspects of the colour and beauty of our region and hand drawn elements. Thanks to Steve for a fantastic job, and to the participants of For Enjoyment CIC drawing classes who contributed hand drawn illustrations of key regional icons.

new look DG Unlimited

“I love our new brand! I wanted it to be vibrant, recognisable, and give us flexibility to use new images over time. Steve developed our unique colour palette using images from around the region - the names reflect their source.”

Tabitha Mudaliar

Dark Sky

Devorgilla Crawick Carrick

Merrick Criffel Logan Locharbriggs

DG Unlimited Conference 24

A day to remember

Recently, the entire Board and team of DG Unlimited had the pleasure of welcoming friends from across the region and beyond to our first Conference since 2018, and our first in person AGM since 2019! Years of pandemic restrictions behind us, it was a joy to see so many well kent faces and to share news of our new brand, website, and plans for the coming year.

Despite the torrential rain pouring down all over the region, our wonderful members travelled to A’ the Airts in Sanquhar to spend the day with us. In the morning, we had a walk around the Crawick Multiverse, and despite the rain, a small group of intrepid explorers set off to see the now world-famous land art installation by Charles Jencks.

A’ the Airts in Sanquhar was our home for the rest of the day and what a warm welcome we all received! First we had our AGM, reinstating our existing Board and giving our members the opportunity to vote on new Trustees. We now have a fantastic Board of ten Trustees and we’ll introduce them to you later on in this issue.

After the AGM we were treated to a delicious lunch – a generous buffet was a welcome reward after the business was concluded. Huge thanks to Zoë McAuley and the whole cafe team for a delicious lunch, and for catering to all our needs. Sanquhar has a wonderful community arts centre, with a warm friendly atmosphere in the café and throughout the building, a shop loaded with all manner of gorgeous things and cared for by a dedicated team led by Yvonne Barber, who we are fortunate to have as a valued DG Unlimited Trustee. If you haven’t been to A’ the Airts as yet you must plan a visit.

A’ the Airts translates from the old Scots into modern English as ‘All the elements’ so it was the perfect venue for our Conference which was a showcase of some of the talent and creativity evident amongst our members. Our friend, Derek Crichton welcomed everyone and spoke with genuine affection and enthusiasm for DG Unlimited and the creative sector in our region. Then, artists t s Beall and Katie Anderson shared their latest images of the tree planting and community involvement for the regions’ Remembering Together COVID Memorial, the Dispersed Forest Project for Dumfries and Galloway. We met the newest members of DG Unlimited, a group of young talented filmmakers and performers from Sanquhar – Edward Ryan-Sharpe, Jamie Morrison, Payton I’ Anson, and Amilia Wark are the first Junior members of DG Unlimited. We believe that the real future of the creative sector in Scotland is in the creative hands of the youngest members of our community, so it is important DG Unlimited knows about the young creatives we have

growing up in our midst. We have created a junior member tier, where a parent, carer, teacher, or mentor can recommend a young creative aged between 8 and 18. Our ‘Rising Stars’ will be able to access mentors and support in various forms as they pursue a creative career or try a new creative pursuit, and access information to help them in their creative endeavours. Our first four Rising Stars chatted with members, talked about their creative practices and ambitions, and served us all an ice-cream treat at the break!

The day was rounded off by an outstanding live acoustic session from ‘VanIves’ the popular local band from Castle Douglas and courtesy of our friends at Dumfries Music Collective (DMC). Stuart Ramage on lead vocals and guitar, David Scobie on Bass, and Kyle Sharp on Drums, performed some of their new tracks as well as firm favourites from their repertoire. Their music has a chilled depth and is meaningful and beautifully sung, Stuart sings accompanied by accomplished guitar and drums. Bravo gents! A heartfelt thank you to DMC and VanIves for coming to our Conference.

Thanks to the entire Board of DG Unlimited, to David and Lauren for their support on the day. Images by Rhiannon Mudaliar, who kindly stepped in at the last minute when our Lauren broke her ankle! It was a massive job for the entire team getting the event ready, but we are all thrilled by how the day went and the responses from our friends and members. Thanks to everyone who joined us on the day.

Community Collaborations for Medieval Market and Fayre

In 2024, the Medieval Bruce Heritage Trust, in partnership with The People’s Project Dumfries, The Imaginarium and The Gallovidian Way, alongside local community groups and businesses, will celebrate the 750th Anniversary of the Birth of Robert the Bruce. The programme of events will showcase Dumfries & Galloway’s significant role in his life and Scottish Medieval history.

The initial programme of events was launched in February, and communities were invited to get involved in the celebrations by hosting their own events leading up to the finale of Robert the Bruce’s birthday celebrations in July. However, the demand has been so overwhelmingly positive that the programme has been extended right up until September this year to allow communities to embrace their local heritage and learn more about the stories that have shaped us as a region.

Communities have rallied to support the project and in January this year, planning started to build props for the Medieval Market and Fayre, which will take place in Dumfries on the 13th & 14th of July – the closest to the birthday of Robert the Bruce. HM Prison Dumfries created a set of stocks and a face-in-the-hole board for photo opportunities. Enthusiastic about the project, the team also made a throne for Robert the Bruce and 12 shields bearing local medieval family coats of arms.

The materials were sourced locally with businesses eager to help, with MKM, James Jones, James Kingan of New Abbey, and Wickes donating wood, and Johnstone Paints, Wickes, and Kinderhouse Childcare providing varnish and paints.

Anne Simpson of The People’s Project, who was the liaison with the prison, said, “It was a pleasure working with HM Prison Dumfries, staff and inmates. The enthusiasm and creativity have been amazing. We are extremely grateful to the prison and the businesses who have donated materials to make this project possible. They have made props way beyond our expectations.”

The project’s curation team hopes that communities will see the incredible craftsmanship and creativity of the prison staff and inmates at The Medieval Market on Saturday, 13th July, on Dumfries High Street. Incredible detail has gone into the items, with one inmate even intricately carving dragon heads for the arms of the thrones.

Miranda Cloy of Signcraft is designing the face-in-thehole boards featuring local medieval figures, providing plenty of photo opportunities. The props will then be used for future events across the region.

Liz West, Chair of the Medieval Bruce Heritage Trust stated: “The programme has been curated so that it’s as inclusive as possible for communities, it’s been incredible to see all the local partnerships and communities creating events and getting involved. Programmes of activities like these, allow us to embrace our heritage and share stories that have been so influential in our history, we’re really proud of the community collaborations that are taking place across the project.”

Photo: The Gallovidian Way ©

Gratitude is extended to members of the Dumfries Devorgilla Rotary Club and the staff at Roucan Loch, who have collected and delivered materials to and from the prison.

The project has showcased the incredible community spirit in Dumfries & Galloway and how people always come together to create something beyond all expectations in their communities in this region.

For more information and to see the full lineup of events, visit https://brucetrust.co.uk/750/

The team are incredibly grateful to the main sponsors of the programme for their generous support: Jardine Funerals, Historic Scotland, Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival and The Globe Inn.

Special thanks are also given to the project’s key collaborators: Mostly Ghostly, Dumfries Devorgilla Rotary Club, Dumfries Museum, D&G Heritage Service, Dumfries & Galloway Council, Wordsmithcrafts, HM Prison Dumfries, Guid Nychburris Association, Dumfries Family History Society, Visit Scotland and The Barony of Buittle.

Photo: Medieval Bruce Heritage Trust ©

FOCUS on Claire Watts

I write books for children in a cottage near Thornhill looking down to the Nith on one side and up to the Keir Hills on the other. We moved here from London twenty-seven years ago and I’ve lived here longer than I’ve lived anywhere else. I’ve been writing and editing nonfiction for children for over thirty years but it’s only in the last ten that I’ve spent more time writing fiction. My latest book is Snippets, a collection of tiny pieces of fairy tale

What I love about writing for children is that you can take enormous ideas and distil them into something that will be understandable to the child audience who don’t have the depth of experience and knowledge that an adult reader would have. With nonfiction, for every fact you include, you have to think, ‘Will a child understand this?’ ‘Do I need to go back a step and explain?’ And all this in a snappy word count and accessible language. I’ve written about all sorts of different subjects for children, often things I knew nothing about before I was commissioned to write the book, like the Covenanters book I wrote for the National Museums of Scotland. I think it can be an advantage to know little about the subject because it’s easier to put yourself in the position of the child reader.

I think the best way to approach writing a nonfiction book is to ask yourself why a child would pick the book up. What is appealing about dinosaurs for example? They’re huge, some of them are fierce, they don’t exist any more but they did in the past. So that’s the framework to hang the book on. I’ll read a lot of material aimed at adults and take a lot of notes and I’ll also look at other children’s books on the subject to see what their authors considered essential and then work out what’s going to be different about my book. Pictures are essential for children’s books too, so I’ll spend thinking about how the pages are going to look and finding illustration references or working with a picture editor at the publisher.

As a child I was always in the library or writing stories and making my own books. When my children were little I helped them make tiny story books to give to family members each Christmas. Over time I’ve thought about creating a book for children about books, part fact, part craft. I’ve read around the subject, jotted down ideas. But the idea had always been pushed aside when something more pressing came along. This year, though, I was determined to try to make something of the idea. With the help of funding from DG Unlimited’s Innovate Create Cultivate fund, I set aside some time and went on a writing retreat with the aim of coming up with a solid pitch document and some sample spreads for this book about books which I could send to publishers. There’s a bit you’re supposed to write in a book pitch, the answer to the question, ‘why are you the person to write this book?’ The answer to that is easy: this book is for my child self. I would have loved it.

Find all my links here: https://linktr.ee/clairejwatts

FOCUS on Penny M c Pherson, Debut author

When my first novel was published by Shore Path Press in March, I was delighted that it happened in the land of my childhood, Galloway, where I first discovered the joy of creative writing. Born in Stranraer in the mid-sixties, I spent my earliest years in Ireland and London, returning, aged 7, and growing up in Newton Stewart. It was when my P6 teacher praised a poem I’d composed, about Autumn, that a confidence sparked in me, in being creative, in using words to describe and even create feelings, painting pictures that could transport me elsewhere.

I didn’t stay in Galloway – though I live now in Kirkmaiden, in the South Rhins. Many years in Somerset, teaching and raising a family, were followed by seven on the Isle of Skye, and it was here that I found both the time and inspiration to write the first book of my trilogy, ‘The Colours of the Sky.’ Scotland’s West Coast, where the culture, landscape and ever-changing light so touch the heart, where history is so poignantly present, literally ‘gave’ me the beginnings of the story I had to tell, through a dream one night!

In my novel you will find yourself transported to late 19th century Scotland, to the deep contrasts between lives lived in the demanding wildness of Skye and those struggling to survive in its industrial heartlands. This is the first part of a tender, evocative and personal story which explores what draws us on through life’s most daunting challenges. How does the caring heart not harden? What is hope?

I am most myself when creatively writing – it feels a little like catching the wind in your sails, when the freedom of expression gives you a buoyancy akin to a bird taking flight, I imagine. Much of my professional career has been in teaching, and I am currently a teacher of English as an additional language, tutoring children and young adults for whom it is a new language. Self-expression is so vital – it can be difficult enough when language presents no barriers – and I find it deeply fulfilling to help others in this way.

Now, looking from my garden, my eyes are drawn to Cairnsmore, lent golden and grey today. Beautiful. In the house where I spent my childhood, my bedroom window was framed by our cherry tree’s springtime mass of white petals. Today, standing in my Kirkmaiden garden, the small cherries buds beside me are pink. The sculpted shoulders of Cairnsmore’s granite mass are unmistakable, and it strikes me how unchanged she is by time, and yet how changed we all are... by time and experience.

A Favourite Walk

A much-loved short walk of mine begins in Old Minnigaff. Back in the day I would walk from our house in Corvisel Road, Newton Stewart, down from Dashwood Square and through town to where the Cree Mills used to be. Crossing the suspension bridge, take the left-hand road, past or through Old Minnigaff Kirk. There’s a gate just by the bridge which will take you along the burn and into the old graveyard.

Continuing to where the road forks again, you bear right, though the alternative route, to the Wood of Cree, is equally lovely. Continuing with the burn rushing past on your right you will shortly come to Queen Mary’s Bridge – be sure to collect three pebbles on the path. Over the right side of the bridge, you will spy a wishing well – a deep circular basin in the rock… this is where you may gently drop your pebbles, each one on target earning you a wish! Drink in the birdsong and the sound of water cascading, the light through the trees – a wish come true of itself!

Continue over the bridge and straight ahead as you rejoin the road, ten minutes will return you to your starting point. A pleasant, easy walk, and good for the soul!

Big D o G Festival 2024

Big DoG Children’s Book Festival brings authors from across the UK each year for a weekend celebration of children’s stories. As Scotland’s only standalone children’s book festival, Big DoG offers a unique tailored experience for families.

The festival launched with a Schools Gala Day, free to attend, where local pupils visited The Bridge education centre to see Philip Reeve and Sarah MacIntyre, authors, and illustrators of the Adventuremice series. Reeve and MacIntyre introduced their latest book and showed their young audience how to turn storytelling into a board game. The children created characters and plot points which Sarah MacIntyre illustrated on a mural in real time. In the afternoon, primary pupils were treated to an event with former Children’s Laureate Lauren Child, creator of Charlie and Lola Lauren talked about her writing process and her latest Clarice Bean novel, Smile. The Schools Gala Day was attended by almost 300 pupils.

Big DoG is about stories in all forms and the weekend also included music, illustration, and theatre. Thanks to our partnership with DG Arts Festival, Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre brought Dinosaur Detectives to a sold-out crowd. Flemish authors Bette Westera and Mattias De Leeuw of Flanders Literature created a mural with their audience, inspired by their book Later When I’m Big. Gareth P Jones shared the Fairytale Musical Mashup, a comedy musical based on his popular picture books.

Sensory storytelling events for audience members with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties were hosted in Moat Brae’s new sensory room. During the well-attended Big DoG Garden Party, the Moat Brae Storyweavers debuted The Tam’ O’ Shanter, a riotously entertaining family play based on Robert Burns’ poem.

This year’s festival was particularly special because Big DoG herself visited for the first time. The character was created in 2017 as the namesake for the festival. Big DoG made appearances at events across Dumfries to enthusiastic crowds and met several authors.

The Big DoG mission is to encourage reading for pleasure. According to research from the Department of Education, reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success - more than family circumstances, parents’ educational background or income - especially relevant in a region with low social mobility. In bringing authors and illustrators together to share their work in an accessible festival, we hope to engage children in adventures on the page and inspire them to write their own.

Delivered in partnership with DG Arts Festival, Moat Brae, PAMIS and PlayTalkRead.

Images: Bee Williams, Colin Tennant and Colin Hattersley

Facebook @BigDoGBookFestival

Twitter/X @BigDoGFest

Website: bit.ly/bigdogbookfest

Newsletter: bit.ly/storybooknews

Spring Fling 2024

Spring Fling is an open studio event showcasing visual art and craft in Dumfries and Galloway taking place annually during the late May Bank Holiday weekend. It spans the vast region with 104 artists and makers opening their studios to the public this year, from Stranraer in the west through to Langholm in the east.

An open studio event is one where artists and makers open their studios to the public, inviting them in to see where they work, how they work and the tools they use. It is a great chance to speak to makers and to buy from the studio.

Spring Fling is often described as an adventure or a treasure hunt across Dumfries & Galloway. Event visitors travel the region, from studio to studio, some following a coloured route, some visiting studios that they have researched or are following at interest. On their journey they take in our magnificent countryside and are encouraged to visit local galleries and visit support other local businesses and initiatives. Spring Fling weekend is a journey across D&G full of creative inspiration, have-a-go opportunities and fresh air. At the end of May, the region is green and full of life and D&G is a haven for creatives, cyclists and explorers. Visitors come from as far as Tasmania and New Galloway, all intrigued by unique locations ranging from purpose-built studios, spare bedrooms, forges, print studios, grand houses and remote cottages. The event allows visitors to see spaces they wouldn’t normally visit and gives them unique insights into creative processes. Creativity has long been an incredible outlet for positive wellbeing, so we hope that visitors to the event will have enjoyed chatting to our artists and makers and were inspired to have a go themselves.

With the studios at the heart of the event, each year we aim to enhance the programme with additional programming. This year, we painted a colourful largescale mural in Stranraer with direct input from the local community. Spring Fling Rural Mural (SFRM) 2024 can be found at the Boat House, Agnew Park in Stranraer. We also had two experimental studios taking part via our CREATE programme, 6 bus tours guiding visitors to remote venues and new studios.

The event is run by Upland CIC, Dumfries and Galloway’s visual art and craft development organisation. Spring Fling is Upland’s flagship event. It supports small independent creative businesses by providing a platform to showcase and sell work directly from their working environments, bringing the public to them. With over 50% of event visitors coming from outside of the region, it also supports accommodation

providers, food/drink services and tourist attractions. Travelling around Dumfries and Galloway is as big a part as visiting the studios so we hope that visitors will stay a while. Guided bus tours were running again this year aiming to take the pressure off and let someone else do the driving.

Event website – https://www.spring-fling.co.uk/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/springfling/ Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/ springflingopenstudios

Facebook event – https://www.facebook.com/ events/736498688668311

X – https://twitter.com/spring_fling

#springflingopenstudios #SF2024

Photos by Colin Tennant

FOCUS on Emily ToughSpeed Seeds Dating

Speed Seeds Dating ~ come romance, in the plants.

Speed Seeds Dating is a collaborative project by We Agree On Eggs and Propagate, funded by the DG Climate Hub. We were delighted to run the event at Auchencairn link park community gardens.

We Agree On Eggs is an artist collective run by Emily Tough. The aim of the collective is to create interesting and meaningful experiences, where people feel connected to themselves and the world around them. Propagate is a worker led collective specialising in local, community and sustainable food projects. Together, we dream worked Speed Seeds Dating which matched singles looking for love with the love of gardening, believing that there’s nothing like a bit of getting yours soily to get the juices flowing.

We invited 14 potential new romancers to the garden to join us to plant a food forest and learn about companion planting, whilst hopefully meeting their new companion. The idea is to tackle social isolation and combat the digitalisation of the dating world by hosting inclusive, buoyant, land-based events. This gives single people, looking for the chance to match, a way of enjoying the bliss of community gardening.

The call out for potential new romancers was open to any age, gender and sexual/romantic orientation. We also wanted to be disability and neuro-divergent inclusive and put strategies in place to ensure everyone’s comfort. This is hopefully the first of many events, we have already been collating a waiting list ready for the next event!

This event is not only useful for the people participating but does really highlight the love of community gardening/growing and it’s a great way for people to be introduced to new growing spaces. If you have a growing space needing a voluntary work force! Get in touch. There’s a lot of gardening that can be done by 14 people in a few hours’ time, and hopefully people are captured by the love and planting and want to come back.

This gardening piece was theatrical as well knowledge sharing, we had several cherubs facilitate the day who had expertise in growing. Having the garden filled with garden working cherubs helping source lemonade, watering cans and compost felt heavenly. It was important to us that the participants felt in the lap of luxury and well facilitated for.

Thank you to the climate hub for funding us. Thank you to Propagate for believing in and over-seeing this project. Thank you to Gemma Leigh and Leanne Bradwick for all the costume and prop making which made this event look wonderful! Big thank you to all the cherubs that came and made the day special! Thank you to Auchencairn community store for the delicious food, it kept us all very well fuelled. And massive thank you to Phoebe Marshall the hardworking community gardener at Link Park. She was incredibly generous and trusting and made putting this project together really exciting and wholesome.

Thank you to FOCUS, and to DG Unlimited for showcasing this project. If you would like to join the next event, please fill in this form: https://form.jotform.com/Emily_Tough/speed-seedsdating-

If you are a garden/growing space that would like to facilitate this event, please get in touch: weagreeoneggs@outlook.com

The DG Unlimited

Office Bearers

Frank Hayes, Chair

Frank has a broad and varied experience as a photographer, illustrator and environmentalist as well as being the founder and Creative Director of For Enjoyment CIC, working within the arts in D&G for the last 15 years. Through this work, Frank has seen much success and recognition, including winning the D&G Community Champion Award. Frank is committed to nurturing the artistic ability within everyone and improving mental and social health, confidence and wellbeing through the power of art and creativity. He has developed productive partnerships with many organisations in D&G and throughout Scotland. Frank now works as Creative Programme Co-ordinator with OutPost Arts – Co-ordinators of Art in Healthcare for NHS D&G. Enhancing the wellbeing of patients staff and visitors through a comprehensive Arts programme. We

Yvonne Barber, Treasurer

Yvonne has been involved in the arts since she was a teenager with Knowsley Youth Theatre in Liverpool. She is a qualified post-sixteen teacher. She did three years of drama school resulting in a degree and postgrad in Educational Management. She has been a manager in a large Further Education College and worked in education for over 25 years. In her current role she manages A’ the Airts, the prize-winning Community Arts Centre in Sanquhar where her main role is that of manager and fundraiser and has overall responsibility for the team and Centre.

introduce to you…

Board of Trustees

And in alphabetical order - CONTINUES OVER

Jonathan (Yoni) Bentovim

Yoni is a film director based in London. His films, spanning documentary and fiction, have been programmed worldwide at festivals and for television broadcast, including Channel 4, France 3, SBS, RTP, The Guardian online, Victoria and Albert Museum, Barbican, NY Anthology Film Archives. His accolades include official selections and awards at internationally acclaimed film festivals including Tribeca, Montreal, Docaviv, Alchemy, Aspen shorts, Winterthur, Cameraimage , Raindance, East End, Split, Munich, Imago, Cinemajove, Fest Tous Courts, Sao Paulo and Los Angeles Film Festival. Jonathan teaches experimental film and media at The Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.

Steven Burnie

Steven is Grey’s School of Art alumni and an established visual artist with a studio in Dumfries. He has a role with Turning Point Scotland, leading a team of artists to deliver workshops and one-to-one sessions to vulnerable adults and young people who have complex needs. This role includes several responsibilities, such as, project monitoring and evaluation, ensuring outcomes, meet funding criteria, recruiting/ interviewing, supporting and developing staff, establishing and growing partnerships and cross-sector partnerships. Steven has a strong network of contacts in the creative sector Dumfries and Galloway.

Dionne Braham

Dionne is a dynamic and creative facilitator of change with a passion for developing transformational organisations, communities and leaders. Having studied Education and Drama as an undergraduate, creativity has always been an intrinsic part of her consultancy practice and delivery. Using the arts as a learning medium, Dionne intends that her training is a memorable experience and not simply a series of knowledgeable moments. Alongside this Dionne also holds a Master of Science degree in Combined Psychology (clinical & behavioural) with over 25 years’ experience of delivering courses that create opportunities for people to expand thinking, growing new possibilities and create practical, emergent strategies that enable sustainable change. Her commitment to the area of equity and inclusion infuses her work and her approach is influenced by the works of Paulo Freire, Audre Lorde and Bell Hooks, amongst others. Dionne has recently returned to her love of ceramics and is excited about moving back into the creative world.

Paul Denney

Paul is a senior special effects designer in the film and live events industries and a former District Councillor from Stroud in Gloucestershire. In 2014 Paul designed, built, installed, and operated all the winter special effects for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Russian winter Olympics in Sotchi. Paul also designed effects for the 2018 film “Blade Runner 2049” which won the BAFTA and the Oscar for best Visual Effects. Paul describes himself as a creative engineer who uses his knowledge of electronics and engineering to create the magic of the silver screen. His role with Stroud District Council as vice chair of the Environment committee saw the council become the first and only local authority in Europe to become carbon neutral in its operations. Paul is passionate about the Film and TV production industry and is keen to promote it in Scotland in general, and in D&G in particular. Paul also has a passion for sustainability, renewable energy and the environment. Paul moved to Dumfries and Galloway in 2020 and lives just outside Dumfries with his wife and youngest son.

Lucy Lee

Lucy is an artist and runs a creative business, The Old Mill in Palnackie. In the building is a gallery space and bookshop as well as a studio where they facilitate regular workshops on making ‘sustainable’ art materials with a focus on nature connection and cultural heritage. She completed a BA (Hons) in ceramics in 2006, however this is no longer her medium. She worked several internships and volunteer roles, both in the UK and abroad in arts organisations amongst others. She has worked and continues to work with people with complex support needs and hopes to provide a creative supportive service in the future. She has experience in working one to one with autistic people in need of support, people with chronic fatigue and chronic pain, people with mental health challenges and people with learning differences. Although her main focus is the business, she continues to have part time roles and volunteer within this area.

Ailsa Malcom-MacKay

Ailsa is a Research Centre and Programme Manager with extensive experience working across academia, government, and practice, specialising in community resilience capacity building. Based in Dumfries and Galloway, she is also an established practicing artist and art tutor. Ailsa leverages the unique characteristics of the creative sector, blending practical experience, academic evidence, and community insights to demystify complex concepts, bridge understanding gaps, and empower individuals to make informed decisions. Passionate about fostering community cohesion and cultivating preparedness for environmental changes, Ailsa employs creative approaches to enhance health and well-being. Her work helps individuals build resilience against life’s inevitable challenges. As a co-author of several research projects, Ailsa has explored community resilience building and fostering resilience in young people with special needs, demonstrating her commitment to empowering communities and promoting sustainable, resilient futures .

Cynthia Moore

With over 20 years of experience, including working in global STEM organisations, managing large Business Transformation Programmes as Programme Manager, as well as running her own business, Cynthia has learnt about Strategy, Transformation & Leadership excellence from different perspectives. She now brings that wealth of experience to her work as an Executive & Business Coach and Strategy Consultant. As part of her work, Cynthia has been supporting small and medium enterprises (SME’s) across the South of Scotland with their business development; creating new revenue streams, increasing profitability and helping create sustainable business models. Cynthia has also been involved with charitable works for Business Captain with XForces Enterprise, supporting Service Leavers and Veterans in starting their own business.

Julian Watson

Julian holds a degree in Fine Art, specialising in both its history and his own artistic practice. This was followed by a diploma in Picture Conservation. Currently, he works as a freelance consultant in the Third Sector and Community spheres, sometimes operating independently but frequently collaborating with others. Julian’s work transitioned to encompass the “total economics” of restoring historic buildings for new purposes, encompassing the benefits and challenges of such endeavours. This also included land management, social surveying, support, and programming associated with these projects. Since 2014, Julian has worked as an independent associate consultant with Creetown Initiative.

EDEN FESTIVAL 2024

The countdown

to Eden

has

begun… Can

you hear The Garden calling you back?

Eden Festival, one of Scotland’s best-loved family-friendly music events, can now reveal its main headliners for 2024, plus a beguiling array of musicians, DJ’s, and artists also on the line-up.

Mali’s Husband and Wife musical duo, Amadou & Mariam have been mixing their Afrobeat influence with Jazz and Funk for crowds at Green Man, Lollapalooza, Cambridge Folk Festival, Coachella and Glastonbury, spreading World music via their albums such as Welcome To Mali and Dimanche A Bamako. Global sounds for the soul and the feet!

As one of the most renowned names in UK Dance music since the early 90’s, Neil Barnes will be bringing his box of awe-inspiring tunes to Galloway for a Leftfield DJ set…with the odd banger thrown in. As part of the original early 60’s British Invasion across America, from The Zombies, featuring original members Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone, expect to hear some true Psychedelic-infused Pop from hits like ‘Time of the Season’ and ‘She’s not there’. Iconic status is a given.

For a fuller flavour of Eden Festival, just take a look at the line-up so far including Jamz Supernova, Dub Pistols, LTJ Bukem and Optimo (Espacio), plus, The Beatles Dub Club will be welcoming Thursday night Eden goers on the Boardwalk stage!

Set within the inviting family-friendly vale of Raehills Meadows in Dumfriesshire while retaining its capacity of 4999, this 10 staged festival has over 250 acts performing, covering all musical bases from World to Funk, Classical to Jungle, Acoustic to Dancehall and everything in between.

‘Eden might not be the biggest festival, but it’s certainly the happiest’ - Daily Record

Hannah Gould (Eden Festival director):

“We are very excited to bring you our lineup for what’s shaping up to be an amazing Eden 2024. We can’t wait to invite you into the garden for the 14th chapter. Come and immerse yourself in the best party of the summer, set across 10 stages, with something for everyone...

Dance, frolic, make new friends and most importantly, make it legendary!

Catch you in the garden folks!”

https://edenfestival.co.uk

FOCUS on Hope London

Hope London has released her new 5-track EP ‘Could Do Better’. ‘Could Do Better’ is a collection of songs and lyrical writings wrung from the remarkable life of Hope London.

The EP draws from Hope’s diverse life experiences, from studying painting and law in New York in the 1970s, working in animation and law in 1980s LA, to engaging in the Manchester and Liverpool art scenes. Hope was also a mother and a full-time worker, with no time for personal art making, eventually leading her to become an educator and artist in South West Scotland.

Along every step of the journey, Hope has always been open to possibilities and has done a whole heap of living and learning. At age 60, having never recorded before, Hope released an album of original songs entitled ‘Aim

Low’ because “I had no great expectations.” ‘Could Do Better’ seemed like a fitting name for her new EP, with songs that are the latest creations in a life of art.

Sonically, the songs draw inspiration from the subversive pop of 80’s bands like Soft Cell, Vince Clarke’s productions with Yazoo and Erasure, and most overtly Pet Shop Boys - particularly their production and writing on Liza Minelli’s 1989 album ‘Results’. Hope recalls that she was once mistaken for Liza Minelli in a Greenwich Village club in the 1970s!

The release is the culmination of an intergenerational collaboration which began in 2016 with the musician, DJ and producer Dean Munch, founder and programmer of Queer Theory, an 8-year established cabaret & nightclub which champions LGBTQIA+ performance in Glasgow.

The energy of their collaboration mirrors the contrasting dynamic at the heart of many classic synth-pop duos, with Hope’s rich and deep jazz-infused vocals up front, whilst the silent producer Dean broods behind digital programming and studio trickery in the background.

The EP cover, a picture of Hope as a child impersonating their father, pays homage to this time. Hope recalls seeing older brother Frank play with Nat Adderley, one of the most significant band leaders of the 60’s soul-jazz scene, and brother of the legendary saxophonist Cannonball Adderley.

By the mid-70s, Hope was a diligent student at NYU Law School. Working jobs to support college fees, Hope had little time to experience the city’s cultural nightlife. But Hope remembers the New York street life of those days vividly and still feels it in her blood. Relocating to

the UK in the late 80s, Hope worked in Manchester, programming art events and teaching.

Hope was deeply involved with the arts scene and would become director of Castlefield Gallery from 1998-2002, raising funds and negotiating deals to build them a new, purpose-designed space. In the 90s, as a mother and full-time arts manager for other people’s projects, there was little time to listen to music, let alone create any original art or music.

Hope now lives and works in Wigtown on the South West Scottish coast. An award-winning community artist and educator, a cancer survivor who recently overcame and recovered from Breast Cancer in 2023, Hope is a passionate believer in the transformative power of the arts.

“Looking back, I’m grateful to have lived through some wild and crazy times and later had my wonderful children...as for the music, now I’m making up for lost time.”

“It’s got to be now, now or never” - ‘Could Do Better’.

Listen to Hope’s new EP here: https://hopelondon.bandcamp.com/

What’s on in Dumfries

What’s on at CatStrand

Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton, 20th June 2024

Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton have a long history of mutual musical roots, both being founding members of the award-winning powerhouse Treacherous Orchestra. Ross and Ali’s live performances deliver music with an energy and passion that can only come with a shared and rich musical history – the music they create is both exciting and beguiling with an undeniable synergy that can only be forged from a lifetime of friendship. Ross and Ali are won Best Duo at BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2017 and were also Finalists for Best Duo at BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2018.

Heal and Harrow, 28th June 2024

The 16th and 17th Century Scottish Witch Trials were among Scotland’s darkest times, with an estimated 2,500 people executed, 80% of whom were women.

Rachel Newton and Lauren MacColl’s new project pays tribute to these women, exploring historical beliefs in the supernatural and modern parallels. The music is based on works by author Mairi Kidd, inspired by real women persecuted as witches and characters from Scottish folklore.

Rachel and Lauren, celebrated folk musicians, have long collaborated and now unite as a duo for the first time. Their performance includes newly composed music and visuals to highlight this important subject.

For more information, and to book, visit: https://gcat.scot/arts/

Citizen Hame: Every nychbur is a Doonhamer! The Stove Cafe, 15th June 2024

Visit The Stove Cafe on Dumfries High Street for a day of fun and creative activity at Guid Nychburris 2024! From crafting badges to bloc printing and more!

Drop-in at the Stove Cafe to be involved in the festivities!

For more information, visit: https://thestove.org/ event/citizen-hame-guid-nychburris-2024/

Community Gathering Events, Remembering DG

Remembering Together D&G / Dumfries and Galloway are hosting a series of community gathering events at each of the five Dispersed Memorial Forest locations. Everyone is welcome to attend, and there will be a range of activities at each site, including walks, sharing food, stories and music - reflecting on the experiences of our communities and marking the loss and resilience experienced.

Dumfries: Saturday 8th June

Sanquhar: Friday 14th June

Moffat: Thursday 20th June

Threave/Castle Douglas: Thursday 27th June

Stranraer: Saturday 29th June

For more information, visit: https://www. rememberingtogether.scot/dumfries-galloway

Image Credit: Kirsten McEwan

& Galloway this June!

Workshops

Printing For Enjoyment: Lino Printing Scottish Flora and Fauna, 29th June 2024

For Enjoyment Artist Tutor, Julie Stephen will be returning to Studio 3 at Gracefield Arts Centre on Saturday 29th June, for another popular Lino printing workshop. This will be a relaxing and creative day, where participants will get the opportunity to carve an image into lino and create a selection of prints using water soluble printmaking inks around the theme of Scottish Flora and Fauna.

The workshop will consist of learning how to safely cut and carve lino, sketching ideas, creating compositions, developing a knowledge of the relief lino process, creating marks & patterns by using a variety of utensils and printing with different inks.

For more information and to book, visit: https://www. eventbrite.com/e/printing-for-enjoyment-linoprinting

Opportunities

Upland Made, Visual Arts and Craft Fair

Applications are now open for the fourth annual instalment of Upland made, taking place in November 2024.

Upland Made is a visual arts and craft fair which presents the creations of Upland members, providing an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work at Easterbrook Hall in Dumfries. By promoting local shopping and backing independent creative businesses, Upland strives to inspire residents and visitors of Dumfries & Galloway to embrace and sustain our vibrant creative community.

If you’re interested in participating in Upland Made this year, the deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 24th June 2024

To view more information, visit: https://www. weareupland.com/opportunities/upland-made

Tabi’s Viewing Recommendation

Just for a wee change, I thought I would share a special viewing recommendation with you, rather than three books. I’ve been writing a lot lately so enjoying creativity on screen has been a way to unwind and step away from the keyboard. The following comes with my highest personal recommendation. It has inspired me personally and creatively and influenced me in ways I was not expecting…

Shõgun (Available in the UK on Disney +)

Shõgun is based upon the hugely popular 1975 novel by James Clavell. It was originally televised in the eighties with Richard Chamberlain in the lead role. This new take on the Shõgun story has achieved critical and artistic acclaim for its painstaking authenticity and realistic dramatic portrayal of feudal Japan Just at the dawn of the Edo period. It is also a beautifully rendered adaption of the original novel. With 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, it has become hugely popular. It is captivating from the first moments, immersing the viewer in a world that is historically rich and artistically stunning. Music by Atticus Ross, the renowned composer in his own right and collaborator with Trent Reznor.

The series is distinctive in its style using traditional storytelling and poetic literary devices that have been used in Japan for centuries. The cinematography and costume design are breathtaking. I couldn’t take my eyes of the screen and became increasingly interested, wanting to see and read more about this period in Japan’s history. So much so that I travelled to see the Kimonos in the V&A Dundee to further immerse myself in Japanese creative culture and historic fashions. Every frame is a work of art, meticulously crafted to transport viewers to feudal Japan. The attention to detail in the costumes not only adds authenticity but also enhances the overall visual experience of the series.

Beyond its up-to-date aesthetic appeal, Shõgun gives us a rare opportunity to be at the heart of ancient Japanese culture, giving viewers an accurate view of the traditions, customs, and values of that period. It educated me and opened the door to a deeper understanding and appreciation of Japanese history and culture. As a result, I have sought out exhibitions, more art and films, and books around the wide theme of Japanese art. I enjoyed an authentic Japanese meal with my family, received beautiful and rare books on Japanese ceramics by ceramacist, Takahiro Kondo, from my daughter, and as I mentioned earlier, spent a glorious three hours wandering around the new exhibition in the V&A Dundee, gazing at the beauty of centuries old hand embroidered silk kimonos. It has been a treat for all my senses.

On a personal level, Shõgun was more than an entertaining tv series. Think about the last time you enjoyed a book, film or series, and continued to think about the characters after it had ended. The stories and lives you had spent time with influenced you to read more, take a deeper interest in their world. Some might say I am a true 21st Century Fangirl. Maybe so. But I also think this is the power of a well written script, of historical fiction in literature and on screen which is true to its source material and to the real-life scenarios the people once lived. Watch it. If for no other reason that it is fantastic telly! But also, watch it because it deserves to be seen and absorbed, for James Clavell who wrote the novel, for the writer and makers who created this new series, for the Japanese ancients who lived and left this timeless legacy of beauty and culture. And for me, so I have more people to talk about Shõgun with! I’m away to start watching it for the third time.

DG Unlimited’s vision is to shine a light on the excellence demonstrated within the creative and cultural sector in Dumfries and Galloway. We are the operational arm of the Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of the Arts. DGUnlimited.org

To become a member of DG Unlimited complete the form here

To contribute to FOCUS magazine, please email our FOCUS editor and director, Tabi Mudaliar at comms.dgu@gmail.com

With thanks to Dumfries & Galloway Council.

Acknowledgements

DG Unlimited would like to thank all the contributors and everyone who has contributed to the making of this magazine. And, to extend our gratitude to Dumfries and Galloway’s creative community for helping to make our region such a vibrant, culturally active, and creative place.

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