We are proud to say, this is our tenth edition of FOCUS! We have been publishing our digital magazine since 2022 when the first one was published as a pilot. Since that first issue our readership has grown and FOCUS has become an established digital quarterly with readers from all over Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK and beyond! Last month we logged readers in the US, Australia, and Singapore!
This issue is packed with features sharing the achievements and work of our creative members and friends from all around the region. We’re proud to be continuing our work with partners to support, nurture, and showcase the best of creativity and culture in Dumfries and Galloway.
In this issue of FOCUS we proudly feature Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years, the outstanding retrospective of Andy’s work. We were privileged to join Andy and his family and friends for a private view of the exhibition recently. Andy is a worldrenowned sculptor, photographer, and environmentalist who produces site-specific sculptures and land art situated in natural or urban settings, and he is a long-standing friend of DG Unlimited, and our region’s creative sector. We are all so proud to see his work in the Royal Scottish Academy. If you have not seen it yet – you must plan a visit.
A creative collaboration between DMC and Ewart Library has resulted in a wonderful new Instrument Library for all. We are delighted to announce the latest recipient of DG Unlimited’s Expand Horizons award, actor Colin Crawford. We hope you enjoy the beautiful stories of a grand piano in the care of the Gatehouse Musical Society, and the new work by author, Juliet Robertson who launched her book this summer in Thomas Tosh. Share our excitement for Absolute Classics autumn line up including Nicola Benedetti! And do not miss the chance to enter our Autumn Photography competition, with awesome prizes for two winners and runners up.
Are you planning a visit to Wigtown Book Festival this year? I’ll have the pleasure of speaking with four wonderful authors this year and introducing their books to the audiences at the festival. Read them along with me, they are my book recommendations in this issue. Get the kettle on and settle down for a great autumnal read as you enjoy this edition of FOCUS.
The whole DG Unlimited team extends our warmest wishes to you, our readers. Here’s to a beautiful autumn of rich colours, cosy evenings and unforgettable creative and cultural experiences to brighten our days as we move into winter.
Tabi
Tabi Mudaliar, Editor of FOCUS Magazine and Creative Director of DG Unlimited.
FOCUS is a creative digital magazine brought to you by DG Unlimited, Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of the Arts. FOCUS is free to access and download from dgunlimited.org. It is published to shine a light on the creative people and projects who live and work Dumfries and Galloway or who have strong links to our region.
FOCUS magazine is brought to you thanks to the generous support of Dumfries and Galloway Council and our members, friends, and supporters.
Our Creative Director, Tabi Mudaliar, tells us about her visit to see Andy Goldsworthy’s exhibition.
Image: Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh. Photo by Stuart Armitt, 2025.
Goldsworthy: Fifty Years
Walking into the Royal Scottish Academy to experience Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years is like stepping into elements of Dumfries and Galloway. The exhibition is a lovingly assembled record of five decades of work from the worldrenowned sculptor, photographer, and environmentalist who produces site-specific sculptures and land art situated in natural and urban settings.
We entered the Royal Scottish Academy, resplendent in its position in the centre of Princes Street and encircled by the never-ending hum of city life and tourism, the urban noises faded and our attention turned to familiar smells, colours, and objects, all resonating and tugging at our muscle memories of home: the Southern Uplands in the north of Dumfries and Galloway.
We were privileged to join Andy and his family and friends for a private view of the exhibition when it opened in late July this summer. What a joy to see our friend Andy’s work in all its glory, and to share the experience with so many of our friends from our region.
I will say this now, at the beginning of this piece, rather than at the end. You must go! Do not miss it. The exhibition gives you an insight into Andy Goldsworthy’s artistic mind, his processes and how he values the beauty and fragility of the natural world. His art makes us more aware of the ground we stand on and the landscape around us. He uses natural materials, time, and seemingly limitless patience to create feats of creative ingenuity, intense in their beauty and intricacy.
Go and see ANDY GOLDSWORTHY: FIFTY YEARS
(Image top) Andy Goldsworthy. Photo by Stuart Armitt, 2025.
(Bottom left) Andy Goldsworthy, Oak Passage and Fern Drawing, both 2025. Photo by Stuart Armitt, 2025.
(Bottom right) Andy Goldsworthy, Oak Passage and Dock Drawing, both 2025. Photo by Stuart Armitt, 2025.
A wool runner accompanies our ascent into the main gallery space and at the top we are faced with a rusting curtain. This way - follow the path - caution – no entrybarbed wire - turn left - turn right. Was Andy making us feel like the sheep following a well-trodden path on the Lowther Hills?
Then, a living forest of oak branches invited us to walk through Oak Passage, as though it was growing from the oak floors from where it came. I look up at a sun dial of oak on the wall, or is it a clock? Does the oak tree tell us time is passing?
We turn and walk into a high ceiling marble hall and face a clay wall, fiery red, cracked earth, overwhelming in its size and stature. Looking around, I was not the only one moved by the work. I still don’t fully understand why Red Wall, made of earth from the Lowther Hills was so affecting, my eyes filled with tears, and I couldn’t speak.
Gravestones - shadowy stones lay in dimmed half-light from so many graves. A labour of love and a treasure which whispers, no, it aches with mortality and loss. Such beauty in stones and the meaning behind their careful collection.
There is so much more
(Images) Andy Goldsworthy, Flags, 2020.
Photo by Stuart Armitt, 2025.
The exhibition, which is described as simultaneously ‘beautiful and raw’ is an immersive, emotional journey through fifty years’ work from an artist who has made nature his medium and his resounding, important message of truth.
Goldsworthy’s roots sit deeply in Dumfriesshire, his home, our home. For all of us in Dumfries & Galloway, the exhibition presses something close to our hearts. Few artists bridge regional identity and global influence so gracefully, I can’t think of another who does. Andy’s work reveals real stories of us and the land we occupy. They are tales of sheep’s blood, fallen elm leaves, agricultural heritage, family, broken oak branches, ancient clay, and the lovingly collected and re-arranged stones from our churchyards.
There are over two hundred works to view. A retrospective which is ambitious in scale, meticulous in detail, and staggering in beauty, it sprawls through the galleries of the RSA building, integrating new installations into Andy’s stunning archive of his life’s work.
(Image top) Andy Goldsworthy, Red Wall, 2025. Photo by Stuart Armitt, 2025.
(Bottom left) Andy Goldsworthy, Skylight, 2025. Photo by Stuart Armitt, 2025.
(Bottom right) Andy Goldsworthy. Photo by Stuart Armitt, 2025.
Andy Goldsworthy is beloved by the public around the globe, and this exhibition reminds us why. It gives us deep insight into his depth, intellectual rigour, and status as one of Britain’s greatest landscape artists. And beyond acclaim, this is a gathering of home, memory, and land.
There is a poetic resonance all around the workswhen the sheepskin rug ascending those grand steps evokes the smell of damp wool and we think of the animals and of rural labour. When the barbed wire becomes an elegant and fragile curtain but maybe it is still just as menacing as the fence it once was? When a huge wall of crimson earth from Dumfriesshire clay reminds us of a drying climate and a cry for water, but also of the soil we have felt underfoot since we were children.
DG Unlimited stands proudly with Andy, not just as a friend, but as confirmation that internationally celebrated art can and does belong here, in our fields and our hills. His vision, his rootedness, and his ability to distill landscapes into elemental form teach us that creativity begins right where we are.
For all of Scotland, and especially for Dumfries & Galloway, this is more than a retrospective. It is a moment to visit, to bear witness, and to be inspired. If you have ever felt that where you live is ordinary, Andy Goldsworthy will show you it is more than extraordinary.
(Image top and bottom left) Andy Goldsworthy, Fence, 2025. Photo by Stuart Armitt, 2025.
(Bottom right) Andy Goldsworthy, photographed in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, June 2024. Courtesy of the Artist.
‘Hazel stick throws’, created in Banks, Cumbria was created in 1980 and is a suite of nine black and white photographs by Andy Goldsworthy. And below them are screen grabs of Andy with ‘Ball of leaves’, a unique artwork he created for DG Unlimited, for our film, ‘There is a Place’.
If you are a member of the pre-internet generation, you may recall playing ‘pick up sticks’. One of my favourite childhood games, I have fond memories of getting excited if my dad or sister inadvertently moved one of the fallen sticks and delighting when I won! Unsurprisingly then, these are my favourite of all Andy’s artworks.
They are images of the pure, childlike joy of throwing sticks into the air, marvelling at their movement and the shapes they make as they land. And the wonder of seeing sunlight through leaves and being outside with people with uncontrollable smiles in the Spring sunshine on a glorious Dumfriesshire hillside after interminable months of being locked away from each other during unimaginable times.
I am moved every time I watch the footage of Andy with the Ball of leaves he generously made for us. And I look at my own print of ‘Hazel with sticks’ in my home every day.
Watch There is a Place here. And enjoy visiting his exhibition in the Royal Scottish Academy, now until Sun 2 Nov 2025.
Love is called, our old Piano Gatehouse’s Piano with a Legacy
Sometimes an object carries within it the echoes of history. In Gatehouse Parish Church, those echoes come not from stone or glass, but from polished wood and ivory keys. A remarkable new resident now rests there: a Steinway Model D Grand Piano, gifted to the Gatehouse Music Society in 2022 by the Pollok House Arts Society in Glasgow.
Built in Hamburg in 1938, this instrument is no ordinary piano. It was once owned by the BBC and later the Decca Recording Company, meaning its keys have been touched by some of the world’s finest performers. Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Alfred Brendel, Mitsuko Uchida, even Dame Judi Dench! They have all been part of this beautiful instrument’s extraordinary history. After decades in studios and concert halls, this grand dame of British musical heritage has now settled in Dumfries and Galloway.
Since arriving, the Steinway has woven itself into the fabric of Gatehouse’s creative and community life: accompanying young players at their, ‘Be Inspired’ event, providing musical accompaniment for the annual Gala Week, and supporting the Gatehouse Singers. Renowned talents such as Ethan Loch and Nicky Spence (with Dylan Perez at the keyboard) have also performed on it, adding fresh layers to its lasting legacy.
But at 87 years old, even legends need a little extra care. The ivory keys are loosening, and the castors wobble with age. A full restoration, quoted at £6,500, is essential to safeguard the piano’s voice for future generations. It’s a daunting sum for a volunteer-run society; The Gatehouse Music Society, a valued Constellation Member of DG Unlimited, has launched a heartfelt fundraising appeal. Supporters can sponsor a key for £20, make donations, or simply attend the society’s concerts.
In true Gatehouse style, creativity is already helping. Local schoolchildren took part in an art competition, filling canvases with colour and imagination. Sofia Strelnikova’s swirling musical painting won first prize, with Iona Swan and Liam Jardine taking second and third place. Their work captured not just the piano, but the spirit of music itself.
From the grand stages of London to the quiet rural beauty of Gatehouse, this piano has travelled far. Now it is part of our region’s story, ready for a new chapter. With community support, its song will carry on, beautiful, resonant, rich, and full of life.
To donate or find out more, visit: gatehousemusicsociety.org.uk
Images courtesy of The Gatehouse Music Society
Creative Resilience
Creativity, Collaboration, and Resilience.
How Art Is Shaping Community Preparedness
When we talk about resilience, it is often in the context of emergency plans, early warning systems, and the response of our vital services. But true resilience, the kind that lasts, comes from people. It grows in communities where understanding, connection, and shared purpose take root. And sometimes, the best way to nurture that resilience is not through formal briefings or leaflets, but through creativity which touches people’s hearts and inspires them.
This is the approach being championed by the National Centre for Resilience (NCR), led by DG Unlimited’s Interim Chair, Ailsa Mackay. Based in Dumfries but working across Scotland and with important strategic links across the UK, the NCR is exploring how creative thinking can open up new ways of engaging people in the realities of climate change and the natural hazards that the climate emergency is likely to cause.
Earlier this year, the University of Glasgow’s Advanced Research Centre hosted Building Resilient Communities Through Creative Thinking, an exhibition that grew out of a monthlong creative challenge known as FebCreate. Delivered in partnership with the NCR, the University of Glasgow and Dumfries-based arts organisation For Enjoyment CIC, the challenge invited participants from Scotland, the UK, and beyond to respond to daily prompts on themes of resilience, community, and environmental change.
The results were as varied as the people who took part with different ages, abilities and creative styles being submitted. Ailsa curated the Exhibition of 20 artworks for the exhibition at the University which sparked interest and conversation from all who saw it. One of the legacies of NCRs work and the exhibition are the connections, inspiration, and new ideas that have
been generated. From unique ways to raising flood awareness in rural Scotland to creative ways of sharing urban coping strategies in New Zealand, participants exchanged insights, stories, and lived experiences that might otherwise never have been shared.
As Ailsa explains: “The artwork is the visible outcome, but the real achievement was the process. By creating a space where people could reflect together, the project has built empathy and understanding across communities who might never normally meet.”
Supporting this journey was the University of Glasgow’s UNESCO Poet in Residence, Tawona Sithole, who wrote a haiku each day of the challenge. These short poems offered inspiration and a shared thread for participants to connect around.
The project reflects a wider recognition that creativity is not just a ‘nice to have’ in resilience work, it is essential. Research partners such as the Met Office highlight that emergency messages only succeed if people truly understand and relate to them. Creativity can provide a powerful bridge to that understanding. Through storytelling, visual language, colour and emotional connection, it transforms information into something people can own, remember, and act upon.
There are also exciting possibilities ahead for Dumfries and Galloway. Conversations are underway with Fabrice Renaud, Professor in Environmental Risk/ Community Resilience, and Head of the School of Social & Environmental Sustainability. Professor Renaud has generously offered space to host the exhibition locally at the Dumfries campus of the University of Glasgow.
Exhibiting Building Resilient Communities Through Creative Thinking to our region would not only showcase the powerful work created but also invite local audiences to explore what resilience means for us here in Dumfries and Galloway, on our riversides, coastlines, and in our towns and villages.
As the NCR continues its important work, one thing is clear: resilience is not only about preparing for emergencies, but also about how we live together, share knowledge, and support one another to be stronger – to be truly resilient! Creativity is proving to be one of the strongest tools we have to help us shape our future.
Read more about the National Centre for Resilience
Images (left to right): Jill Moffat, Jacqueline Le Sueur, Trudy Craig, words by Tawona Sithole
Absolute Classics present
Absolute Classics has a much-deserved reputation for raising the bar and delivering outstanding performances of classical music in our region. Founded in 2014, the charitable organisation has become synonymous with inventive programming and first-class performance bringing breathtaking experiences to outstanding venues across Dumfries & Galloway. At its heart is Alex McQuiston, their creative and visionary Artistic Director. Alex has been called “the youngest and most imaginative classical music promoter” around, and he has a rare gift for transforming any space, big or small, into an unforgettable concert venue.
Some of the DG Unlimited team members are thrilled to be amongst those lucky ticket holders who will be attending Ms Benedetti’s forthcoming concert. The evening promises not just virtuosity and passion, but There’s a hum of excitement in the air for music enthusiasts in Dumfries and Galloway and it must be because of the stellar line up musicians and performers Absolute Classics is bringing to Dumfries soon! And not least is the world class Nicola Benedetti! You may have already heard the buzz, and at time of writing, the tickets were unsurprisingly almost gone. (By the time you read this in early September, they’ll likely be sold out—but that doesn’t dampen the thrill or the anticipation!)
also the unique energy that Absolute Classics brings to all its events, where musical excellence meets accessible, community-minded programming.
Throughout the year, Absolute Classics delivers stunning performances, educational outreach, and emerging talent development. Whether it’s intimate gatherings in local venues or headline acts at larger halls, they consistently raise the profile of classical music while making it inclusive, welcoming, and deeply rooted in our region. As the event approaches, excitement is building, and we can only imagine how electric the atmosphere will be at the concert. With tickets sure to sell out, this article isn’t a promotion for the event, consider a cheer, a wholehearted ‘Bravo!’ for the Absolute Classics team, and a word of encouragement to our readers and members, and anyone who loves music to try an Absolute Classic event this autumn. Their outstanding programme is a demonstration of what a love of music, creative leadership, dedication, and local passion can achieve.
Here’s to Absolute Classics, for building bridges between world class artists and Dumfries and Galloway audiences, for bringing the extraordinary to Dumfries, and for reminding us that classical music is for everyone. And here’s to Alex McQuiston, for continuing to dream big, for curating so many moments that resonate, and for showing us all just how vibrant and alive the world of classical music is.
To find out more and book tickets for an event visit Absolute Classics.
Images courtesy of Absolute Classics 2025.
Alex McQuiston
present Nicola Benedetti
Thank you to two great friends and Trustees
For fifteen years now, DG Unlimited has been built thanks to the dedication of people who give their time, energy, and creativity to strengthen the arts and culture right across Dumfries and Galloway. This autumn, we say a heartfelt thank you to two of our Trustees who are stepping down from the Board: Frank Hayes, our outgoing Chair, and Julian Watson, long-serving Trustee.
“As an illustrator historically my default setting was to put an incredible amount of detail into my work. Over the last three or four years I’ve created a new shorthand to get what I want down onto paper, creating small intricate drawings then enlarging them and hand colouring to get the desired look and a graphic style, working fast and expressively. I try to catch the character rather than minute detail and then add movement and as much colour as I am realistically able put into a piece. I focus on rare endangered or at risk species in our region and aim to create an emblematic image of each one.”
Frank Hayes
We are all sad to see them go. They have both given immeasurably to DG Unlimited and the wider cultural sector, and their impact will continue to be felt for years to come. They will remain and always will be dear friends and strong colleagues of ours.
Frank Hayes – A true champion of creativity and community
As Chair of DG Unlimited, Frank Hayes has been an inspiring advocate for creativity and an inspiring force for health and wellbeing and a leader in creative community connection. Founder and Creative Director of the social enterprise For Enjoyment CIC, Frank has spent more than sixteen years working in the arts across Dumfries and Galloway. His belief that “everyone is creative” has guided countless workshops, projects, and partnerships, helping people of all ages to explore their potential.
Frank’s leadership as the Chair of DG Unlimited has been shaped by that same ethos: nurturing talent, building strong inclusive networks alongside the whole team. His contribution stretches well beyond governance and includes supporting local people and organisations and representing the region on national platforms, Frank has been a tireless voice for the power of art.
In his own practice, Frank is known for his intricate illustrations inspired by the natural world, as well as his work in photography and design. His love of Dumfries and Galloway’s landscapes, flora, and fauna runs through everything he does. For DG Unlimited, his legacy is one of vision, generosity, and a deep belief in the role creativity plays in shaping resilient, thriving and healthy communities.
Julian Watson – A steadfast voice for the Arts and Heritage
Julian Watson is a man who makes friends wherever he goes. He is the very essence of a true gentleman and has unwaveringly brought his friendship, thoughtful insights, and steady commitment to everyone at DG Unlimited during his time as a Trustee. And perhaps even more importantly, he has been a friend and advisor to all of us at some point, and has been instrumental in helping guide us through some choppy seas with patience, a steady approach, and an encyclopedic knowledge and longstanding professional experience in charity governance, the arts, heritage and culture. Julian has supported the Board with a clear eye on both the opportunities and the challenges facing the region’s creative sector. His contributions have helped DG Unlimited navigate key developments in recent years, from strengthening membership and advocacy, to shaping the policies that keep our members at the heart of our work.
Julian has also been a valued voice in discussions about the future of culture in Dumfries and Galloway, drawing on his broad knowledge and experience to ask the right questions and encourage fresh thinking. His time on the Board reflects his longstanding dedication to ensuring that arts and heritage continue to flourish across the region and we look forward to continuing to work with him in the future.
Together, Frank and Julian have given extraordinary service to DG Unlimited. We are sad that their time as Trustees is coming to an end, but we give them both heartfelt thanks for their commitment, creativity, and generosity of spirit.
Blood Lines
Our Creative Director, Tabi Mudaliar
tells us about
a special evening of Poetry, Courage, and Connection
There are some evenings which leave a lasting impression on everyone present. The launch of Juliet Robertson’s new book, Blood Lines, at Thomas Tosh in Thornhill was one such evening. It was my joy and privilege to present the event and be in conversation with Juliet at the local launch of her beautiful, affecting, and deeply moving book. It truly was a special and emotional evening for all of us who had the pleasure of attending.
As always, our gracious hosts, Paul O’Keeffe and David Cripps made us all feel at home in the much-loved Thomas Tosh - with its warm café-gallery space and their long-standing reputation for championing art, books, culture and conversation - provided the perfect backdrop for an event that was both intimate and profound. Every seat, (and we needed to seek out all the spare chairs we could find!) was filled with friends, fellow writers, and members of the local community gathering to celebrate Juliet’s remarkable new work.
Although unable to attend in person due to her ongoing cancer treatment, Juliet joined us via a live video link. Her presence on screen was powerful: Her beautiful smile lit up the screen and the audience were rapt as she spoke with warmth, wit, and the same unflinching honesty which runs through every page of Blood Lines. The audience were delighted by the readings she gave us, and we were all touched by her generosity in sharing such personal experiences with candour and grace.
Blood Lines is far more than a collection of poems. It is Juliet’s way of navigating life after her diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, transforming her journey into words that speak of resilience, humour, and hope. As she writes, “When my blood became
ink, words began to flow.” Those words flowed into an extraordinary book that confronts the realities of illness and mortality, while also celebrating life’s fleeting beauty.
The evening carried a sense of community, of people coming together to listen, reflect, and take courage from Juliet’s creativity. Guests spoke afterwards of how moving it was to witness poetry being used not just as expression, but as a tool for survival and connection. Members of Juliet’s family, her mother-and-father-inlaw, attended the event and were overwhelmed by the love and support for Juliet and her book.
For many, it was also a reminder of the role that spaces like Thomas Tosh plays in our region by bringing people together to share stories, books, art, and ideas that matter and to enjoy unique cultural experiences. And thanks to the generous donations of Thomas Tosh and all who attended, £876.67 was raised for the charities of Juliet’s choice.
Juliet Robertson’s Blood Lines is a testament to the human spirit: bold, tender, and unexpectedly uplifting. It is a book that will resonate with anyone who has faced illness or loss, but equally with anyone who treasures the power of words.
Blood Lines. Living and dying with cancer - a lyrical journey
by Juliet Robertson
ISBN:9781781354322 Paperback, June 2025, £14.99 from Thomas Tosh in Thornhill and all good books shops.
When Juliet Robertson received an unexpected diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) in 2020, her life altered irreparably. Poetry became an unexpected source of strength, offering an outlet for her to make sense of her illness.
Blood Lines is a poignant exploration of Juliet’s life with terminal cancer. Her resilience and positivity are evident throughout this heartwarming collection of poems and the accompanying narrative is a shining example of how to live with adversity. Juliet intertwines notes, poems and visuals beautifully to craft a deeply layered narrative.
The book boldly confronts taboo subjects, delving into the medical intricacies of illness and the concept of death with unflinching courage. Juliet’s flair for writing is well-known to readers of her bestselling works, Dirty Teaching and Messy Maths.
Bold, tender and unexpectedly humorous, this book will offer comfort and solace to anyone personally affected by cancer.
“Blood Lines is a handbook for living and dying well, delivered with grace, fortitude and humour”.
Sue Burge, Writer and Mentor.
A moving and inspiring read for anyone that has been personally affected by cancer, including patients, their family and friends and oncology professionals as well as all poetry enthusiasts.
MEMBERS – Expand Horizons Award
AWAR DS EXPAND HORIZ ONS
AWAR DS EXPAND HORIZ ONS
Huge congratulations to Colin Crawford who is our Expand Horizons Awardee! Colin is an accomplished actor and singer based in Castle Douglas and has lived in Dumfries and Galloway all his days except for a short period when he served in HM Forces. He was educated in Castle Douglas and Kirkcudbright and is known to many of us. Colin, aka Codge to his theatre colleagues and friends has an impressive resume of acting credits including a UK tour of Yes! Yes! UCS by Neil Gore for Townsend Theatre; a Dumfries and Galloway tour of Because We Said We Would by Helen Fox; a month run in Edinburgh Waverley in The Polar Express for PNP Events Ltd; and a small tour of A Trio of Tennessee Williams for Fox and Hound Theatre Company – which members of the DG Unlimited team attended, and thoroughly enjoyed!
Codge is delighted to be working on Because We Said We Would and will perform this at various venues, and he is thrilled to have been asked to return to his role on the Polar Express again at the end of this year. Codge will use his Expand Horizons award to travel to London and attend industry events where he hopes to secure an agent.
Good luck Codge! We are all rooting for you and cheering you on!
About our award…
Expand Horizons is DG Unlimited’s new award. It replaces the previous Innovate, Create, Cultivate Award Fund. The Awards are currently funded by DG Unlimited, supported in part by our partners Dumfries and Galloway Council.
Expand Horizons are awards of up to £500 for creatives. Specifically:
1. Young creatives from 11 – 18 years old. (Rising Star Members)
2. Emerging creatives or students 18+ (Comet Members)
3. Established practitioners or freelancers of any age working in the creative sector in Dumfries and Galloway. (Meteor Members)
Applicants can be engaged in any creative practice but must be able to demonstrate exceptional talent in their chosen creative area and a clear commitment to continuing and improving their creative practice.
The Awards can be used to contribute toward the costs associated with attending galleries and exhibitions, professional events, professional development seminars or workshops, conferences, or as a contribution toward the costs required to visit other events, artists or projects anywhere in Europe.
The purpose of our Expand Horizons Award is to enable emerging creatives and creative practitioners to:
• Research and develop their practice by learning from others outside of Dumfries and Galloway.
• Generate bold new ideas and potential crossborder professional connections, partnerships and potential collaborations which will be of direct benefit to the award recipient, the quality of their work, and ultimately the creative sector in Dumfries and Galloway.
• Be inspired by and learn from the work of other artists, makers, and creative projects outside Dumfries and Galloway.
• Expand creative thinking to positively influence your own approach to your creative practice or work within the creative sector.
Who can apply?
This award is open to DG Unlimited Members only. If you are not a member, we warmly invite you to become a member here.
EXPAND HORIZ
ONS
AWAR DS
When you apply, please tell us which membership group you are registered with. Members from the following membership tiers are eligible to apply:
Rising Stars | Comet | Meteor
Applicants are required to provide strong evidence of their creative practice and development. We ask that any applications from members are for activities that are not linked to, or part of any formal education programmes or courses you are currently enrolled in or plan to enrol for. Rising Star Applications must be made by a Mentor, Teacher, Parent or Guardian.
The Awards are for creative personal development, and to encourage you to expand your horizons and look beyond this region to be creatively inspired. Applicants must currently live and work in, or have strong links with Dumfries and Galloway.
This is a rolling award and there is no set closing date. However, please note that awards are for activities which must take place and be completed before 31st March 2026. One DG Unlimited member will be awarded with an Expanding Horizons Award per calendar month.
To find out more read about it here. Expand Horizons
Lend me your ear: An Instrument Library at the Ewart Library
Imagine being able to walk into your local library and, instead of just choosing a book, you borrow a guitar, violin, or even a keyboard. Thanks to the new initiative at the Ewart Library in Dumfries, this concept is now a reality.
The ‘We Make Music Instrument Library’ is a wonderful partnership between our friends, Dumfries Music Collective (DMC) and the Dumfries & Galloway Instrumental Music Service, run by Dumfries and Galloway Council. Supported by Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative and the Music Education Partnership Group, the scheme is simple but powerful: anyone with a library card can now borrow an instrument, free of charge, just like a book.
The library is stocked with more than 20 instruments, from ukuleles and guitars to violins and keyboards. For many, it offers the chance to pick up an instrument for the very first time, without the expense or commitment of buying one. For others, it might mean rekindling a passion for music after years away.
Hagen Patterson, Director of DMC, captured the spirit of the project perfectly when he told us, “We are thrilled to establish a music instrument library, for the first time, across Dumfries & Galloway. The initiative at The Ewart Library will help people experience the joy of music and learning a musical instrument. It highlights how local libraries are much more than books, they are safe spaces where people can relax, socialise, and learn something new.”
A series of workshops were also delivered alongside the lending scheme, giving people the opportunity to learn directly from tutors. Whether it’s a complete beginner testing the waters or someone honing their skills, the Instrument Library is opening doors to creativity for everyone.
At its heart, this project is about breaking down barriers and making music and playing a musical instrument more accessible. It’s about true inclusion, opportunity, and sharing the joy of making music. But just as importantly, it celebrates the vital role libraries continue to play in our communities and demonstrates that a library can have so many more important and useful functions as a place where people can access cultural materials to enhance their lives and leisure time. Libraries bring people together to learn, share, and be inspired.
If you have dreamt of playing or know someone who longs to try learning a new musical instrument, head to the Ewart Library and borrow an instrument. You never know where the first note might take you. To find out more about this wonderful project, visit the DMC website. Congratulations to DMC on a fantastic partnership project!
Find out more at: https://www.wearedmc.co.uk/ instrument-library
Through an Autumnal Lens: Capture the Season
There’s something magical about autumn in Dumfries and Galloway. Crisp mornings, golden leaves tumbling from the trees, soft sunlight catching the hills, and wildlife bustling in preparation for winter. It’s a season that invites us to pause, notice, and celebrate the beauty of change.
This year, DG Unlimited is delighted to launch our Nature Photography Competition, open to everyone aged 11 and over.
Whether you’re strolling with friends, walking the dog, exploring the Solway coast, wandering through woodlands, or simply enjoying your garden, this is your chance to capture autumn’s essence through your lens.
We’re inviting you to submit your photographs that reflect the theme: Nature through an Autumnal Lens Your image could be a sweeping coastal view, the intricate texture of tree bark, the colour of a single fallen leaf, or the sparkle of sunlight on water. The only rule? Your picture must be your own original work, be aligned with the autumnal theme, and taken during the last year. (No AI images, please! We want to see your own photographic works of art in all their natural beauty).
And the prize? Something truly special! The winner will receive two tickets to see Hamza Yassin – My Life Behind the Lens at Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries, on 31 January 2026.
Hamza is one of the UK’s best-loved wildlife cameramen and presenters, known for Wild Isles, Countryfile, and Animal Park. His breathtaking photography and infectious passion for nature make this event unmissable. Alongside the tickets, the winner will also receive a £150 voucher to spend on camera equipment. Two runners-up will receive a £30 National Book Token each, and selected images, chosen by our panel of judges, will be featured in a future issue of FOCUS magazine and on our website.
A few gentle tips to inspire your shots:
- Work with the light – early mornings and late afternoons often create a magical glow.
- Play with perspective – crouch low, tilt your camera, or focus on the unexpected.
- Be patient – sometimes the best images come when you wait.
- Respect nature – never disturb, harm, or rearrange wildlife or plants for a photo.
Most importantly, please stay safe: take someone with you, dress for the weather, and be mindful of your surroundings.
Entry is free, and you can submit up to three images per person. The closing date is Sunday 30th November 2025. Full details and Terms & Conditions are available on our website: https://dgunlimited.org
This autumn, take your camera outdoors and let the season’s colours and textures inspire you.
Southerness Beach by Tabi Mudaliar
Tabi’s Recommended Reads for Wigtown Book Festival
Wigtown Book Festival 2025: A Celebration of Words and Ideas
As the leaves begin to turn, Dumfries and Galloway once again prepare to welcome thousands of visitors to Scotland’s National Book Town for the literary highlights of the year. The Wigtown Book Festival returns this autumn with a programme bursting with stories, ideas, and inspiration.
From internationally acclaimed authors to fresh new voices, the festival offers something for everyone who loves books and the conversations they spark. Over ten days, Wigtown becomes a hub of creativity, with its bookshops, cafés, and streets buzzing with readings, talks, workshops, and events for all ages.
This year’s line-up is as impressive as ever. Visitors can look forward to a wide range of genres; fiction, memoir, history, nature writing, politics, poetry, and more. Beyond the mainstage events welcoming well-known faces from entertainment and politics, the festival offers intimate opportunities to meet authors, discover new books, and take part in lively and engaging discussions. Family events and children’s activities make it an occasion for all generations, with Wigtown’s unique blend of warmth and community spirit at the heart of the entire programme.
For those who have never been before, the Wigtown Book Festival is more than just a series of talks, it is a unique experience! The town itself has become an integral part of the story of the festival, with its stunning location, welcoming and warm community, and the region’s own rich literary history providing the perfect backdrop for ten days of discovery for bibliophiles from all over the world.
I am delighted to be joining the festival programme as Chair for four exciting conversations with authors this year. It is a privilege to be invited again, and I am looking forward to enjoying many of the other events while I am in Wigtown. Please do come and say hello if you see me out and about during the festival! And if you fancy reading along with me, I am preparing for the festival as I write this. These are the authors I will be in conversation with and the books we will be discussing.
Tabi will be in discussion with:
• Graeme Macrae Burnet, Booker Prize nominee, about his latest novel A Case of Matricide
• Kristie De Garis, on her evocative and creative memoir, Drystone.
• David Graham Clark will be talking to Tabi about his charming novel Epiphanies and Robberies (find out more at https:// davidgrahamclark.net/epiphanies-and-robberies-anovel/).
• Milo Allan, authors Milo Clenshaw and Vicky Allen will be talking about their debut novel Murray Hall: A tale of the extraordinary and intriguing secret that rocked New York and the world (see author bio at https://www.panmacmillan. co.za/authors/milo-allan/28512 and book details at https://www.amazon.co.za/Murray-Hallextraordinary-intriguing-secret/dp/1785306200/).
It is a privilege to take part in the festival again this year. Wigtown Book Festival is close to my heart, and I am proud to share the stage with writers whose work inspires new perspectives and conversations.
With so many highlights ahead, this year’s Wigtown Book Festival promises to be unforgettable. Tickets are already on sale, and events often book up quickly so don’t miss your chance to be part of Scotland’s biggest celebration of books.
For tickets and the full programme, visit: https://wigtownbookfestival.com
MEMBERS-TALENT POOL
Talent pool is our list of creative talent in the region. DG Unlimited is a member organisation, and we are all about people. We have developed a talent pool of freelance creative professionals in all mediums, based in this region who are available for commissions and work.
If you have a creative skill, please join our talent pool. Here are some of the skills our Talent Pool has:
• Photographers
• Videographers
• Illustrators
• Visual Artists of many mediums
• Creative writers
• Copywriters and content creators
• Website Administrators
• Poets
• Actors
• Theatre Directors
• Crafts people – traditional and contemporary – of many mediums
• Social media specialists
• Graphic designers
• Multi-media creatives of all types
• Creative Producers / Project Managers
• Performers – Theatre, Dance, Singing, Musicians
• Sound engineers
• Broadcasters, journalists, and presenters
• Sound and music production
• Lights and SFX engineers and production
• Costume, Hair, Make-up
This is not a definitive list, our Talent Pool is growing weekly! However, these are examples of the types of talent our sector has been seeking in the last few years. All the talents above have been skills needed in real opportunities shared by DG Unlimited in recent years. During the last six months we have been able to match six Talent Poolers with commissioned work in this region.
If you feel you have a talent to contribute and want a chance to earn some money with your creative practice, join the Talent Pool without delay!
A listing on the DG Unlimited talent pool (which will adhere to GDPR and data security) is free, but you do need to be a member to be added. Sign up as a member
If you are a member, simply drop our comms team an email to comms.dgu@gmail.com and they will send you a form to be added to the DGU Talent pool.
How does it work?
It’s simple. DG Unlimited are often asked by our members, partners, public agencies, and cultural organisations to make recommendations of great creative practitioners and talented individuals we have in our region who are available for commissions or for work. The DG Unlimited Talent Pool opens these freelance creative practitioner opportunities for our members in a more equitable, fair, diverse, and inclusive way. It gives everyone a chance to pitch for work, not just a chosen few.
It also lets us know what your skills are and where you are! This is one of our solutions to ensuring that our members get the chance to work and be creative, to contribute the region’s economy, and to flourish as creative practitioners.
DG Unlimited’s vision is to shine a light on the excellence which is continually demonstrated within the creative and cultural sector in Dumfries and Galloway. Our readership goes far beyond this region, we’re proud to have readers all around the UK and beyond. DG Unlimited is the operational arm of the Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of the Arts and we are a registered Scottish charity and a membership organisation. We are proud to be one of four founding members of the Dumfries and Galloway Cultural Partnership to strategically represent the creative sector of Dumfries and Galloway as we work with our partners in the region, in Scotland and the UK for the benefit of our members and the creative and cultural professionals and activities here in our region.
Visit dgunlimited.org to find out about how to become a member, to join our Talent Pool and to see the latest news and opportunities.
To contribute to FOCUS magazine, please email our FOCUS editor, Tabi Mudaliar, comms.dgu@gmail.com
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 force in Scotland.
