Calling all Musicians!

Nithraid returns for 2014 - bigger and better than ever!

For those of you who made it down to the Whitesands last September, you may remember our fabulous scratch Samba band which paraded it's way around the town and down the river to welcome the boats.

This year, we welcome Ruth Morris and Gavin Marwick, who will be writing new music especially for Nithraid!

Would you like to be involved? We are looking for young people (16-25 ish) who would like to be part of a Balkan style street carnival band that will form the core of a procession group leading the town down to welcome the boats on the Whitesands.

We would particularly like some brass, woodwind, accordion and percussion players, but all instruments are welcome. Intermediate level and above, capable of learning a short piece of music, by ear or from music, and playing whilst walking.

Nithraid this year takes place on the 13th of September. There will be several rehearsal dates in the run up to Nithraid taking place in Dumfries at a venue to be confirmed.

Interested?? Send us a quick email to info@thestove.org with your contact details and we'll be in touch!

Dumfries is what we All Make Together - Charter14 Unveiled

If you’ve never been to Guid Nychburris before, it’s too late - you’ll have to wait until next year. The annual event, which celebrates the 1395 Royal Charter for the Burgh of Dumfries, has become a regular in The Stove calendar (previous exploits here and here).

Drawing inspiration from the 'original' Charter (an update from the earlier 1186 Charter), which is read out on Guid Nychburris Day, The Stove embarked on the ambitious task of writing a new ‘People’s Charter’ for the town, inviting input and inclusions from community groups, organisations and individuals living, working and inhabiting Dumfries. Where the original Charter granted land and fishing rights, Charter14 set out a declaration, of values for the future prosperity of Dumfries. “Dumfries is what we all make together.”

We were overwhelmed by the response to the idea with contributions coming in from all walks of life - all underlining the depth of felling that people have about Dumfries. The first draft of Charter14 was compiled with the help of local writer and lecturer Dave Borthwick from the contributions of the public and was unveiled in grand fashion, with the Dumfries Fountain as the centrepiece on Saturday with lots of help and the handy adage ‘Just Add Water’….

Thanks to Mike for all his work on the Fountain’s new structure!

The text on the banners around the fountain changed colour when they became wet....buckets were filled from the fountain and people were invited to hurl wet sponges at the banners to reveal their message.


Charter14 is not intended as a finished document. Like the original, revisited and amended – The Stove invited Doonhamers from across the town to add their mark; editing, adding and signing over 150 variations of the new charter over the course of the afternoon.

The 1395 Charter was venerably sealed with the town seal, also celebrated in the Guid Nychburris festivities, and Charter14 was no different, with it’s very own seal created by artist David Ralston.

The project prompted discourse late into the evening, around notions of authentication and validity, as each charter was signed by a unique signatory, ranging in age from 5 to 85, including everyone from local politicians, to the Queen (of the South)’s attendants, and passers by.

The Stove has been absolutely overwhelmed with the amazing response to #MakingDumfries and the Charter14, and would like to sincerely thank everyone who has contributed to the Charter, joined in on Saturday, helped facilitate the day and worked from our studio-in-exile in the run up to the event.

Dumfries is what we all Make Together.

Brave Enough to Take Risks and Surprise People.

To see more images of the day - have a look at our flickr set here
All Photo Credits: Colin Tennant.

DMC - The Line Up

The DMC2013 is fast approaching - and the lines are now open to book yourself into all of our FREE events. Come along and discover something new:

Wednesday 30th October
DMC2013 presents FILM: Shut Up and Play the Hits
(https://www.facebook.com/events/179099982276208/)
Please note you must be 15 or over to attend this event. Join the facebook event page above to let us know you are coming!

Thursday 31st October
DMC2013 presents Music Industry Experts/ Born to be Wide!
https://www.facebook.com/events/305609966243458/
To book tickets for this event please go to the eventbrite site here as spaces are limited.
Participating speakers include: 
Keren McKean (former Snow Patrol Manager), 
Jason Cranwell and Sarah McMullan (The Pop Cop) 
Derick Mackinnon (Born To Be Wide / The Scotsman), 
Chris Cusack (Booker, Bar Bloc, Glasgow) 

This informal session takes place from 20.00 - 21.00 and the session is preceded by a presentation from Gary Atkinson (owner of Document Records). Doors open at 18.30.

The evening will be rounded off with DJ sets from our industry experts, who will play us some of their favourite music.

Friday 1st November
DMC2013 Songwriting Workshops from Music Plus
https://www.facebook.com/events/673485076004080/
11am-12.30pm
Music Plus Songwriting Workshop led by Robert Shields from Finding Albert
3.30pm-5pmMusic Plus Songwriting Workshop led by Findlay Napier from Findlay Napier and the Bar Room Mountaineers 
If you would like to attend these events please contact the Dumfries Music Conference direct with your name, postcode, contact number and which session(s)- to secure your place. 

DMC2013 presents Barstow Bats, Hector Bizerk and Honeyblood
https://www.facebook.com/events/206532246191845/
Spaces ARE limited for this event, and it's likely to book up so to get a hold of your free tickets please register on eventbrite here

Saturday 2nd November
DMC2013 Record Fair with Rebecca Vasmant
https://www.facebook.com/events/517770988315595/
DJ, producer and the brains behind Sub Club's Record Fair, Rebecca Vasmant is hosting a very special DMC event at The Stove, Dumfries. This is no ordinary record fair - we'll have DJs, listening stations and some the finest collection of vendors Dumfries ever will see.

All the events are being held at The Stove, Dumfries, apart from our film screening, which will be at Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre.
For more details about specific events - check out the facebook pages listed, or follow the Dumfries Music Conference on facebook and twitter

DMC - It's Back!

The Dumfries Music Conference is back this year - and excitement is building as some new events have been added to this years programme. Following on from last years successful event, DMC2013 will be kicking off with a free film screening - Shut Up and Play the Hits will be showing at the Robert Burns Film Theatre on the 30th of October - join the event page here.

Also announced this week, Dumfries band Barstow Bats will be headlining our first live music night on Friday 1st November at the Stove! Special guests are yet to be announced but if you haven't yet heard Barstow Bats - have a listen to Heartbreak Kicks:

DMC will also be holding The Record Fair at the Stove, with Rebecca Vasmant - All record collectors and music lovers are invited to join in our celebration of music with a great selection of record vendors. We'll be covering house, techno, jazz, latin, soul, northern soul, funk, disco, electronic and much more. Various guest DJs will be playing on the day and there will be several listening stations for you to sample the produce before you purchase.
If you are interesting in trading at this event we still have some spaces left at no cost - please email rebecca.vasmant@hotmail.co.uk

We have more events to announce - so be sure and stay tuned! In the meantime follow the DMC on twitter @DMC_Dumfries and on facebook /DumfriesMusicConference to keep up to date!

Open Invitation - Creetown Sculpture Design Unveiled

Exciting things are happening in Creetown this week. Artists from the Stove Network have been working in and around Creetown since January this year, developing a new way-marking sculpture for the town. 

This is the first chance to see all of the work produced thus far coming together, as the final designs for the sculpture are unveiled and artists involved in the project will be on hand to discuss their work on the project. 

We would like to extend an invitation to all those from the wider Stove community and those interested in the project to attend our open evening, which will take place this Thursday, 3rd October in the Gem Rock Museum.

For more details please contact the stove by email info@thestove.org
Reposted from the Ferrythorn project blog

Nithraid - The Results are In!

The Whitesands came alive this weekend - as the Nithraid did indeed come up with the tide. From the starting point at Carsethorn, thirteen boats made the trip up the Caul - with first place being awarded to Piella, skippered by Adam Booth with a time of 2 hours and 6 minutes. But a challenging race it proved, as sand banks, strong currents and low winds proved the course to be a tricky one. 

Photo credits: Colin Tennant - see more here

The Salt Cow being lowered into the Nith by the winning team Photo credits: Oriel Marshal - see more here

Photo credits: Brian Kerr - see more here

The Salt Cow was paraded through the streets of Dumfries with all ceremonial care which gathered numbers as it passed the Midsteeple, rounded the Burns statue (twice), down the Vennels and across the Devorgilla bridge to continue a loop around the river bridges to the beating of drums (and diggeri-moos). 

Photo credits: Rosi - see more here

Banners were released over the old bridge as the boats arrived, proclaiming the words of Dumfries including

Seize the potential.

On the brink.

Decent.

Cut rates.

Photo credits: Katie - see more here

Photo credits: Martin Johnston of DGWGO see more here

Despite the slightly dreich conditions - spectators arrived and lined both sides of the river to behold the unusual sight. Many thanks go out to everyone who was involved and to all who turned out on Saturday.

The #Nithraid sets sail on Social Media

We've been busy gathering words for The Nithraid this week. When the boats arrive in the town on Saturday 21 September, they will be greeted by The Stove’s huge fabric banners floating downstream from the Old Bridge, welcoming them to Dumfries with messages from the townspeople.

The #Nithraid discussions on Twitter and Facebook have arrived at 'Three words for Dumfries' - as broad and as limited as it sounds. We've had some really interesting contributions.

Here's a summary of The #Nithraid tweets and posts:

We'll continue the discussion on Facebook and Twitter this week. Come along and join in!

The Nithraid

From now till September, The Stove will be inviting people to contribute to an event that celebrates the River Nith’s importance - both historically and today. From its role as a trade route delivering economic lifeblood to Dumfries, to its significance as a conservation area, and to individuals and groups who find peace, tranquility and joy from its banks and passing moments.

Forming part of the Environmental Arts Festival Scotland, The Nithraid will culminate in a daring dinghy race from Carsethorn to the very centre of Dumfries on Saturday 21st September. As the equinox pushes the tide to its annual peak, intrepid sailors will tackle the river head-on, surfing (maybe literally) the incoming tide to reach the finishing line at the Caul in Dumfries, where the salt water and fresh water meet.

When the boats arrive in the town, they will be greeted by a sculptured cow cast in salt and The Stove’s huge fabric banners floating downstream from the Old Bridge, welcoming them to Dumfries with messages from the townspeople. We would like your help writing those messages.

We’ll be decorating banners at community events in August and September and will turn to our social media channels for inspiration too. As we gather words and phrases, we’ll start to build a wall of words. Then our bicycle-powered poetry machine will mix them up and stick them together to form messages for our banners.

The Stove’s community fun day takes place in Lochside on Sunday 18^th August and we hope to do a similar event in Dumfries town centre on Tuesday 10 September. The social media initiative will kick off in August. Keep your eyes peeled for #NithRaid on Twitter and Facebook.

Our River Nith; the passenger, the deliverer and the exporter. With untold tales from its length and breadth, and its historical depths. From its rise in the East Ayrshire hills to Ards point, 15 miles south of Dumfries, where it meets the Solway Firth and greets the wider world - connecting the town locally, nationally and globally.

Pavement Invasion - Stop Motion Short of Back 2 Back Dumfries

Thanks to Oriel Marshall for the stop motion animation, documenting the pavement invasion that was last week's Back 2 Back Dumfries project for Guid Nychburris Day 2013. Music by the Luke Barlow Band - Tetherdown.

A wee reminder from those at The Stove

A buzz is growing in and around The Stove as Saturday fast approaches. The weather forecast may be nothing short of typical, but as the team involved continues to expand (welcoming Spring Fling guest artists Denise Zygadlo, Paula McQuiston and Katherine Wheeler) the stovie's can promise an afternoon of hands-on participation and involvement - set to a groovy soundtrack from the new live window display. Grab a brollie and get on down to the High Street on Saturday - and try your hand as a graffiti artist!

www.thestove.org

UWS's Student Showcase takes over The Stove Building

The weekend saw the Stove Building come to life with the University of West of Scotland’s (UWS) Annual Student Showcase - running from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The Showcase is an integral part of the BA Applied Enterprise (Creative Industries) students’ experience and provided an opportunity to come together and celebrate the fruits of the academic year.

It was pleasing to see the Stove Building being used by a group of very talented young adults, who injected life and vibrancy to the building’s blank canvas.

Local folk, visitors to Dumfries and those with a keen eye for emerging talent were given the opportunity to view the work and get to know a little bit more about what the UWS’s Dumfries campus has to offer.

As the Stove Network continues to formalise, grow and develop, we look forward to welcoming the UWS back to the building in the future and hope to see similar initiatives taking inspiration from the weekend’s showcase.

The Stove Presents: Art Shorts

Saturday 4 May at 6.00pm

The Stove Arts Collective presents a programme of short films by and about local (or local-ish) art and artists.

InBetween Dumfries: As part of a national project exploring the role of the arts in shaping the future of market towns led by The Stove in collaboration with The University of Newcastle, five artists worked in and around Dumfries during 2012 to create works that examined place, identity and belonging. This 15-minute film details the works created by Mike Inglis, Hannah Brackston, Suzanne Parry-John, Marion Preez, and Lisa Gallacher, with commentary by the artists.

Stonypath Days: Shot on 8mm film in 1973, this film by Professor Stephen Bann of Bristol University gives a rare insight into the early period of Little Sparta, the artist's garden created by Ian Hamilton Finlay and his wife Sue at Stonypath in the Pentland Hills. Accompanied by a four-minute interview with their son Alec Finlay and contemporary views of the garden commissioned in 2012 by TATE Media.

The Eskdalemuir Harmonium: A US-built harmonium is disintegrating in a farmhouse near Lockerbie. An intimate visual exploration of a much loved but decaying instrument accompanied by an interview with its current owner, this short film by sound artist and filmmaker Chris Dooks is the result of his repeated 'pilgrimages' to visit the dying device.

Booking info:
Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre, Mill Road, Dumfries DG2 7BE - www.rbcft.co.uk
Ticket prices £6.30 (£4.70 conc) available from Box Office (01387 264808) or on the door.

The Stove Presents: Art Shorts | Saturday 4 May at 6.00pm

This Saturday night, at 6pm, The Stove Presents: Art Shorts – at Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre. 

‘A feast of artists' films, and other oddities from Dumfries & Galloway and beyond’

Fellow-Stovie, John Wallace, has kindly granted us the first proper screening of his Inbetween movie - yep, The Stove in a proper cinema showing!

Other highlights will include: Prof Stephen Bann's film about Little Sparta, Ayr artist and film-maker Chris Dooks' sound+vision piece about decaying harmoniums in Eskdalemuir and a brilliant short by Florencia Chafuen-Rigg.

We’ll be joined by many fine friends, including Nith-scoper Hannah Brackston and Marion Preez (Framing Dumfries), who are coming down for the craic. And it would be lovely to see you there for a bit of a Stovie shindig!

Booking info:
Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre, Mill Road, Dumfries DG2 7BE - www.rbcft.co.uk
Ticket prices £6.30 (£4.70 conc) available from Box Office (01387 264808) or on the door.

Our 'Foundation Gathering

The 'Foundation Gathering' always sounded more like a cheesy Sci-Fi convention than an art event…..The Stove’s ‘Foundation Gathering’ has now  landed on earth complete with dry ice (or was that just folk breathing in the ‘bracing’ conditions) and wobbly flying saucers.

Its Art Jim but not as...etc

More than 60 folk turned out on Wednesday – drawn by an invitation to come and be part of the future of the arts in the region by shaping the idea of a membership that will be at the heart of the organisations operation and decision -making.

Phil Jones (Business Development Manager) gave a welcome and defined the Stove as a project with potential to be at the vanguard of a new genre of arts provision in Scotland – a social enterprise that aims to means for residents of Dumfries to play an active part in the future of their town.

Phil describes the Stove as ‘Two things: 1) A Building - fully accessible arts resource for general public and creative practitioners….and 2) An Organisation – delivering participative public arts projects and undertaking commissions in the region and nationally”

The Stove - 'Punkin' the Jubilee'

One of the Stove’s founder members Colin Tennant then gave a brief illustrated presentation of work completed by the group to date and their plans for the future. To date, The Stove has delivered a highly successful programme of public arts events including ‘First Foot’ (part of Big Burns Supper 2012), ‘Punkin’ the Jubilee’ (Guid Nychburris 2012) and the Dumfries Music Conference – which brought industry professionals to the town to explain the contemporary digital music scene to the regions young music entrepreneurs.

In 2013/14 The Stove will refurbish and open premises at 100 High St as a public arts centre, complete a sculpture commission in Creetown and work as one of three local partners delivering the inaugural Environmental Art Festival Scotland.

Andrew Lyon explains a sculpture made by, amongst others, Zoe Blamire (McGill Duncan Gallery) and Cathy Agnew (Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust)

For the main part of the evening Andrew Lyon of the International Futures Forum led a workshop that started people working in small groups to make sculptures from a pile of recycled materials. Andrew’s organisation works to find creative ways of thinking about the future and he asked groups to build a  sculpture that illustrated ideas and hope they had for what The Stove could do for themselves and the wider community.

Local organic farmer Ross Paten demonstrates how regular drain clearing will be a valuable part of The Stove’s remit…

An amazing outpouring of creativity ensued and groups then explained to others what their sculpture represented. Andrew Lyon then skilfully gathered all these ideas together into a creative discussion about how The Stove could operate as a democratic organisation with a membership, a board and an ‘curatorial committee’. A general discussion followed and 43 people signed up as the initial membership of The Stove.

Membership is open to everyone and is free – if you would like to be a part of the innovative experiment in building a collaborative creative organisation for Dumfries and Galloway then please send an email to TheStove1@gmail.com and you’ll be sent a membership form.

The first Stove AGM is set for mid May 2013 where the membership will be invited to elect a board to run the organisation on their behalf.

Foundation Meeting at the Stove

The Stove's foundation meeting was deemed a success, thanks to Andrew Lyon from International Futures Forum and a large group keen to demonstrate their found-art sculpture. More pictures on flickr here

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