The Nithraid: Poetry Pedlar in action at Summerhill Gala

This Sunday - at the Summerhill Gala - we're going on a journey with Bill Barlow's amazing Poetry Pedlar!

We'll be taking the words that you've contributed on Twitter and Facebook and feeding them into the creative contraption. What we end up with is in the hands of the Pedlar.

The fruits of our foray will be used as inspiration for the young banner writers. The banners will be cast from the Old Bridge on Saturday 21st September - when The Nithraid expedition reaches Dumfries - welcoming our voyagers to the toon.

Check out Bill's Poetry Pedlar in this video - it's definitely worth a watch!

The Great Nithraid Banner Test!

We tested The Nithraid banners this week - to much amusement and bemusement!

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!

Volunteers wanted for EAFS

EAFS (Environmental Art Festival Scotland) is inviting enthusiastic volunteers to join the team in making an amazing festival.

Being involved in a festival from its very beginning is a great way to gain experience in arts and events management, and we hope volunteers from all walks of life will be able to be part of the festival. The main part of the festival will be in four ‘zones’ in the region – Gretna, Barony College, Galloway Forest park and Gatehouse. The festival team is based in Dumfries. Most of your work as a volunteer will be based around these five locations.

EAFS volunteers will assist the team on the following aspects of the festival:

• Marketing: Distribution and Mailout – may require hours before the 24 Aug
• Marketing: Social Media
• Physical Work: Assisting the team and the artists in setting up their art work and/or event, may involve heavy lifting
• Data Collection during the Festival
• Assisting Artists/Events during the Festival

We hope each volunteer will be able to commit at least 16 hours of their time, primarily during the Core Festival (30 Aug – 2 Sep) and/or the week before the festival (24 Aug – 30 Aug).

Volunteers will be appointed on a first come-first served basis (subject to suitability) and the final deadline will be the 12th of August.

If you are interested, please fill in the form here.

For more information, visit: www.environmentalartfestivalscotland.com/get-involved/opportunities/

The Nithraid kicks off with theme #1: America

We began our search for inspiration yesterday with a theme that relates to the River Nith's past as a busy waterway - carrying vessels along its route, to the Solway Coast and beyond.

The Nithraid, which forms part of the EAFS programme, will see intrepid sailors voyaging against the current of the river from Carsethorn to Dumfries on 21st September 2013.

Our theme: America - comes from the idea that the Nith connects Dumfries and its other calling points to the rest of the world. 

Via Facebook and Twitter, we asked people to give us their thoughts, feelings and random musings about America. 

Though we hoped for more interaction, we enjoyed some great contributions. On Twitter, Marcus' thoughts centered on America's political influence.

   

Meanwhile, on Facebook, Katie considered the size of America in comparison to Dumfries and Galloway.

And Lynette, in her search for relatives, underlined the transience and historical relevance of our first theme.

 
We're going to leave the 'America' theme open for a second day. With it being so broad and with The Nithraid initiative being so new, we hope for some more contributions throughout Tuesday.

We will launch our second theme on Wednesday morning. Keep an eye on our social media pages and help our momentum by getting involved!

Nithraid Trial Run

Photos from a daring duo's trial run

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.

Premonitions

Liechtenstein

Just finished 7 hour Curatorial meeting... 

Outcome... we're all moving to Liechtenstein!

Back 2 Back Debrief Underway