Doors Opened!

Doors Open Days event saved

This year’s Dumfries and Galloway Doors Open Days weekend is back on track after fears that it would not take place.

The free event which inspires great affection across the region will be going ahead on Saturday 24^th and Sunday 25^th September following a rescue plan created by The Glenkens Community & Arts Trust (GCAT), with support from Dumfries and Galloway Council and The Holywood Trust.

The new team is hard at it, making lists, contacting sites who might like to be involved in this year's event, writing press releases, downloading logos and generally having a great time.  They’re grateful also to the good people at the Scottish Civic Trust, who coordinate Doors Open Days across Scotland, and who've put such a lot of effort into helping D&G keep its event.

The theme for this year’s Doors Open Days is ‘The Key of the Door’, reflecting both the fact that in Scotland Doors Open Days celebrates its 21^st birthday this year and also GCAT’s aspiration to increase the involvement of young people across the region.  The Holywood Trust is pleased to be able to support the opportunity to broaden access and develop young people’s engagement with this exciting and important event across Dumfries and Galloway. 

The team at GCAT is to be joined by Jean Atkin, who worked on Doors Open Days between 2002 and 2007, and Glenkens freelance Alison Caldwell.  Anyone wishing to propose a venue for this year’s event should contact Jean by Monday 25^th July at jean@wordsparks.co.uk

Doors Open Days provides free access to many buildings, cultural and archaeological sites that members of the public would not normally gain entry to, or where a charge is usually made.  Despite the shortage of time to develop D&G Doors Open Days 2011 between 20 and 30 wonderful venues are expected to open this year.  In recent years the event has opened everything from thatched cottages to castles, from a farm using working horses to the jail cells under the Sherriff’s Court.  Watch this space – and please come along and find D&G Doors Open Days on Facebook http://tiny.cc/8hc1g, for the latest updates!