Your Invite to The Stove - the foundation gathering

The Stove needs your Help

The Stove is getting itself properly organised for the future and needs your help to do this – we’re asking folk who are interested in the arts in D+G to join us for an informal evening to let us know how we are doing so far and what we could be doing better in the future. After we have all agreed a way forward everyone will be offered membership of The Stove (free)

So what has this got to do with you?.......

We believe The Stove can make a genuine contribution to the future of our region – for both the creative sector and the wider population

Still wondering what it has to do with you?.......

The Stove is two things:

1. A Building……..you need to come to this gathering if: 
-      You’d like to see a place in the centre of Dumfries where you can meet other creative folk, get info about what is going on locally and further afield. 
-      You’d like to be able to hire affordable space to hold workshops/events 
-      You’d like to show/present/gig in a space dedicated to multi-disciplinary contemporary arts 
-      You’d like to rent a small serviced space in the centre of Dumfries 
-      You’re interested in being part of the artist team to work on a series of commissions integrated into the building 
-      You want to know about progress with the building (we aim to have completed the necessary building work by the end of 2013 btw)

2. An Organisation……you should come along if you are interested in: 
-      Collaborating with other artists as part of teams to take on large commissions 
-      Bringing forward new ideas for projects/initiatives that need an ‘organisation’ to carry them forward (NB – one of The Stove rules is ‘if you have an idea you need to be prepared to do it yourself’) 
-       If you are an organisation yourself and are looking to collaborate and share resources/expertise 
-       Learning new skills by taking part in Stove projects 
-       Building a creative career in Dumfries and Galloway 
-       Encouraging early career folk to get started locally 
-       Growing the ‘arts scene’ in D+G 
-       If you are not part of the ‘creative sector’ but you are interested in working with our sector in your work (we can be pretty handy like)

We are holding an informal and relaxed gathering that will be run by Andrew Lyon of the International Futures Forum – the aim is find a creative solution that works for all of us to set up The Stove as the best thing it can be. By attending you will be offered the chance to build yourself into the Stove network from the beginning of this exciting new phase of the venture.

You do not need any expertise of any kind to take part – just enthusiasm and an open mind and heart.
When: 6pm Wednesday 13^th March 2013

Where: The Stove, 100 High Street Dumfries DG1 2BJ   
What: Informal workshop led by Andrew Lyon till 7.30, refreshments and chat after 
More: TheStove1@gmail.com ………please also RSVP to this address so we have an idea of numbers