DGU in the Stewartry

From Cate Ross, Stewartry Arts Hub Convenor

Cate Ross

Hello dear The Commonty. It is my turn for an Arts Hub update from DG Unlimited (nee The Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of the Arts or DGU for short). So this is Cate Ross, Stewartry Arts Hub Convenor reporting for duty! Though it is no chore.

Arts activities, cultural information sharing, banter and mutual support is more apparent across the region that I’ve ever seen, in many ways Dumfries and Galloway is also more ‘outward facing’ than it was when I was drawn to live here eight years ago. This is all to do with its abundance of artists, heritage and culture, forces to be reckoned with nationally and internationally in my opinion. To talk about all this and more, maybe, you are cordially invited to our next SAH gathering is on Sunday 29th March from 2-5pm in Mossdale Village Hall. All welcome, bring food, refreshments, entertainment and your ideas and ears please!

The interface that D&G has developed to connect our heritage and creative culture locally and with the outside world has grown enormously through Creative Scotland’s Place Partnership Fund (2013-2015) and DGC contributions, which have helped form a solid foundation for sustainable and inclusive developments that are deeply nourishing. The more people who become members of DGU the more representative the organisation becomes. Win for you and win for your community, that’s the purpose.

One element of the Place Partnership developments included a commission to build online information sharing platforms, social media networks, press relations and documentation. The recent DGU website is built to respond to the input it receives including all members of its creative community. One of the features is Unlimited People, which gives members the chance to showcase their work. You can be featured here, and on our Facebook page, if you download the form, answer some questions and return them with a photo.

Early Autumn Swirl by Dave Currie - one of the DGU Unlimited People

These PR and media developments have been implemented by Matthew Shelley with Russell Milligan of Bright Eye Design in Dumfries, and Katie Anderson supporting DGU info-shares with The Commonty, so very many thanks to them for helping to make our region’s cultural developments more transparent and treasures easier to connect with than ever. That commission is coming to a close now and DGU’s new and smiley administrator (part time!) is Suzi Kenny who will be channelling information via the DGU website and other networks over the coming months among other things - like taking and sharing the minutes of DGU’s voluntary Board of Trustee meetings (which are published on the web) and Regional Arts Hub and Working Group meetings.

And thanks to you for taking part, reading this and contributing to these developments. Hopefully we can all continue to grow the information and support networks that are enhanced by your input and exist to support you.

Even closer to home, you can get in touch with your area Arts Hub Convenor through our new and shiny DGU email addresses, mine being stewartry@dgunlimited.com, the other Convenor and useful addresses are on the DGU Website. Contact us with any query, ideas, creative, cultural or heritage enquiry or information share, because we want to help support and promote your creativity, event, venue, place, activity and your good self!

Thanks to all!

PS - Cate's picture is by Kim Ayres.