Running since 2008, the Dundee Musicians’ Award supports the work of outstanding Dundee-based musicians by awarding grants towards the costs involved in creating new work in any genre, research and professional development. Applicants can apply for up to £1000.
The awards support projects that look at creative development through collaborations, working with new partners, or new producers. Past winners include: The Hazey Janes, The Mirror Trap, SHHE, Lynne Campbell, Scary People, St Martiins and many more.
Make sure to fully read the guidelines before applying; successful awardees will have demonstrated a level of commitment to their work as a musician and will be considered on the following criteria:
Applications close: Fri 25 July 2025.
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Join us for our final event at Hapworks_00 on Thu 19 June at 5.30pm to celebrate the pilot and take part in a discussion about possible next steps for Dundee to establish and support long-term space for creativity in the city.
When taking up residency in a vacant city centre unit in February 2024 (initially for three months), our aim across 16-months at 7 Castle Street was to test new collaborative ways of working, generate data which evidenced the positive economic and social impacts of creative spaces and communities, and develop Hapworks – a long-term vision to establish and support more creative space in Dundee.
Working with Dundee City Council through their Vacant to Vibrant initiative and with funding from Creative Scotland’s Recovery Fund for Cultural Organisations, it was also an opportunity to demonstrate alternative uses for empty city centre units as well as the role that the creative sector can play in city centre regeneration.
During the pilot we offered 57 coworking days, with over 350 people joining us to work alongside others and build new connections. We hosted over 85 events, welcoming more than 1,400 people to the space for workshops, film screenings, performances, talks, game jams and exhibitions. Our series of Hapworks Takeovers supported groups to temporarily occupy a visible city centre unit providing space for development and experimentation, and platforming 65 creative practitioners.
Despite this, as a temporary space it was unable to demonstrate some key aspects of a long-term model. The limited floor space and open plan layout didn’t allow for private meetings or anchor tenants, which would be the main source of income in a long-term space, and we couldn’t cater to those working at a larger scale or not working on a laptop. The space wasn’t accessible to some people and the uncertain nature of multiple temporary leases didn’t allow for meaningful access developments. This highlighted the time and investment needed when establishing long-term space to understand peoples’ requirements and how to better meet their needs.
It has been a hard decision to end our lease at 7 Castle Street and move on. We recognise the desperate lack of affordable spaces for people to gather and host events but this temporary space is only able to do so much and the required resource and responsibility is too heavy for our small organisation to carry alone. We feel this is the right time to take all that we have learned and refocus our resources and skills on developing the partnerships and initiatives needed to achieve long-term solutions.
To mark this transition from pilot project to long-term change, we have released Foundations for Growth: Creative Space Infrastructure in Dundee. This report, written in collaboration with Matthew Richter from cultural.space, outlines the economic potential of the creative sector if more space was available, the wider impact and value of creative spaces, and proposes initial ideas for key projects we feel would move things forward in Dundee.
A text-only version of the report is also available to download here.
Hapworks_00 opened up conversations about possible long-term space and we are excited to now move forward and explore these opportunities alongside others. To instigate lasting change, the creative sector, local authorities and city partners, and the property sector must come together to re-evaluate current systems, continue to test new ways of making vacant space accessible to creative communities, and collectively attract the investment needed to support existing creative spaces and the creation of new ones.
For our final event at Hapworks_00 we will explore these ideas and the city-wide partnerships needed to make them happen, with a panel working across sectors in creative space, property and city regeneration. Book your spot to join the conversation!
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It’s in our collective interest to take a proactive approach to nurturing the talent and values that will lead us to tomorrow. This is why Creative Dundee runs Fabric, a peer leadership programme which connects and inspires people who are actively interested in shaping the city’s future.
It’s always a huge privilege to run our Fabric journey. With the fourth edition now complete, we want to share some reflections on the experience – how we created space for a small group to come together, share their insights and experiences, get inspired by current doers and connectors in Dundee and beyond, and discuss how collectively we make Dundee even better.
Sharing further, these insights note how this year’s Fabric journey has influenced the group’s perception of Dundee as a valuable place to explore work in sustainability, community or justice.
“I already knew Dundee was an incredible place, but spending time with the variety of awesome humans on this programme has deepened my appreciation and understanding of what the city and its people have to offer in creating a resilient community.”
Shona Cherry, Dundee Changemakers Hub Manager
Supported by Dundee Changemakers Hub, this year’s Fabric was carefully curated with content and experiences that focused on sharing insights into projects and good practice that respect and connect with people and nature; inspiring and connecting work from those developing caring and inclusive creative engagement, and those working closely with communities to build resilience and positive change across the city – and most often a mix of both.
We were delighted to deliver the content of this programme in partnership with many amazing community-led organisations and creative practitioners, including expert contribution from: Lynsey Penny, Director of Transition Dundee; Sandy Greene, Director of ScrapAntics; Ele Roscoe from Dundee Changemakers Hub; Suzanne Scott and Rod Mountain’s Toadstool Trail; social worker and activist, Fatima Ishaq; facilitator and author, Briana Pegado; creator and activist, Ink Asher Hemp; Alexander Daniels from Transition Dundee’s Gleaning Project; Manuela de los Rios, Garden Mentor at MAXwell’s Community Garden; Jennifer White, Director of Forgan Arts Centre; Nadège Depiesse-Borgeal, Development Worker at Campy Growers; Claire Cooper from Bioregioning Tayside; and the wonderful team at The Scottish Crannog Centre – giving us valuable insights into their work, values and knowledge, and facilitating shared learning and reflections.
“I was inspired to hear and see organisations opening up different ways of seeing/thinking and being, which always gives me hope to continue to push my own radical imagination beyond the limits of anyone’s gaze.”
Anonymous feedback from Fabric participant
Throughout this experience, participants were also involved in the delivery of the programme – giving talks, writing blogs, and designing reflection and learning tools – including: Cara Rooney, who created bold and colourful illustrations of the 12 Permaculture Design Principles, and Eirinn Leigh Reay (through Agency of None), who designed a visual map to help participants identify and reflect on their discoveries, learnings and new connections. A participant reflected: “This was a collective experience which made it all the more richer.”
You can read more about each session in this series of blogs, spotlighting four participants’ experiences of the journey – from coming together for the first time in a room to play without agenda, to gradually moving out of their comfort zones, exploring new concepts, and enlarging their perspectives of our place:
“Fabric has been an amazing experience, opening me up to new ways of thinking particularly when considering sustainability in practice. Radical hospitality and slow working, alongside the permaculture principles, have been especially inspiring. These methodologies are certainly not easy, but the Fabric cohort has taught me that there are many like-minded inspiring people to be found throughout Dundee.”
Elizabeth Ann Day, Project Coordinator at UNESCO City of Design Dundee
Fabric offers a rare and valuable opportunity to slow down, reconnect with creativity, and build a meaningful community. Carving much-needed time and space to explore and reflect with others on how our creative practices and social impacts can be deepened in confidence and relevance, building better understanding of how our work connects with and benefits the city, and providing inspiration from other creative leaders.
Participants made the most of this time spent away from everyday routines, immersing themselves in thoughtful, collaborative spaces. One participant reflected, “Taking time, working slower… was brilliant,” while another noted that the programme provided “a creative break… which is such a positive in a world where you feel like you have to justify the use of your time.” Participants especially valued the immersive field visits, the spirit of radical hospitality, and the organic connections that grew from shared experiences.
Connection emerged as a powerful takeaway — not just within the creative sector but across disciplines and communities. Many participants formed new and lasting relationships, and Fabric was described as a ‘bridging opportunity’ to socialise outside of work; reconnecting with the local community and fellow creatives, and activating new collaborations.
“Since the final Fabric session I have been thinking about how connected I feel to other people in Dundee and that I can come together with others to make a difference in the community. This is something I have struggled with a lot in previous cities, partly because of their size and partly because I was always meeting people in passing. Having the time to slow down and connect with people to discuss things and get to know each other is something I really need and Fabric allowed for that. I am so excited for the months and years ahead, to further nourish those connections and see the ripples from our time together through the community and beyond.”
James Morwood, game-maker and artist, part of Bit Loom and Biome Collective
The programme also sparked critical insights around sustainability, access, and justice, introducing permaculture ethics and design principles, and exploring bioregioning and disability justice.
The integration of these themes into practice was described as empowering: “The 12 principles of permaculture have now been firmly embedded in my way of thinking.” While others left with a deeper understanding of accessibility and community, learning that “if you want to feel a sense of community, you have to actively be a part of it.”
“It was vital and refreshing to have a session openly exploring how to make your practice more accessible. Lived experience plays a key role in understanding people’s needs. I should not be designing services or spaces for someone that I haven’t involved throughout the process.”
Anonymous feedback from Fabric participant
Overall, Fabric was seen as an enriching, grounding, and transformational experience – a programme that not only fostered connection and reflection but also equipped participants to bring these values into their future work.
“Fabric was a timely reminder to continue on the path of disruption to push for a more equal and sustainable world which we all deserve.”
Anonymous feedback from Fabric participants
“Immersive experience […] discovering deep grounding and connectivity of the great work being carried out in and around the city. As someone who is still discovering Dundee it was super helpful to have an understanding of local places/people who are doing work that aligns with my own value base and also how these interconnect with us and one another.”
We are grateful for Dundee Changemakers Hub for supporting this year’s Fabric journey, allowing us to create a rich programme of content, field trips and cross-learning opportunities. A special thanks also to Scottish Community Alliance for funding the community learning exchange with The Scottish Crannog Centre.
Founded in 2023, Dundee Changemakers Hub is part of a growing national network of Climate Action Hubs funded by the Scottish Government’s Climate Action Fund, which aim to build local awareness of the climate emergency, develop local plans, help groups take up funding opportunities, and contribute to a Just Transition. They recently published some reflections on last year’s achievements and what to expect next.
Creative Dundee was instrumental in the design and implementation of the Hub, alongside four local community organisations: Transition Dundee, The MAXwell Centre, ScrapAntics, and Uppertunity. The Hub offers support, events, workshops and micro-grants to connect and amplify collective community action, with creativity and inclusion at the heart of all they do.
Claire Dufour, Creative Producer with Creative Dundee, who hosted Fabric, reflects on our next steps with this partnership:
“Two years ago, five social enterprises came together to imagine and shape a new initiative: Dundee Changemakers Hub. It’s been an incredible journey together, we have learned so much from each other and have been in awe of the many impressive activities delivered since.
We feel Creative Dundee’s strengths lie in the idea development, design and demonstration stages of projects, and we know that the creative processes we’ve helped put in place will continue to prove useful going forward. Now that Dundee Changemakers Hub is firmly established with brilliant partners and staff, we have decided it is the right time to step back from the partnership.
We are so proud of being part of this journey, with such brilliant fellow social enterprises, and we will always advocate for Dundee Changemakers Hub!”
Alexander Daniels (Alex) is working for Transition Dundee as Gleaning Coordinator. He helps to save food from waste at local growers / farmers – any surplus, leftover or outgraded produce. This includes organising volunteers and community groups to help with harvesting of the surplus produce and distributing the produce to local community food projects.
Cara Rooney is an illustrator and plaything maker based in Dundee. Through her creative practice, she encourages connection to nature and a sense of child-like curiosity through illustrations, workshops and live drawings — and hopes to influence change by connecting local people and children to their city and the nature around them.
Eirinn Leigh Reay is a Scottish designer and 1/4 of Agency of None, a Dundee-based design agency. The projects that give her the most joy and satisfaction are those that involve designing for good. Her Instagram is @reay.el if you would like to see what she gets up to!
Ele Roscoe is a craftsperson and community artist, making ceramic sculpture and jewellery as well as illustrated zines in their own practice. As a community artist they facilitate workshops to support folks’ wellbeing and mental health through exploring individual creativity in visual arts practice/making. They also run the Art Group at DIWC and worked as Hub Coordinator for Dundee Changemakers Hub. Check their creative diary at @kippleandpelf and on Etsy.
Elizabeth Ann Day (Lizzie) is a Dundee-based programmer and arts organiser, who specialises in the utilisation of non-traditional settings for works of contemporary art and design. In the position of Project Coordinator at UNESCO City of Design Dundee, she recently delivered Dundee Design Festival 2024, the festival’s largest iteration yet.
Fatima Ishaq is a student, youth worker and activist; passionate about social justice, supporting others to reach their potential, and supporting communities to drive change. In her spare time, she loves exploring and connecting with nature!
Francesca Bibby is currently a curator at V&A Dundee and previously worked in exhibition curation, rapid response collecting and artist residency facilitation at various museums and galleries in Manchester. Her independent research explores climate resilience and the development of sustainable design methodologies through nature-based solutions, traditional knowledge and cross-disciplinary collaborations.
James Morwood is a game-maker and artist, part of Bit Loom and Biome Collective. Fascinated by play in the everyday, recently he’s been drawing fantastical crowds and crafting branching zines. James enjoys volunteering with Tinderbox youth games club, Stobswell wee forest and Transition Dundee’s gleaning project. Find him at https://jctm.neocities.org.
Kirsten Wallace is passionate about sharing the power of design through community learning and outreach, and is one of two Project Coordinators for UNESCO City of Design Dundee. Outside her role, she fills her time with as many creative outlets as she possibly can, from sewing to singing!
Manuela de los Rios is an interdisciplinary artist, community gardener and organiser based in Dundee. She works creatively with people to make our neighbourhoods and cities better places for nature and people to thrive in.
Ravideep Kaur is a writer, poet, speaker and facilitator based in Dundee. Her approach is multifaceted but centres the intentional disruption of oppressive structures – specifically, those that reside within us and distract us from reclaiming our wholeness. Check out her work and read more about her consulting and coaching.
Rhiannon Rose Moore (Rio) works with communities on a variety of projects, most recently the Wild in Art Sculpture Trails as an Artist Coordinator. She enjoys bringing together artists and making them a group, sharing their stories so that they can feel comfortable learning peer to peer, but also being inspired by each other. Her work is varied, from Messy Play practitioner, Shamanic Practitioner, Artist/Sculptor, Community Organiser and Face Painter. As a consequence she meets a lot of people and enjoys creating Space for Play and Creativity.
Robert Cook sees himself as a ‘background worker’ and has served in roles (mainly clerical or financial) that enable others with a more creative streak to be active in their roles – bringing his lived experience to enable others to grow through the life issues they face as they seek reassurance and to grow in confidence. He looks forward to rejoining as a member of the CRF panel for his local area, which sought to improve the well-being of residents through funding local projects and initiatives. He’s also been part of men’s groups (including Andy’s Man Club), giving peer support.
Rod Mountain, alongside Suzanne Scott, is developing ‘Toadstool trails’ as a playful way to get young and older people outdoors having fun together in spaces close to home, connecting with nature. They are forming partnerships with the Dundee Botanic Gardens, RSPB, NHS Tayside, Maxwell centre, Education Scotland, Eden Project and the RSA. Keep a lookout for a ‘Toadstool Trail‘ popping-up near you!
Suzanne Scott (WhimSicAL LusH) is an artist and illustrator based in Dundee. Her work spans illustration and the creation of murals, sculptures, and interactive art installations, often featuring whimsical themes inspired by nature and folklore. She loves being outdoors, having fun! Check out her work and connect on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest & Etsy: all @whimsicallush.
Shona Cherry is Hub Coordinator at Dundee Changemakers, and has been working in sustainability, mainly in food and drink, for 6 years. Her work-life of over 30+ years has taken her through many industries, sectors and roles, and led her to return to a role supporting and serving the incredible people of Dundee.
Skye Sutherland is a community-centred designer focused on enhancing health and well-being through creative, inclusive practices. Her work often blends traditional design practice with digital technology, fostering exploration and growth. She’s dedicated to driving social impact and environmental justice through innovative design solutions that empower and connect diverse communities.
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Colette Sadler (Stammer Productions) in association with Feral, Generator Projects, Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre, and Dundee & Angus College are offering two Associateship Bursaries for Dundee and Angus–based emerging artists. Each Associateship will offer a research and development bursary, mentorship and an opportunity to present their work at Present Futures Dundee 2025.
Open to emerging visual artists who are interested in utilising writing/image making physically realised through Risograph printing with the potential for a publication. It aims to encourage a body of creative works/research pushing the genre of Risograph and experimental publications forward.
Open to emergent dance artists and choreographers to develop a performance idea, intervention or choreographic sketch that resonates with the themes of this year’s Present Futures Festival.
To apply, complete the relevant application form with a ‘Note of Interest’ – introducing yourself, what you would like to explore through the associateship, and how it will benefit your practice.
Deadline for applications: 5pm, Sun 22 June 2025
The sixth edition of Present Futures will see the festival move from its base at CCA in Glasgow to Dundee. Over two days this satellite edition of the festival, will bring together local and international artists working at the intersection of performance, music and visual arts.
Through a series of performances, talks and workshops the festival invites artists and audiences to consider the complex entanglement and interdependencies of human and “other than” human as we enter collectively into precarious and unknown futures in the wake of ecological transition and crisis.
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Now in its 19th year, the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival takes place across Scotland and is led by the Mental Health Foundation. It aims to provide a platform for everyone to create and share art inspired by mental health and explores how arts and creativity can support people to live mentally healthier lives.
With funding from the Baring Foundation and Creative Scotland, they are offering grants of between £750 and £1,250 to support regional participatory arts projects, aiming to fund projects in areas currently underrepresented by their programme. This year, they will focus this funding on Dundee, Aberdeen, and towns and rural areas across the country, supporting up to eight projects overall.
Submitted projects should respond in some way to their theme, ‘Comfort & Disturb’, and the work should be showcased during this year’s festival, running from Mon 20 October to Sun 9 November.
How to apply
Deadline for applications: 11.59pm, Wed 18 June
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is one of Scotland’s most diverse cultural events, covering everything from music, film and visual art to theatre, dance, and literature. The festival aims to support the arts, explore how engagement in the arts can help prevent mental ill health, and challenge mental health stigma. Led by the Mental Health Foundation, SMHAF combines artistic quality with strong grassroots support, community engagement and social activism.
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Dundee Book Festival takes to some of Dundee’s most beloved venues for a packed programme of authors and performers, from Thu 12–Sat 14 June.
With over thirty events across the three days, the festival will feature an impressive line-up including renowned crime writer Val McDermid, Ambrose Parry, the Witches of Scotland, Kate Muir, and kicking-off the celebrations with a special Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers performance.
To keep the festival accessible and open to all, the majority of events will be priced at £5 per ticket.
The 2025 festival programme includes:
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Head across the bridge to Forgan Arts Centre for Lughnasadh Festival and a day of art and live acts that represent the breadth of Scottish talent.
After the success of last year’s festival, Lughnasadh returns with an even bigger line-up featuring: Scottish Album of the Year Award winners Kathryn Joseph and Sacred Paws; 2024 Mercury Prize nominee corto.alto; BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year 2025 Becky Sikasa; Glasgow electronic music pioneers Free Love; Heavy Music Award 2025 finalists Dead Pony, and more.
Alongside live acts, visitors can enjoy art activities curated by Ruby Pester, garden tours, and plenty of local food and drink. There are a variety of ticket types available with the standard tickets at £27.50 each. Concession tickets are also available, please note children and babies under 3 years old can attend for free but will need a ticket.
When
Sat 2 August
2pm–9pm
Where
Forgan Arts Centre
59 Kirk Road
Newport-on-Tay
DD6 8JB
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As a small and ambitious operational team, our Board is critical to meeting our charitable purpose, ensuring our sustainability and relevance, and creating ripple effects to benefit creative communities, our sector and place long term.
We are excited to be seeking a number of voluntary Board Directors who understand the issues that people working in the creative/cultural sectors and residents of Dundee and the wider region face. We are keen to ensure that young people are represented by joining us and gaining experience of being part of our supportive Board through a Board buddy.
In return we offer the opportunity to work with an innovative organisation which is generative, caring and forward looking.
Directors help set the strategic direction of the organisation. As a charity, Creative Dundee has a social responsibility towards the city, its creative communities and its residents. Directors play an active role in providing leadership and direction of the organisation.
Creative Dundee has completed an audit of the skills and lived experiences of our Board, and we would particularly like to recruit new Directors who have skills in the following areas. We do not expect anyone to meet all the points listed; and if you feel you have skills or experiences to offer that are not listed here, we still encourage you to apply if interested.
Creative Dundee is committed to being an equal opportunities organisation and welcomes all applications for consideration. We know there are candidates who may not fit every criteria we’ve outlined here, or who have key skills we haven’t listed. If this is you, please do apply if you feel your particular experience or skill set could enhance this role.
We want to ensure that our application process does not present any accessibility barriers to potential applicants. If we can provide any assistance to support you through this process (or if you want to discuss alternative ways to show your skills and relevant experience), please get in touch.
Apply in a format that feels comfortable to you – this could be in writing, an audio recording or a video. If we can provide any assistance to support you through the application process, or if you want to discuss alternative ways to show your skills and relevant experience, please get in touch.
Please apply by detailing your name, email address and phone number, and let us know the following:
In writing this can be up to 300 words per question, or by audio/video up to 3 minutes each.
Send the above, or to ask any questions in advance, to Gillian Easson, Executive Director, board@creativedundee.com by the deadline: noon, Monday 16 June 2025.
Meetings: expected to be held on Zoom, Monday 23 June 2025. We’ll aim to meet with all who are interested but should the volume of responses exceed expectations, we’ll create a shortlist that prioritises those who outline the key qualities that we’re seeking. Thanks for your understanding.
Start date: we would like new Directors to join our next Board meeting on Tue 26 August 2025, 5-7pm.
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Amps is a community of people who make and cultivate creativity in Dundee, working together to collectively build on the future of the city. We connect through events and projects designed to help establish links, showcase work and develop collaborations. Join Amps and help make Dundee even better!
Our evening Meet-Ups are relaxed opportunities to meet and share ideas with other artists, designers, makers and doers in the city. They’re a great space to connect with new people and catch-up with familiar faces. You can also take part in small group chats, contribute to discussions, listen to others and share news, opportunities and conversation with one another.
Not been to a Meet-Up before and curious to know what they’re like? Take a look at a reflection of our 2022 Summer Social.
Hapworks_00, 7 Castle Street, DD1 3AA
Tickets are free and booking is essential.
This event is for Amps only—become an Amp and come along!
Event hashtag: #AmpsDundee
6:30 Meet-Up begins, time to settle into the space
6:40 Welcome, plus short presentation from Hannah
6:55 Counter-mapping activity: ‘what makes Dundee a creative city?’
7:25 Discussion – what sorts of things appeared on your map?
7:45 Pass the Mic, wrapping up event
8:00 Meet-Up over! But no rush to leave the space :)
Not an Amps supporter yet? As well as opportunities including regular events, your work being profiled on our digital platforms and our Ampersand+ peer-sharing project, part of your Amps subscription goes towards our Community Ideas Fund!
Got an idea for a project that could positively impact Dundee? Awarded each year at our annual Forum, Amps can team up to pitch new creative collaborations that benefit the wider city, with the network voting to decide which project will receive support. The more Amps there are, the bigger the fund. Last year’s was £2,500 – find out about the awarded project!
Help us grow the Fund and make Amps more accessible by supporting a Pay It Forward subscription! Your contribution will help someone experiencing cost as a barrier to getting involved.
If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
Join Double Door Studios to celebrate their fifth birthday with a very special exhibition, showcasing five pieces from each of their five residents – Islay Spalding, Christina Vernon, Holly McAfee, Ieva Jankovska and Calum Rennie!
Curated to showcase the diverse and distinct styles of work created at the studios, the exhibition will provide a glimpse into the resident’s unique styles through the mediums of contemporary jewellery and modern framing. Each maker will exhibit a suite of works, celebrating their maker’s signature style or conveying evolution of design through collections old and new.
When
Sat 31 May–Sun 1 June, 11am–4pm
Where
Double Door Studios
7 Ward Road
Dundee, DD1 1LP
Please note, Double Door Studios is located upstairs on the first floor of an old building without a lift. If in doubt, please get in touch with the team at doubledoorstudios.dundee@gmail.com prior to your visit. They are happy to arrange virtual tours.
If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
UNESCO City of Design Dundee have released four brand new free trails of Dundee and its design history! Featuring illustrations by Rhianne Connelly and graphic design by Luke Cassidy Greer, each map encourages visitors and locals alike to explore the city’s past and contemporary design legacy.
Each tour varies in time, from short hops to longer jaunts, covering everything from converted cinemas to submarines and world-class architecture. Physical copies of each trail are available to collect from the McManus, V&A Dundee or Central Library. Digital versions can be downloaded online alongside an audio guide by dundee radio club‘s Becca Clark, featuring expanded facts and bonus stops.
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Alongside all applicants to Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding, Creative Dundee made a commitment to centring Fair Work practices within our organisation – an intention that aligns with the Scottish Government’s target of becoming a Fair Work nation by 2025. In taking the time to outline how this commitment responded to and could guide the way our team works together, we found ourselves asking – as an organisation regularly working with and advocating for creative practitioners – ‘how does Fair Work extend to freelancers?’
Broadly speaking, there’s not a great deal of clarity about the expectations around Fair Work and freelancers – and what the responsibility is of those who work with them to ensure that their Fair Work practices cover freelancers as well as employed staff.
This blog explores Creative Dundee’s approach to Fair Work, insights from freelancers about better working practices, and how freelancers might benefit from knowledge about Fair Work for self advocacy.
As defined by the Fair Work Convention, “Fair Work is work that offers all individuals an effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect” – these are known as the five Fair Work dimensions.
Through actions outlined in 2022, the Scottish Government’s vision is that embedding fair working practices enables success, wellbeing and prosperity for society – “underpinned by the principles of equity and equality of opportunity for all”. It aspires to encourage practices that tackle inequalities that persist (such as the gender pay gap, disability employment gap, and issues addressed by their anti-racist employment strategy) and positively support the economy, as well as the workforce who drive it.
Much of the government’s Fair Work plans rightly recommend equitable practices that centre people. However, their action plan makes no mention of freelancers. Indeed, if you look for results online linked to ‘Scottish Government Fair Work for freelancers’, much of what appears is work driven within the creative and cultural sector. Given that freelancers make up the majority of the creative workforce in Scotland, it’s positive to see that the sector is broadly reflected as being proactive. Many organisations and institutions rely on freelance practitioners and arts workers extensively for programming, production, facilitation, technical work, leading on progressive practices, design work, retail products and much more.
After the welcome news of success in receiving Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding earlier this year, organisations had to complete a ‘Fair Work First compliance’ form, confirming their commitment to paying the Real Living Wage and providing channels for ‘effective voice’ for employees. Applying this conditionality to grants (such as those distributed by Creative Scotland) enables the Scottish Government to seek commitment to Fair Work without legislation.
Creative Scotland’s own objectives for Fair Work are to promote fair pay, conditions, and employment opportunities across the creative sector. Although it’s unclear at this time how they will monitor an organisation’s demonstration of this, it’s even less clear whether these objectives – and the five aforementioned Fair Work dimensions – are afforded to freelancers when there’s no explicit requirement.
When writing our Fair Work statement at the end of 2023, we framed it to respond to how the organisation supports our staff team but in tandem wanted to ensure that it outlined how we extend the Fair Work dimensions to our work with freelancers. This became the statement that now lives on our website, sharing our commitment to how we work within our team and with others.
We felt it was necessary for our statement to differentiate between the team and freelancers. This isn’t because we consider freelancers as secondary or additional; rather, doing it this way meant we could clearly respond to guidance that addresses employees specifically, acknowledging that some of the benefits and framing of how we respond to the dimensions are things only applicable to employed staff (i.e. four day work-week).
This differentiation also meant that we could explicitly underline that freelancers are intrinsically part of how we think about Fair Work, rather than it being implied (or worse, an omission). Highlighting the difference makes it obvious, particularly when there is no expectation that this information be presented at all. In being explicit, we hope that it encourages others to consider how to include freelancers in their Fair Work plans, if they haven’t already.
It also feels worth noting that our statement talks about working and connecting with freelancers. Even when we’re not commissioning people, we still have a responsibility in how we interact with them – particularly when we hold power in those relationships as a resourced organisation. The freelancers we connect with are also always incredibly generous in the insights and experiences they share with us. We want to ensure that generosity is reflected back through our actions.
It should come as no surprise that freelancers think and talk about fairness in working all the time. In the lead up to developing our statement, two focussed discussions held with our Amps network and freelancers in the city explored the things organisations could do better when working with freelancers, building on many conversations over the years. Not only did these exchanges guide our statement, but they help Creative Dundee more broadly as an organisation too – we know there’s always the opportunity to learn and put this learning into practice.
Contributions (some of which are shared in graphics above and below) were grouped under five themes: fairness and expectations; care and consideration; communication and clarity; support and resourcing; and invoices and payment. It’s worth noting that ‘fairness and expectations’ garnered the most responses – things like “clients don’t have enough awareness of the process or time involved”, “more collaboration and less instruction, especially if they’re not paying enough”, and “stop trying to get free work or extras for free” – but all responses fit under the umbrella of the Fair Work dimensions.
Their insights highlight that there are still knowledge gaps in how to fairly hire and support freelancers in the sector. Some of this will be rooted in inexperience and lack of familiarity of freelancing, alongside barriers for those who know or want to do better, such as lack of financial resource, timelines dictated by funders or partners, and working with partners who have different expectations or understandings of working with freelancers.
At Dundee’s Culture Summit in November 2024, a paid working group of freelancers shaped one of the event’s themes to foster discussion around artists and practitioners within the city’s creative ecology. Their presentation outlined the precarity and variety of freelance life, and the many skills that one person is required to learn and juggle when self-employed. Enthusiasm was shared for the development of a freelance charter or similar resource, one that would encourage fairness and transparency when working with freelancers in the city – but how can freelancers be supported in taking the lead in this work, and what can organisations do to enable the conditions for this to happen?
Self advocacy can feel particularly difficult in a small city like Dundee – the risk of burning bridges or limiting yourself in what is already a relatively small pool of available work sits alongside the fact that skilled creative work is routinely undervalued. Asking for what’s fair can stir up feelings of asking too much or concerns that you’re being (or being perceived as) unreasonable. Repeated and common issues are a drain on a freelancer’s time and energy, and some – particularly emerging practitioners – may simply be unaware whether asks of them are appropriate or reasonable.
While freelancers spend a lot of time considering fair working, they may not use the framework of Fair Work in doing so – or know that organisations within the creative and cultural sector may have made a commitment to embed Fair Work practices. Using the five dimensions, we’ve collated some points to consider – though this list will not be exhaustive nor applicable to all work undertaken.
For individuals, the opportunity to have an effective voice is crucially important. Having a say at work is consistent with the broader suite of rights available to citizens in democratic societies.
It is a reasonable aspiration to want work that is fair – and for fair work to be available to everyone. Fair opportunity allows people to access work and employment and is a crucial dimension of fair work.
Fulfilment can arise from positive and supportive workplace relationships that promote a sense of belonging and this overlaps strongly with respect as a dimension of fair work.
Respect at work enhances individual health, safety and wellbeing. Dignified treatment can protect workers from workplace-related illness and injury and create an environment free from bullying and harassment.
Security of income can contribute to greater individual and family stability and promote more effective financial planning, including investment in pensions.
Alongside the above, we’ve collected some Fair Work related guidance for creative freelancers in Scotland. We don’t believe the onus should be on freelancers to ensure that they’re being treated fairly, but we know that space and resources to aid understanding and growth in confidence is the first step in being able to advocate on behalf of not just yourself, but the wider community – because better working practices that are adopted due to your advocacy support the freelancer who comes after you, just as the acceptance of bad practice unfortunately lowers the bar for future work.
The creative and cultural sector has the power to do good work and set high standards for fair working for freelancers, who are the core of our creative ecosystem. It’s essential that organisations extend their Fair Work practices to the freelancers they work with, and understand their responsibility to form fulfilling, respectful, safe and sincere opportunities that recognise the knowledge, experience, care and creativity that freelancers bring to all that they do.
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Creative Dundee is all about shouting out, connecting and supporting the incredible creative networks all around the city. Through original content we aim to platform the views and voices of a broad range of creatives in Dundee, across different disciplines, and as individuals, collectives, and grassroots organisations.
This year we’re looking to commission creators to explore topics that expand the conversation on the creative industries in Dundee, or highlight socially engaged perspectives on the role of creativity in climate action, wellbeing, activism and more.
If you have an existing idea for a blog or feature, or would like to register your interest in being commissioned for our website – we would love to hear from you!
Deadline: 10pm, Fri 30 May
If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
A major new UK-wide project by artist Jeremy Deller to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery will have its Scottish chapter take place in collaboration with Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD) students in Dundee on Sat 24 May.
The Dundee project titled ‘Meet the Gods‘, offers a chance to collectively revel with the Roman deity Bacchus and his mythical friends. Art students will demonstrate the power of the Art School to produce collective joy with a showcase taking place in Dundee City Square and Myatt Hall – renowned historical landmarks and cultural cornerstones of Dundee.
The event will include a performance by ‘weirdo-punk performance band’, Fallope and the Tubes, and there will be the opportunity to leave with your own DIY merch with the help of of collaborative artists Peter Kennard and Cat Phillipps (KennardPhillipps). ‘Meet the Gods’ will also be supported by a series of facilitated and collaborative workshops with Dundee Community Gardens.
When
Sat 24 May, 2–6pm
Where
City Square & Marryat Hall
Dundee
DD1 3BG
This event is part of ‘The Triumph of Art’ by artist Jeremy Deller, a nation-wide project that was commissioned by the National Gallery, London, as part of its bicentenary celebrations. It marks how festivals are part and parcel of art, culture and civic life, and that art and artists can be catalysts of collaboration and joy.
This summer will see new participatory public events in all four nations produced in partnership with The Box, Plymouth, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno, and The Playhouse in Derry-Londonderry. For the final event in July, they’ll take over Trafalgar Square in London for a free, family-friendly celebration with contributions from all four nations.
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Alongside Dundee’s Changemakers Hub, we’ve been delighted to bring back Fabric – an informal peer-learning journey to share, reflect and imagine how collective action can shape a better tomorrow.
Bringing together creative practitioners and community organisers, this iteration of Fabric focused on community climate action, giving participants the knowledge, skills, confidence and connections to fuel future work or projects.
In this blog originally shared with Dundee’s Changemakers Hub, Shona Cherry takes us on a field trip to The Scottish Crannog Centre for the final Fabric session, ‘From Dwellers to Changemakers’, reflecting on the Fabric journey and a day exploring learnings from our ancestors.
A special thanks to Scottish Community Alliance for supporting this community learning exchange.
The 2025 Fabric cohort, like the ones gone before, is a group of climate and creative community members with one thing in common – Dundee. The city has brought us together, for a variety of reasons, and the stories we’ve shared with each other during the four steps of this Fabric journey have been connected by the common thread of this incredible place we all love.
Sometimes though, a wider perspective is valuable and our day outside the city at The Scottish Crannog Centre provided us with new and different viewpoints. The benefit of stepping away from the daily norm and our own wee worlds, not just into a different space but into an otherworldly place, is altering in some way. Even if it’s not entirely obvious how.
Set on spectacular Loch Tay, the centre team is currently rebuilding the Crannog which sadly burnt down in 2021. The fascinating process by which they embrace traditional skills with a peppering of modern supports was shared openly as the Fabric group wandered the village. The peacefulness and tranquillity of this place can’t be overstated, which may have been helped by the unusually calm and sunny weather.
This amazing space and the incredible team there tell tales of life from the iron age. I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced a bunch of individuals with such endless knowledge and passion for their work. As we heard stories of what life may have been like, I was distracted by birdsong – a reminder of the constant connection in nature between past and present – and I wondered if the birdsong would have been the same back then.
We were told how communities had to work together to survive, not venturing far for subsistence. Perhaps aware of other crannogs on the loch but really nothing beyond that. In the context of our globalised world today, that’s hard to wrap your head around and at the same time, rather enticing. Sometimes our ‘hyper-connectivity’ can feel overwhelming. So many people to follow and connect with. So much information.
But our modern-day communities have an opportunity to create real change and elevate us. We can take the benefits of the world we live in now, use the lessons from the past, and discard the things that do not serve us or our peers. We were told that:
“What we’re doing here is trying to find our way back to the start of the story.”
What surprised me was that the centre is a social justice organisation. Being able to draw comparisons between the work of Dundee Changemakers and The Scottish Crannog Centre was unexpected but affirming. They have a strong commitment to social causes, the environment and sustainability, fair work and accessibility – what we at Changemakers might call, a just transition.
Whether implicit or explicit, they are doing the multi-faceted and diverse work of an organisation with far reaching goals and impact. This place isn’t just a museum or a historical educator (although those things are, of course, extremely important), they are actively bringing communities together around some of our most pressing societal issues, through sharing stories from the past and connecting them with those of the present.
Throughout the day, we were free to explore the variety of activities at the centre, which included how people from that time might have prepared food (the home-made cheese with wild garlic was delicious!), made clothes, created and used tools, and entertained each other.
We were treated to a hilarious puppet show which animated stories of crannog life in the most unexpected way. Telling stories is a way of explaining ourselves that has existed throughout time. It’s how we understand our past. Many folk stories might have only existed verbally but are often there to communicate or connect us to lessons for the future – such as the utterly sustainable life that these people might have had.
The stories we heard perfectly captured their self-sustaining way of living – there was no extraction, only interaction.
After our meander through time and a generous lunch offering, we were joined by Claire Cooper from Bioregioning Tayside. Bioregions are a way of reframing how we see ‘place’ beyond our current understanding. Considering our geography from the perspective of community, land, availability of resources, rather than the manmade boundaries we all know, was a shift. ‘Change the Frame, Change the Story’ is their thought-provoking tagline.
We were prompted to consider how we adapt and respond to the environment we find ourselves in, physical or otherwise – valuing, shaping and interacting with one another, and the idea of reinhabitation.
Claire shared some powerful examples of storytelling for impact, that combine the natural environment, art and sustainability on a massive scale. One of which was The Awakening – a 9,000 sqm art installation of a giant hand sited on the Coire Lairige at the Spittal of Glenshee. Co-designed by Tayside-based artist Martin McGuinness and Fraser Gray, it was inspired by the Glen’s many connections to the legendary pan-Gaelic giant hero Finn mac Cumhaill, including the story that he is asleep under the mountains with his warriors ready to be awoken at a time of great portent to come to our aid. Made from 2,500m of Jute and Geotextile it was installed to coincide with the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in November 2021.
Again, we were directed to consider how the past can inform the present. The idea of looking back to understand where we are now is important for bioregioning, as it is for most of the ways we consider the future.
I left the Crannog wondering what this means for us, at Dundee Changemakers Hub, as well as the many other climate and social action groups in the city. We cannot go back to where we were, no matter how many of us might wish for a bygone, less complicated time. There is a way forward that allows us to take what was precious and worth saving from the past and combine it with the incredible advances we’ve made (the good ones, at least!), to create a better future – just like they’ve done at The Scottish Crannog Centre.
With renewed enthusiasm we have an opportunity to reweave connection, create stronger social fabric, and take action that will bring us beyond what we experienced with Fabric.
We took a long, slow exhale at the end of March. After celebrating the changemakers in Dundee and the incredible work of local people and grassroots organisations driving climate action and social justice in our city, Dundee Changemakers Hub turns its attention to what’s next, with the intention to continue to foster connection, facilitate collaboration, and elevate community action.
Shona Cherry is Hub Manager at Dundee Changemakers, and has been working in sustainability, mainly in food and drink, for over 6 years. Her work-life of 30+ years has taken her through many industries, sectors and roles, and led her to return to a role supporting and serving the incredible people of Dundee.
Dundee’s Changemakers Hub is delivered by a collective of four local community organisations: Transition Dundee, The Maxwell Centre, ScrapAntics, and Uppertunity. The Hub offers support, events, workshops and micro-grants to connect and amplify collective community action.
The Hub is part of a growing national network of Climate Action Hubs funded by the Scottish Government’s Climate Action Fund, which aim to build local awareness of the climate emergency, develop local plans, help groups take up funding opportunities, and contribute to a Just Transition.
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Stobswell Forum, in collaboration with Upper Dens Landscaping Board (UDLB), are seeking a Dundee or Tayside-based artist for the exciting opportunity to redevelop three public art boards at the entrance of the historic Weavers Yard site.
There will be a fee of £6,000 for the project, inclusive of development, consultation, production and installation. When submitting a design, artists are asked to consider the history and future of Weavers Yard, embracing the existing public artworks on and around the site.
The new artwork can be any material or genre, but the artist will be responsible for engaging in consultation with Weavers Yard residents before production and installation. The project must be completed by March 2026.
Complete the submission form before 9am, Mon 19 May, providing the following:
Interested artists can get in touch with the Stobswell Forum for an informal discussion by contacting Trustee Helen King, and a tour of the development is possible on request to Emily Kernahan, Hillcrest Engagement Team.
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Dundee’s Changemakers Hub are currently recruiting for an exciting part-time role within their team! The Hub, anchored by four community organisations and hosted by Transition Dundee, is a collective committed to fostering positive change and climate action in Dundee. Together, they envision a sustainable and inclusive future for Dundee, connecting communities, sharing knowledge, and amplifying local voices.
They are seeking a passionate and community-oriented person for the role of Community Engagement Coordinator. This ‘front facing’ role is key to nurturing relationships and building collaboration with local changemakers, fostering engagement and instilling the Dundee Changemakers ethos. The role would suit candidates who enjoy interacting with a wide variety of people from different walks of life, and are well organised and team-orientated.
This is a 10 month fixed term role from May 2025, working 22.5 hours per week with an annual salary of £18,700.
Key info:
Application Deadline: midnight, Monday 5 May 2025
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Launched in the early 2000s, They Had Four Years exists as an opportunity for Generator Projects to support and nurture recently-graduated artists. One year on from their Degree Shows, a selection of handpicked Fine Art graduates from art schools across Scotland get the opportunity to exhibit newly commissioned work in the Generator Projects galleries.
This year’s edition features the work of five artists: Edward Cawood (Edinburgh College of Art), Olivia Margaret Frances (Glasgow School of Art), Jungyoon Im (Glasgow School of Art), Theodora Koumbouzis (Glasgow School of Art) and Kristína Gondová (Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design). Exploring themes from censorship and opression, to the natural world and industrial heritage, it’s promising to be a varied and unmissable show.
Opening Night
Sat 17 May, 6pm–9pm
When
Sun 18 May – Sun 22 June
Thu–Sun, 12pm–5pm
Where
GENERATORprojects,
25/26 Mid Wynd Industrial Estate,
Dundee,
DD1 4JG
Generator Projects is a Dundee based artist run initiative founded in 1996 by Paul Liam Harrison, Andy Kennedy and Caroline McIntee. As a volunteer organisation, they facilitate a varied cultural programme of exhibitions and events. They are committed to highlighting the importance of grass roots activity and its integral role in developing the careers of emerging artists.
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