‘The arts make an immense contribution to economy’

There were also the additional challenges of rural depopulation, especially among younger people who found it difficult to make a decent living or find fulfilling careers in an area where the economy and services were in steep decline.

And yet, in its 10th birthday year, Upland has not simply survived but can point to striking achievements it believes underline the immense value of public investment in the arts.

Equally, it points to the enormous potential for collaborations between artists, the public, private and third sectors to enhance lives, provide incomes, regenerate the economy and to campaign on issues such as the environment.

And aside from all that, there’s the serious matter of art being fun.

One of Upland’s current projects, Flock is a case in point.

Abi Robertson (aged 11 and pictured with parent’s permission) and a one-day old newborn lamb admiring a mural (Image: Colin_Hattersley)

Frances Ross, and two other ceramicists Clare Dawdry and Ruth Jones, are being funded visit 45 primary and secondary schools where they are getting the pupils to make 1,000 ceramic birds.

Frances says: “Schools face huge challenges with resources for arts and crafts, and we feel it’s important to help. Giving children the experience of working with clay fires their imaginations, teaches problem solving and encourages manual dexterity.

“And it’s been great. We talk to them about birds they know and about habitats then ask them each to take some clay and make a bird of their own – it can be from the real world or their imaginations.

“We’ve got everything from bullfinches and robins to pheasants – and even a phoenix.”

All the birds will be put on display as a single sculptural artwork as a centrepiece of next year’s Spring Fling – the annual open studios weekend which is Upland’s flagship public event.

Upland was born from Spring Fling, with the idea of building on its success to develop a year-round programme of events and activities and act as a regional champion for the contemporary art and craft.

Spring Fling is recognised by Dumfries and Galloway Council and one of the area’s Signature Events and received £28,000 for 2025/6. The annual investment yields enormous benefits for an area which sees cultural tourism as one of its most prized assets.

In the event’s first 21 years it attracted over 174,000 visitors who made 546,000 studio visits. More than £10.2m of art and craft was bought and the event has brought over £17.5m to the local economy.

Making a living in the arts can be tough at the best of times – but recent years have only seen the difficulties increase, which is part of what makes cultural tourism drives of this kind so indispensable.

Gyllian Thomson, a tapestry maker, is one of many who sees Upland’s work as vital.

She says: “Upland has been pivotal to me. I am grateful we have an organisation that works on behalf of us all. “Spring Fling put me in the centre of the artists’ community and enabled me to be part of something wonderful. “It is the biggest and best part of my year, opening up my studio and meeting people who really appreciate what I do.”

And this weekend will see the fifth annual Upland made winter art and craft fair which provides a platform for dozens of artists and makers to sell direct to a public looking for hand-crafted Christmas gifts.

The fair will also feature the Upland Connect drop-in space where there will be films and workshops that share some of Upland’s achievements in the past 10 years.

Amy Marletta, Creative Director and one of Upland’s original staff takes particular pride in its community and environmental initiatives.

Amy Marletta – Creative Director (Image: Colin Hattersley)

She says: “We were intentionally set up as an organisation with no arts centre or gallery – everything has to be in the community and in collaboration with others.

“It’s worked, because it’s always about connecting artists, people and place – bringing them together. There’s Artful Migration, residencies and commissions working with the likes of the RSPB, where artists make work that gets people thinking about the threats facing our migratory species like ospreys, nightjars or Whooper swans.

“The environment is a crucial issue for many of our artists. It’s not just that their work is inspired by the natural world, it can be the source of their materials, such as wood for furniture or clay for ceramics. “So, they are closely attuned to what’s happening in our environment and see their art as a means to fight for its future.” But a whole other side of Upland’s mission has been about bringing joy.

Over several years Upland ran Rural Mural (in collaboration with urban art specialists Recoat), inviting residents to offer up their houses, barns or other buildings to become riots of colour that brightened the landscape.

Then there have been exhibitions in woodlands, a site-specific installation on a beach and – quite remarkably – a huge water-powered wooden organ set afloat on the Nith so the flowing river generated music. All were delivered in collaboration with local artists.

The focus on unleashing creativity, whether as a showcase for established artists or by nurturing emerging ones with bursaries and mentorships, has earned Upland a Scotland-wide reputation for excellence.

This was confirmed earlier in the year when it became one of the organisations awarded multi-year funding by Creative Scotland.

The £294,000 package provides longed-for stability so it can plan for the future, rather than living from hand to mouth.

Amy said: “The arts are not an add-on; they make an immense contribution to the economy, offer careers, shape our culture, champion great causes and are crucial in creating a healthy and happy society. “The first 10 years of Upland show that if we really value our environment and our people, and if we want a decent future for our children, we must be serious about investing in the arts.”