AN award-winning sculpture park has transformed a vacant high street shop into an art gallery for young people.
Jupiter Artland, located in the outskirts of Edinburgh, is launching its programme at Jupiter+ Nation in Dumfries on Friday.
It is the fifth iteration of the Jupiter Artland Foundation's youth and community engagement programme, and sees a vacant former estate agent's office inside the Loreburne Shopping Centre turned into a free-to-visit contemporary art space.
The exhibition in Dumfries will include Growing Pains, a multimedia installation by award-winning artist Lindsey Mendick, which reflects on her own teenage years in the early 2000s.
Although the project is launching in Dumfries, Jupiter Artland hopes to expand the programme nationally as part of its commitment to "widening access to contemporary art and creating meaningful pathways into creative careers".
Jupiter Artland first launched the programme in Perth in 2022, and has since transformed vacant high street spaces into art galleries in Dundee, Ayr and Paisley.
During this time, the programme has welcomed more than 20,500 visitors and 2536 learners through exhibitions, workshops, artist commissions, mentoring and youth development initiatives.
Nicky Wilson, director of Jupiter Artland, said: "The programme's fifth year marks a major milestone.
"Through artist-inspired learning, youth leadership programmes, residencies and public commissions, Jupiter+ has worked with schools, colleges, universities, and community organisations across the country, helping young people develop creative skills, discover new pathways, and build confidence in their own voices."
Wilson added: "Independent evaluation across the programme shows strong evidence of impact.
"In Dundee, participants reported feeling more confident sharing their own experiences through creative work, and 73% of learners said they felt more inspired to use creativity to speak up about issues that matter to them after taking part.
"More than three quarters agreed that exhibitions like Jupiter+ create spaces where young people can ask big questions and imagine new futures."
The full programme of artist-led events at Jupiter+ Dumfries will be announced in due course.
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