An artist is being sought by Dumfries Midsteeple Quarter to help breathe new life into the town centre.
The community-owned organisation is looking for an artist to reflect the town’s proud past and vision for a better future.
And they want them to create for something “bold and eye-catching” which will draw attention to both the rebirth of the site and hopes for others surrounding it.
Midsteeple Quarter has joined forces with Dumfries and Galloway-based art and craft organisation Upland to offer the commission.
The project is funded by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, which has awarded a £14,500 grant to make it possible.
The transformation of 135-139 High Street into new homes and enterprise space is the first major phase of construction for Midsteeple Quarter, which has taken five neglected buildings into community ownership to breathe new life into them and the wider town centre.
The organisation’s executive director, Scott Mackay, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside Upland and are incredibly grateful to Creative Scotland for making all of this possible.
“There’s a real buzz surrounding the building work that’s taking place. We are looking forward to seeing how that can be reflected creatively.
“We hope too that it will celebrate the pride of townsfolk in getting us to this pivotal point in Midsteeple Quarter’s short history and the desire of the community to take the reins in shaping a better, stronger Dumfries.”
Building work at 135-139 High Street started last summer and is expected to be completed in spring 2024.
Options on where the temporary artwork could be sited will be considered as part of work with the chosen artist and the community. Those options include placing it as part of the construction site facade, or close to it.
Amy Marletta, Upland’s creative director, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Midsteeple Quarter at such an exciting and crucial phase in their regeneration work.
“The new creative commission is open to many possibilities and has the potential to engage a wide range of people. We have kept the project brief open to enable the artist to be responsive to the experience of spending time on the High Street, which is really important.
“It is also crucial that the engagement with the community is the driver for the final artwork.
“We very much look forward to seeing how artists respond to the brief and explore the potential of what could be created with the local community.”
It is expected that artists will be interviewed and the chosen artist commissioned in mid-March.
Work is expected to run from April through to November.
The full brief for the commission can be found at www.midsteeplequarter.org and at www.weareupland.com.
The transformation of the former Baker’s Oven site is a £7.2m project funded by the Scottish Government, South of Scotland Enterprise, Dumfries and Galloway Council, the Holywood Trust and Dumfries High Street Limited (trading as Midsteeple Quarter).
