A Welcome from the Creative Director of Upland

On the shores of the Galloway coast, the bones of a ship rose from the earth. Its skeletal form gestured towards the vanishing world of maritime craft – the building of boats, the making of sails. But placed amidst the greening trees, it was a reminder of the relationships between people, the sea and the woodland. Of a time when small vessels which supported coastal communities were made of larch, oak and elm that came from the land. Gail McGarva, an artist, a traditional wooden boatbuilder, and a teller of tales, had crafted something that paid homage to this past.  

McGarva’s ‘Ghost Ship’ was just one example of the varied programme that made up Spring Fling 2026, a programme that was the welcome into my new role as Creative Director of Upland Arts Development. I was lucky enough to join Upland (which runs Spring Fling) in April 2026, just a few weeks before studios across the region opened their doors to the public. From the wild coast of the Mull of Galloway in the west, to the woollen mill town of Langholm in the east, the landscape was alive with conversations about creativity and community.  I handled pots and vessels moulded from clay, ran my figures over forms crafted from metal, saw pieces made out of the alchemical magic of glass, and viewed paintings skilfully imagined in the brush of watercolour or the blur of charcoal. There could have been no better introduction to Upland, but also to Dumfries & Galloway. 

My background is a varied one which encompasses history and heritage, environmental work, creative practice and community engagement, and I see this role as a chance to combine these passions and interests.   I have a lot to learn still about the rich tradition that underpins the artistic community here, but Spring Fling is a fundamental part of the creative fabric of Dumfries & Galloway.  

2026 was the busiest Spring Fling to date, and Upland wants to build on this success in this special year – the 25th anniversary of the event. As a writer by profession, I am drawn to narratives surrounding the unique community of artists and makers in this region and the environment that supports them. This year, with extra investment to focus on media and PR, we want to focus on telling stories of artists, makers and creatives, many of whom are working in ways that are rooted in the landscape, conscious of their connection to heritage and environment. Many work with traditional techniques, materials, and processes, preserving and reviving practices that have been endangered and threatened in the modern world. Others are exploring contemporary approaches to material and form. We have a concentration of artists, many with an international practice, all in this corner of south-west Scotland that has such a strong heritage in making and creating. 

We have also developed a new website which much better reflects the aesthetic of Spring Fling and showcases the work of artists, and which will be easier both for participants and visitors to navigate. Whether guest journal entries from artists about their practice or stories from our partner venues and organisations who help make Spring Fling a success, the website will tell the story of the event. 

Part of the value of Spring Fling is that it also opens the creative community to the public and engages people who might not otherwise get the chance to experience the world of visual arts and craft. There’s real value in investing in programmes and events which build on that. For example, in 2026 the Barwhillanty Estate hosted the very first FLOCK exhibition, 1200 individually made ceramic birds, all crafted by young people around the region. This magical exhibition was the result of a Dumfries & Galloway–wide ceramics project engaging young people in 57 schools and educational settings, led by ceramic artist Frances Ross and supported by artists Clare Dawdry and Ruth Jones. I visited FLOCK on a beautiful Sunday morning and witnessed the delighted smiles and giggles of children as they came across their penguin, pigeon, or gull with a top hat. It celebrated creativity, collaboration and the collective voice of young people, and it is proof that exceptional art and craft can also be for everyone. We are delighted that a smaller version of FLOCK will be on display at Broughton House in Kirkcudbright over the October half-term. 

I am excited about what the future holds for Spring Fling in this special anniversary year, and to continue to develop an event which champions the depth and diversity of making in a distinctly local context but with international reach.