D&G Arts Festival – 2024

In 2024, I operationally organised the 45th Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival. We were excited to have one of the highest ever audience attendances of any D&G Arts Festival in it’s history with over 3200 people attending over the Festival.

The Festival team brought 39 events to 28 venues across the length and breadth of the region. Through the programme that I part programmed in the run up to the event, we were able to support a bigger team of freelancers than ever before supporting local creative practitioners, businesses and suppliers and let me tell you – operationally I could not have got through May 2024 without that amazing team of freelancers, the network and the communities we worked with – it was some undertaking and they handled everything with a grace that showcased just how talented Dumfries & Galloway really is.

Organising the 2024 Festival was no mean feat, it’s always a huge undertaking but this year was a Festival run up like no other. With a packed year-round programme and a whole host of other work to contend with, it was a mammoth task but working with the artists and venues to place the shows and create operational event plans in early meant that we were prepared well in advance.

Opening the Festival this year was the sell-out Galloway SangStreams: Songs linking life, land and legacy by The Cairn Chorus at Easterbrook Hall. It has been hailed as a huge success with audiences so excited to see where this local collaboration project goes next and traveling from far and wide to see the show. The team had to keep putting additional chairs out on the night as audiences turned up in their droves to celebrate these local artists.

I was excited to programme Raymond Wilson who brought his 2023 Made in Scotland show I Hope Your Flowers Bloom, taking it to The Studio in Moffat and the CatStrand in New Galloway, he blew audiences away with exploration of working class access to nature and insightful explorations of health masculinity.

After seeing With the Devils Assistance at The Fringe in 2023, I couldn’t wait to bring it to Dumfries & Galloway, I knew it would be a perfect fit for the brilliant communities in Eskdalemuir at The Hub and in Kirkcudbright. It went down a storm and Shona Cowie’s writing and Neil Sutcliffe’s compositions were perfect.

It was also a career highlight to be able to programme and work with the I AM LOUD crew – they were a dream to work with and their work championing spoken word across Scotland is so important and needed just now. I was so glad that we could support them hosting their South of Scotland Poetry Slam Regional Heat at The Stove in Dumfries and damn did that night deliver! I instantly regretted agreeing to be a judge because the talent was so incredible! Every single poet on the night absolutely smashed it. If you ever get the chance to hit up one of their shows – do not miss it!

As well as theatre and spoken word, there were also some incredible gigs to enjoy. I programmed the second half of the 45th Festival Celebration Concert at Easterbrook Hall with Claire Hastings, who also performed alongside Grant Dinwoodie in a beautiful cover of ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ – it couldn’t have been more of a more poignant performance for me, and that part, wasn’t planned! Then we had The Lucky Doves to close out the night with everyone on their feet dancing the night away. I also curated an exhibition of all the old brochures and branding and photos alongside some of the team to showcase where the Festival has come from in the 45 years.

Last but definitely not least, I programmed one of the closing acts of the Festival this year, Connor Burns, whose show was an absolute steal at the Loreburn Hall, it sounds like he will be a much bigger name in years to come as he is headed for stardom with his laugh out loud whit and quick fire jokes. His support act Daniel Petrie, doctor by day, comedian by night as he did a shift in DGRI just to help out during the day since he was here also went down a storm. Both showcasing the best of the business by taking time with fans after the show and both will be welcomed back to the region with open arms for their next tour.

There were many more events but those were just a few of the highlights. I am proud of everything that I achieved during the 2024 Festival and I wish them well for their future Festivals.