• The commission will be managed by D&G based visual art and craft organisation Upland and has been developed in partnership with Moving Souls Dance.
• The partners for this project are the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere and RSPB Scotland.
• The commission will take place between December 2025 – September 2026.
• The artist will be contracted on a pro rata basis, in line with Scottish Artist Union rates of pay at a residency fee of £8000 with an additional fee £1400 for 4 days engagement work (see additional budget information below). Upland is Registered in Scotland as a Community Interest Company Limited by Guarantee No. SC350101.
• Artists based in Scotland can apply for this residency (see details below in ‘who we are looking for’).
• The artist is not expected to be on site for the duration of the residency. There is no permanent residency accommodation. Artists will work with the project partners to create a plan for when they will be on site and accommodation will be booked as required. Please note there is additional budget for accommodation and travel costs.

The residency involves four key elements:

• Research and development (on site combined with remote working)
• Creating and exhibiting new artwork (exhibition to take place in Dumfries & Galloway, site/location to be determined between artist and partners)
• 4 days of engagement work (i.e artist talk and workshops)
• Understanding the impact of climate change on the habitat, birds and their migration.

The deadline for applications is 9am Monday 6th October 2025.

Download the application form

The first participatory workshop led by Josh took place on 18th March 2025 with positive feedback from the participants. They explored the oakwoods, took clay impressions of the trees and created clay models which will be fired and exhibited in August. The second participatory workshop will take place near Glen Trool and will offer participants a walk to the Rufus Stone and glimpse the oak apple gall wasps and Shakespeare’s ink, warblers and redstarts and select lichens used for dyeing. Images, clay objects and artefacts inspired by this ancient woodland will be part of an exhibition curated by Josh Williams in August 2025.

The commission is funded by Moving Souls Dance and the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership. It is being delivered by Upland in partnership with MSD, the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership and RSPB Scotland. This residency is linked to our Artful Migration partnership with Upland, which will lead into a new artist in residence programme in 2026.