About the team:We were founded in 2018 by a group of enthusiastic, creative-minded individuals with a keen interest in building sustainable focal points for art-related activity in rural communities. The group quickly gained charitable status, delivering projects that engaged with local audiences. We have worked consistently to identify partners - plugging into existing networks, developing relationships and forging connections in order to create new opportunities for future work.
|
|
Reach out: hello@outpostarts.co.uk
Our Core Team & Board:
|
LUCY BELL
Director An Illustrator, Artist and Educator for almost two decades, Lucy has created visuals for a huge variety of clients, exhibited internationally and taught at Universities and Colleges across the UK. After moving from Edinburgh to Langholm in 2012, Lucy co-founded OutPost Arts in 2018 with a vision to enhance opportunities for rural artists & makers and increase access to creative and cultural activities for local communities.
Lucy has driven forward OutPost Arts' vision to establish sustainable creative wellbeing initiatives and platforms in D&G, project managing an impactful research and development project in 2021/22, then orchestrating the development and delivery of the resulting 'DG Creative Wellbeing' project. |
DIANE HAY
Admin & Finance Manager Diane (Di) joined OPA in February 2023 but has been involved with them since 2020, taking part in the pilot Art Journal Project having just suffered a personal grief/trauma, helping her mindset enormously.
Di's job is split into two parts; the first being Admin - mainly working in the background, dealing with the day-to-day operation across all three strands of OPA's programmes. The second being the financial record keeping of the accounts and budget oversight. Di is also a talented artist and most enjoys depicting nature through drawing and painting. She is also a skilled calligrapher. |
|
EUAN MACLEOD
Chair |
PETER SABULDIHIN
Secretary |
SUZIE THORPE
Treasurer |
|
Euan was a mental health nurse for 20 years before moving into planning and strategy management, also working in the private sector in a variety of senior roles across the UK.
During his time as a nurse he saw the value of art and creativity in supporting people with their mental health. Euan enjoys working with wood and crafts in his spare time and is always looking for new projects to work on. Euan is hoping to retire in 2025, and in looking towards retirement, hopes he can help OutPost Arts to move onwards and upwards in the future using his experience in health care to help the organisation to achieve its ambitions. |
Peter brings over 35 years of experience in corporate business management and service delivery, recently retiring from his role as Practice Manager at Canonbie Surgery. Alongside his professional endeavours, he dedicated over 15 years to organising community volunteer events, driven by a commitment to uplifting and supporting those in need. Peter is now in a new chapter of life with his wife on their peaceful smallholding. When not tending to the smallholding, you’ll find him immersed in his passions - blacksmithing, cooking, travelling, and delving into history.
Peter is especially passionate about combining creativity and strategy to build meaningful connections and enhance wellbeing. Peter aims to inspire and support initiatives that unite people and leave a lasting positive impact. |
Suzie graduated from OutPost Arts' Arts Journal Project in 2023 and found it to be an amazing experience. Having taken part in the project's Graduate and Outreach programmes, went on to study HNC Art & Design, which she credits to the confidence gained from participating in the AJP programme.
After studying Dance & Sports Science, Suzie worked in the sports and leisure industry for many years before making the move back to hospitality when she bought a hotel in 2008. Since then, she has developed her role as a Freelance Finance & Business manager - her aim is to bridge the gap between accountants and organisations, to make the financials easier to understand and therefore inform and develop an organisations sustainability plan. Suzie joined OutPost Arts board of trustees to 'give back' and she looks forward to being a small part of making the organisation sustainable for many years to come. |
|
CALLUM MORRISON
Trustee Callum Morrison is a PhD researcher from Annan, D&G, now based at Glasgow Caledonian University’s Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health. His research positions young people as rights-holders first and foremost, and investigates how they interact with, and contribute to, the third-sector services they access. Callum and his co-researchers explore how the young people's engagement in the capacity of an active contributor, as opposed to simply a beneficiary, has the potential to create positive outcomes for young people and services. In 2024/25 Callum carried out a participatory research project with the young people from OutPost Arts’ Creative Toolbox programme and shared the results of this research as a guest speaker at the 2025 Kibble Conference in Glasgow.
As a Trustee, Callum is excited at the prospect of supporting OutPost Arts’ aims and objectives from 2026 onwards, using his academic skills and his keen understanding around youth inclusion and empowerment to help strengthen its long-term sustainability. |
LEAH KERR
Trustee Born and raised in Dumfries, Leah has called Stewartry home for the past 15 years. She works with Scottish Care as a Development Officer, supporting Care Homes and Care at Home providers across Dumfries and Galloway. Through her role, Leah collaborated with Outpost Arts to support the delivery of The Care Project pilot, working with three local care homes to explore the power of creativity in care settings.
Leah also volunteers with Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, helping to facilitate monthly support groups in Dumfries. As a mum to two teenagers, one of whom took part in Outpost Arts’ Creative Toolbox, she has seen first-hand the positive impact of creative opportunities for young people. She is passionate about wellbeing, mental health, and ageing well, and believes strongly in the role creativity can play in supporting all three. |
