​Outpost Arts was founded in 2018 by a small group of enthusiastic, creative-minded individuals with a keen interest in building sustainable focal points for art-related activity in the Esk Valley. The group quickly gained charitable status, delivering a range of projects that engaged with local communities. Outpost Arts has since worked consistently to identify partners - plugging into existing networks, developing relationships and forging connections in order to create new opportunities for future work and for the development of our organisation.

Since the pandemic, OutPost Arts has prioritised its creative health and wellbeing work, growing its delivery team and forming new cross-sector alliances to develop impactful and meaningful arts programmes in community and clinical settings that benefit people across Dumfries & Galloway - particularly those who are experiencing barriers and inequalities.

Find out more about our ground-breaking project 'DG Creative Wellbeing' and its talented delivery team and Associate Artists HERE. 

MEET OUR core TEAM & board

LUCY BELL
Creative Health & Wellbeing 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.
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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.
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
​JASON RAILTON
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 around September 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.
Former Chair Jason Railton is a founding member of OutPost Arts, playing a crucial role in it's growth over the past 6 years. Having become a Development Officer with SCVO, Jason has worked across a number of successful projects focused on the development of community skills and challenging rural poverty.

​On a personal level, Jason is particularly interested in exploring Photography and is on a perpetual search for the perfect cup of coffee!
Suzie graduated from Arts Journal Project in 2023 and found it to be an amazing experience. Having taken part in the project's Graduate and Outreach programmes, she is now studying a HNC in 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.
CARYS MAINPRIZE
Trustee
Born in Exeter but raised mainly in the far North of Scotland, Carys relocated to D&G after university and feels that it’s a home away from home. Having gained professional experience as a Project officer for the Wild Eskdale project, at Langholm Initiative, and having volunteered for the National Trust and RSPB, Carys is now an Education and Communications Officer at Crichton Carbon Centre. Carys uses creativity, curiosity, and play to teach young people about the climate crisis and environmental issues. She's also interested in community resilience, grassroots democracy, and art as activism, ultimately all as part of the path forward to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis - of which wellbeing is also a core part of.
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For her own wellbeing, she takes life slow and does her best to focus on her needs - particularly rest and play! 
PETER SABULDIHIN
Trustee
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.
JACKIE ZHENDER
Trustee
Jackie is a freelance artist and making, running 'Fern Ceramics' - an independent ceramic studio located to the east of D&G, between Canonbie and Langholm in an area of natural beauty and historic significance; the Langholm moors and the reiver trails. 

Jackie’s creative journey is somewhat unconventional in that it developed alongside home schooling her 5 children over a period of 12 years. She initially attended short courses and subsequently developed her own personal style independently. Nature plays an important role in her work recently.
Jackie has contributed as an Associate Artist to the development of the DG Creative Wellbeing programme, delivering a range of workshops for adults experiencing barriers. As a trustee, Jackie plays a hands-on, supportive role to help the team build a meaningful artistic programme.