​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, forming new cross-sector alliances to develop impactful arts programmes that benefit people and communities across Dumfries & Galloway who experience barriers and inequalities.

MEET OUR TEAM

LUCY MACLEOD
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.
FRANK HAYES
Art in Healthcare Coordinator
Frank has broad and varied experience as a Photographer, Illustrator and Environmentalist as well as being the founder and Creative Director of For Enjoyment CIC, and Vice-Chair of DGUnlimited, working within the arts in D&G for the last decade. Through this work, Frank has seen much success and recognition, including winning the D&G Community Champion Award. Frank is committed to nurturing the artistic ability within everyone and improving mental and social health, confidence and wellbeing through the power of art and creativity. He has developed productive partnerships with many organisations in D&G and throughout Scotland.
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TABITHA MUDALIAR
Creative Wellbeing Network Coordinator
Tabi is a Creative Producer of films, cultural events, radio, podcasts, and digital media. She is also a writer and radio broadcast journalist, the Director of DGUnlimited (Chamber of the Arts, D&G), and a trustee of Alchemy Film & Arts. She has written and broadcast for BBC Radio Scotland and Alive Community Radio; presenting her own live weekly radio show, ‘TotallyTabi’ on Alive FM. Tabi was Co-Producer of ‘Stella’ - an independent feature film which premiered at the MELECH Tel-Aviv International Film Festival in 2022, winning Best Drama, and in Montreal International Film Festival, won Best First Film. Tabi’s production skills and creative talents are now focussed upon her next film project, and her first book which is nearing completion.
CARYS MAINSPRIZE
Chair
​JASON RAILTON
Secretary
SHEILA SADLER
Treasurer
Carys has been an essential part of the OPA crew since 2019, previously working for Langholm Initiative’s Wild Eskdale project as a Project Officer. Currently an Education & Communication Officer for Crichton Carbon Centre, Carys has a long-standing passion for creative writing and storytelling, writing articles, stories and essays for various publications. She is most happy when gardening, preserving, clothes-making and being in nature.
Former Chair Jason Railton is a founding member of OutPost Arts, playing a crucial role in it's growth over the past 4+ years. A Development Officer with SCVO, Jason has worked across a number of successful projects focused on community skills development and challenging rural poverty. Jason is on a perpetual search for the perfect cup of coffee.
Sheila is Langholm born and bred and works for a local company as an Accounts Administrator. Sheila has previous experience working in education, supporting neuro-diverse children. Her passions are her family, dog-walking, loud music, live music and ‘bad singing & dancing’. Sheila participated in Art Journal Project in 2020 which allowed her to re-connect with creativity, and is developing a creative business with her twin sister as a result.