EMPOWERING YOUNG CREATIVES
Our Story
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CatStrand Young Creatives is qn exciting project brought to you by Glenkens Community and Arts Trust (GCAT) as part of their thriving Arts programme. GCAT was established in 2007 to bring artistic opportunities to the rural Glenkens, area.
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Our aim through the Young Creatives project is to ensure young people are empowered and supported through the Arts, Culture and Heritage Programme and wider GCAT projects to engage creatively with their communities and develop their own creative practices. The Young Creatives supports this engagement through a dedicated year round, youth-led programme. The 2021-2023 project builds on 12 years of delivery of youth arts engagement activity from GCAT.
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The Young Creatives programme is currently funded by the Holywood Trust with support from the Youth Music Initiative Creative Scotland and D&G Council Scotland. It provides opportunities to get involved in regular workshops, groups and activities for young people 4-12 and 12- 18 as well as paid internship and work experience in the arts for ages 15-25.
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The project operates from two venues – the CatStrand in New Galloway and The Smiddy in Balmaclellan – and a range of community development projects, including Galloway Community Transport, the Glenkens Gazette and Connecting in Communities. For more detail, see www.gcat.scot
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Project Leader & Regular Deliverers
CATHERINE
CAMPBELL
CYC Project Lead
Catherine Campbell is a professional artist and educator with over 15 years of experience working with children and young people within the creative arts sector. She has a Fine Arts and Theatre degree and a Master Degree in Arts Management. She is passionate about providing opportunities for young creatives to develop their skills and explore their artistic potential.
MICHAEL DEVEARAUX
Freelance Music Tutor
Michael is an experience musician and music tutor who works across Dumfries and Galloway delivering high quality music tuition. Michael works with us on the Young Music Makers Initiative and runs weekly guitar, piano, keyboard lessons. Michael will also be working alongside the Young Creatives in delivering our 'Stranded Cat' record label project alongside several talented young musicans in March 2024 - 25.
KATHRYN
CREE
Freelance Dance Tutor
Kathryn is a professional dance tutor who runs her own dance school for children and young people in Ayrshire. Kathryn teaches at out monthly 'Dance Steps' workshop which included dance tuition in tap, jazz, modern, contemporary and hip hop.
CATHERINE CORFIELD
Freelance Art Tutor
Catherine is an experienced artist and theatre practitioner and delivers the Saturday Art clubs, 'Behind the Scenes' and drama groups at the CatStrand, She also co directs alongside Brian at the Youth Players.
Thomas
McClure
Young Critic
Thomas is a freelance writer, who joined out Young Critic programme in 2023. Thomas attends performances at the CatStrand and delivers written critiques via our 'Spotlight' blog.
FIONA
EDGAR
Youth Music Intern
Fiona is our Youth Music Intern. She is a keen singer and has played the violin since she was 7 years old. Fiona works on Saturday and help to coordinate the Young Music Makers Programme.
Kate
Picken
Music & Singing Tutor
Kate is a professional MBE awarded Music teacher who stdied music at Aberdeen College of Education. Kate teaches music in primary (age 5 – 11), runs several music workshops and junior choir. She also creates and developing primary music resources. Kate leads out Musical Misfits singing workshops and out Familly Mini Music Makers for families and under 7's.
CLAIRE
MANN
Freelance Violin Tutor
Claire is an Edinburgh trained English Violinist and Tutor who delivers music lessons in school across Dumfries and Galloway. Claire teaches group violin on a Wednesday as part of our young music maker initiative at the CatStrand..
Brian
Edgar
Youth Players Director
Brian is the founder and director of the CatStrand Youth Players and has been running the group for well over a decade and has seen hundreds of young people tread the boards. Many of the youth players stay from the age of ten, right through to eighteen-years-old, with some continuing on to enter the adult drama festival or study drama at college. Some former members have even become professional actors, and others have gone on to explore different areas of theatre, such as dance.