Cairngorms 2030 artist in residence announced
Cairngorms 2030 artist in residence announced
The Cairngorms National Park Authority in partnership with Bothy Project are pleased to announce Robyn Woolston as the recipient of this year's Cairngorms 2030 artistic residency.
In April, Robyn will undertake a seven-day residency at Glenesk Folk Museum after being selected from an open call for artistic practitioners based in the Cairngorms National Park.
Applicants were asked to develop a work that responded to Dùthchas, a Gaelic concept which encompasses ideas of kinship, heritage and connections between nature, people and place. Robyn intends to explore how Dùthchas manifests within a changing landscape, shaped by the dual pressures of hotter, drier summers and episodes of intense rainfall.
She will engage with the museum’s archive and undertake fieldwork to explore Glen Esk’s climate and biodiversity, uncovering hidden histories, soundscapes and community reflections. Robyn will also receive training in Gaelic language and heritage as part of the project's commitment to the concept of Dùthchas.
Robyn Woolston said: “My residency with Bothy Project, Glenesk Folk Museum and the Cairngorms National Park Authority could not have come at a better, more pertinent time.
"I’m humbled to be able to think about climate change from the perspective of a deeply resonant concept such as Dùthchas –bringing belonging, stewardship, kinship and the environment into focus within the National Park.”
Robyn is interested in hearing from those who live in the Glen Esk area who would like to share their observations and experience of the changing landscape. Please email [email protected] in the first instance.
The residency is designed to offer time and space for the artist to consider their practice and develop their project, which will be shared with an audience later in 2026. Robyn will receive a fee in line with Scottish Artist’s Union rates, production budget and support with travel costs. The residency is part of the Park Authority’s Community Arts and Culture project, one of 20 projects that make up the Cairngorms 2030 programme, made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.