March 2026
Cove Park's Awarded Residencies continue with poet and Polish-English translator Nasim Luczaj, and artist and composer felix taylor. Nasim and felix join artist-architect Mathilde Dewavrin, the recipient of this year's Magnetic Residency through our ongoing role in the Franco-UK residency exchange programme facilitated by Fluxus Art Projects, and artist, researcher, and designer Alexandra Papademetriou, here on a new Design Ecologies Residency supported by IASPIS in Sweden.
We are also delighted to welcome potter Simon Bayliss, the recipient of our second Creative Kernow Associate Residency awarded in partnership with Cornwall-based organisation Creative Kernow.
Our annual programme of Subsidised Winter Residencies welcomes artists from across the UK, United States, Canada, and Sweden: artist Steve deBruyn; gender historian Tanya Cheadle; artist Titus Davies; Artistic Director and co-CEO of sensory theatre company Oily Cart Ellie Griffiths, with playworker, artist, writer, and editor Max Alexander; filmmaker and photographer Alexandra Farias; artist Jeff Frost; visual artist Louise Giovanelli; designer, ceramicist, and printmaker Bee Hayes; poet, literary translator, and zine maker Parel Joy; curator and artist Nanna Leth; interdisciplinary artists Alister Lownie and Katherina Radeva (Two Destination Language); author Janis MacKay; filmmaker, educator, and writer Anne Milne; director, theatre maker and dramaturg Beth Morton; interdisciplinary creative Jess Murrain; artist Bridget Smith; writer Phoebe Stuckes; writer Taylor Walle; and writer, researcher, and educator Bede Yolland.
Team News
We say farewell to Thom Switalski-Rees this month. Thom has been Cove Park's Site & Facilities Manager since 2022 and during his tenure has managed several significant site developments, including a major sustainable energy programme. He was also key to the planning phase of our forthcoming Sound Studio and, as an artist himself, has played a vital role in supporting the production and research needs of our residents. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours - which includes the launch of a new residency for visual artists in Perth & Kinross - and will miss his energy, kindness, and expertise.
We will be announcing our new Site, Facilities, & Compliance Manager in the next edition of our Newsletter.
Read on for news of exciting programme announcements including our search for three employed Embedded Artists for 2026-2027, calls for applications for forthcoming residencies, and details of upcoming events here at Cove Park.
Image: Cove Park's Site in Spring (photography, Alan Dimmick).
Announcing Collective Home, 2026-2027
Call for Embedded Artists
We are thrilled to confirm that a major new Cove Park project, Collective Home, is one of 23 across Scotland to have been awarded funding through the Culture Collective initiative, administered by Creative Scotland. This programme aims to support a national network of creative practitioners, organisations, and communities working collaboratively to shape the cultural life of their local areas.
Collective Home focuses upon the concept of home and what this means for communities in Argyll & Bute and for creative practitioners across Scotland. This 17-month project will reflect the distinct character and composition of our rural and coastal region.
Collective Home will involve three new Embedded Artists, working closely with Cove Park and the participating communities, and employed for the full term of the project. More information on Collective Home, the Embedded Artists roles, and how to apply is available in the Recruitment Pack. The deadline for applications is Monday 27 April 2026.
Images: above, Loch Long, Argyll; below, Faslane Peace Camp, Argyll, the UK's oldest continuously occupied peace camp (photography, Alan Dimmick)
Call for Applications
Creative Residencies for Carers 2026
The call for applications for Creative Residencies for Carers in 2026 is live! This programme builds upon a successful pilot devised and delivered by Cove Park in 2024.
The aim of this expanded programme is to support individuals who have established creative careers – working in all art forms and specialisms - but are unable to fully maintain or develop their practices due to their roles as unpaid carers for adults. Five residency places are available and the residencies will take place at Cove Park from Monday 26 October to Monday 2 November 2026.
The pilot in 2024 demonstrated the acute need across Scotland for funded opportunities of this kind, offering valuable and supported time for artists working as unpaid carers to reconnect with and develop their creative work, but also to meet others sharing the same experiences. In addition to valuable self-directed time to focus upon their own work, we will facilitate group activities to bring the artists together for discussion, reflection, and recuperation.
Further information and details of how to apply are available here.
We are grateful to The Binks Trust for making this programme possible.
Image: Courtesy of Heather Marshall, Creative Residencies for Carers resident, 2024.
Final Call for Applications
Emerging Visual Artist Residency 2026
Cove Park’s Emerging Visual Artist Residency is for a visual artist based in Scotland and in the early stages of developing their practice. Devised by Cove Park in partnership with The Bridge Awards, this is a two-week fully funded residency: the artist will receive a fee, a travel allowance, and a research/materials allowance.
We wish to support an early-career artist who is in urgent need of the support this residency provides and would benefit from time at Cove Park in the summer of 2026. With this in mind, this residency will be offered via a ‘fast track’ application process, to ensure the appointed resident has the support required to go forward with current projects and adequate time to plan.
Further information on this residency and hope to apply is available here. The deadline for applications is 24 April 2026.
Images: work by former residents - above, Priya, black sheep' (2025) Hebridean wool painting stretchers, audio: 17 min loop image by Julie Howden; below, Saturn Akin, Partisan X, Dual-channel video, Intermedia Gallery CCA, Glasgow, 2024.
The Radcliffe Heritage Craft Residency 2026
Artist Announcement
Following a call for applications, we are pleased to announce the recipient of this year's Radcliffe Heritage Craft Residency is Jonny Taylor.
Jonny is an emerging furniture maker based in Leith whose practice centres on hand-crafted seating that bridges traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design. Working primarily with wood and natural materials, he is interested in how historic chair forms can be reinterpreted through personal narrative and cultural heritage. His current work explores a hybrid chair that combines elements of the traditional Orkney chair with the iconic Filipino peacock chair, reflecting both sides of his heritage while examining how craft traditions evolve through new interpretations.
We are grateful to The Radcliffe Trust for supporting this residency.
Images: above, Jonny Taylor; below, Chair, Jonny Taylor (photography, Eleanor Taylor).
Music Space Residencies 2026
Artists Announcement
Music Space is an alternative educational programme for young people who are based in Glasgow and interested in exploring sound and music. The programme launched in 2022 and is produced by AC Projects alongside Counterflows festival.
Each year AC Projects offers two bursaries which include financial support, equipment loans, a year membership with Music Broth and GLOSS, a residency opportunity, and monthly mentoring sessions with artists and musicians. AC Projects also produces projects in collaboration with young people and deliver an annual series of practice-based workshops.
The participating musicians this year, taking part in residencies at Cove Park, are Adéráyọ̀ and Gem Kinley.
Adéráyọ̀ is a Nigerian-born, Glasgow-based multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans music, movement, moving image, and live performance. Gem Kinley is a recent graduate of BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice from the RCS as part of the Transitions Programme, which looks to bring down barriers that may prevent people from accessing the arts. During her studies, she devised work that combined contemporary performance, music, writing, voice, and community.
Music Space is supported by The Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI).
Images: Adéráyọ̀ (courtesy of Music Space)
Polly Barton - What Am I, A Deer?
Book Launch, 17 April 2026
In collaboration with Fitzcarraldo Editions, we are delighted to host a launch event, for What Am I, A Deer?, the debut novel by former resident and Cove Park Associate Polly Barton. Polly will discuss her new book with writer Luke Williams followed by an audience Q&A and opportunity for book signing.
Polly Barton is a writer and literary translator from the Japanese. Her translations include Butter by Asako Yuzuki, Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa, Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda and There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura. She has published two works of non-fiction, Fifty Sounds, for which she won the 2019 Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize, and Porn: An Oral History. What Am I, A Deer? is her debut novel.
Luke Williams is the author of The Echo Chamber, and the co-author of Diego Garcia, along with Natasha Soobramanien, which won the Goldsmith Prize in 2022. He lives in Cove.
The event is free, but places are limited. Please book your ticket via our Ticket Tailor page. Refreshments will be served.
Images: Polly Barton (photography, Shinchosa)
Saturday Studios
Weaving on a cardboard loom
28 March 2026
This month, artist and Cove Park’s Curator of Engagement Emma Henderson will introduce a simple form of hand weaving using a variety of knots and stitches. Through playful experimentation with materials and texture, participants will learn how different techniques can be combined to build their own small woven artwork. Emma will share practical guidance, tips, and tricks along the way, helping you develop confidence with the process while leaving plenty of room to explore and create something uniquely your own.
The afternoon workshop (2pm – 4:30pm) is free and designed for children and their families. Adults without accompanying children are invited to attend the workshop in the morning (10am – 12:30pm).
We are trialling paid adult workshops to help subsidise our free Saturday Studios programme. Your fee for this workshop covers our costs and enables us to continue providing free creative activities for children and young people.
Learn more and book your place here.
Image courtesy of Emma Henderson.
Anna McLuckie
The Little Winters Performance
4 June 2026
Please join us here at Cove Park on Thursday 4 June 2026 for a special performance by former resident and Cove Park Associate Anna McLuckie. Anna, accompanied by a double bassist, will share songs and stories from her debut album, The Little Winters.
Anna is a Scottish singer, songwriter and Clàrsach player. Raised on classical and traditional music, Anna’s writing draws on her musical beginnings and also takes influence from her love of popular music and more experimental sounds. Her music sits in a world of contemporary folklore; her songs layered with interweaving harmonies, story led lyricism, and free form structures.
In 2024 Anna took part in the Making Tracks Residency at Cove Park and toured the UK with renowned global roots musicians. Learn more and book your ticket here.
Images: Anna McLuckie (courtesy of the artist).
Cove Park Friends & Patrons
Cove Park is proud to have a growing community of supporters who believe in the vital work we do to promote national and international cultural exchange and ensure our local rural community has access to innovative and creative learning opportunities as well as protecting the biodiversity of our site.
By becoming a Friend or Patron of Cove Park, you will help us to enrich arts, culture and creativity in Argyll and across Scotland, support the global exchange of ideas through our artist residences and save the natural heritage of Cove Park as a space for everyone to enjoy. Wherever you are, you will know your donation is making a vital contribution to the work of Cove Park and our support of artists. If Cove Park and our work means something to you, please consider becoming a Friend today. Learn more and join here.
If you are based in the United States, you can join our American Friends of Cove Park, our tax-effective annual giving programme.
Image: 'Double Flower', Louise Hopkins, a Cove Park Commission, 2023.
Space Hire 2026
Space Hire welcomes arts organisations, companies, and community groups to Cove Park for meetings and away days. Recent Space Hire participants include: The Common Guild, Comhairle nan Leabhraichean / The Gaelic Books Council, Glasgow International, Missing in Architecture (Glasgow School of Art), The Mount Stuart Trust, Rhubaba, Scottish Opera, and the University of Glasgow (Contemporary Art & Curation).
Our new Space Hire pack contains more information with images of our beautiful spaces and what we offer.
Please submit an enquiry form or contact Nicola Jamieson directly for more information and to discuss your specific requirements.
Scottish Ensemble hired The Monument Trust Room at Cove Park for our Staff Away Day in September 2025. The opportunity to go somewhere beautiful, inspiring, and different from our day-to-day setting was just what our team needed to get our thinking caps on. We were given a very warm welcome from Alexia and her team, and made to feel at home right away. We’ll be back again next year!
James Hardie, Chief Executive, Scottish Ensemble
Image: Monument Trust Room (photography, Paul Tyagi)
