Creative Neighbourhoods: A Blueprint for Local Placemaking

Creative Neighbourhoods brings together people who care about, work in and shape places, community members, creatives, local authorities, funders and policymakers, to explore what it takes for neighbourhoods to lead their own creative placemaking. Building on the first LABS event on Community Wealth Building and The Stove's national kNOw One Place forum, this two-day gathering is about practical, shared experience and learning from one another as we start to map out what strong, community-led neighbourhoods need to flourish through creativity and collaboration.

Taking place in Stranraer, a town where creative activity is already playing a meaningful role in regeneration and community confidence, the LABS will mix talks and panel conversations with hands-on sessions, Go See visits and plenty of informal time to connect. Together, we’ll focus on the essentials: the spaces people gather in, the skills and knowledge they carry, the resources and support close at hand, the networks that make change possible, and the ways people can influence decisions about their place. By the end of the event, we aim to have the beginnings of a shared, neighbourhood-scale blueprint for creative placemaking that communities across Scotland can adapt, use and take ownership of in their own way.

The full programme will be announced in the coming weeks.

If the ticket price is a barrier to your participation, please email the Organiser.

We have a limited Access Support Fund available for people with access needs to attend the event. This could cover communication support, professional assistance or provision of documents in alternative formats. Please indicate your interest in finding out more about the Fund when booking.

There will be a space for sharing: a tabletop area for information about your projects, initiatives, reports or ideas. When booking, we’ll ask what you’d like to bring so we can make sure there’s room for everyone.

Further reading:

• A Creative Placemaking Approach, The Stove
• Stranraer Case Study, What We Do Now Network

LABS is What We Do Now’s annual event, designed to bring together individuals and organisations working as part of or in relation to Creative Placemaking. The event is made possible through the support of Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Creative Scotland.

Accessibility and Amenities

• The event will primarily take place in the North West Castle Hotel’s Castle Suite on the basement floor. There is a ramp or two steps between the Lounge and the Ballroom.
• The venue has level access to the ground floor from the rear entrance on Royal Crescent. There is a lift to all floors in the hotel. There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor. Service dogs are welcome. For queries about access to and within the Hotel, or for enquiries about dogs attending / staying in the hotel (£10 a night), please contact the Hotel directly on 01776 704413 / hotel@northwestcastle.co.uk.
• Free parking is available at the hotel (70+ spaces) including electric charging points. Two disabled parking spaces are available at the rear entrance to the Hotel.
• The Hotel is a 10 minute walk from Stranraer train station and a 5 minute walk from the bus stop at the rear of the Tesco Superstore.

Accommodation

Discounted accommodation is available at the North West Castle Hotel for event attendees. There are two fully accessible bedrooms in the Hotel.

Indicative prices are:

• Bed and breakfast, Single Occupancy - £102 per night
• Dinner, bed and breakfast, Single Occupancy - £110 per night
• Bed and breakfast, Two People Sharing - £57 per person per night
• Dinner, bed and breakfast, Two People Sharing - £65 per person per night

Please book your discounted accommodation directly with the Hotel on 01776 704413 stating you are attending the event. Full payment will be required at the time of booking.

Further Stranraer accommodation information: Visit Scotland - Dumfries & Galloway, Stranraer Development Trust - Accommodation, D&G Online - Accommodation

Travel

Where possible, we encourage attendees to choose responsible, sustainable or shared travel options to attend the LABS.

Transport options:

• Coordinated Minibus - The Stove will operate a 16 seater minibus return service for attendees between Dumfries and Stranraer via Castle Douglas and Newton Stewart.
• Car - Take the A75 from the east and A77 from the north and south. Further travel information links below will inform of road conditions.
• Train - Stranraer train station is a terminus. The line connects to Ayr where you change trains for Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Kilmarnock and Glasgow Central or Irvine, Paisley Gilmour Street and Glasgow Central. Timetables and tickets at Scotrail.
• Bus - The 500 bus runs from Dumfries (with stops at Dumfries Train Station and the Whitesands) to Stranraer (Tesco Superstore) via Castle Douglas, Gatehouse of Fleet and Newton Stewart. The journey takes approximately 2.5 hours. Bus timetables at Dumfries & Galloway Council’s website.
• Ferry - Stenaline sail daily between Belfast and Cairnryan. The sailing takes approximately 2.5 hours. The 358 / 360 bus operates between Cairnryan and Stranraer (Tesco Superstore) and takes approximately 15 minutes.
• Plane - Arrivals at Glasgow Prestwick Airport can take the train to Stranraer. Arrivals at Glasgow Airport can take the 757 bus to Paisley Gilmour Street station and then the train to Stranraer.

Further travel information: Stranraer Development Trust, D&G Online - Travel, Dumfries & Galloway Council - Public Transport, SWestrans (The South West of Scotland Transport Partnership), Traveline Scotland, Transport Scotland