The Small Halls Artist Residency Programme (SHARP) places artists and creative practitioners in rural communities, working closely with residents through their village halls. Each residency is an opportunity to collaborate with local people, explore the ideas and stories that matter to them, and create work that reflects the unique heritage, culture, and everyday life of the community.
Residencies culminate in a community sharing, exhibition, or celebration, showcasing the creative response developed collaboratively between artist and community, as part of the Findhorn Bay Festival 2026.
We are supporting artists to take up residencies within the rural communities of Findhorn and Burghead, working in and around their village halls — spaces that will serve as hubs for creative activity, community engagement, and shared learning.
Working in partnership with local residents, artists will explore the ideas, issues, ecologies, and stories that matter to the community, reflecting the unique heritage and culture of the area. Artists will focus on invigorating these community spaces as places of gathering, connection, creativity, and learning.
Each residency will conclude with a community sharing and celebration, showcasing creative responses developed by the artist and/or community participants.
At the heart of the programme is conversation — artist-led dialogue with residents to understand what matters to them. We are seeking practitioners whose work aligns with community-engaged and socially engaged approaches, and who are curious, sensitive, and committed to creating meaningful connections with communities.
Find out more about ‘Small Halls Artist Residency Programme’ (SHARP) by watching our videos.
