New Mural Unveiled at Focus Wellness and Recovery Hub

A new mural has been unveiled at the Focus Wellness and Recovery Hub in Lochside – an NHS Dumfries & Galloway service that supports adults in recovery from addiction.

The artwork was officially revealed during a special event on Friday 2nd May, welcoming key partners, service users, NHS staff and participants of the DG Creative Wellbeing Project to celebrate the outstanding achievements of everyone involved.

As part of OutPost Arts’ ground-breaking ‘DG Creative Wellbeing’ programme, graduates of the community youth and adult programmes – the Art Journal Project and Creative Toolbox – were invited to take part in an annual public art initiative. This project was delivered in partnership between the DG Creative Wellbeing project’s Community Creative Wellbeing and Art in Healthcare teams and NHS staff based at the Focus Hub, and its service users, culminating in a permanent public art installation at the building’s entrance and within the foyer.

“The mural project has been an inspiring journey of creativity, ambition and collaboration. Participants were encouraged to think big, take ownership of the process and bring their unique ideas to life. Through a series of workshops, each person added their own creative voice, helping to shape a bold and meaningful design. The result is a vibrant and uplifting artwork that transforms the Focus Hub into a more welcoming space – and stands as a lasting celebration of the power of community and creative wellbeing.” 

Lucy Bell, DG Creative Wellbeing Creative Health & Wellbeing Director

Public Artist Katie Anderson was commissioned by OutPost Arts to work with the community graduates, supporting them to collaborate with Focus Hub staff and service-users to co-design a range of creative outcomes, including a mural and clay tile installation. Regional artists Alice Griffin and Chris Taylor also contributed by delivering sessions that further supported the project’s development.

To ensure the mural meaningfully enhanced the environment for staff, service-users, and visitors, Katie liaised closely with the Focus Hub team and people accessing health services, incorporating their ideas and reflections into the final design.

“This project has been a lovely opportunity to spend time both with participants from the Art Journal graduate programme to explore the potential of their creativity to impact positively on public spaces, and to work alongside some of the staff and regular attendees at the Focus Hub – taking care to listen and make space for everyone’s voices within this welcoming community space. These projects take a bit of time to learn from and settle into a space, and everyone has been so accommodating and positive about the works completed. A special thanks must go to the Focus Hub staff and all the important work that takes place there.” 

Katie Anderson, DG Creative Wellbeing Associate Artist and Project Lead

The initiative empowers participants to explore creative leadership, building confidence, developing skills and nurturing their creative spirits. It also fosters self-esteem through the act of ‘giving back’.

The resulting artwork helps create a warm, uplifting and welcoming environment for everyone using the space – challenging the stigma often associated with addiction.

The project was delivered in partnership with NHS Dumfries & Galloway, with support from the NHS D&G Charity, National Lottery Community Fund, the Holywood Trust and The Robertson Trust.

“This is such a special day for everyone at the hub as it marks the completion of the mural project making this space welcoming and calming for the people who use the service, and the staff who work here. In many ways the launch is also a big part of the story of our vision and where we have got to now. The environment for people using a service like this makes a difference in terms of even coming through the door in the first place, and for those who take that step it helps significantly with long term recovery. The team here are so grateful to Outpost Arts and all who have worked with us to make this the space it really needs to be, more than a space for recovery but the right space for recovery.” 

Cate Meagher, Focus Wellness and Recovery Hub Team Leader, NHS D&G.