Arts in Moray (AIM) Showcase
Welcome to the Arts in Moray (AIM) Showcase
Friday 7th – Sunday 9th March
Arts in Moray (AIM) is a dynamic union of partner organisations Dance North Scotland, Moray Arts Development Engagement, the Moray Way Association, and Wildbird, working hand in hand with artists in residence and the vibrant communities of Moray.
Now into its third phase, AIM has seen artists in residence working across Moray over the past 12 months.
These artists each bring their unique art forms, practices, and innovative approaches to engage with our communities, spaces, and places but the key element to all the residencies has been to have the time and space to develop work inspired with and by the people and environment of Moray.
We warmly invite you to join us for a weekend of AIM events and activities across Moray. Come and experience the vibrant tapestry of creativity that is the Arts in Moray Collective, as we mark the finale of our current phase of artistic exploration. This is your chance not just to witness but also to actively get involved with art and events inspired by Moray.
Dance North Events and Activities
Moray Arts Development and Engagement (M:ADE)
About
M:ADE’s contributions to the AIM Showcase include a number of activities focused around International Women’s Day and their ‘I wish somebody told me…’ project.
All events are free to attend but some have limited capacity – book in advance to reserve your place.
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Matresence: Moving into Motherhood. 1-4pm, Friday 7th March @ Elgin Yoga Studio
Join artist Megan Chapman Campbell in this movement and creativity workshop, exploring what is means to be a mother – our physical, emotional & social selves, including our own unique journey to motherhood with its challenges and joys. Suitable for mothers at any stage or age and mothers by any journey (birth, adoption, surrogacy, step-mothers etc). The workshop aims to hear and see you in a supportive space, where you can explore yourself as a mother through guided somatic art practices, embodiment exercises and movement. Limited capacity due to space, max. 8 people.
Cuppa ‘N’ Chat, 10-1pm, Saturday 8th March @ The Barley Mill
Fully Booked
A chance to chat with Caroline and Stacey about a creative topic, idea or project relevant to you. We can be there to advise, signpost, bounce ideas about or simply talk and connect. Face to face or online options available.
Open Hoose: ‘I wish somebody told me…’ 10-2pm, Saturday 8th March, @ The Barley Mill
Drop-In
An informal opportunity to join artists Kiara and Lynda for a cup of tea and to hear more about the ‘I wish somebody told me…’ project, which gave space for women to voice the often unshared advice they wish they had heard themselves. A fantastic chance to see the contribution of others, both written and visual, and to have unstructured time to ask questions about the themes presented and/or to mull these over for yourself.
‘Intersection between Creative and Therapeutic Practice’: A Conversation, 3-4pm, Saturday 8th March @ The Barley Mill
Join creative practitioner Jen Upson to hear more about her preliminary research that explores the space and connection between arts practice and counselling. AIM Phase 3 allowed Jen to provoke her cross-disciplinary skill set by providing a therapeutic space to self-selecting creative practitioners to explore themes of process, both personal and creative, with a curiosity around what may occur. Hear more about how these encounters have explored themes such as identity, loss and change, perfectionism and fear as well as igniting exciting new pathways for creativity and increased self-awareness. Limited capacity due to space, max. 8 people.
Artist Talk: ‘I wish somebody told me…’, 5.30-7.30pm, Saturday 8th March, @ The Barley Mill
An opportunity to hear directly from artists Lynda and Kiara about their experience with the ‘IWSTM’ project, which gave space for women to voice the often unshared advice they wish they had heard for themselves. Explore highlights, research, key elements and the personal impact of these conversations with our project team, either around the firepit or in the warmth of the living room. Food and time for a Q&A included. Limited capacity due to space, max. 8 people.
Walk ‘N’ Natter, 7.30-8.30am, Sunday 9th March @ Roseisle Beach
Inspired by ‘I wish somebody told me…’ and the power of conversation, this Walk ‘N’ Natter is one for the early bird creatives. Join Stacey from MADE fresh on a Sunday morning to walk the beach, with no set agenda…just the chance to meet, reconnect and chat with like minded people in the open air. It would be great to see familiar and new faces; children and well-behaved dogs are welcome. Meet at the playpark before starting to walk at 7.30am. Booking is helpful to give an idea of numbers and to communicate any changes if weather takes a turn.
Open Hoose: ‘I wish somebody told me…’ 10-12pm, Sunday 9th March, @ The Barley Mill
Drop-In
An informal opportunity to join artists Kiara and Lynda for a cup of tea and to hear more about the ‘I wish somebody told me…’ project, which gave space for women to voice the often unshared advice they wish they had heard themselves. A fantastic chance to see the contribution of others, both written and visual, and to have unstructured time to ask questions about the themes presented and/or to mull these over for yourself.
Knit ‘N’ Natter, 1-3pm, Sunday 9th March @ The Barley Mill
Bring along your own materials (or take advantage of what we have) to keep your hands busy whilst artists Lynda and Kiara encourage fruitful chat around wishful thinking, lost conversations and ‘if only I knew’ musings. Limited capacity due to space, max. 8 people.
Moray Way Association
Exhibition: UHI Moray Inner Gallery, Elgin | Saturday 8 March | 10am-5pm | Free
Exhibiting artists: Hayley Anderson, Kate Cameron-Reid, Jenny Fraser Harris, Stuart McAdam, Alexander Williamson
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The Moray Way Association (MWA) collaborated with local artists to reimagine The Pilgrimages in Moray – A Guide to the County, a 1924 pocket guidebook featuring descriptions of walks across Moray
Discovered by the MWA Chair at Moray Waste Busters, this historic book was originally created to inspire both locals and visitors to explore the rich heritage of Moray.
However, the author lamented the absence of illustrations, maps, and reference notes—elements that could have brought the book to life for a wider audience.
Building on the ethos of the Moray Walking & Outdoor Festival – an event which the MWA run annually – which blends Moray’s natural, historical, and cultural landscapes into each walk, this project aimed to breathe new life into these historical routes of Moray.
By working with artists we hoped to create a contemporary interpretation of walks, engaging new audiences, while celebrating the stories of Moray.
Each artist collaborated with a member of the Moray Way Association, walking the routes together. The artists then went on to refine or reimagine the routes bringing them to life through their perspectives, using creative and innovative approaches to share Moray’s rich heritage with a modern audience.
Find out more about the artists here.
Walk: A Fisherman’s Diary
Friday 7 March 2025 | 10:00 – 11:15 | Lossiemouth | Free
Join Kate Cameron-Reid, artist in residence and members of the Moray Way Association, on a walk that retraces the steps of Sandy Edwards, an elderly Lossiemouth fisherman, through his handwritten diary.
Walk: Are We Being Good Ancestors? – A Reflective Walk Through Time
Sat 8 March | 11:00am – 1:00pm | Elgin | Free
Join artist-in-residence Jenny Fraser Harris and Stephen Coomber from the Moray Way Association for a thought-provoking walk through Elgin, exploring how our past and present shape the future.
Talk: Laich o’ Moray Challenge
Sat 8 March | 2:30 – 3:00pm | UHI Moray | Free
Moray Way Artist in Residence, Stuart McAdam talks about his experience of challenge walking versus pilgrim walking.