Projects
Phanto Spectra
Phanto Spectra
Phanto Spectra will be a site-specific, immersive audio-visual performance that will transform Dumfries’ riverbanks into a living exploration of the town's Showpeople heritage, blending sound, light, and storytelling to revive the town's history of spectacle and illusion.
Drawing inspiration from Scotland's Travelling Showpeople—guardians of travelling fairs and masters of illusion since the 1200s—the project will celebrate their spirit through sound, light, and storytelling.
Audiences will "tune in" to spectral voices and forgotten tales, while dynamic lighting will breathe new life into the landscape, echoing the vibrant displays of the Showpeople's past. Blending innovative technologies with community narratives and historical research, this experimental project will craft haunting soundscapes using binaural recordings, while theatrical lighting and digital projections will create illuminated portals of memory.
Through collaboration with local artists, Showpeople, and communities, Phanto Spectra will honour an often-overlooked cultural heritage while reflecting on the uncertain future of Dumfries' riverfront amidst flood defence developments. As part of the Hear Here initiative, this work will push the boundaries of creative placemaking, offering a deeply emotive and transformative experience that bridges the past and present.
Experiment
£20,000
Aims of the Project
Phanto Spectra is an ambitious exploration of immersive storytelling, blending light, sound, and technology to illuminate Dumfries’ Showpeople heritage while sparking broader social and civic conversations. It experiments with ephemeral, site-specific installations to reawaken hidden histories, transforming familiar spaces into dreamlike, interactive environments that blur reality and imagination.
By balancing facilitation and creative process with high-quality artistic output, the project pushes creative boundaries while ensuring accessibility and inclusion. Rooted in collaboration with local artists, Showpeople, and community groups, Phanto Spectra not only preserves intangible cultural heritage but also reimagines public space as a platform for deeper connections, dialogue, and social change.
The Stove is thrilled and honoured to be part of this important national project. This funding will allow us to use immersive technologies to bring to life the compelling stories of less-represented groups in our town, at a moment of significant decision-making about Dumfries’ future.
Meet the artists
The Stove Network
Host Organisation
The Stove Network is an arts and community organisation based in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland. Rooted in creativity and community, the organisation bridges the gap between the arts, community development, regeneration and social justice. Through diverse creative projects and public events, the Stove fosters a deeper sense of place, belonging, and social change.
With a focus on collaboration and collective visioning, the Stove Network empowers local voices and supports creative placemaking to address social and environmental challenges. By transforming spaces and engaging communities, the Stove Network is a catalyst for positive change and cultural regeneration in the region.
