Magnetic North Blog

Magnetic North is delighted to announce the artists who have been selected to take part in our next Space/Time retreat.  This edition of Space/Time is presented in partnership with Dance North Scotland and will take place at Findhorn, Moray.

Space/Time is a paid creative retreat for experienced artists from different disciplines that asks the question “How does an artist keep developing?”.  It aims to refresh participants through a stimulating examination of creativity. During the residency, we explore how creativity can be nourished and how artists can continue challenging themselves to develop.  The residency combines facilitated dialogue - built around a series of self-generated questions - with time for individual reflection and work as well as time to cook and eat together. It is led by Nicholas Bone and Alice McGrath.

Applications are now being accepted for our next Space/Time retreat, which will take place in Findhorn, Moray from 10-15 March 2020. 

Space/Time is part of Magnetic North’s Artist Development programme and is a creative retreat for experienced artists from all art forms which asks the question “How does an artist keep developing?”

 The residency aims to refresh participants through a stimulating examination of creativity. During the residency, we will question what creativity is, how it can be nourished and explore how artists can continue to challenge themselves to develop.

Led by Nicholas Bone and Alice McGrath, Space/Time combines facilitated dialogue - built around a series of self-generated questions - with time for individual reflection. Cooking and eating together is an important part of the residency.

This Space/Time retreat is presented in partnership with Dance North Scotland and will take place at Findhorn, Moray.

You should consider applying for Space/Time if you:

• feel the need to reflect on your creative practice in a supportive atmosphere
• have been working as a professional artist for at least seven years
• have questions about how to balance the pressures of work and life
• want to talk with others in a similar position
• need time for individual reflection and thought.

It is hard to describe exactly what happens at Space/Time, but watching this short film may help: https://www.magneticnorth.org.uk/space-time

Participants are paid a fee of £500 for attendance, we also pay travel expenses within Scotland. Food and accommodation is provided - food is vegetarian, in line with our Carbon Management Policy.

Find out more on the Space/Time page of our website here.

Photograph by Eoin Carey, taken at Cove Park in October 2018.

Magnetic North help experienced artists. Why would they do that? Isn’t that like offering to help an elite athlete cross the road? Or polishing a Formula One car?

Before we can even begin to have this conversation, we must first look at what an experienced artist does. The myth is that they sit around all day, thinking self-indulgent thoughts then pouring them out onto canvas, or the page, or in a little dance. If their work is good, they will leave the grubby Art World behind, for the glitzy world of Meeja. That’s how we know if they’re ‘worth’ something. Because they’re rich and famous.

Our next Space/Time retreat is being held on 4 October at Cove Park.

Space/Time is a paid creative retreat for experienced artists from all disciplines that asks the question “How does an artist keep developing?”

It aims to refresh participants through a stimulating examination of creativity. During the residency, we will explore how creativity can be nourished and how artists can continue challenging themselves to develop.

The residency combines facilitated dialogue - built around a series of self-generated questions - with time for individual reflection and work. It is led by Nicholas Bone and Alice McGrath.

Our next Space Time retreat will run from 4th-9th October 2019 at Cove Park in Argyll and the application process is now open. Experienced artists from any art form are welcome to apply by the deadline of 1pm on Friday 21st June.

Space/Time is a paid creative retreat for experienced artists from all disciplines that asks the question “How does an artist keep developing?”

It aims to refresh participants through a stimulating examination of creativity. During the residency, we will explore how creativity can be nourished and how artists can continue challenging themselves to develop.

The residency combines facilitated dialogue - built around a series of self-generated questions - with time for individual reflection and work. It is led by Nicholas Bone and Alice McGrath.

 You can find out more about how to apply here and if you need any more information please get in touch with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..