Magnetic North Blog

Our next Space Time retreat will run from 4^th-9^th 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 21^st June.

Space/Timeis 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..

Space/Time at Cove Park, photo by Eoin Carey

During the week of 11^th May, we’ll be trialling an online version of our Space/Time retreat.  Usually Space/Time is a residency in a rural location – previously venues include Cove Park in Argyle and Bute, The Old Brewery in Cromarty, Lyth Arts Centre near Wick, Findhorn in Moray, and the Swallow Theatre in Dumfries and Galloway. This is because being away from your regular surroundings is an important element in allowing people to focus on themselves without distraction.  Clearly this is not currently possible, so - like everyone else – we’re having to work out how to do things differently.

People are often intrigued by the idea of these retreats and ask what they’re like. It’s quite hard to explain what the experience itself is like as each person’s experience is different – though participant Rob Young has done a very good job in a previous post – but I can describe what the structure is and what the ideas behind it are.

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.

The artists taking part are:

Cathy Forde
Cathy Forde is a writer from Glasgow. She has written many books for children and young adults and her plays have been produced by National Theatre of Scotland, A Play Pie Pint at Oran Mor and by BBC Radio. She also works extensively as a mentor and creative writing tutor.

Daniel Padden
Daniel Padden is a composer and musician making music and sound for theatre, screen and live performance. His work has included film, orchestral scores, children's theatre, tape collages, vocal improvisation and experimental rock music. He has recently created and co-directed 'WhirlyGig', a theatre piece for families exploring the absurd conventions of musicianship and performance.

Alyson Hallett
Alyson Hallett is an award-winning poet and her latest pamphlet Toots was shortlisted for the Michael Marks and Callum MacDonald Memorial Awards. She has also published fiction and drama and has collaborated with visual artists, musicians, dancers and sculptors. She lives in Somerset and curates The Migration Habits of Stones, a poetry and public art project

Rob Young
Rob Young trained in theatre design, spent 13 years in photographic archives and 20 more as an award-winning writer, working for the UK’s top TV, film and theatre companies. He is currently working on a project about children with chronic, complex pain and his new play opens at Buxton Opera House in January 2020.

Emma Jayne Park
Emma Jayne Park works under the creative handle Cultured Mongrel as a dancer, theatre maker, collaborator and micro-activist.  She is obsessed with finding ways to ask better questions. From creating dance with young dancers in rural community spaces to working as a movement director in established mid-scale theatres, her politics always underline her practice with a focus on creating healthy working spaces, questioning hierarchies, collaborative working and aspiring to positive social change.  Her research focuses on bridging the gap between ideology and practice, exploring themes including identity, communication, failure, re-authorship and creative ownership. 

Sign up to our Artist Development mailing list to be notified when more information is available on the next Space/Time.

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.

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.