Shiori Usui in the SSW Ceramics Studio, image credit: SSWShiori Usui, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here at SSW in April and May. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. Words, images and video below by Shiori Usui. — Wow, what intense but magnificent days they were. Thinking back to the days I spent on the Caregiver’s Residency at Counterflows Festival and SSW, these […]
Ellie Ballantine in the SSW Ceramics Studio, image credit: SSWSitka spruce growing from a bench at SSW Artist and Researcher Ellie Ballantine shares observations and insight into her time working at SSW on a Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH) Artist Residency. Over 3 months Ellie worked both on site in Lumsden and remotely, to explore Regenerative Materials and Community Knowledge within Arts Practice, alongside SSW’s Materials Garden and Community Making Space programme. Words and images below by Ellie Ballantine — sitka spruce growing from a bench […]
SSW's new electric forklift with SSW team members and ceramic subscribers, image credit: SSWWe are excited to have a new electric forklift at SSW replacing our old diesel Lansing which has been at SSW since we began in 1979. The new electric forklift is part of our Big Shift programme supporting SSW’s work to reduce emissions and create a healthier workshop environment for everyone. It has already been put to work shifting large bags of compost and planters in the Materials Garden and moving heavy equipment such as the raku kiln and deliveries of materials. A big thank […]
Group Residents with SSW team members Ruaridh and Amy, image credit: SSWWe are delighted to announce Alex Sarkisian, Breanne Johnson, Claye Bowler, Ocean Lorraine and Ruby Allen as our first group of artists selected for Group Residency 2026. The SSW team are supporting the artists in developing their practices over the course of their month-long residency this July. Alongside inductions and support in ceramics, metalwork, blacksmithing and stonework, Group Residency includes a collective programme of walks, sauna, film nights, potluck meals, artist sharings and peer learning. Find out about our first […]
Belladonna sgraffitoing onto a ceramic work, image credit: SSWBelladonna Paloma, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here at SSW in April and May. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. Words and images below by Belladonna Paloma. — The tension between play and production was a big theme for me at SSW. As a carer for my partner I try to squirrel away time […]
Dylan Esposito, Without Words, 2024. Image credit: Finn Rabbitt Dove.We are delighted to announce that Dylan Esposito has been selected by SSW for the RSA Residencies for Scotland programme. Through this Dylan will undertake a 4 week residency and our metal fabrication course. RSA Residencies for Scotland is a scheme which provides valuable research and development opportunities for visual artists. It forges important networks with centres of artistic excellence across Scotland, ranging from traditional residency venues to specialised production facilities. In response to recieving the award, Dylan says:I’m incredibly excited […]
2026 is the 6th year of the SSW and Counterflows collaboration, offering vital residency opportunities to Scotland based artists who are also caregivers. We are delighted to offer 4 Fully Funded Residencies in 2026, thanks to generous support of the William Grant Foundation and Creative Scotland. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency offers: This residency recognises that the care of others is central to the collective survival of our world yet is deeply undervalued within our society. This is often […]
Alicia handbuilding in the Ceramics Studio, image credit: SSWAlicia Matthews, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here in March and April with a recorded spoken excerpt of writing and images of work made on residency below. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. The 2026 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency Open Call is live from 30 April and the deadline for applications is Friday […]
SSW metal workshop, image credit: Felicity CrawshawApplications for Group Residency 2026 are now closed. The deadline to apply was Friday 23 January 2026, 12 midday GMT. Group Residency at SSW is a highly subsidised residency that focuses on bringing together artists from a wide variety of disciplines to develop their own practices within our welcoming workshops and studio. Over the month we programme a series of inductions and intros to our facilities including ceramics, metal fabrication, blacksmithing and stonework, coupled with social spaces including sauna, artists […]
In March 2023 Norma D Hunter completed her SSW X Counterflows Residency supported by Creative Scotland’s Radical Care project. The residency offered artists time, space, funding and support to develop artists practices alongside their caregiving responsibilities. Norma has written a beautiful, honest blog about her experience as a caregiver and how the residency helped her regain her identity as an artist. Please note this blog contents information about living with and supporting someone living with cancer. “When it comes back…and it will come […]
Scottish Charity Number: SC003223