Argyll Youth Arts increases opportunities for young people in Argyll & Bute to experience creative arts activity. It is one of nine regional arts hubs developed as part of Creative Scotland‘s Time to Shine initiative, empowering young people through the arts and arts projects initiated and inspired by young people, supported by and working with arts professionals from their community and beyond.

Argyll Youth Arts positions young people directly in control of originating the programme in their region, supporting them to develop the skills and creative vision to realise events within their community and connect to an Argyll-wide network of youth arts activities. At the core of the programme and network are the Young Promoters and Youth Arts TV Channel Managers who will curate their own youth arts activities, as well as create a dynamic online presence for the region’s young creatives to connect, share and grow together.

Cove Park with other professional arts organisations including Dunnon Burgh Hall, Comar, Artmap Argyll, Artsqwest and The Tower form a Steering Group supporting the Young Promoters and Youth Arts TV Channel Managers as well as delivering a range of other activities.

The Argyll Youth Arts logo is the winning design of Grace Carroll, a student at Locgilphead High School, who was mentored by designer Maeve Redmond, a resident at Cove Park in 2014.

Recently we had a consultation with interested members of our local community to see how best Cove Park can develop its site in ways that will improve access and opportunity. We have now produced a draft report which summarises the ideas and thoughts that arose on the day, and we are now inviting comments on it from those who came and have had further ideas, or those who could not attend on the day but want to contribute. It can be downloaded here:

Cove Park – Community Consultation DRAFT report nophoto

In brief, we propose a native woodland on Cove Park’s site, and also a polytunnel accessible to the local community. How might these be made of best use to you?

Other key ideas which emerged were using Cove Park as a site for John Muir projects with local schools, and also linking our woodland with the two neighbouring woodlands and possibly including a trail.

Your comments on these ideas and anything else  in relation to the benefit to the community of these plans will be incorporated into our final report.

Please email your comments to polly.clark@covepark.org by Friday November 6th.

Please email your comments to

The new novel from from acclaimed novelist and memorist Rachel Cusk is on the prestigious Baileys Prize shortlist. It was also shortlisted for the Folio Prize. Rachel is one of our Literature Residents this year at Cove Park, and the manuscript of OUTLINE was completed on a previous residency in 2012.