Kirkcudbright: The Artists’ Town in Dumfries and Galloway

Known and loved as the Artists’ Town, Kirkcudbright is one of the most inspiring places in the region. Its legendary light, which has attracted generations of artists for the last 200 years, continues to attract visitors from all over the world, who are also rewarded with a wealth of independent shops, galleries, museums, historic houses, and a vibrant mix of places to eat and drink. There’s a story around every corner in this picture-perfect coastal town, and, thanks to a passionate community with a can-do attitude, one of the busiest entertainment programmes in the region, with fairs, festivals and celebrations for all

Kirkcudbright’s legendary light is what is said to have drawn artists here in the second half of the 19th century, where a creative colony, including some of Scottish art’s leading names, flourished well into the 20th century.

Kirkcudbright Harbour from The Stell (Image: Keith Kirk) Surrounded by water on three sides, perched on a bend of the River Dee before it pours out into the Solway, there is almost certainly some truth in this.

But it was the presence and encouragement of ‘local lad’ EA Hornel which was probably the main catalyst for the arrival of the first wave of painters including ‘Glasgow Boys’ James Guthrie, George Henry and David Gauld. The artists kept coming, as they still do today, and Scotland’s Artists’ Town continues to boast a vibrant arts scene, with the flagship Kirkcudbright Galleries, in the transformed former town hall, the much-loved annual Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail, and the WASPS studios among the highlights.

Kirkcudbright Art and Craft Trail (Image: Keith Kirk) While a visit to Kirkcudbright is always an illuminating experience, the Dark Space Planetarium in the old Johnston School gives people the chance to see the town in a whole new light, focusing on the skies above, celebrating the majesty and infinity of space and inspiring a whole generation in the wonders of science, with interactive exhibits and an immersive out-of-this-world experience.

The Johnston School redevelopment (which is also home to the Dark Art Distillery) was one of the town’s most successful recent community initiatives, led by the award-winning Kirkcudbright Development Trust. And it is the incredible can-do community which powers the town’s busy annual programme of events which attract people from far and wide to the town to enjoy incredible entertainment, not just throughout the summer months, but into the autumn, too.

Artistic beach fronts at the harbour (Image: Keith Kirk) The award-winning Kirkcudbright Summer Festivities encompasses a country fair, a woodland festival, a jazz festival, the much-loved Kirkcudbright Tattoo and Firework Display in August, the Festival of Light in October and much more.

With all of this, plus elegant streets and intriguing back lanes and closes, parks and gardens, museums and historic houses, and a wealth of independent shops and galleries to explore, it’s easy to see why thousands of visitors flock to Kirkcudbright each year, and why most never want to leave.