Visual Arts Studio with Bea Last 2025

Join artist Bea Last for a nine day portfolio development course - an intensive short course for young people that will cover various elements of the creative visual art process.

This course is for young people from Dumfries and Galloway, aged 16-25 years.

The course will take place over 9 days on the following dates: 23rd August – 18th October (9 days in total, Saturdays over 9 weeks) 10am – 4pm (with 3 short breaks throughout the day) at Gracefield Arts Centre, Dumfries.

This is a FREE opportunity but spaces are limited (14 spaces available), so you will have to book here.

Booking will close on the 8th July.

Beyond this date, please email us at hello@weareupland.com with the subject line 'VAS' to register your interest.

About the course:
Each day will present a specific focus such as creative drawing, drawing to perform, sculptural forms, printmaking, sketchbooks and collage. Participants will also consider documentation, installation, sourcing materials and create personal development projects in order to develop an experimental body of work, enabling the development of artistic practice.

These workshops may help to boost your portfolio for applying to Art School or just help you explore your creative practice!

About the tutor:

Bea Last is a visual artist based in Dumfries & Galloway with a process-led practice that explores drawing in its broadest sense.

From illustration to sculptural drawings Bea’s practice has developed over the last 30 years. She has exhibited widely nationally and internationally. Recent exhibitions include being shortlisted for the Laguna Arte Prize in Venice 2024 and finalist for the Aesthetica ArtPrize 2024 in York. In 2025 Bea won the Visual Arts Association Artist of the year award and closer to home, the DGLife Awards , Artist/Maker of the year. She has upcoming exhibitions in the Netherlands and Italy.

Bea is an experienced mentor and tutor, facilitating and designing workshops for a range of participants. Bea has previously worked with Glasgow School of Art as a tutor for their Widening Participation Portfolio Preparation Course and continues to mentor privately on a one to one basis. She has been a Professional Creative Practitioner for Better Lives Partnership, a charity supporting young people on the autism disorder spectrum and Bea has also previously mentored for Upland on our Emerge Bursary Programme and facilitated Upland’s Visual Art Summer Studio in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Find out more about Bea’s practice here: www.bealast.com.

Find out more about what the course includes here (PDF) or here (docx).

If possible, please bring a packed lunch with you. The Gracefield cafe is open on Saturdays (10am - 3pm).

We have some small bursaries available to help with some additional costs (such as travel, lunches, etc). If this support would be helpful for you, or if you have any further questions, then please contact us here - hello@weareupland.com

Watch the following video we made last year to hear more from Bea and previous participants about what the course involves:

For more information visit: https://www.weareupland.com/opportunities/visual-arts-studio-with-bea-last-2025

Supported by: The Holywood Trust and Creative Scotland.