Ross native appointed to key artist studio board
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HIGHLANDER Dyan Owen has been appointed to the board of Wasps Artists Studios as the creative work space provider prepares to open its most ambitious project in the north.
Glasgow-based Wasps is Scotland’s largest creative community, providing high-quality affordable work space and other facilities for more than 800 tenants from Shetland to the Borders.
This includes the £5.7 million Inverness Creative Academy project that is currently transforming the former Inverness Royal Academy building in Crown into an exhibition, performance and events space, with 39 studios and work spaces for north creators.
The first occupants of the creative hub, which was previously the Midmills campus for Inverness College UHI, are expected to move in by the end of the year.
Ms Owen, who is originally from the Ross-shire town of Alness, is an account director and communications specialist with international public relations firm Weber Shandwick, and believes the arts have an invaluable role to play in generating growth and strengthening society, especially in economically fragile areas such as the Highlands. She said: "I’m a strong believer in both the economic and the social importance of the arts.
"So I’m excited to be working with an organisation like Wasps that understands the potential of the arts in driving social as well as economic development.
"Wasps is so impressive because it has invested in places like Nairn and Skye rather than just focusing on the central belt.
"It allows people to invest in their passion, it creates opportunities and provides long-term security for artists and makers."
She is one of two new appointments to the board of Wasps, alongside entrepreneur Hugo Burge, who was chief of the Momondo Group travel search enterprise, which was acquired by Booking Group for $550 million in 2017.
Audrey Carlin, Wasps chief executive, said: "It’s great to be able to welcome two such talented people to our board, especially as they have a deep commitment to the arts and the creative economy.
"Over the past 40 years Wasps has become Scotland’s largest provider of high-quality studios and working spaces for artists, makers and creative companies, but we are ambitious to achieve far more.
"The creative economy is one of Scotland’s greatest assets but it needs support to develop and grow.
"Hugo and Dyan have exactly the skills and experience that will help us to make that happen."
