Stirling Photography Festival goes Beyond with exhibitions across Stirlingshire
The Stirling Photography Festival is proud to announce the launch of a series of exhibitions in rural Stirling as part of their 2025 programme.
Article Source: Stirling Photography Festival
Last Updated: 29 August 2025 13:01
Stirling Photography Festival Goes ‘Beyond’ with exhibitions across Stirlingshire.
They explore the festival theme Beyond, a call to look past the surface and challenge the expected. Whether questioning familiar narratives, or traversing physical and social boundaries, the exhibitions reflect diverse voices and creative approaches, from all across our community.
‘Beyond’ is a new exhibition at the Weigh Ahead Gallery in Dunblane which will open on Saturday 6th September, showcasing the work of local photographers and festival volunteers in this welcoming, community focused space.
One of the exhibiting artists is Charles McGuigan from Stirling.
He said: “I’m a landscape photographer drawn to quiet, atmospheric places and the way light and reflections can completely change how we see a scene. I recently graduated from the University of Stirling with a First-Class Honours Degree in Photography, and this exhibition marks the start of my journey beyond university. My work focuses on natural environments and aims to capture a sense of stillness and mood. I’m always exploring new ways to tell stories through images and I’m excited to share this selection of work.”
The collaboration with the Weigh Ahead, a well-loved local venue with a strong community and sustainability mission, underscores the festival’s commitment to making photography more visible and accessible.
Lesley O'Hare, Curator of the Weigh Ahead Gallery, said: “Weigh Ahead Gallery is delighted to be connecting, for the first time, with Stirling Photography Festival and to be supporting the area's vibrant photographic community. The Gallery, overlooking the Cathedral, aims to be a meeting place connecting emerging and established artists and what better way is there of doing this than finding like-minded partners!”
An opening event will be held on the evening of 5th September from 6pm -8pm and the public are invited to come together in celebration of visual storytelling and local artistic talent. The exhibition will run until Saturday 11th October.
There are also exhibitions at Doune and Dunblane libraries during the festival. In Doune Library is a small collection of the work of Dunblane resident Tom Astbury, from his dùthchas project. These form an exploration of the landscapes which inspired Gaelic poet Duncan bàn Macintyre and will be on show from 21st August to 18th September. Tom will hold an talk in Doune library on Saturday 6th September and will be accompanied by Ailsa Morgan who will read some of bàn Macintyre’s works in Gaelic.
At Dunblane Library, Forth Valley Welcome will show the photography of a number of new Scots in A New Home. This collection sensitively reflects the experiences of the artists who have been displaced from their homelands and are now settled locally.
Built on a project launched as part of last year’s photography festival, Elizabeth Fairgrieve of Forth Valley Welcome says of this exhibition: “A New Home exhibits images from New Scots and Ukrainians who have come to Scotland in hope of securing peace for their families. It highlights the struggles and the hope associated with coming to a new place and eventually, calling it home.”
This exhibition opens on 28th August and will run until 30th September.
Meanwhile, Shane Simmons will exhibit his project Tranquillity and Ruin at Mugdock Country Park, Campsie Gallery from 19th September until 4th October.
The collection of landscapes is made in Mugdock and Shane says of his project: “The work explores the themes of loss, grief, and ultimately healing through creativity and deep connection with outdoor spaces.”
Shane is a graduate of Kelvin College Glasgow and this will be his first solo exhibition. A talk by Shane on 19th September will accompany the exhibition.
At its heart, the festival’s mission is to inspire creativity, develop skills and build community through photography. This range of exhibitions seeks to offer opportunities to connect people and place through photography.
The full festival Beyond 2025 programme of exhibitions and events, with details on how to book, can be found on the Stirling Photography website at www.stirlingphotographyfestival.co.uk/2025
Image credit: Al Dawes
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