About us

Our Vision

Dunoon and the wider Cowal peninsula will be a thriving, resilient community where arts and culture is valued and individuals are confident and positive about their lives

Our strapline: Bringing the Unexpected to Dunoon

Our Mission

Dunoon Burgh Hall Trust will achieve that vision by

1.Bringing the unexpected to Dunoon and operating a busy, attractive and sustainable arts and cultural centre in a vital heritage building that the community loves.

2.Offering a quality Café service to compliment our diverse and exciting exhibition and events programme within our high spec gallery and theatre spaces.

3.Generating and providing life chances for all of our community in an innovative manner.

4.Facilitating learning, skills development and training while working to address mental health and isolation through creative opportunities and community collaboration.

Our Values

1.Welcoming – open to all

2.Vibrant – working in an innovative manner to create new opportunities

3.Connected – working with various groups and partner organisations

4.Inclusive – we work with all sections of the community

5.Responsive – we respond and adapt to the needs of our community

Our History

Once set for demolition, Dunoon Burgh Hall is an inspiring story of a small Scottish community coming together to preserve its rich cultural heritage. The building was rescued by the community, who worked with the John McAslan Family Trust to purchase it for a token £1.

Following a major refurbishment in 2017, this grade b listed building is now a fully accessible venue for exhibitions, performances, gatherings, community meetings and events, providing the community with an accessible space in which to gather and celebrate.

Today Dunoon Burgh Hall is an inclusive organisation which works hard to improve mental well being by providing access to the arts through a year-long programme of free exhibitions, theatre and events.

Alongside this we offer learning programmes for children and young people; artist talks for the community; and dance and drama opportunities from Professional theatre companies. We also deliver workshops in design, film, visual arts and literature.

To find out more about our history Read the Dunoon Burgh Hall Chronicles

Our Charitable Objectives

(a) to advance heritage through preserving for public benefit the historical, architectural and constructional heritage that may exist in and around Dunoon and Cowal in buildings (including any part of a building, and any other structure or erection) of particular beauty or of historical, architectural or constructional interest, and in particular the Dunoon Burgh Hall;

(b) by generally advancing the Dunoon Burgh Hall as a community and cultural resource to advance
the arts and culture and to advance citizenship and community development through maintaining a cultural programme there (which shall include Music, Art, Film, Dance, Literature, Photography) for use by and in participation with the local community in Argyll & Bute Council Electoral Ward 7 Dunoon and Argyll & Bute Council Electoral Ward 6 Cowal, as defined by the Local Government Boundary
Commission for Scotland, Fourth Ward Review 2007 and by members of the public
in general;

(c) The advancement of citizenship or community development (including rural or urban regeneration and the promotion of civic responsibility and volunteering);

(d) the advancement of education;

(e)The provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended, and only in relation to recreational facilities or activities which are primarily available to members of the public at large (“the charitable objects”).