A VERY special art shop has reopened in Dumfries after being closed due to covid for two years.
The Munches Street store is run by Support in Mind Scotland users and all stock has been created by them.
It has had a facelift ahead of its grand reopening, with new and different ideas to make it fresh and vibrant.
Paintings, photography, crafts, needlework and general art are on offer, with all proceeds going towards building improvements, art materials and essentials like tables and lighting.
Shop managers are part of the charity’s Life Skills service, which provides opportunities for personal development and improved employability skills through a combination of group work and individual support for adults affected by mental health issues. They received general retail training.
As well as selling art, the site aims to promote the Life Skills service and Support in Mind Scotland, as well as raise community awareness of mental health issues.
Head of the service, John Scott, said: “The store gives us the opportunity to incorporate all the skills that we try to help service users develop into the groups and activities that we run. This includes attention to detail, meeting deadlines, problem solving, decision making, teamwork, planning and organizing.
“For staff, the rewards come when we can tell a service user that something they created has just been sold. It is especially interesting when tourists visit the shop and never get tired of the items on sale.