The dream is simple...
to create a social space for the LGBTQIA+ community of Dundee. A creative hub and garden that celebrates diversity, promotes environmental awareness, inspires creativity and supports wellbeing through nature, horticulture, art, connection and opportunity.
A Growing Space
A community garden project for members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have green fingers or a love of nature and want to create something beautiful in Dundee.
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Are you a keen gardener? Or would you like to learn horticultural skills?
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Do you want to reconnect with nature or discover more about the environment?
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Are you someone who takes positive action towards environmental issues and making change happen?
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Are you aware of the positive impacts gardening has on mental health and wellbeing and want to explore this further?
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Would you enjoy being outside with a friendly community of people?
If you are interested in becoming a part of our green team, get in touch! We meet three times a week (sometimes more) depending on weather. Fun, informal, friendly, kind.
A Creative Space
Creativity is a key component of the project and we're looking for artists, crafters, makers, designers and writers who want to become a part of Room to Be.
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Would you like to be more artistic but don't know where to start?
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Are you an artist, writer or creative keen to get involved?
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Are you a workshop facilitator looking to reach out to the LGBTQIA+ community?
We meet once a month for our Chill/Create session, where members can bring along a creative project or join in with whatever activity has been planned.
A Social Space
Having somewhere to go and different social opportunities on offer that are not only welcoming and inclusive but actively celebrates diversity and the spectrum of identities that exist within our community.
Are you a member of the LGBTQIA+ community or ally and understand the need for a visible, beautiful, progressive, safe space like this in Dundee?
Inclusivi-T is a new programme in the early stages of development aimed at offering social opportunities and events with targeted outreach to the trans, non binary and intersex community and their allies.
Our Manifesto
To work towards the establishment of a garden and community hub for the LGBTQIA+ community of Dundee.
Room to Be is a not for profit community project that:
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promotes wellbeing through nature, horticulture and creativity.
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aims to provide opportunity for personal growth, creativity and social connection.
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is climate aware, environmentally minded, always looking for ways to minimise waste.
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recognises the diversity and complexity of intersectionality within the LGBTQIA+ community and is active in addressing barriers to participation.
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is inclusive and celebrates the beauty of gender diversity and identity. We see trans men and women as expanding the human understanding of what it means to be male or female. We see non binary people further enriching our sense of gender as fluid and a spectrum. Trans men are men, trans women are women and non binary and intersex people exist.
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will endeavour to find ways for further outreach that helps support the LGBTQIA+ community and stands in solidarity with their right to live free from discrimination.
Meet-ups will always be safe, inclusive, accepting and kind.
Please do contact us if you have any accessibility requirements or concerns. If you struggle with social anxiety you can let us know; we will work with you to find ways to help alleviate attendance anxiety as best we can. We are happy to give more detailed forenotice of what to expect at any Meet Up if that information is helpful.
Get Involved!
Becoming a member is easy. Ping us an email to introduce yourself and let us know what aspects of Room to Be interest you: gardening, creativity, social opportunities, Inclusivi-T, the creation of safe spaces, or all of it.
If you are an individual or organisation interested in partnership or collaboration, we'd love to hear from you.
Contact us at roomtobe.dundee@gmail.com
To Grow
Be a part of our nature and gardening task force. You do not need any prior-horticultural knowledge, just a willingness to get your hands dirty. Meet-Ups happen flexibly throughout the week with a regular meet-up on Saturday 11-2pm. Contact us to sign up and we will keep you in the loop!
To Create
Creativity is a massive part of Room to Be and there are many ways our creatives can get involved. From designing art for our website, posters and promotional material; to painting planters and making sculptures for our garden; to running creative workshops to teach members new skills. Once a month we have a creative social where you can bring whatever project you're currently working on - or you can start something new from whatever we have in our craft box.
To Connect
Connection is at the heart of everything at Room to Be, so we look to find different ways to connect and socialise with our community, from board game evenings, theatre or cinema trips, to going for a walk in nature. The possibilities are endless. Our members lead on these suggestions and Room to Be helps facilitate.
We are developing a new programme called Inclusivi-T in partnership with Cake or Dice and Transdonians. This will be an ongoing timetable of events, volunteering days and opportunities with specific outreach to trans, non binary and intersex people. These events and workshops are hosted by individuals, groups or organisations who want to make it clear that trans and gender diverse people are welcome and included by them.
Dates for the Diary
Our Green Team meet regularly on Saturdays, 11-2pm, whatever the weather! We will always have outdoor or indoor tasks. There are tea making facilities and toilets. Our Saturday space is a wheelchair accessible community centre with raised beds.
There is also often an opportunity to meet though the week on Wednesday evening and Friday afternoon at our mini allotment. Please be aware, these meet-ups are more flexible and are weather dependant. We use our Signal group chat to confirm these meet-ups. We always advise people contacting the group beforehand.
If you are new to the group, please email us to let us know you are intending to come! roomtobe.dundee@gmail.com
Our Saturday garden session is cancelled to make plenty of big, bright rainbow room for PRIDE. May you march and be merry and gay!
DCA want to make it clear that the Trans, Non-Binary and Intersex community will always be welcome at the centre. As part of our Inclusivi-T programme they have offered free tickets to see Pariah on Monday 16th June.
Tickets are available to all Room to Be and Transdonians members.
Any remaining spare tickets will be advertised last minute on Cake or Dice social media platform.
There are limited tickets available. First come, first served.
As part of Dundee's Community Garden Network, Room to Be will be displaying mini-gardens at the V&A open day alongside fellow community garden groups from Dundee and surrounding areas.
DCA want to make it clear that the Trans, Non-Binary and Intersex community will always be welcome at the centre. As part of our Inclusivi-T programme they have offered free tickets to see Bent on Sunday 22nd June.
Tickets are available to all Room to Be and Transdonians members.
Any remaining spare tickets will be advertised last minute on Cake or Dice social media platform.
There are limited tickets available. First come, first served.
This is an external event that a number of our members are keen to attend.
'Strange Strangers' is a queer ecology study group initiated by artist AJ Stockwell as part of their studio fellowship at DJCAD. The group meets monthly with each gathering focusing on a different area of interest.
This session at Dundee Botanical Garden will focus on gardening, thinking about non-hierarchical, collective approaches to growth; acts of radical care; and the interconnectedness between human and more-than-human communities.
If you'd like to sign up you will need a ticket through Eventbrite as spaces are limited. Click here!
Room to Be is a proud member of Dundee's Community Garden Network.
We will be meeting with fellow community garden members as a summer social get together and have a potluck lunch.
Time and venue to be arranged.
Chill/Create is our monthly creative social held at Cake or Dice. You can come along with your own creative project or join in with whatever planned activity we've brought along. It is usually held on the penultimate Sunday of every month.
WHO ARE WE?
Emile Mackie
(He/Him)
Chairperson
Project Lead
A man of many hats! Emile is a professional gardener, trained in horticulture and countryside management with a background in support work. He is also a novelist, freelance literary consultant and creative writing mentor.
Emile cares deeply about people, community, SOIL, plants, wildlife, sustainability, the environment, words, literature, music and the arts. He compulsively likes to learn new things and is almost always on a new course.
Emile founded Room to Be because he believes that societal change is best impacted through community activism; and positive personal change can grow from being being a seen and valued member of a safe community.
Mel Kalkan
(She/Her)
Secretary
Creative Engagement Coordinator
Textiles artist, surface designer, fabric fanatic and colour and pattern enthusiast, Mel is qualified in Photography and Fine Art and holds her certificate in Counselling (Level 3). Her professional background is in inclusive educational provisions, resource development and the delivery of courses with differentiated learning objectives.
Mel cares deeply about inclusivity and safe spaces for marginalised members of society, and is a strong proponent of making, creating and crafting as a means of improving wellbeing.
Hollis Crowe
(He/Him)
Treasurer
Blurb about Hollis up and coming: but we can tell you he is an artist who is big on nature, wee forests, looking under slabs to see what crawlies he can spot, and is enthused by spreadsheets and helping us keep on track with organising things.
Amaranthine Craigie
(She/Her)
Committee member
Blurb about Amara up and coming: but we can tell you she is an uplifting force with a passionate voice and boundless enthusiasm, a woman who truly sings out for the collective and community, a poet, an activist and a mentor for empowerment and confidence building.
El Dinelely
(He/Him)
Committee member
Blurb about El up and coming: but we can tell you he is deeply considerate of others, committed, driven and thorough. He has perfected the art of well considered constructive feedback, always remaining incredibly fair. An excellent communicator and a caring and welcoming soul who gives the most excellent hugs.
Anna Rooney
(She/Her)
Creative Engagement Coordinator
With a passion for nature, Anna is an artist based in Dundee and Angus, taking inspiration from formations present in the natural world and the ways in which making connects her to the environment. After graduating with a degree in Textile Design, she has evolved into a multi-disciplinary artist, specialising in drawing, painting and ceramics as well as textiles.
While she develops her personal practice, Anna’s role at Room To Be involves working with Mel to co-produce programmes of creative engagement and design arts and crafts workshops that inspire others to make cool things, express themselves and connect with nature.
Carolina
(She / Her)
Steering Committee
Blurb about Carolina up and coming: but we can tell you she has recently done a roller skating course and we all want her to teach us how to skate! Invested and passionate about the impact of community engagement. She is well equipped with warm smiles and fantastic earrings.
Ayanna
(has no need of gender)
Steering Committee and Youth Ambassador
Ayanna has been with us from the very earliest stages of Room to Be's conception. Abundantly positive with a dazzlingly sharp wit. A vital voice that keeps Room to Be up to date and relevant.
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