Graham Main

Graham oversees the company and leads on our landmark projects as well managing the team that deliver our projects. He is a known figure on the arts scene, with a strong track record in cultural projects spanning nearly twenty years. He is the founder of the company and has worked with a diverse range of organisations in a variety of cultural producing roles; including Dublin Fringe, Dublin Opera, St Patricks Day, British Council, Communidad Madrid, Dublin City Council and Dundee Rep. He was instrumental in the setting up of Dumfries & Galloway Unlimited, taking the role of Chair of Nithsdale. He currently sits on the board of Birds of Paradise, and loves river swimming with his dog Molly.

Allison McLellan

Allison has been with the company for nine years, first as a young person on a return to work scheme. Since then she has progressed through the company working across the full portfolio of our administrative hub supporting our creative teams. She graduated from Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts with a degree in Entertainment Management in 2019 and has since then rejoined full time in the role of Company Manager where she oversees governance, finance, contracting and administration for the organisation. She loves live music and her taste straddles somewhere between Kanye and Blossoms.

Caitriona McGowan

Caitriona works freelance with us, and is an international designer working with major clients to help them achieve their aspirations. She first worked with us in 2012 and has been a regular contributor to our work ever since. She is based in Dublin and her work regularly leads the St. Patricks Day Parade. She plays basketball in her spare time.

Ryan Smith

Ryan works freelance with us as a performance designer having led Burns Night Carnival in 2015, and scooping the Visual Artist of the Year Award. He works on our big projects adding visual design to our venues, theatre shows and community arts projects. He plays guitar and harmonica in his spare time as well as being a Daddy.

Justin Hyslop

Justin helped set up the company back in 2011 and played a key role shaping some of our Youth Arts projects with the Creative Schools project. He is a leader in Cultural inclusion specializing in in-care, youth offending, and at risk young people. He mentors our young people who take part in our Producers of the Future programme.

Zoe Leigh Gadd

Zoë is a dance artist, researcher and choreographer with an extensive background in university lecturing, performance and choreographic practice. Zoe first joined the organisation by taking part in Carlisle Fringe festival 2018 with her student performance of a Mid-Summer Nights Dream. Since then, Zoe has worked on a number of projects with the organisation and had become a key consultant in creative practice.

Chris Foote

Cara Vallance

Cara joined Big Burns Supper in 2014 where she participated in the festival and later joined our Youth Theatre, performing in the 2015 ‘Connections’ festival. Cara left Dumfries in 2018 to study ‘Drama and Performance’ at Queen Margaret University, however she is now back in Dumfries to become one of our Trainee Producers. Cara is excited to be involved in the festival and wants to gain wider experience working with children, which will help her apply for a Post Graduate Course in teaching.

Cerys Cooper

Having recently moved to Dumfries and Galloway for its rich culture and emphasis on community focused projects, Cerys is an all-round creative with a life-long passion for live music, who has aspirations of pursuing a career in the arts. Cerys attained a BA in Commercial Music and has since sought to enrich her knowledge of the sector, gaining hands-on experience within the creative industries. Cerys has previously set up her own music label and management company and currently takes on commissions creating digital artworks on a freelance basis.

Mia Osbourne

Mia joined the Big Burns Supper in 2021 as a Trainee Producer. She studied Social Science at University before realising the city wasn’t for her and moved back home to Dumfries & Galloway, since then she has been involved in many local events and festivals. She is widely known within the local festival scene and is usually found volunteering at festivals such as Eden and Knockengorroch. Her passion, however, lies in Scottish History and culture and is excited to link this up to her work with Big Burns Supper. Mia loves wild swimming, gardening and going on adventures round the countryside.

Erin Glynn

Erin has just recently started at the company as a Trainee Producer, after graduating from University of Gloucestershire with a degree in Music Business she had aspirations to move into live music events within Scotland. Through lockdown she turned her attention to exploring Dumfries, making industry connections and looking for any opportunity to get back into the creative industry. She now plans to travel the Scotland 500 as well as the Highlands, when its safe to do so, and finally get an Alsatian dog that she’s always wanted.

King Dalby

King has worked with Big Burns Supper previously as an Ambassador and a PR Volunteer and has now become one of the Trainee Producers. Graduating from their events degree in 2020, they have experience with a variety of events and are passionate about accessibility and inclusion. King always aims to bring a spot of colour and fun to their working environment. Hobbies include painting, baking and listening to alternative music.

Rory Kempsell

Rory recently joined The Big Burns Supper as a trainee Producer. As a recent graduate of the University of Cumbria in BA Drama & Musical Theatre, he has explored the many ways of theatre can be made in site specific locations with limited resources. Moving back to Dumfries after graduating he started to get back into the local culture, when the pandemic hit. Jumping at the chance to get back into the creative scene he is looking forward to the new focus with the company. Outisde of the company he enjoys gaming and walking through the rural spots around home.

Molly Burtonwood

Molly joined the Big Burns Supper in 2021 as a Trainee Producer after moving up from Manchester to Dumfries and Galloway. She studied at Future Skills College in Manchester studying creative media, and she hopes to put her skills in photography and design to good use during her traineeship. Molly enjoys photography, music, design and going for long walks with her dog Sid.

Natalie Doidge

Natalie has worked with Big Burns Supper in many different capacities, starting out as a member of Dumfries Youth Theatre in 2013. She was also a Young Associate in 2014 and a member of Dumfries Community Choir, and has returned to the company as a Trainee Producer. She studied Theatre and Film at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, and has a background in Musical Theatre, Sketch Comedy and Workshop Facilitation. Natalie is an enthusiastic home cook and enjoys music from the 1960s.

Kate Bouchier-Hayes

Kate is a Senior Publicist for Cornershop PR and manages the PR campaigns for Big Burns Supper and Carlisle Fringe Festival. Get in touch with her if you are looking to run a story about us or have a press related enquiry.

Russell Milligan

Russell is Bright Eye Design which boasts an incredible roster of cultural clients across the South of Scotland. He manages the brand and all of our visual communications, as well as leading the design of the festival brochures for Carlisle Fringe and Big Burns Supper.

Cara McNaught

Cara works freelance with us leading some of our community transformation programmes like Transform Dumfries and the Burns Night Carnival. She is a powerful advocate for inclusion and works with our volunteer teams to deliver some of our venue designs. She is better known as the small axe and convenor of all things caffeine.