A contemporary exhibition space and studio in the North-West Highlands
Opening late summer 2026….
About the Hall
The old Mission Hall, built by the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1895, on the seaside edge of a Croft to the south of Gairloch, looks out across the dunes, the Inner Sound and the Minch, towards the Isle of Skye and the Outer Hebrides.
It has recently been acquired by the Scottish/Canadian painter Alison Dunlop RSW, who lives nearby. Her hope is to breathe new life into this old building, transforming it into an exhibition/event/studio space.
Primarily open by arrangement (as it is a working studio), from time to time the Mission Hall will host open studio exhibitions. Also being planned are curated exhibitions of work by other artists and makers whose practice also is informed and inspired by a deep connection to “The North” and to the natural world in this elemental and rugged maritime landscape.
The Coast
Opinan is a small, scattered and coastal crofting community on the Redpoint peninsula, just south of Gairloch.
It is located along the scenic coast road edging the Inner Sound and Northern Minch, with panoramic views towards to Isle of Skye, Rona, Harris, Lewis and the Shiant Isles.
This coastline is a vast, wild and open landscape, an amphitheatre in which we ‘live the weather’. The energy and the light in this place are unique and living here is a daily immersion in a breathtaking (sometimes overpowering) drama played out by light, wind and water. Due to the Gulf Stream and the presence of the Isles, nature seems to be in a state of constant flux and life here really is ruled by the elements.
The North-West Highlands offer a unique environment for artists wishing to engage closely with the natural world. Artists who live and work in this distinctive setting, cannot avoid being influenced by the complex interdependencies that shape both human and ecological experience, being immersed in them daily, as we are. The region’s rugged and wild terrain and dynamic ecosystems offer a powerful source of inspiration and foster meaningful conversations about connection with nature and our evolving relationship with time, place, and the forces that shape the landscape.
elemental
untamed
spirit of place
North
