Ayr: Past, Present, Future Exhibition

For over 35 years, 25 Newmarket Street was an iconic part of the everyday lives of local families as a beloved toy shop. Standing empty for 12 years, the building became another symbol of high-street decline in a town facing some of the highest town-centre deprivation levels in the UK.

Through Narture’s Culture Collective project, funded by Creative Scotland, we unlocked those doors to reimagine what a community space could be. The Ayr: Past, Present, Future community exhibition launched our year-long enquiry into how arts, food, play, and place can drive long-term regeneration.

Exhibition Highlights & Community Impact

• 60 Artists Featured: We invited artists and makers of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels to respond to the town’s identity. From painting and photography to textiles, ceramics, sculpture, and mixed media, 60 artists shared their creative vision for Ayr.
• Over 2,000 Visitors: Across the exhibition, more than 2,000 community members and visitors came through the doors to explore the artwork, connect, and celebrate the reopening of an iconic historic building.
• Rather than presenting a fixed programme, the exhibition opened a public dialogue asking: what does Ayr need to thrive creatively?

What’s Next for The Auld Toy Shop?

This opening show was just the beginning for our year-long enquiry. The Auld Toy Shop is evolving into a vibrant hub for shared meals, public events, creative workshops, and community consultation.

Through our ongoing project collaborations with Creative Scotland’s Culture Collective, we are working alongside a diverse team of socially engaged creative practitioners. These artists bring skills across everything from food, cooking, and gardening to textiles, woodwork, music, performance, and making.

Working in tandem with our three lead artists, these practitioners are helping us deliver a wide range of activity, from single weekend projects to long-term community workshops. Together, we are taking an open, ambitious approach to explore the space, build meaningful relationships, and help shape a permanent cultural space guided directly by what the people of Ayr need to thrive.

What projects, workshops, or activities would you like to see inside The Auld Toy Shop next? Drop your ideas in the comments below or pop by to join the conversation!