As we head into a new year, we want to take a minute to look back on everything we achieved in 2025. January always feels like a bit of a reset and this year especially, it feels important to acknowledge just how much actually happened.
2025 was full of ideas turning into real things, people showing up for us (and us showing up for each other), lots of learning, and a lot of figuring it out as we went. Here’s what the year looked like, month by month.
January
We kicked things off with Laura Jane Wilkie x Flos Collective CIC: Vent - a multi-disciplinary exhibition and gig as part of Celtic Connections. This was an ambitious project to pull off, especially with our Directors having just started full time jobs. Juggling it all was a challenge, but so worth it! A huge thank you to Laura for trusting us with this, and just generally championing Flos Collective!!
February
In February we hosted the Curlew immersive exhibition and gig. We loved collaborating with Curlew on this and bringing her incredible sounds to you all. It was also a lovely reminder of how exciting it is when different art forms come together in one space.
March
March was a big one. We ran a fundraiser for SPLINTR Festival and got confirmation of match funding from Creative Scotland! We had to read the email about five times just to make sure it was real.
April
April brought one of our highlights of the year: Flos Collective x Alba Cross - a weekend camping trip. It was very wet, very windy, slightly chaotic, but completely worth it. Getting out of the city together and slowing down reminded us why working collectively matters so much.
This was also when Esme started her Go See Share–funded research project, travelling from Normandy to Ipswich to Belfast. That time and space for research has already started shaping how we think about Flos and what we want to build next.
May
In May, Glue and Gab got a shout-out, supported by the Make It Happen Fund (thank you Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). These moments of recognition might seem small, but when you’re grassroots they really do mean a lot. Kaiya Bartholomew delivered these collage socials throughout the year and we feel so lucky to have her as part of the Flos family!
June
June was the Pippa Blundell album listening party - a calmer, more intimate event and a lovely reminder that sometimes all you need is good music and people in a room together.
July
July was about slowing down. We held a core team residency to reflect on the year so far, talk honestly about burnout, and rest where we could. A much-needed pause - and one we’re trying to get better at taking.
August
In August, we started properly promoting SPLINTR Festival. Huge thanks to Taylor Dewar for the branding and poster design - this was when the festival started to feel very real very quickly.
September
September was full-on prep mode. Spreadsheets everywhere, endless emails, lots of problem-solving. Intense, but also full of teamwork and care behind the scenes.
October
And then… SPLINTR FESTIVAL 2025. Our biggest project to date. Four days of art, music, film, workshops, conversations and community. Watching something we’d been planning for so long finally come to life - and be supported so beautifully by artists and audiences - is something we’ll always be proud of.
November – December
After October, we rested. As much as we could. November and December were about slowing down, recovering, and letting ourselves switch off a bit.
Looking ahead from 2025
Writing this in early January, we mostly feel grateful. For the artists, collaborators, audiences, funders, and friends who supported us, showed up, and believed in what we’re building. We ran 22 events, created over 70 opportunities for artists and reached many more audience members. Honestly, we can't really believe the amount we pulled off in one year.
Thanks for being part of 2025 with us. We can't wait to see what this year will bring!
