Joan McAlpine

Project Director

Joan was previously convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee and MSP for South Scotland from 2011-2016. She has been editor of The Sunday Times Scotland, Deputy Editor of The Herald and a columnist for these and other newspapers. Her awards include Scottish Journalist of the Year. Joan has an MA Hons in Scottish and Economic History from the University of Glasgow. Joan lives in Galloway and began volunteering as an Ellisland trustee in February 2020, after leading parliamentary debates on Robert Burns and the Economy. Joan’s post is supported by the SCVO Adapt and Thrive Fund.

Adam Dickson

Museum Project Officer

Project Officer Adam from Stranraer is a recent graduate of the Museums Studies postgraduate course at the University of Glasgow. He will care for Ellisland’s precious collection of Burns artefacts and be mentored by the trust’s chair, Dr David Hopes, a former Director of the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway,  and Director of Museums and Galleries in the city of Leeds.

Sarah White

Operations and Administration Officer

Sarah is our part-time Operations and Administration Officer. She is a recent graduate of the Computer, IT and Design degree at the Open University. As well as ensuring the museum and trust operate smoothly, she also helps manage the Auld Acquaintance Cottage.

Ailsa Paton

Development Officer

Meet Ailsa Paton, the newest member of our team here at Ellisland. Ailsa, who is from Dumfries, will deliver our events, youth and education initiatives as well as supporting the day to day running of the site and our visitor offer. Ailsa, 26, previously worked for Young Enterprise Scotland, helping young people across the region and beyond develop their skills and confidence. Ailsa attended Dumfries and Galloway College where she was Student Association vice president. She has a BA ( Hons) in Rural Business Management from the University of Glasgow and SRUC and did part of her degree at Barony Campus. Ailsa’s position is supported by The Holywood Trust for which we are very grateful. She joins two other local young people under 30 on the Ellisland team Adam Dickson and Sarah White as well as our Project Director Joan McAlpine – The Holywood Trust Dumfries and Galloway College SRUC Barony Campus University of Glasgow.

Duncan Dornan

Chair

Duncan Dornan has recently retired as Head of Museums and Collections at Glasgow Life after 9 years in the role. After 16 years of teaching, Duncan moved to the National Museums of Scotland as Museum Manager. Here he worked on the delivery of the National Museum of Rural Life, a joint partnership between the National Museums and NTS . He later moved to Glasgow Museums in 2013 as Senior Manager, and finally moved onto Head of Museums and Collections at Glasgow Life. Highlights of his tenure include the £68.25m refurbishment of the Burrell Collection, which was named Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2023.

Prof Gerard Carruthers

Secretary

One of the world’s leading Burns scholars, Gerry holds the Francis Hutcheson Chair of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow and is Co-Director of the Centre for Robert Burns Studies there. Additionally, he was formerly Convener of the Burns Scotland Partnership (the National Burns Collection), and is General Editor of the Oxford University Press Edition of the Works of Robert Burns. He has published 17 books and over 150 academic articles and essays.

Dr David Hopes

Head of Leeds Museums & Galleries, David was previously Head of Collections & Interiors for the National Trust for Scotland. Before that, he was formerly Director of the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway as well as a research fellow at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. David has a PhD from the University of Birmingham focused on Museums and Digital, and a Masters degree in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester.

Professor Ian Brown

Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow and Emeritus Drama Professor at Kingston University, London, Ian is General Editor of The Edinburgh History of Scottish Literature and Series Co-editor of The International Companions to Scottish Literature. A former convener of the Saltire Society, he is a highly regarded playwright and poet. He is Past President of The Association for Scottish Literary Studies and Founder-Chair of the Scottish Society of Playwrights.

Asif Khan

Asif is the director of the Scottish Poetry Library, and has worked across arts and heritage, including at the Museums Libraries & Archives Council for the UK’s Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Cultural programme in 2007. He was an associate of the Arts Council England’s Cultural Leadership Programme, for which he wrote the visual art strategy for Barbados. Asif has also worked with the Jamaican Government in support of their poet laureate initiative. He sits on the Advisory Committee for British Council (Scotland) and is a Board member of Perth & Kinross Culture Trust. He also sits on the national Policy Committee for CILIP, the UK’s library and information association, and Edinburgh’s Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group.

Cllr Linda Dorward

Linda is the Councillor for the Lochar Ward, which Robert Burns Ellisland Museum & Farm falls within. She has been a councillor in the Lochar Ward (Ward 8) since 2022. Linda is also the former Governor of Dumfries Prison.

Ian Houston

Ian is President of the Scottish Business Network U.S . He specialises in promoting Scottish business, trade, industry, culture and universities in the U.S. Ian is also the Director of Clydebuilt International which supports charitable organisations, businesses, and universities to grow their business in North America. He has collaborated with former US Secretaries of State, senators, ambassadors, CEOs and academics focused on leadership, education and the value of cooperation. Ian writes for the Herald Scotland and Voice Newspapers in Cornwall. He also published a book of poetry and is a GlobalScot. 

Graham Main

Graham is a well-known figure on the local and national arts scene, with a strong track record in cultural projects spanning nearly twenty years. He is the founder of Big Burns Supper which is the world’s largest Burns Night celebration and community arts organisation covering South Scotland. He has had senior roles in a diverse range of organisations including Dublin Fringe, Dublin Opera, St Patricks Day, British Council, Communidad Madrid, Dublin City Council, Dundee Rep, and most recently as General Manager of Harold Pinter Theatre and Exec Director of Summerhall. He loves river swimming with his dog Layla and husband Gary.

Visit

There is so much to see at Ellisland Museum & Farm, so please allow at least an hour for a short visit and two to three hours for a full visit. We’re a short, 5 mile drive from the centre of nearby Dumfries, just off the A76.

Become a Member

Burns experienced his most creative and fruitful years here at Ellisland. He found great poetic inspiration in the beauty of the surrounding countryside, the various people he met and the events he witnessed whilst living here.

Robert Burns

Ellisland Museum & Farm is conveniently situated on the road between Robert Burns’ birthplace in Alloway and his final resting place at St Michael’s Cemetery in Dumfries.