The Regional Artists Database (DAD) is a body of volunteer-run databases. Originally founded in January 2024 to basically be a yellow-pages for artists in Dundee, Scotland as the Dundee Artists Database. The DAD was made after it’s creator was trying to program art events in Dundee and was finding that she had to keep a log of people’s names, artists names, emails, Instagram handles and general contact information in her phone notes and thought it would be helpful if these were all in the one place- and it would be even more helpful people could enter their own details. And it would be even more helpful if the directory was free to use, free to search and free to put your details into. So that’s what happened: and the DAD was born.
By 2026, so many regional databases had been added to the DAD site, that the DAD website became the RAD - Regional Artists Databases.
The purpose of all the RAD databases is to connect and benefit artists in Scotland, and hopefully help make it easier for them to find work and be found by people looking to hire/collaborate/etc with them. You do not have to be born and bred in the respective region to enter your details into any of the databases, although you should live and work in the area the database belongs to. You also don’t need to be from any respective region to search for artists in any database.
All forms for the databases can be found on Instagram at @regionalartistsdatabase at the link in the bio, as well as on this webpage and via QR codes round the .
All Regional Artists Databses are now and will forever be free to use and free to search. The RAD will never directly ask or lobby anyone to use or search any RAD. Users will always reserve the right to requests their details be removed from any database - more about this can be found in our terms and conditions.
The RAD is still a baby, and will be developed as we go - as better ideas come in, feedback is offered and as the RAD’s mum becomes more technologically proficient.
Hopefully, the RAD will help bring artists across Scotland together and benefit artists living in Scotland.
Lots of love,
big RAD xx