Wellbeing on Track: A Highland & Islands Digital Heritage Network Commission

Create a digital story trail responding to archive images and material around journeys, wellbeing and heritage at the Highland Museum of Childhood.

We are seeking a creative studio or artist-led team to develop an interactive digital experience that brings to life the archive images and stories of a historic Highland railway station and spa village.

This commission invites you to create a story trail experience that can be explored both online and on-site, connecting archive material with reflections on mental health, wellbeing and journeys.

The opportunity

The Highland Museum of Childhood (HMOC), based in the former Victorian railway station in Strathpeffer, is commissioning a creative partner to design and produce a digital story trail experience.

Drawing on archive photographs, newspaper cuttings and heritage materials, the project will explore:

• The history of the Old Station and Strathpeffer Spa
• Journeys taken for health, travel and transformation
• Changing ideas of wellbeing from the Victorian era to today

The final experience will be accessible:

• Online, for remote audiences year-round
• On site, via QR codes located around the station, platform and surrounding greenspace

The work should be engaging, accessible and designed for a broad audience, including visitors, local communities and younger digital users.

What you’ll create

You will design and deliver a bi-lingual (English & Gaelic) digital story trail, featuring a minimum of six interactive “activation points” that audiences can explore in a non-linear way.

The experience might include:

• Archive photography and visual storytelling
• Soundscapes or audio narratives
• Animation or moving image
• Interactive or map-based navigation
• Location-responsive content accessed via QR codes

We are particularly interested in ideas that respond creatively to place, memory and landscape, and that connect physical and digital exploration.

Youth engagement

A key part of this project is the inclusion of a Youth Group (ages 16–24).

You will work with young people at an appropriate stage in the project to:

• Contribute ideas and perspectives
• Take part in workshops or co-design activity
• Test and respond to the experience prior to launch

We are looking for proposals that embed youth voice in a meaningful and achievable way.

Budget and timeline

Fee: £12,000 + VAT
(Inclusive of all costs including production, engagement, hosting and maintenance for 5 years)

Key dates:

• Deadline for proposals: Friday 15th May, 5pm 2026
• Project start: May/June 2026
• Launch: October 2026

Production will involve a mix of on-site research and community engagement in Strathpeffer with HMOC’s Curator and remote digital development.

Who should apply

We are looking for applicants who:

• Have experience creating digital, interactive or narrative experiences
• Are interested in heritage, wellbeing and place-based storytelling
• Have experience working with communities or young people
• Can deliver both creative and technical aspects of the project

We particularly welcome applications from those based in Scotland, especially with connections to the Highlands and Islands.

To apply please submit:

• A proposal (max 3–4 pages)
• Budget breakdown

Your proposal should outline your creative approach, digital format, engagement plan, and delivery timeline.

Send applications to: [email protected] with the subject line: ‘HMOC: Wellbeing on Track Proposal’