The PhD Journey
It was a big task to get to this part in my research. In my first two months of starting, I almost read too-much, if there ever is such a thing. I became overwhelmed with the unstructured nature of this PhD, and the endless possibilities that lay in front of me. That being said, I also knew what I did not want to do. And so the journey of my research very much started with a process of elimination.
I never would have imagined the difficulties that I faced by pursuing this PhD. Being the one making all the decisions, whilst also being a distant student meant that at times I felt very alone in my research pursuits. Fortunately, I got wonderful guidance from my supervisors, and met and spoke with many incredible people, including artists, council members, architects, Paisley residents, and the like, that clearly had a lot of passion in making Paisley a rich and vibrant town both socially and creatively. I got to know the strong activist history of the town, the determination that many Paisley buddies feel to help others and improve upon their urban environment, and their usage of creative interventions as a holistic way to do so.
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Phase 1
At the outset of the PhD, I focused on contextual research—immersing myself in a broad range of literature, engaging in discussions with my supervisors, and making regular visits to Paisley to develop a sense of the town’s atmosphere, rhythms, and community dynamics.
Phase 4
The workshop unfolded with fewer participants than I had hoped—a quieter gathering than anticipated. In its aftermath, it became clear that a deeper, more textured understanding of creative regeneration in Paisley would require a broader chorus of voices. I began seeking out individuals rooted in the town—those who had lived with its crumbling edges and carried visions for what might rise in their place. These conversations became a vital thread in expanding the work beyond the confines of the workshop.
Phase 5
After collecting data from the workshop and interviews, I began exploring a second approach to engage the community with my research. I created a website and launched an Instagram account (@hiddenspacespaisley) as platforms to both share my work and invite interaction. Through photographs, videos, and a digital map, these online spaces offered new ways for community members to connect with the project and contribute their own perspectives.
Phase 2
Following a period of wider reading, I began drafting my literature review and refining the direction of my research. I chose to focus on Photovoice and Autoethnography as my primary methods, drawn to their ability to capture both collective visual expression and personal, reflective experience.
Phase 3
​In collaboration with a community organization in Paisley, I led a workshop that traced a walking route through spaces marked by decay—places where time had left its imprint in rust, rubble, and silence. We used photography as a way of seeing, capturing the fragile beauty in neglect. These images became a starting point for conversation, as we imagined how such spaces might be reimagined or reclaimed. Alongside this shared exploration, I kept a notebook—a quiet companion to my steps—where I recorded reflections on navigating the town as an outsider, seeking moments of creative connection in its overlooked corners.
Phase 6
Since publishing the website and launching the Instagram account, I’ve been actively promoting both and observing the kinds of engagement they generate. Looking ahead, I plan to submit my PhD thesis in June 2025, where I will reflect on these digital interactions as a key component of my community engagement strategy.
Paisley's Cultural Ecology
After the workshop and interviews I conducted for my research, I kept track of which organisations, spaces, charities, businesses, and resources were mentioned by the community members that I spoke with.
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From my own interaction and chats with people within Paisley, the yellow circle-shaped points on the map showcase the range of places that were mentioned in conversation and that in some way make a cultural/creative contribution or have a cultural significance to Paisley's cultural ecology. The list of places can be found underneath the map, some are not shown on the image due to their location in a neighbouring district. The map also includes spaces that have not (yet) come to fruition (i.e. the Digital Skills Academy proposed by the Paisley Community Trust, and the Amphitheatre recently discovered in Barshaw Park).
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The grey angled shapes on the screen are persisting decaying spaces in the town that are known by the council. They are mentioned in the Vacant and Derelict Land Survey and site register of 2022.
In no particular order:
Pals of the Privies / Sculpture House / Engage Renfrewshire / Tannahill Centre / Community Circus Paisley / Paisley Museum and Art Gallery / RocknRolla's / University of the West of Scotland / Paisley Town Hall / Paisley Abbey / Star Project / Darkwood Crew / Right 2 Dance / Paisley Arts Centre / The Secret Collection / Paisley Central Library / The Art Department / Outspoken Arts / PACE Youth Theatre / Paisley YMCA / OneRen / ReMode / Kairos Women+ / Crafting Buddies / Loud n Proud / Refractive Collective / Friends of Barshaw Park / Erskine Arts / ROAR / Art Boss / Children of Glen Cinema Memorial / Amphitheatre Barshaw Park / Digital Skills Academy / Paisley Liberal Club / Paisley Opera / Paisley Men's Shed / Fountain Gardens / Active Communities / Community Labyrinth at Fountain Gardens / Restoration & Creation.
What did I end up creating?
What can you find on this website?
Parts of my Research
The thesis is the final document with the literature, method and analysis of the results of my study. Some text that is on this website will feature in my thesis as well. For instance, the section on 'autoethnography' that features in the Learn about my PhD page.
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The Hidden Spaces in Paisley Project
Initially I started my PhD by creating a workshop for communities in Paisley. In this workshop, community members walked around Paisley and took pictures of decaying spaces. During their walk, they filled in a form with questions. After a week had passed, we came back and discussed the pictures, and the feelings of community members about these spaces.
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How did I create this project? With the steps outlined on the top of this page. I started by walking around Paisley, taking pictures of decaying spaces, making a walking route of those spaces, and engaging community members in that walking route while filling out questions.
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A Decaying Spaces Database with
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Photos & Videos - including pictures and videos I made myself of decaying spaces that were known by the council, as well as pictures that community members took during the workshop and after the workshop was finished.
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Decaying Spaces Map - the map that I created as basis for the walking route that I used in my workshop. This is an interactive map, and so you are able to use street view and 3D functions to see where the spaces are located and how big they are.