NOVEMBER might see the start of the slide into winter in earnest, but the hard-working editorial team at the Arts Journal have been cheered by the news that the Journal has been nominated as one of the contenders for the Media section of this year’s Scottish Traditional Music Awards.

The awards are decided by popular vote, so you know what we need you to do – check out the full award nominations at the Hands Up for Trad website, and cast your vote online at BBC Scotland’s Celtic Roots site.

Far be it from me to court personal glory, but while you are there voting for the Journal and your chosen artists anyway, you may also want to cast a glance at the Journalist category….

The ongoing Cultural Review initiated by the Scottish Executive will doubtless provide plenty of talking points in the months to come. The Arts Journal makes it own powerful contribution to the debate this month with a provocative piece from Brian Morton, one of our leading writers and cultural commentators, and the former – and much missed – presenter of BBC Scotland’s flagship arts programme, The Brian Morton Show.

As always, the still sadly underused Discussion Forum provides a means to make you own observations on the Cultural Review, or any other arts-related topic that takes your fancy.

We will be tracing the progress of a new project to uncover the historic and cultural associations of the old Sail Loft in Stornoway before the currently disused building makes its own contribution to easing the housing shortage. Peter Urpeth sets the scene, and you will be able to follow the work of Ian Stephen and his collaborators on the site as the project develops.

Also coming up this month is the second Inverness Film Festival at Eden Court Theatre (11-15 November, http://invernessfilmfestival.com), and the launch of Blas (13 November, http://www.blas-festival.com), a pilot for a new music initiative taking place at venues in Lochaber, Sutherland and Ross-shire.

Kenny Mathieson
Commissioning Editor