FESTIVAL time is now upon us with a vengeance. They come in all shapes and sizes, some barely impacting beyond a single village, others in the full glare of national attention, and each with their own distinctive stamp.

IF ANY area of presenting the arts has been a major growth point in the past decade or so, it is surely the proliferation of the festival. The creation of major events like the Hebridean Celtic Festival in Stornoway, Tartan Heart at Belladrum, Loopallu at Ullapool, The Insider at Aviemore, the Highland-wide Blas Festival and this month’s RockNess at Dores are all testament to an appetite for big events.

They have made a major impact on the Highlands & Islands art scene, and the local economy, and have focused attention on the area well beyond its confines. At the other end of the scale, small local festivals, usually organised and run on a voluntary basis, continue to serve the communities in which they are embedded, and make no less significant a contribution.

Soaking up the sun at RockNess last year (photo Fergus Feggans)

A good number of this year’s festivals are benefiting from funding from Scotland’s Islands 2011, a welcome addition in these cash strapped times. Others seem to defy all logic and run on what seems to be little more than inspiration and fresh air, driven by the enthusiasm and commitment of those on the ground who make it happen.

Even amongst this richly diverse patchwork, the St Magnus Festival in Orkney has claims to uniqueness, and embodies both ends of that spectrum – a festival of genuine international reputation, locally created and run, attracting many visitors to the island, but involving the local community as both audience and participants.

The event has a new artistic director this year, composer Alasdair Nicolson, a man who knows both the Highlands & Islands and the particular ethos of the St Magnus Festival very well. He steps into the chair vacated by Glenys Hughes, and inherits a remarkable event. On the evidence of his first programme, it seems in good hands.

All at Northings and HI-Arts were saddened to hear of the sudden death of our colleague, Helen Slater. Helen had suffered from a long-term debilitating illness, but continued to do voluntary work in dance and drama with Eden Court and other organisations. Her portrait had been commissioned as an addition to Eugenie Vronskaya’s wall of portraits in the foyer at Eden Court, and will be added soon.

Despite her health problems, Helen had a genuine empathy with people and love of the arts, and will be missed by all those who knew or worked with her.

Kenny Mathieson

Editor

© Kenny Mathieson, 2011