No way are Scotland’s Islands slowing down as autumn approaches! Not a bit of it. October’s a truly sparkling month with great music and comedy in the northern isles and a feast of storytelling at events from Cumbrae to Bute, to Skye and the Hebrides, to Orkney and Shetland.

Please see below a selection of events taking place in October and take a look at the Scotland’s Islands website for more: http://www.scotlandsislands.com/

Shetland Community Orchestra, 1 October, Shetland
The first of two concerts by the newly formed Shetland Community Orchestra, featuring well-known guest soloists and high profile conductors. Includes film music from Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean and James Bond.

Step We Gaels, 1 October, Mull
A series of Ceilidhs in Tiree Hall, Coll Hall, An Tobar and Iona Hall islands with daytime workshops provided. Open to all to give everyone an opportunity to “come and try” an instrument.

Singing Far into the Night – A New Play by Hamish MacDonald (Isle of Coll Hall & Other Venues)
A new play by Hamish MacDonald, commissioned by Mull Theatre. The scene is Glasgow 1931 ~ civil unrest, rioting and a society in turmoil as an impoverished working class feels disconnected from the roots of authority. Power is in the hands of the powerful: job losses, pay cuts and fear of poverty bring angry protests to the streets.

Scottish Crofting Federation’s Annual Gathering – “1886 and all that”, 3 – 4 October, Skye
The theme of the Annual Gathering this year will be crofting land tenure: past, present and future. There will be speakers on crofting history, crofting community and culture; the formation of crofting regulated tenure, other forms of land tenure, community ownership, use of common grazings and the current crofting law in regards to land tenure. Young Crofters will be meeting to discuss what they feel are the needs and aspirations of their generation.

Shetland’s 23rd Accordion and Fiddle Festival, 8 – 10 October, Shetland
A Scottish dance music festival featuring the best Shetland bands along with top Scottish and International players. Concerts and dances popular with both Shetland residents and visitors alike.

Royal National Mod, 14 -22 October, Lewis
Famous for celebrating Gaelic linguistic and cultural heritage, Scotland’s premier Gaelic festival provides opportunities for people of all ages to perform across a range of competitive disciplines including Gaelic music and song, dance, instrumental, drama and literature.

Skye Dance Xchange, 20 October, Skye
This first dance exchange will bring together young dancers from SkyeDance and Isle Dance, based on the isle of Lewis, to create, perform and then share their work at Sabhal mor Ostaig on the Isle of Skye. They will work with professional dance artist and gymnast Fiona Fyfe along with SkyeDance development officer Lorayne Mclucas and Isle Dance director, Kirstie MacDonald.

Scottish International Storytelling Festival – An Island Odyssey (Storytellers on Tour), 21 – 30 October, Various Islands
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is an ideal place to discover Scotland’s treasure-trove of stories in a lively celebration of storytelling performance exploring the links between Scotland’s rich storytelling heritage and other cultures. This year the Festival is all about exploring and pursuing the island experience through story, myth, music, song and dance. Greek and Roman myths mix with sagas of the Celts in a ten day festival of unrivalled opportunity to enjoy the traditions of Scotland’s Islands alongside Mediterranean tale spinners and musicians from Corsica, Sardinia, Malta, Greece and Cyprus.

FACLAN: Island Conversion from Sceptic to Believer, 26 Oct 2011, Barra, Uist, Harris & Lewis
The transition of a Gaelic poet from Sceptic to Believer. Come along and hear Myles, who is one of the most acclaimed and talented Gaelic poets of his generation. Here with his wife, Margaret, they will be giving four presentations for Faclan 2011 in Uist, Barra, Harris, and Lewis.

Meet the Storytellers – Orkney Storytelling Festival (An Island Odyssey: Scottish International Storytelling Festival), 27 October, Orkney
A chance to meet the storytellers and performers taking part in the Orkney Storytelling Festival ~ get to know their backgrounds and hear some tales in a relaxed setting. Everyone is welcome.

The Lamp in the Seaward Window – The Art of Sylvia Wishart, to 5 Nov 2011, Orkney
The Pier Arts Centre is pleased to present an exhibition of drawings, paintings and prints by Orcadian artist Sylvia Wishart RSA (1936-2008). At the heart of Sylvia Wishart’s work is the landscape of her native Orkney. Her drawings and paintings express a distinct and singular approach to recording her subject. Her acute observation of the shifting seasons and the ever-changing patterns of human activity on the land convey a remarkable insight that reveals much more than just the visible.

Contact:

Scotland’s Islands,c/o Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Development Department, Sandwick Road, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2BW
Tel: 01851 822693
Email: info@scotlandsislands.com

Source: Scotland’s Islands