August is a good time to visit Scotland’s Islands.

The National Voluntary Arts Survey has been produced by Voluntary Arts Scotland in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council’s Arts Team. Its aim is to find out the size, range and functions of the voluntary arts and crafts sector in Scotland.

Following the final deadline in May for the 2010/11 Visual Artists Awards scheme, HI~Arts is pleased to announce an additional round to allocate the remaining budget for the scheme for the financial year.

As part of the Year of Scotland’s Islands, Shetland is set to host two major events – the Tall Ships Race and the Scottish International Storytelling Festival.

An exhibition of contemporary children’s book illustration curated by author Julia Donaldson and organised by The Park Gallery, Falkirk and Artlink Central is due to start a tour of the UK following the recent news that Julia Donaldson has been appointed Children’s Laureate. It has been announced this week that Shetland Arts’ Bonhoga Gallery is to be the first venue in the tour, in a change to their exhibition schedule for this August/September.

North Rock Gallery is celebrating all things Coastal with the opening of its Summer exhibition ‘COAST’ (16 June- 13 September 2011).

Orkney-based Dr Jane Downes will be the course leader on the new undergraduate archaeology degree starting at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) in September.

Shetland Arts & Crafts Association are proud to announce the launch of Shetland’s first ever Craft Trail. Around forty craftspeople, artists and related shops and outlets are participating in opening their workshops or studios –to visitors. Some studios are purpose built and professional; sometimes the studio is just a corner of a house – visitors can buy direct from the craftmakers, designers and artists or commission a special gift.

A proposal for an ambitious, large-scale, participatory project on Shetland is considered for £175K support from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

The artists exhibiting in Progressions, the next exhibition at Shetland Arts’ Bonhoga Gallery (7 May – 19 June 2011), are the five winners from the 2010 Shetland Open Portrait Awards.