THE GREEKS had a word for it—symposium. Today, that sounds like a rather stuffy, formal affair, but for Plato, Socrates and their mates it was just a dinner party. Except that some of the most influential ideas in Western thought were hammered out by them over the figs and the watered wine.

ANDREA MUIR, General Manager of Strathpeffer Pavilion, sets the scene for the big event

KAREN EMSLIE considers the work of Shetland photographer Mark Sinclair

WILLIAM WILSON sets out the case for Lyth Arts Centre in the wake of the Scottish Arts Council’s decision to withdraw funding from the Caithness venue

CHRIS LEE of Moray-based Wildbird reports from his first visit to MipTV in Cannes – a tough assignment, but someone has to do it …

BRUCE MACGREGOR is best know as one of Scotland’s leading folk fiddlers, but has been diversifying his interests in the heritage centre currently evolving on the family farm at Bogbain on the outskirts of Inverness.

MORAG MACINNES considers the poetic identities revealed in the work of three women poets based in Orkney and Shetland

Venue profile for Strathpeffer Pavilion

RODY GORMAN pays a poetic tribute to the late Simon Mackenzie, actor, writer, theatre director and Gaelic activist

GEORGINA COBURN previews a new book and exhibition marking fifty years working in ceramics for Durness-based artist Lotte Glob