JAMES PARRISH traces the story of Shetland-born singer and songwriter ASTRID WILLIAMSON.

The Argyll-based WALKING THEATRE COMPANY – Sadie Dixon-Spain and Liam Calgie – aim to take their flexible brand of theatre to the people.

SUSAN SZYMBORSKI gets the lowdown on an exciting new scheme to help young local musicians.

Battlefield Band’s Lewis-born fiddler ALASDAIR WHITE is emerging as a major force in Scottish traditional music. Here he tells ROB ADAMS how he got there and where he goes from here

Ross-shire-based Puppet theatre group ZENWING PUPPETS are this month’s featured company.

WENDY SANDERS looks at the changes coming up in the structure of the Highland Council’s arts teams.

MORAG McGILL sounds off on the official neglect of indigenous writing in Orkney, and celebrates a step in the right direction.

GEORGINA COBURN examines the work of Shetland-based visual artist Paul Bloomer.

ROBERT LIVINGSTON pays tribute to Evi Westmore, the Public Art Coordinator for Inverness, who died last weekend

REBECCA MARR reports on progress in an unusual artist-in-residence project in Orkney