NORTHINGS catches up with festival director JOE GIBBS as the Tartan Heart Festival at Belladrum moves into its third and biggest incarnation this month

ALLAN HUNTER catches up with Skye-born film-maker DOUGLAS MACKINNON ahead of the scheduled premiere of The Flying Scotsman as opening film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The 35th Annual International Pan Celtic Festival has just finished in Letterkenny, Donegal. FIONA MACKENZIE offers a few insights into the event and competitions taking place during the week – and also the stresses and joys involved with travelling with young people and very expensive musical instruments!

ALISTAIR PEEBLES contines his discussion with Glenys Hughes, the director of the St Magnus Festival, focusing on the festival itself

ALISTAIR PEEBLES catches up with the director of the St Magnus Festival following her sabbatical year, which included a vist to Malawi. In part one of this interview, Glenys talks about her experiences in Africa, and in part two, looks ahead to the 2006 St Magnus Festival

ROB ADAMS catches up with pianist and composer JAMES ROSS ahead of the pianist’s concert at Celtic Connections

The Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton was one of the models for our own Blas Festival, and has achieved top ranking in the world of Celtic music. LINSAY MOWAT grabbed the chance to visit this celebrated event

PAM BEASANT found art intimately interwoven with science at the Orkney Science festival earlier this month

STEVE ROBERTSON sets the scene for Hayseed Dixie’s Loopallu festival

Festival director JASON ROSE sets the scene for the second Inverness Book Festival