Moray communities are set to take part in a creative project that will ultimately relate the story of their environment and heritage – and themselves.
Throughout the summer staff from the music department at the University of the Highlands and Islands will be working with members of the community in Forres and Elgin.
They will be encouraged to tell their story and reflect on their memories through poetry, stories, images and music, culminating in performances of the resulting work in September in Elgin, Forres and Inverness.
Funding for the project will come in part from a gift by Moray malt whisky firm Gordon & MacPhail, owners of the Benromach Distillery in Forres.
Led by Mark Sheridan, a reader in music and creativity at the University, and Alan Geddes, who is a researcher at the UHI, the project is being described as a “celebration of the local environment”, seeking to unlock the secret and define the nature of the region.
Mr Sheridan said: “We are delighted to be working with Gordon and MacPhail, owners of the Benromach distillery in the heart of Moray.
“The university has a very vibrant and innovative music team working on new projects related to the local environment.
“We value local people and their stories, their heritage and their vision – and this project sets out to capture these stories and to create a new production which will involve words, poetry, music and images. It will be performed in the community and further afield in September.
“This approach inspires imaginative responses – a sense of exploration and discovery – a story to be told, with distinct qualities and unique perspectives.”
A meeting is to be held at the Benromach Distillery visitor centre to discuss the project on July 9 at 7pm. Anyone seeking further information can contact mark.sheridan@uhi.co.uk or to find out more about supporting the university visit http://www.development.uhi.ac.uk/.