With just one week to go before the start of a major arts festival many of those taking part have gathered at Findhorn Beach in a demonstration of support.
The first Findhorn Bay Arts Festival take place in the heart of Moray from September 24 to 28, featuring a gathering of local, national and international talent rarely seen in the region.
As a part of Scotland’s Year of Homecoming 2014, the Festival welcomes home to Moray celebrated musicians such as Hopeman-raised Charlie McKerron, of Gaelic super-group Capercaillie, and Garmouth-raised Calum Stewart, previously of award-winning band, Mànran.
Forres-raised Quee MacArthur and his band Shooglenifty, one of Scotland’s most unique musical exports, is also taking part while another former Findhorn girl, Jess Abrams, and Forres-based Andrea Turner will be enchanting listeners with a sizzling evening of traditional and contemporary Jazz.
Festival Director, Kresanna Aigner, said: “This is a Festival with people and place at it’s heart, drawing inspiration from and celebrating the many traditions that still shape the lives of our coastal communities.”
With this ethos in mind, well-known Moray poet and storyteller, Margot Henderson, in
collaboration with Findhorn Village Heritage, will be hosting “Time and Tide”, an interactive story walk around Findhorn, discovering the history, myths and legends hidden away in the nooks and crannies of this beautiful seaside village.
Findhorn Bay Arts, the organisation behind the Festival, is committed to promoting creativity in Moray.
Kresanna said: “This is demonstrated in the Festival’s involvement of young musicians and local bands such as The Haar and Wasted Jazz.
“The Festival’s unique production of Macbeth the Remix, a spectacular modern rework of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, also features a strong community involvement, as does a choir of over 50 local singers, plus a parkourist troupe and drama students from Elgin – all supported by a strong cast of local professional actors.”
For more information about the Festival visit www.findhornbayartsfestival.com.