Close to Nature's Heart - September 2021 - Nairn Book and Arts Festival
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Close to
Nature’s
Heart
4th-12th
September 2021
BOOKING
YOUR
Welcome
TICKETS
Please book online for On behalf of the festival organising committee, it gives me great
all festival events at: pleasure to welcome you to the 2021 Nairn Book and Arts Festival,
www.nairnfestival. ‘Close to Nature’s Heart’.
co.uk/events
For further information
on events email: Our theme for this year’s festival is exhibitions, beautiful folk music,
info@nairnfestival.co.uk taken from a quote by the influential otherworldly dance performances,
Scottish-American naturalist, author a 10m tall mechanical puppet –
For venue information and environmental philosopher and much more.
only contact: John Muir:
A huge thanks to all our event
Nairn Community “Keep close to Nature’s heart... and partners and sponsors for their
and Arts Centre break clear away, once in awhile, and support but especially our headline
King Street, Nairn climb a mountain or spend a week in sponsor AES Solar and associate
Tel: 01667 453476 the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” sponsors Nairn’s Oatcakes and
Fred. Olsen Renewables.
Check all the latest Our theme celebrates Nairn’s
Festival news by natural beauty in support of Particular thanks go to the festival
visiting our website: VisitScotland’s Year of Coasts Trustees and committee for all their
www.nairnfestival.co.uk and Waters, while anticipating hard work this year, and special
or follow us on the UN Conference on Climate thanks to our Creative Coordinator
social media. Change (COP26) in November. Tanera Bryden – as ever – for her
tireless efforts behind the scenes.
This pressing concern – how best
Nairn.Festival
to engage with and care for the We very much hope you’ll enjoy
natural world – unifies our reading through our programme
@Nairn_Festival
diverse and thought-provoking and we look forward to seeing
festival programme. you in September.
@nairnfest
Highlights include several critically Alex Williamson
Logo design: Mary Wilson
acclaimed authors, pop-up art Festival Chair
Programme designed and sponsored by
Dynam, Inverness: www.dynam.co.uk
Front cover artwork: Phoebe Roze
Coming to The commissioned artwork
the festival? for our front cover this year
is by Inverness-based artist
We want to see your
Phoebe Roze. Phoebe is an
pictures and videos!
interdisciplinary artist whose
Tag us and we’ll retweet! work encompasses recollections
of childhood and the rich culture
Find us on
and history of the North of
Twitter: @nairn_festival
Scotland where she grew up.
Instagram: @nairnfest
By exploring themes of time
Facebook: Nairn.Festival
and memory in the context
#NairnFestival of these local environments, Find out more about her at
she aims to connect with and www.phoeberoze.co.uk or on
#CloseToNaturesHeart
respond to the ecological crisis. Instagram @phoeberoze
4th-12th September 2021
With thanks to the following for their support
A massive thanks goes to our Funders, Partners, Sponsors, Patrons and Supporters – we couldn’t do all
this without you!
Our generous Funders
Our wonderful Festival Partners
KINETIKA
D E S I G N T H AT M O V E S
Headline sponsor Matched funding
For the first time, we have matched
funding from CBFS – follow our evolving
matched funding story on our website:
Associate sponsors www.nairnfestival.co.uk/match-funding
Fred. Olsen Renewables
Creative sponsor Patrons
Supporters
Nairn Literary Institute
We stock a wide range of new books, including
local history, which caters for readers of all ages
and interests. As well as books, we offer a good
selection of cards, gift wrap, postcards, note-
books, tea-towels and jigsaws including
four bespoke Nairn images.
Our friendly staff looks forward
A special mention to Christine at The Nairn Bookshop, who And to all our Festival Friends – we are
to welcoming you so grateful
to our shop. for
has been making face coverings to raise funds for the festival everyone’s support in what has been a very challenging
94 High Street, Nairn.
since early last year – at time of going to print, over £1300. year for everybody. To join us as
T: 01667 a Friend visit Opening Hours
455528
E: sales@nairnbookshop.co.uk Mon – Sat
Thank you, Christine! www.nairnfestival.co.uk/festival-friends
www.nairnbookshop.co.uk 9.30am – 5pm
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
1
Festival in our Schools
Authors in Schools
Gaelic author Morag Ann Mòrag Anna NicNèill Secondary/Àrd-sgoil
MacNeil will be talking about Artair sa Chaisteal Anna Ruadh le L. M.
her book Artair sa Chaisteal Montgomery – air eadar-
Chan eil càil inntinneach a’ tachairt
and leading a creative writing theangachadh le Mòrag
do dh’Artair uair sam bith, ach tha
activity at Millbank Primary Anna NicNèill
sin ag atharrachadh gu luath nuair
School, and will visit Nairn
a tha e a’ dol air turas-sgoile chun Bha Mata agus Marilla an dùil gur
Academy to discuss Anna
a’ Chaisteil Ghruamaich. Is beag a e balach a thigeadh à taigh nan
Ruadh (Anne of Green Gables).
bha dhùil aige ris an dàna-thuras dilleachdan airson an
eagalach a bha roimhe, agus ann cuideachadh air an tuathanas,
Supported by am priobadh na sùla tha a shaoghal ach is e nighean òg, ruadh a tha
the Gaelic Books Council. a’ dol bun-os-cionn… a’ nochdadh na àite. Tha Anna
Siorlaidh sunndach, beothail agus
Leughaidh Mòrag Anna earrannan
chan fhada gus a bheil i a’ toirt
bhon leabhar agus gheibh
buaidh mhòr air an t-saoghal aca.
sgoilearan cothrom beagan
sgrìobhadh cruthachail a Leughaidh Mòrag Anna earrannan
dhèanamh. bhon leabhar agus gheibh an
luchd-èisteachd cothrom
Nothing exciting ever happens to
ceistean fhaighneachd.
Arthur, but things change pretty
quickly when he goes on a school Matthew and Marilla thought
trip to the Gloomy Castle. A scary the orphanage was sending
adventure lies ahead, and his world them a boy to help on the farm.
is soon turned upside down… They didn’t expect the feisty,
red-haired girl who would soon
soon transform their lives.
Morag Ann will read extracts
from her translation of the classic
novel Anne of Green Gables, and
will then answer questions from
Morag Ann MacNeil the audience.
Barbara Henderson
Childrens’ author Barbara
Henderson (Fir for Luck, Punch,
Wilderness Wars and Black
Water) will give talks to four
local primary schools and S1
pupils at Nairn Academy.
Helen Sedgwick
Helen will run a creative writing
workshop with senior students
at Nairn Academy. Barbara Henderson Helen Sedgwick
4th-12th September 2021
2
Artists in Schools
Gordon MacLellan
Artist Gordon MacLellan, AKA
Creeping Toad, will be visiting all
four of the Nairn cluster primary
schools to run environmentally-
themed art and storytelling
workshops with children aged
5-9 years, where they will create
wearable art for our special
childrens’ parade to welcome
sea goddess STORM on Sunday
12th September (see p.28).
www.creepingtoad.com
Phoebe Roze
Artist Phoebe Roze will be running
mural art workshops with Nairn
Academy S3 pupils, with their
work on display in the High Street
during festival week and destined
for permanent display in the new
school building, when completed.
Follow Phoebe on Instagram
@phoeberoze
www.phoeberoze.co.uk
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
3
Art Exhibitions and Workshops
WORKSHOP
Silk Batik Flag Making
KINETIKA
D ES I GN T H AT M O V ES
Silk Batik Flag-Making
Part 1 – 28th-29th August
Part 2 – 30th-31st August
Venue: East Beach and Green Hive Community Workshop.
Details will be sent to participants via email before the event.
£5
An exciting opportunity to become part of international outdoor arts
company Kinetika’s Beach of Dreams project.
Join Ali Pretty, Founder and Artistic Director of Kinetika, to create
your own unique silk batik flag inspired by Nairn Beach, using natural
dyes created from local flora.
The workshops will take place in two parts: first book a morning
or afternoon time slot over the weekend of 28th-29th August for
an information gathering beach walk, then a second slot on Monday
30th or Tuesday 31st to create your flag. Then join in with all of
our flag related activities during the festival! (See pages 12 and 30.
Participants will be kept informed as plans evolve.)
www.kinetika.co.uk/beach-of-dreams
4th-12th September 2021
4
Art on the High Street
Sadie Stoddart
Saturday 4th September
Artist Sadie Stoddart, a recent
Fine Art graduate from Moray
School of Art and former intern
of Circus Artspace based at
Inverness Creative Academy, has
created some fantastic stencils
for our High Street Takeover –
keep an eye out for her work on
the street from 4th September.
It’s biodegradable – so make sure
you don’t miss it! She is also
working on producing creative
bunting with a Nairn twist for
shop window displays, as well as
showing some of her eye-catching
work on the High Street for the
duration of the festival.
Follow Sadie on Instagram at
@sadiestoddart
Murals Art in Shop Windows For more information
on our High Street
Look out for four temporary Local artists will be showing work
Takeover see pages
murals by Nairn Academy pupils, in a number of high street shops
10 and 11.
created with our cover artist – make sure you catch them all!
Phoebe Roze at their collaborative
workshops (see p.5).
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
5
Art Exhibitions and Workshops
Ode to Oikos
Nairn Community
and Arts Centre
Monday 6th – Thursday
30th September
Entry free
Photography exhibition co-
curated by FLOW PHOTOFEST
members Evija Laivina and
Hannah Laycock.
At a time when our environment
has never been so important, a
selection of photographic artists
from the Highlands and Island
takes you on a poetic journey
that meditatively illuminates the
finer details of the environment
around us. From sea, land to
urban landscapes. Ode to Oikos
is a playful observation that
invites you to see the bigger
picture through a different lens.
Sponsored by
Specsavers
4th-12th September 2021
6
WORKSHOP
Nature Journals
Rachael Forbes
Nature Journals:
Cyanotype and Japanese
stab-bound book
Wednesday 8th September
10.00am-4.00pm
£35 – Places are very
limited, please book early
With artist Rachael Forbes, Rachael suggests that you take Cyanotype is a photographic
you will experiment with a mindful walk prior to the process that turns photo
laying natural objects and workshop to collect leaves, chemical treated papers a cyan
textures onto cyanotype feathers, or pine needles – blue colour when exposed to
treated papers and exposing anything that can be pressed flat the light. When objects are laid
them to the sun to create onto a piece of paper that you onto treated paper they block
beautiful cyan blue might want to use in your prints. the suns rays and create a stark
silhouette prints. 3-D objects can also be used but white silhouette. Historically
You will create 4 cyanotype may appear less defined. She this process has been employed
prints and bind these with will also provide you with objects for purposes including the
blank papers to create a and textures to add into your reproduction of documents
unique nature journal using compositions. Your prints will such as architectural and
the traditional Japanese visually represent your mindful engineering ‘blueprints’.
stab-binding technique. engagement with nature. www.rachaelforbes.co.uk
Rachael Forbes
Capes for Eco Heroes
WORKSHOP
Saturday 11th September Capes for Eco Heroes
10.30am-12.00pm or 12.30-1.30pm
£8 Suitable for ages 5-10 years.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Please bring your own craft scissors if you have some.
Are you an Eco Hero? Are you passionate about nature and
protecting our planet? Join us to create your very own Eco Hero
cape* and decorate it with your favourite plants and animals!
Using 100% cotton fabrics.
*Wear it in our costumed children’s parade on Sunday 12th September
to welcome STORM! Details will be sent to all participants.
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
7
Art Exhibitions and Workshops
WORKSHOP
The Art of the Zine
Iona Gibson:
The Art of the Zine – Zine-making Workshops
Nairn Community and Arts Centre
Saturday 11th September
10.30am-12.00pm, 12.30pm-2.00pm, 2.30pm-4.00pm
£5 (age 16+)
Iona Gibson is a zine-maker based in Nairn and a recent MA
Publishing graduate from the University of the Arts London. Iona
is the co-founder of De-Ziners, founder of the NRRRN Zine project,
Retail Therapy: Shops and
and has been actively involved in the UK zine scene for over a
Businesses in the Old Market
decade. Workshop attendees will be introduced to the concept of
Town of Nairn
zines, their importance politically, socially and environmentally, and
will get the chance to make and take home their very own minizines. Nairn Museum
Saturday 28th August –
NRRRN Zine, a print project showcasing the work of local creatives
Saturday 23rd October
and those inspired by Nairn, will launch its pilot issue in time for the
Free with Museum entry
festival in September. Submissions are open to creative contributions
with an environmental theme until August 1st at 23:59 (BST). A collaborative exhibition
highlighting the many shops and
Visit the website for further information at www.nrrrnzine.uk
businesses that have thrived in
Follow @nrrrnzine on Instagram
the local community and on the
High Street, it will feature
stories and images (old and new)
from local residents and shops/
business owners together with
slides and various artefacts and
objects from former shops of
Nairn, such as the fabulous Rose
Brothers shop, from the
Museum’s own collection.
Textile and other Art by
Susie Rose Alexander
Original Spinning Arts
Studio, 32 Park St,
Fishertown, Nairn
Open daily 10.00am-1.00pm
and by appointment
Tel: 01667 454004
4th-12th September 2021
8Explore and Discover Map
Free
Search for hidden histories and neighbourhood
nature with our new illustrated map of Nairn.
Take time to notice Nairn as you follow the oystercatchers and
look for unusual details and interesting places around town.
When you’ve finished exploring, why not colour in your map?
Perfect for families and wander-about-towners, our map will be
available from Nairn Library, Nairn Community and Arts Centre,
Nairn Bookshop, Nairn Museum, Strathnairn Beach Cafe, Café
Lavender, Crafty Wee Birdie, Sunny Brae Bed & Breakfast
and other sites around the town. Kindly supported by
Strathnairn Beach Cafe,
Pick one up for the summer holidays and get exploring!
Café Lavender, Crafty Wee
Designed and illustrated by Laura Blaikie Birdie and Sunny Brae
Instagram: @laurablaikieillustration Bed & Breakfast
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
9i g
H et h
t re
S eover
Tak
Nairn High Street
Saturday
4th September
1pm-4pm
Join us for a
family-friendly
celebration of
Nairn’s natural
environment.
Featuring immersive theatre
from the Mad Hatters of Moray,
live music by local musicians,
Kinetika, poetry ‘lucky dip’ by We’re closing the high street
Scots street poetry by roving
Women in the Highlands as part so everyone can enjoy the event
poet Hamish MacDonald, street
of their Poetry in Public Spaces safely – come along and enjoy
stencils and art installations by
project, and creative activities the fun – it’s free for everyone
members of Circus Artspace,
for children. to enjoy.
performances at Castle Square
by the musicians of Fèis Inbhir Look out for Sadie Stoddart’s Are you a High Street resident
Narainn and The Howlin’ Gaels, stencils, art in shop windows or business? Want to get
dance by Mellow Yellow Creative and mural artwork by Nairn involved? Visit our website
Arts in collaboration with Academy pupils. to find out more!
www.nairnfestival.co.uk/high-street-takeover
4th-12th September 2021
10Hamish MacDonald Mad Hatters of Moray
Hamish MacDonald is a poet, The Mad Hatters of Moray will be
novelist and playwright based in walking the festival streets ready
Inverness. He was the first Robert to burst into spontaneous song,
Burns Writing Fellow for Dumfries play interactive games with all
and Galloway Arts Association ages and take you deep into the
2003-06 and first Scots Scriever magical realms of Wonderland!
at the National Library of Scotland Come and meet our over-the-top
2015-17. As well as being a characters: Alice, the Queen of
published poet Hamish has Hearts and the Mad Hatter, for
performed poetry at many slams, plenty of silly photos and
festivals, readings and open mic outrageous fun!
events. Recent publications include
Wilson’s Ornithology & Burds in
Scots (Scotland Street Press),
published in 2020 and featuring
the artwork of Alexander Wilson
(1766-1813). As the Bankies
Bard he is poet in residence for
Clydebank Football Club who
recently published his football
poetry collection Kilbowie Dreams.
www.hamishmacd.com
When the High Street fun ends, why not head
down to The Bandstand Bar and Restaurant
for a bite to eat and enjoy...
Live at The Bandstand
– Dougie Burns
and The Cadillacs
plus support.
From 8.00pm to 11.30pm.
Free entry
Book online at:
www.thebandstandnairn.co.uk
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
11Sunday
5 th
Flags, Meandering
Sands and Sea
Kinetika Beach of Dreams Flag Installation
Nairn East Beach – Sunrise to sunset
Free
A stunning installation of 500 naturally dyed silk flags on Nairn’s East Follow Beach of Dreams
Beach by international outdoor arts company Kinetika. Created by on social media
communities along the East coast of the UK as part of the Beach of #BeachfDreamsUK
Dreams project, the flags will be enhanced by flags inspired by Nairn Facebook: kinetikapeople
Beach created by members of the local community at workshops led by Twitter: @kinetika
Ali Pretty, Artistic Director of Kinetika. (See p.4 for details.) The flags Instagram: @kinetikapeople
will start to be installed from sunrise and remain in place until sunset.
An extension to Kinetika’s Beach of Dreams project.
To find out more, visit www.beachofdreams.co.uk
4th-12th September 2021
12Coastal Conservation in Nairn – Walk and Talk
1.00pm-3.00pm S
We will be livestreaming the 5
Free but booking essential* walk and talk via Facebook M
Live for those who wish to 6
The forces of wind and wave have shaped Culbin Sands through the T
join virtually.
centuries, creating an ever-changing landscape home to a variety of 7
important animals and plants. Join the RSPB and Nairn Dunbar Golf W
8
Links on a walk of discovery, to find out why our local dunes are so
important and understand the challenges they face. The tour will T
9
illustrate how these fragile dune systems are monitored and restored,
F
creating homes for rare species and a resilient coastline for the future. 10
You will also learn how you can play a part in the story of our coastal S
dunes, nurturing a landscape for future generations. 11
S
*Free but limited to 20 places only. Pre-registration necessary. 12
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
13Tuesday
7 th
Live Speaker Events
Nairn Community and Arts Centre
Iain Bain
Setting the scenery
6.00pm
£10
Iain Bain is a local journalist, former Editor of The Nairnshire
Telegraph and Chair of Nairn Museum. As a one-time geographer
and geomorphologist, he has a keen interest in the physical
geography of the region and his fascinating talk seeks to
demonstrate how our ever shifting coastline affects the landscape,
and has impacted over the centuries on life in Nairn.
In the event that we cannot hold a live event due to Government
4th-12th September 2021
14David Barrie
Incredible Journeys
7.45pm
£10
David is an expert navigator
who has made many long
passages under sail. His latest
book, Incredible Journeys, draws
on recent scientific discoveries
to explore how animals find their
way around – whether migrating
from one end of the world to the
other or just pottering around S
Drawing on the latest scientific our backs on it, we jeopardise 5
the neighbourhood.
research, David Barrie will both our physical and spiritual M
It was selected as Nature Book explain how animals – including well-being. 6
of the Year for 2019 by The humans – find their way around, T
Follow David on Twitter 7
Sunday Times and won the making use of landmarks, the
@barrieauthor W
Nautilus Book Gold Award for sun, moon and stars, magnetism, 8
nature writing in the US. He is sounds and smells. He will raise T
a Fellow of the Royal Institute profound questions about our 9
of Navigation and was awarded changing relationship with the Sponsored by Nairn F
10
a CBE for services to the arts. world around us – as we turn Literary Institute
S
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guidance, all talks will be held online at the advertised time.
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
15Wednesday Live Speaker Events
8 th Nairn Community and Arts Centre
S.G. MacLean
Transcending your boundaries
in Historical Fiction, and finding
your way home
6.00pm
£10
S. G. MacLean moved to writing historical crime fiction from a background
in historical research. To date she has published nine novels over two
series – one set mainly in 17th century Scotland, the other in the 1650s
London of Oliver Cromwell – under the name S. G. MacLean. Her work
has been longlisted for the Desmond Elliott award and the Dagger in the
Library, shortlisted for the Saltire First Book Award, and has won the CWA
Historical Dagger. The talk will look at some of the challenges of writing
about times and places far out of your own experience, and the different
challenges of writing about things and places you’ve known your whole life.
Follow S.G. MacLean on Twitter @SGMacleanauthor
David Gange
7.45pm
£10
Dr David Gange is Senior Lecturer in History at the University of
Birmingham, and author of The Frayed Atlantic Edge. According to
David, “General histories of Britain or Ireland tend to be dominated by
perspectives from cities. They overestimate the significance of cities and
underestimate the roles of rural coastlines.” In 2016-17 David kayaked
S
5 from Shetland to Cornwall, via the west of Ireland, to begin to explore what
M a coastal history of Britain and Ireland might look like. This is a history
6 built from community level: its starting points aren’t ships and port towns,
T but families, paddling small boats and boat noosts. It’s a history where
7
Shaetlan, Gaelic, Irish and Welsh – and the work of poets – play profoundly
W
8 significant roles. David’s new project involves rowing and traditional boats
T around the North Atlantic with a similar goal: to show how the experiences
9 of small coastal communities can inform our perspectives on past, present
F and future. This illustrated talk introduces the kayak as a method of
10
learning, and explores the ideas that small-boat perspectives raise.
S
11 Follow David on Twitter @david_gange
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In the event that we cannot hold a live event due to Government
4th-12th September 2021
16Thursday Live Speaker Events
9 th Nairn Community and Arts Centre
Emilia A. Leese
Think Like a Vegan: What everyone
can learn from vegan ethics
4.00pm
£10
Emilia A. Leese writes essays on life, travel and veganism for a variety
of online publications and is closely involved in a long-term forest
rewilding project in the Scottish Highlands. She is a speaker on vegan S
5
ethics at a variety of events. She also developed life skills and ethics
M
workshops for underserved youth. A corporate finance lawyer for over 6
twenty years, she and her husband Roger, who is also vegan, live in T
London and the Highlands. She co-wrote Think Like a Vegan with 7
Ontario-based writer and photographer Eva J. Charalambides W
8
We all want to live more thoughtfully and ethically. Think Like a T
Vegan is for anyone interested in veganism, its ideas and what anyone 9
can learn from its practice. Through a personal and often irreverent F
Follow Emilia on 10
lens, the book explores how vegan ethics can be applied to every
Twitter @emisgoodeating S
area of our daily lives. 11
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guidance, all talks will be held online at the advertised time.
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
17Helen Sedgwick
6.00pm
£10
Helen Sedgwick is the author by the current political landscape
of The Comet Seekers (Harvill of Brexit, the pandemic, racial
Secker 2016) and The Growing injustice and class inequalities,
Season (Harvill Secker 2017), and Helen’s longstanding interest in
which was shortlisted for the archaeology. Helen will talk about
Saltire Society Fiction Book of the how she combined these different
Year. In 2020 she turned to crime aspects to create the multilayered
fiction, publishing the first of her narrative, and how the emphasis
Burrowhead Mysteries trilogy, in the novels has changed with our
When the Dead Come Calling rapidly changing world. Helen will
followed by Where the Missing discuss her move to crime fiction,
Gather in 2021. writing in different genres, how her
characters provide hope, and how
Where The Missing Gather is a
human connection with the past
cross-genre police procedural
and the landscape inspires her.
combining elements of crime,
folk horror, ghost story, history Follow Helen on Twitter
and social commentary. Following @helensedgwick
on from the supernatural opener
to her Burrowhead Mysteries
series, When The Dead Come Sponsored by
Calling, the book was inspired The Nairn Bookshop
Neil Lancaster
7.45pm
£10
Neil Lancaster is a Highlands-based
writer of crime and thriller novels,
broadcaster and commentator
on true crime documentaries. He In this illustrated talk, Neil will
joined the RAF in 1983 where he talk about his past career, and
served as a Military Policeman some of the high profile cases
S for six years in the UK, Germany, he worked on, his writing, and
5
Cyprus and the Falkland Islands. the graveyard that inspired his
M
6 In 1990 he joined the Metropolitan latest book Dead Man’s Grave.
T
Police where he worked in a
He will also discuss accuracy
7 number of roles as a Detective
in crime fiction, with reference
W investigating the most serious of
8 to popular series such as Line
crimes in the capital and beyond.
T Of Duty, highlighting some of
9
A covert policing specialist, he
the common mistakes made
used all sorts of tactics to obtain
F by writers in the genre.
10 evidence against murderers,
S human traffickers, drug dealers Follow Neil on Twitter Sponsored by The Nairn
11 and fraudsters. @neillancaster66 Bookshop
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In the event that we cannot hold a live event due to Government
4th-12th September 2021
18Friday Live Speaker Events
10 th Nairn Community and Arts Centre
Alexander Stoddart
12.30pm
£10
Alexander Stoddart is a Sculptor
in Ordinary to Her Majesty The
Queen in Scotland. He works
primarily on sculpture in clay
within the neoclassical tradition.
Stoddart is best known for his
civic monuments, including 3m
bronze statues of David Hume
and Adam Smith on the Royal
Mile in Edinburgh, and others
of James Clerk Maxwell,
William Henry Playfair and
John Witherspoon.
Born in Edinburgh and raised S
5
in Renfrewshire, he developed
M
an early interest in the arts 6
associates the lack of form in destroy the image, especially as
and music, and later attended T
modern art with social decay, in it appears in three dimensions.
the Glasgow School of Art 7
contrast, his works include many He will introduce some ideas,
(1976–1980) before reading W
classical allusions. hopefully for discussion, that 8
History of Art at the University
suggest that the sculptor is a T
of Glasgow. During this time Sandy will discuss why it is 9
kind of aberration, the original
he became increasingly critical perfectly natural for statuary
non-compliant, a whistle-blower F
of contemporary trends in art, to excite the fury of people in 10
on Nature.
and concentrated on creating a naturalistic culture. There S
figurine pieces in clay. Stoddart is a history of this instinct to 11
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guidance, all talks will be held online at the advertised time.
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
19Australian by citizenship, she lives
in the Highlands and has called
Scotland home for over 25 years.
Her latest novel is Of Stone and
Sky. After shepherd Colvin
Munro disappears, a mysterious
trail of his twelve possessions
leads into the Cairngorm
mountains. His foster sister Mo
and prodigal brother Sorley are
driven to discover the forces that
Merryn Glover led to his disappearance.
2.30pm The story circles out to embrace
the entire community, its history
£10
and the landscape that shapes
Merryn Glover was born in them. Spanning almost a century,
Kathmandu and grew up in Nepal, the novel is a paean to the
India and Pakistan. Her first connections between people,
novel, A House Called Askival, their land and way of life, shot
was published in 2014. She has through with wisdom and humour.
written four radio plays for BBC
Follow Merryn on Twitter
Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland
@merrynglover
and numerous short stories.
Cal Flyn
4.30pm
£10
Cal Flyn introduces her Islands
of Abandonment: Life in the
Post-Human Landscape, a new
nonfiction book about how nature
rebounds in abandoned places.
In it, she visits some of the
eeriest and most desolate places
on Earth—places impacted
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T where passenger jets rust on nature has been allowed to work
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the runway after four decades’ unfettered – providing invaluable
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8 neglect. A clearing in the woods insight into the wisdom of
where the natural world has
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reasserted its power and promise.
no trees can grow there. An Abandonment is a tour through
F exclusion zone thrown up these new ecosystems, in all
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around the smouldering ruin of their glory, as sites of unexpected Follow Cal on Twitter
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11 a nuclear reactor. Each location environmental significance, @calflyn
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12 In the event that we cannot hold a live event due to Government guidance,
all talks will be held online at the advertised time.
4th-12th September 2021
20Iona Lane
Nairn Community
and Arts Centre
Friday 10th September
8.00pm
£15
Iona Lane is a folk singer and musician, whose emotive and
well-crafted songs are delivered with immense passion, and an
understanding beyond her years for the stories she is telling.
Having found herself fascinated by folklore and discovering
untold folk stories from rural parts of the UK, where the natural
environment, landscape, sustainability and community are so
integral to people’s way of life, Iona has honed her songwriting
to create something really special. Iona has been praised S
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throughout the scene for her delicate yet powerful vocals,
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Iona will be accompanied on fiddle by Mia Scott. Having recently T
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graduated from Leeds Conservatoire, Mia is a fiddle player hailing
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from Edinburgh whose playing has led to her performing with the 8
likes of the Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Emeli Sandé and Jade T
Bird to name a few. With this growing list of clientele, Mia enjoys 9
fusing her folk roots with her Classical and Pop training to create F
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crossover styles.
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www.nairnfestival.co.uk
21Saturday
11 th
Online Festival
A day of author talks and poetry readings, all taking place
online – enjoy them from the comfort of your home!
Annie Bell
Eat to Save the Planet
10.30am
£5
Experienced food writer Annie ideas and a 30 day eco-friendly Based on the groundbreaking
Bell will discuss her new book cooking plan for the whole family, Planetary Health Diet, a landmark
Eat to Save the Planet. Filled Annie will help you kickstart study dubbed ‘the first science-
with delicious and sustainable a healthier way of eating – for based diet that both tackles
recipes, accessible shopping list yourself and the environment. the poor food eaten by billions
and averts global environmental
catastrophe’ (The Guardian),
Eat to Save the Planet
debunks the myths around
food sustainability and allows
you to bring it into your life
in simple, achievable steps.
With recipes for everyone,
whatever your dietary persuasion
might be, Eat to Save the Planet
goes beyond our nutrition – it’s a
book that treats our health and the
environment as a common agenda.
Follow Annie on Instagram
@ANNIEBELLcook
4th-12th September 2021
22Gaelic Language event
Alistair Paul
12.00pm
£5
Daoine àbhaisteach. Suidheachaidhean làitheil. Tachartasan
annasach. Uaireannan bidh an saoghal a’ toirt car às na
caractaran ris an coinnich sinn ann an Linne Dhomhain, a’
chiad chruinneachadh de sgeulachdan goirid le Alistair Paul, a
tha gar toirt bhon Gàidhealtachd tro sràidean Ghlaschu is fada
air falbh gu fàsaichean Afraga. Bidh Alistair a’ bruidhinn air
a’ bhrosnachadh a fhuair e bho bheul-aithris Arraineach, bho
eachdraidh is bho ghnothaichean na cruinne san latha an-diugh.
Ordinary people. Everyday situations. Extraordinary outcomes.
The smallest thing can turn your world upside down, as we
discover in Linne Dhomhain, Alistair Paul’s debut collection
of short fiction, which won the prize for best unpublished
manuscript at the Gaelic Literature Awards 2020. Come and
meet Alistair and his fascinating cast of characters, some
inspired by the folklore of Arran, some by history and others
by contemporary world events.
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23Online Festival
Anna Deacon and Vicky
Allan in conversation
The Art of Wild Swimming:
how to be a responsible
outdoor swimmer, and why
it matters
1.30pm
£8
In the first book, Taking the
Plunge, wild swimming friends
Anna Deacon and Vicky Allan
delved into the dramatic ways
in which outdoor swimming has
changed the lives of those who
embrace it.
In their new book, The Art Of
Wild Swimming: Scotland,
they return to the community
and draw on the hive mind of
swimmers to create a unique
and quirky guide which details
how and where to swim, and
also – vitally – how to care for the
waters that bring us so much joy.
Follow Anna and
Vicky on Twitter
@vicky_allan @annadeacon
4th-12th September 2021
24Summerwater is set over the
course of one day: the summer
solstice, in a remote Scottish
cabin park, and with the rain
unrelenting. Twelve people on
holiday with their families look
on as the skies remain resolutely
grey, in watchfully close proximity
and yet isolated from one another.
There are newcomers among them,
and one particular family, a mother
and daughter with the wrong
Sarah Moss clothes and the wrong manners,
3.30pm starts to draw the attention of the
others. Who are they? Where are
£5
they from? Should they be here
Sarah Moss is the author of seven at all? As darkness finally falls,
novels including Ghost Wall and something begins to unravel in this
her latest, Summerwater, as well makeshift community. ‘‘Nothing
as several works of non-fiction. escapes her sly humour and
This November, Picador will brilliant touch. A masterpiece.”
publish her new work of fiction, (Jessie Burton, author of The
The Fell. Miniaturist)
Aoife Lyall
5.00pm
£5
Join award-winning poet Aoife
Lyall for an online reading from
her ‘heart-warming and heart-
breaking’ (Claire Hennessy, Irish
Examiner) debut collection
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Mother, Nature (Bloodaxe Books 5
2021), followed by an intimate M
and genuine discussion about 6
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to focus the collection on the
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Festival Friends day ticket £20. Please book online for all events at S
www.nairnfestival.co.uk/events You will be sent a link to register for the online talks. 12
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
25Live Music and Performance
Oceanallover
presented by Findhorn Bay Arts
Nairn Walkabout, ECDYSIS (IN VIVO)
Saturday 11th September
A visual poetry performance and music event
The Links and various locations | 1-5pm | Free
involving dancers, musicians, and sculptural
costume. Dance like a lizard, sing like a snake,
Findhorn Performances, and get ready to step out into a new skin with
Sunday 12th September original music from leading Dubstep and electronic
Findhorn Hinterlands music Producers Pinch, Silkie, N-Type, Lost, Sepia,
For timings and booking information visit: Cimm, Mako, Revorg, Franck Alba, and Un-cool
www.findhornbayarts.com Adam. Oceanallover collaborates with Provocative
and legendary MC Sgt Pokes to make a dynamic
statement of intention.
Inclusive, experimental and uncompromising,
the performance features live vocals from Pokes
and Breezy Lee with costume by Alex Rigg in
collaboration with renowned couturier, the unique
Mr Pearl. http://www.oceanallover.co.uk/
4th-12th September 2021
26Music &
Inspiration
with Mike Vass & Innes Watson
8pm
Nairn Community
and Arts Centre
Saturday 11th September
£15
To book tickets, visit
www.nairncc.co.uk
A unique night of music, stories and songs Tonight they play a selection of music from
from 15 years of playing music together. each of these projects, and discuss their
approach to music and life.
Mike Vass & Innes Watson have been
playing music together in various line-ups, Mike & Innes will debut the newly composed
including their duo, their quartet Innes tune The 1745 Jacobite Rising, commissioned
& Mike & Innes & Mike, Innes’ Guitar by Nairn Community & Arts Centre to
Colloquium project and Mike’s In the accompany a new online mini-series of
wake of Neil Gunn project. the same title.
THE 1745 JACOBITE RISING – Free online event
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Available to view on 12/09/21 at www.nairncc.co.uk
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
27Sunday
12 th
Festival
Finale on
the Links
4th-12th September 2021
28A day of family-
friendly events
welcoming the sea
goddess STORM
From the makers of Big Man Walking comes
STORM. A larger than life sea-goddess, she lives
in the waters around Scotland, but this year she
walks on land, to tell the story of the oceans in
crisis – an outdoor spectacle to mark Scotland’s
Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 from Edinburgh-
based Vision Mechanics. We will be welcoming
STORM to the Moray coast during the festival:
she will appear in two historic coastal towns –
Burghead on Saturday 11th September and
on Sunday 12th September in Nairn, where
she will awaken on Nairn’s Links.
Pre-registration is essential for
STORM’s appearance in Burghead.
Visit www.findhornbayarts.com for details.
To help us manage visitor numbers safely
and keep our audiences informed, please
register your interest in STORM’s appearance
in Nairn via Eventbrite
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/159491422137
Details of STORM’s walk in Nairn will be
published nearer the time – please keep an eye S
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on our website and social media for updates.
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guidance at the time of the event and subject to T
cancellation or amendment. Check for updates at: 7
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www.nairnfestival.co.uk
29Sunday 12th September
12.00pm-4.30pm
Join us for fun, family-friendly events taking place around Nairn’s
Links as we welcome STORM, including a specially choreographed
performance by Mellow Yellow Creative Arts and Kinetika with flags
created in Nairn, an interactive performance by Inverness-based
theatre company Crimson Tea Productions, costumed childrens’
parade, portrait sketching with William Mather, and the Accoustic
Performance Stage at James’s at the Putting Green – a live music
event featuring local musicians, writers and performers.
Portrait sketching with
William Mather
Thoughts about Nature Tree
– Community writing project
The Putting Green (North East side)
Over the past year of the pandemic and lockdowns
we’ve all been spending more time outside – how
important has this become to you?
How does Nature support you? How important is it
to you to be able to access outdoor space? Where
do you go? What do you notice? How do you feel?
We invite you to record your thoughts – so much to me because...”, “I love to be
anonymously if you like – on a ribbon to create outdoors...”, “Nature in Nairn is to me...”
our Thoughts about Nature Tree. Help us enhance a beautiful tree into a temporary
Members of a local writing group – The Pen and I and thought provoking temporary installation
– will be there to help, inspire, discuss with you. for the festival. It may even become part of a
It can be your own original thoughts and ideas or textile piece to keep for the future too.
you can complete a sentence... “Nature helped me We look forward to sharing our thoughts –
in lockdown by...”, “Nairn’s natural beauty means and yours!
4th-12th September 2021
30Crimson Tea Productions
Crimson Tea Productions is a multi-media
production group based in Inverness. They produce
a wide range of content, with a focus on short films,
YouTube series and photography. Crimson Tea
Productions is made up of a small group of students
with a passion for the creative arts. The main
team is made up of the leader Hartlee Grant and
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the admin team; Jo Czesak, Billie Michie, Crystal 5
Galbraith and Lilia Malkonen (not pictured). M
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The connection between man and nature is very
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meeting of the minds, or more accurately, spirits. W
The Links have become the meeting place for the Green Hive beach clean 8
Subcommity for Spirits, Sprites and Nigel (or SSSN T
Green Hive are organising a Million Mile beach 9
for short) as they discuss environmental issues in
clean: www.beachcleans.org.uk F
the area. With Officer Nigel Buchanan (Jo) holding 10
the meeting, Fauna the animal spirit (Crystal), Ben Volunteers/groups will set off at different times
and locations on the day – for updates and S
the mountain spirit (Billie) and Marshall the bog 11
spirit (Hartlee), have gathered to resolve issues details on how to join in, please visit
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surrounding their territories.
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
31East beach
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Moray Firth
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Festival venues 4 Original Spinning Arts Studio 9 The Nairn Bookshop
1 Nairn Community 5 Strathnairn Beach Cafe 10 Links/The Bandstand
and Arts Centre 6 Café Lavender 11 James’s at the Putting Green
2 Nairn Library 7 Crafty Wee Birdie 12 East Beach
3 Nairn Museum 8 Sunny Brae Hotel
IMPORTANT NOTES Accessibility – We want everyone to be able
to access our events. Our main venue is fully
COVID19 – All events will be held in line with
wheelchair accessible, as are our High Street
current government guidance and with safety
and Links events. Disabled parking is available
of our audiences foremost. Check our dedicated
close to, or at, all venues.
page at www.nairnfestival.co.uk/stay-safe
at festival time
The festival programme may be subject to change Children under the age of 13 at events must
and postponement/cancellation of events at short be accompanied by an adult at all times.
notice. Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Photography at events – there will be
Instagram or check our website for updates photography and filming taking place at all of
You must not attend any festival event if you our events. Photographs taken at events will
believe that you have symptoms of COVID19. be used on social media and on our website.
Care for our Environment – If you are attending
festival events, please keep our precious
environment at front of mind – bring your own cup,
take your rubbish home or dispose of it with care,
and travel here by public transport, car share,
cycle or walk.
4th-12th September 2021
32We stock a wide range of new books, including
local history, which caters for readers of all ages
and interests. As well as books, we offer a good
selection of cards, gift wrap, postcards, note-
books, tea-towels and jigsaws including
four bespoke Nairn images.
CHEESE PANTRY/CHEESEMONGER
Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-4pm Our friendly staff looks forward
to welcoming you to our shop.
CONNAGE E XPRESS
Open every day 7am-7pm 94 High Street, Nairn.
T: 01667 455528 Opening Hours
Order Online www.connage.co.uk
E: sales@nairnbookshop.co.uk Mon – Sat
Phone order 01667 462000 www.nairnbookshop.co.uk 9.30am – 5pm
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
1Close to
Nature’s
Heart
4th-12th
September 2021
Festival at a Glance
www.nairnfestival.co.uk
Daily Wednesday 8th Saturday 11th Sunday 12th
Events 10.00am-4.00pm Festival Online
12.00pm-4.30pm
WORKSHOP 10.30am
Art Exhibitions Festival Finale
Rachael Forbes Annie Bell
See programme
Nature Journals
for details 12.00pm
6.00pm Alistair Paul
Live Speaker Event Gaelic Language Event
Pre-Festival S.G. MacLean
1.30pm
events
7.45pm Vicky Allen and
WORKSHOP Live Speaker Event Anna Deacon
KINETIKA David Gange
3.30pm
28th-29th August
Sarah Moss
30th-31st August Thursday 9th
Silk Batik Flag-Making 4.00pm 5.00pm
Live Speaker Event Aoife Lyall
Coming to
Emilia A. Leese
8.00pm
the festival?
Saturday 4th
1.00pm 6.00pm Live Music Tag us and we’ll retweet!
High Street Takeover Live Speaker Event Mike Vass and
Find us on:
Helen Sedgwick Innes Watson
8.00pm Twitter: @nairn_festival
Live at The Bandstand 7.45pm Instagram: #nairnfest
WORKSHOPS
Live Speaker Event Facebook: Nairn.Festival
Sunday 5th 10.30am-12.00pm
Neil Lancaster
9.00am onwards Rachael Forbes #NairnFestival
Kinetika Flag Friday 10th Capes for Eco Heros
#CloseToNaturesHeart
Installation 12.30pm 10.30am, 12.30pm
Live Speaker Event and 2.30pm
11.00am-1.00pm
Alexander Stoddart Iona Gibson
Coastal Conservation in
Nairn Walk and Talk 2.30pm Art of the Zine
Live Speaker Event 12.30am-1.30pm
Tuesday 7th Merryn Glover Rachael Forbes
6.00pm
4.30pm Capes for Heros
Live Speaker Event
Iain Bain Live Speaker Event Performance
Cal Flyn 1.00pm-5.00pm
7.45pm
8.00pm Oceanallover
Live Speaker Event
David Barrie Live Music Iona LaneYou can also read
