SEX, suffragettes and Shackleton are all part of this year’s Nairn Book and Arts Festival, which begins tomorrow.
In the 13th year of the festival, travel commentator Simon Calder joins a line-up including champion slam poet Sophia Walker, novelist and playwright Alan Bissett, BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor and award-winning crime writers Lisa Ballantyne and Denise Mina.
Ballanytne and Mina, twice winners of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, will join forensic pathologist James HK Grieve at the festival’s Wine and Crime afternoon.
Still on the theme of crime, Scotland’s Solicitor General Lesley Thomson will talk about her career, while author and journalist Kirstin Innes, winner of the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize in 2015, will speak about Fishnet, her novel about the sex industry, and Jennifer Morag Henderson will discuss her biography of Josephine Tey.
In the 270th anniversary year of the Battle of Culloden, historian Trevor Royle, right, author of a recent book on the subject, reappraises the battle, while Claire MacKay, consultant herbalist for television series Outlander, brings to life the ancient art of medical herbalism.
Michael Smith will discuss his book Ernest Shackleton – The Man and The Myths, after being introduced by local man Will Wordie, whose grandfather Sir James Wordie was a member of Shackleton's expedition.
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
THE festival’s traditional music night has become known for its informality and high-quality music, and this year looks like being no exception with the Cheery Groove Showcase curated by Findlay Napier and including English folk legend Chris Sherburn and fiddler and guitarist Anna Massie.
The temperature will be set to rise at Flamenco Night on the Friday, with Andalucian music and dance from Alba Flamenca. A traditional Community Ceilidh rounds off the festival. This joint event with Blas Festival is hosted by Sandy Brechin with Charlie McKerron and Brian Ó hEadra and will include performances by local musicians, pipers and Highland dancers.
Younger festival-goers can enjoy a free day of events that includes parkour demonstrations, storytelling, Highland dancing taster sessions, bike handling tips, and an interactive show from Booster Cushion Productions.
“Coming to Nairn this year we have an internationally renowned microartist, respected historians, a renowned herbalist, and some fantastic authors writing on diverse subjects from sex and death to Shackleton and suffragettes,” festival chairman David Godden said.
“Performance is a strong thread; in addition to some very talented musicians, we have award-winning playwrights and poets taking the stage. We’re hoping that artists from across the north of Scotland will submit work to Nairn Open Exhibition, which makes a welcome return this year.”
Godden added that although funding remains a challenge, it was hoped the festival's new friends scheme would bring in some additional much-needed revenue.
ANY OTHER HIGHLIGHTS?
ARTS events include Maria and Michael Start from the House of Automata, whose work can be seen in the films The Woman In Black and Hugo, presenting Phantasmagoria – Moving Projections in a Dreamscape at Nairn Museum. Royal Horticultural Society medal winner Julie Price will discuss her botanical illustrations while microartist Graham Short will reveal the secrets of engraving works of art at microscopic level and Liz Davidson, senior project manager for the restoration of The Mackintosh Building at Glasgow School of Art, will talk about the difficulties of rebuilding after 2014’s devastating fire.
Tours offered this year include a rare look at the Black Isle Bronze foundry in Nairn and as well as one to the private Laird’s Apartment at Brodie Castle. Other attractions include art workshops, a free food fair, daily poetry readings and Inverness Courier Gaelic writer Roddy Maclean revealing a possible link to the assassination of John F Kennedy.
For further information visit www.nairnfestival.co.uk, and to book tickets call 01667 453476 or 01667 455528.
Nairn Book and Arts Festival is on Facebook and Twitter @Nairn_Festival.
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