HIGHLAND 2007 FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER - Gàidhealtachd 2007, litir-naidheachd a’ Ghearrain
Welcome from Scotland’s First Minister Jack McConnell
Fàilte bho Sheoc MacChomhnaill, Ciad Mhinisteir na h-Alba
Fort William Mountain Festival - Fèill nam Beann 2007 anns a’ Ghearasdan
Anatomy Acts Exhibition - Taisbeanadh eòlas-bòdhaig
Fonn ’s Dùthchas - Land and Legacy Exhibition
Passing Places - Àite Seachnaidh
Air Splaoid! - Discover Gaelic!
Dark Sky Scotland: fun with astronomy - Aig ciaradh na h-oidhche: spòrs le speuradaireachd
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2007 is a year for all of Scotland to celebrate Highland culture. It is a year to show the world that the Highlands is a place on the way back up. No longer a place where young people leave to get on, the Highlands and Islands are an exemplar to the whole of Scotland. Economic success, population growth and a flowering of cultural expression and identity are things worth celebrating. After months of planning and hard work, I’m glad 2007 has arrived and we now have a superb programme for Highland 2007. The year long festival will raise the profile of Highland culture and attract tourists from all over the world. It will be an inspiring experience for everyone and help boost the confidence and ambition of young Scots in the Highlands and Islands. I really believe 2007 will leave a legacy that will see the culture of the Highlands - both traditional and contemporary - thrive for generations to come. This electronic bulletin will be a great place to find out about all the events throughout the year - I hope you enjoy reading it. All the best for 2007, Jack McConnell |
Fort William Mountain Festival - Fèill nam Beann 2007 anns a’ Ghearasdan
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Fort William Mountain Festival, Fort William, Lochaber 16 February to 3 March Mountains: for some, they inspire poetry and song. For others they present an invitation for exploration and conquest. The Fort William Mountain Festival explores mountains around the world through award winning films, photography, animation, original theatre and writing, as well as offering practical opportunities to learn mountain craft in hands-on workshops, enter competitions and take to the hills to celebrate the landscape. For details visit www.mountainfestival.co.uk |
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Anatomy Acts Exhibition, Swanson Gallery, Thurso until 17 February. Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, 31 March - 21 April This unique exhibition of precious anatomical illustrations, artefacts and specimens from centuries past will take you on a journey where poetry and art merge with medical science. Commissions from leading artists and writers integrate modern art around the theme of how our bodies work, shedding light on how medical knowledge has evolved. To find out more click on to www.anatomyacts.co.uk |
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Fonn 's Dùthchas - Land and Legacy Exhibition, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Inverness until 17 March This exhibition brings together iconic artefacts from our Highland heritage including rare portraits of historical figures alongside a lock of hair from Bonnie Prince Charlie and battle plans from the bloody fields of Culloden. If you can’t visit in person, take a virtual tour at www.fonnisduthchas.com |
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Passing Places - Àite Seachnaidh, The Macphail Centre, Ullapool Amateur and professional artists in Lochbroom, the area around Ullapool, were challenged to slow down and explore the landscape around the passing places of our Highland highways. The stunning results have been mounted onto three dimensional ‘road signs’ leading you to a fresh appreciation of the lay-by. To find out more visit www.macphailcentre.co.uk |
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Air Splaoid! - Discover Gaelic! Air Splaoid! is an exciting opportunity to grasp the basics of Gaelic through an innovative web-based interactive language learning programme. Join your chosen Air Splaoid! character on a virtual tour of Highland 2007 events and hear recordings to help you speak Gaelic like a native. Let the adventure begin at www.airsplaoid.co.uk |
Dark Sky Scotland: fun with astronomy - Aig ciaradh na h-oidhche: spòrs le speuradaireachd
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Dark Sky Scotland - Carbisdale Castle Youth Hostel, Sutherland 23 and 24 March Rural Scotland is one of the best places in Europe from which to immerse yourself in the mysteries of the Milky Way. Experts from the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, and elsewhere, will be stepping out to meet people who want to re-connect with the constellations which were so familiar to our ancestors. This is a chance for you and your family to learn about the wonders of outer space or to count the craters on the moon. Spend time away from the crush and glare of the city and extend your imagination skywards. For more information go to www.darkskyscotland.org.uk |
