Nairn Book & Arts Festival

The Nairn Ceilidh Group, which plays regularly to packed houses at the British Legion’s Highland Hall, presents an evening of traditional music and dance to celebrate this year’s Festival.  The Inver-Ross Fiddle and Accordion Group will provide the music for dancing, with Donald Wilson as MC supported by a talented cast of folk and traditional singers and piper Mark Iles.  Donald Wilson comments: ‘We extend a very warm welcome to visitors to the Nairn Book & Arts Festival.  If you fancy an evening of Highland hospitality and entertainment in the company of other festival goers we look forward to seeing you at this, our first Book & Arts Festival ceilidh.’

Winning seven Oscars and scripted by the Tom Stoppard, this racy farce showcases the Shakespearean age as smart and sassy rather than dusty and earnest.  Paltrow’s character Viola is determined to become an actress in an age when men play all parts.  She and Fiennes’ Shakespeare begin an affair that proves inspirational to the Bard, with many of their conversations turning up as some rather famous lines.
Shakespeare also benefits from the advice of playwright and friendly rival Christopher Marlowe played by Rupert Everett.  Also starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Judi Dench, Colin Firth, Simon Callow.  Classification 15, running time 119 minutes.

Allan MacDonald, a highly qualified and experienced artist dedicates most of his time to painting the Northern Landscape: “this corner of God’s earth is extraordinarily beautiful and a ceaseless source for memorable images”

Off the Peg is the community art event in Nairn High Street.  Unframed paintings pegged inside shop windows for all to see and buy.  10% of sales will be given to the Children’s Art Club. 

The exhibition is supported by Nairn Art Society whose Summer exhibition takes place at the Court House from 2nd August.

Event Information (DOC)

Meg Bateman, born Edinburgh 1959, teaches at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye.  She has brought out three collections of her own poetry and has co-edited and translated three anthologies of medieval, 17th century and religious verse. Her collections Aotromachd/ Lightness and Soirbheas/ Fair Wind were short-listed for the Scottish Book of the Year in 1997 and 2007.

Tha Meg Bateman, a rugadh an Dùn Èideann an 1959, na h-òraidiche aig Sabhal
Mòr Ostaig. Tha i air trì leabhraichean bàrdachd a thoirt a-mach, agus tha i
air cuideachadh le eadar-theangachadh is deasachadh tri cruinneachaidhean de
bhàrdachd Gàidhlig às na meadhan aoisean agus an 17mh linn. Chaidh an dà
leabhar aice, Aotromachd agus Soirbheas a chur air adhart do dhuais
“leabhar na bliadhna” ann an 1997 agus 2007. 

Angus Peter Campbell is an award-winning novelist, poet, journalist, broadcaster and actor. His Gaelic novel ‘An Oidhche Mus do Sheòl Sinn’ was publicly voted into the Top 10 Best-Ever Books from Scotland. Sorley MacLean said of him - “I have no doubts that Angus Peter Campbell is one of the few really significant living poets in Scotland, writing in any language.” (West
Highland Free Press 2nd October 1992)

Buinidh Aonghas Pàdraig Caimbeul do dh’Uibhist a Deas. Bàrd, nobhalaiche,
fear-naidheachd, craoladair agus cleasaiche. Am bliadhna (2010) tha an dùil
ri dà nobhail ùr bhuaithe - aon ann an Gàidhlig, agus tè am Beurla.

Angus Peter Campbell is an award-winning novelist, poet, journalist, broadcaster and actor. His Gaelic novel ‘An Oidhche Mus do Sheòl Sinn’ was publicly voted into the Top 10 Best-Ever Books from Scotland. Sorley MacLean said of him - “I have no doubts that Angus Peter Campbell is one of the few really significant living poets in Scotland, writing in any language.” (West
Highland Free Press 2nd October 1992)

Buinidh Aonghas Pàdraig Caimbeul do dh’Uibhist a Deas. Bàrd, nobhalaiche,
fear-naidheachd, craoladair agus cleasaiche. Am bliadhna (2010) tha an dùil
ri dà nobhail ùr bhuaithe - aon ann an Gàidhlig, agus tè am Beurla.

Meg Bateman, born Edinburgh 1959, teaches at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye.  She has brought out three collections of her own poetry and has co-edited and translated three anthologies of medieval, 17th century and religious verse. Her collections Aotromachd/ Lightness and Soirbheas/ Fair Wind were short-listed for the Scottish Book of the Year in 1997 and 2007.

Tha Meg Bateman, a rugadh an Dùn Èideann an 1959, na h-òraidiche aig Sabhal
Mòr Ostaig. Tha i air trì leabhraichean bàrdachd a thoirt a-mach, agus tha i
air cuideachadh le eadar-theangachadh is deasachadh tri cruinneachaidhean de
bhàrdachd Gàidhlig às na meadhan aoisean agus an 17mh linn. Chaidh an dà
leabhar aice, Aotromachd agus Soirbheas a chur air adhart do dhuais
“leabhar na bliadhna” ann an 1997 agus 2007. 

Following a late cancellation, acclaimed writer Michel Faber has stepped in to give a reading.  Michel was born in Holland, grew up and was educated in Australia, and emigrated to the Scottish Highlands in l993.  He won three major short story competitions, and was signed up by Edinburgh’s Canongate Books. He’s well-known for his novels Under The Skin and the international bestseller The Crimson Petal and The White.  At this event he may read from his latest novel The Fire Gospel, or from unpublished work, or even from his early books.  Come along for a dramatic, and deeply engaging event at 4.30pm on Thursday 9th June at Nairn Community Centre.

For the last 25 years Philip Paris, who lives near Tain, has worked in journalism and public relations. His first novel, The Italian Chapel, was published last year, and was the result of more than three years of research into the history of the chapel on Orkney.  Although written as an historical fiction, the book tells the true story of the creation of the building, which is today Orkney’s most visited tourist attraction.  This year Philip publishes a non-fiction book about the chapel, Orkney’s Italian Chapel:  The True Story of an Icon.  Philip’s talk will include the surprising discoveries he made about the chapel’s history, plus readings from his books.

The Nairn Camera Club will exhibit entries for their competition, which has three categories: Under 12 (or attending Primary) 12 – 18 and Over 18’s.  The competition which is free to enter and open to all allows a choice of subject and either colour or black and white for the photographs.

Download Competition Poster
Download Entry Form

EVENT CANCELLED