Last Saturday was the first in the series of readings for children at Bonhoga as part of The Illustrators exhibition.

Janice Armstrong, local author of The Grumpy Old Sailor and A Midsummer Foy, read to a group of children (and their grown ups) in the gallery surrounded by the wonderful illustrations from books by Julia Donaldson that make up the current exhibition.

More sessions will take place in gallery over the coming weekends (although not this weekend as there are too many amazing things going on at Wordplay and Screenplay). Sessions are free and no booking is required. Check here or the local press for dates and times of upcoming readings as they are announced.

Kicking off the two-and-a-bit day book bonanza, on Friday 2^nd September, will be Mark Kermode. The leading film critic, writer and broadcaster will talk about his new book, “The Good, The Bad and the Multiplex”, answer questions and sign books. Mark is also co-curator of Screenplay 2011, Shetland’s 5^th Annual Film Festival.

Friday evening will also see the Launch of Ecstatics: A Language of Birds, a collaboration between artist Laura Drever and poet Lesley Harrison.  The book is published by Brae editions and the the publisher acknowledges financial support from Creative Scotland. The festival will also feature an exhibition of Laura’s original artwork for the book. Publisher, Alistair Peebles will also present an illustrated talk, entitled, “Up The Brae! Adventures in Small Press Publishing.” The evening’s fare will be rounded off by “Horseplay”, the book and film based Improv Show starring, Allen Chalmers, Sandy Nelson and Raymond Mearns, three of Scotland’s most talented comedians.

The spirit of Wordplay has always been one of participation, and there is plenty for folks of all ages to get stuck into. Saturday morning will see two writing workshops: one run by poet David Wheatley, for poets, entitled “Poetry & Place”. The other run by Roger Hutchinson, author of “Calum’s Road”: “Local People, Local Places” will encourage writers to use local and family history as a starting place for their writing. Another book related workshop will be run by Carol Dunbar, Education Officer at the Pier art Centre in Stromness. This all day workshop will introduce simple book binding techniques, including traditional Japanese stab bindings. Carol will also run a shorter workshop for young people on Sunday 4^th at 3.15pm in which 10-15 year olds will find out how to make a hard-back bound concertina book – no glue, no stitching.

Further workshops include Blast Off! Led by celebrated author and illustrator, Sally Kindberg, who has drawn pictures for three Bloomsbury comic strip books and is currently working on a fourth one about dinosaurs.  The interactive comic strip workshops are suitable for 5-11 year olds and will run on both Saturday and Sunday.

Also for young people (7-12), will be “If I Can Write, You Can Write’, which will feature, perennial children’s favourite, Viv French who will be running an interactive session, in which she will talk about her series, “Tales From the Five Kingdoms”. Viv will also run a workshop for adults about writing fiction for children.

One of the three makars, is Magi Gibson, the first Stirling Makar for 3oo years, who also writes under the name Maggi Gibson for young people. Maggi will run an event for 8-13 year olds, featuring the fun and feisty “Seriously Sassy” books, published by Puffin. She will also appear with her partner, the comic novelist Ian Macpherson, in BeMUSed, an entertaining session of poetry and stories, which will round off the entertainment on Saturday.

The festival line up is rich with poets, many who are also celebrated as writers in other forms. Making his first appearance at the festival is Simon Armitage CBE, the poet, novelist and broadcaster whose event will take place on Saturday afternoon. The multi award-winning writer will read from his work and answer questions from the audience.

Another celebrated writer, poet and dramatist, Liz Lochhead, Scotand’s Makar is making a very welcome return to the UK’s most northerly book festival. As well as reading from her work, Liz will be in conversation with broadcaster James Naughtie, making his first appearance at Wordplay.

James Naughtie, has one of the best known voices on Radio, presenting Today and Bookclub for BBC Radio 4. James’s session, on Sunday afternoon, is entitled, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Studio”.

Andrew Greig will need little introduction, as a poet and novelist of renown. He will appear alongside his friend Ron Butlin, the Edinburgh Makar, a novelist of international renown and a celebrated librettist.  Mr Greig will also appear in “At The Loch of the Green Corrie”, talking about the life and work of another of his friends, the late, great Norman MacCaig. Poetry will also feature on Sunday afternoon with a joint reading by David Wheatley, one of Ireland’s finest contemporary poets, who will be joined by Scotland’s very own John Glenday.

The festival also features novelist and broadcaster, Jonathan Meades. As well as an appearance by the man himself, in which he will read from the book he is currently working on and speak more generally about places and their relationship to fiction there will be screenings of two of his films, “The Isle of Rust” and “Surrealism”.

The relationship between Islands and both fiction and non-fiction is the subject of another session featuring journalist and author of best selling “Calum’s Road” Roger Hutchinson and the celebrated novelist, poet (and organic gardener) Margaret Elphinstone.

Shetland has a vibrant writing community, which is reflected in several of the events, including the Shetland launch of “These Islands We Sing” (Polygon 2011) edited Kevin MacNeil and featuring no less than twenty one poets, either native to Shetland, and/or currently living here. The event will feature Kevin himself, Alex Cluness, Lise Sinclair, and Roseanne Watt.

Lise Sinclair a poet and song writer from Fair Isle will also playing a few songs from her current work in progress, “A Time To Keep”, a cycle of songs inspired by George Mackay Brown’s book of the same title which she is writing with Icelandic composer Astvaldur Traustasson. Lise’s project has received support from both Creative Scotland and Scotland’s Islands.

Launching her first novel, “And Then Forever” (Shetland Times 2011) is another native of Shetland, Christine De Luca, who has also has five collections of poetry published. Christine is also an active member of Shore Poets, Edinburgh and a member of Hansel Co-operative Press.

Hansel Cooperative Press is a not-for-profit cooperative for writers and artists, which promotes literary and artistic works relating to Orkney and Shetland. The festival will host the launch of their new publication, a translation by William (Billy) Tait’s of Francois Villon’s “Grand Testament” which will feature readings by local broadcaster, Mary Blance and poet Jim Mainland as well as contributions by another local poet and scholar, Mark Ryan Smith and the Archivist, Brian Smith.

Another feature of Wordplay over the last few years, has been the Prize Giving for the Shetland Young Writers Award. The competition, now run by Shetland Library has been going for twenty years.

Wordplay also has a long history of supporting Shetland Dialect and Shetland writing and this year sees the showing of an exciting new multi media production, “Kirsty and Da Snarravoe Njuggle”. The show will feature a mixture of live acting, original film sequences and shadow puppetry. This project is funded by Scotland’s Islands and run by Shetland Islands Council’s Creative Links and Drama Co-ordinator.

' Harris Playfair Youth Big Band

Fiddle Frenzy’s showcase concerts will feature Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham headlining the opening night concert on Sunday 7th August with Bodega, Harris Playfair’s Youth Big Band Project, Nordic Fiddler’s Bloc featuring Kevin Henderson, Maggie Adamson & Brian Nicholson, Fullscelidh Spelemannslag and more performing through the week.

The event is based in venues around Lerwick most of the week; on Tuesday the activities will take place in Ollaberry and on Friday, Aith.

Evening dances will feature the Jim Halcrow Band on Sunday 7th, the James Leask Band on Tuesday and Leeshinat on Friday.  Each evening there will be a festival club and late night session at the Garrison Theatre.

Bodega's Ross Couper

Daily music workshops will be hosted by some of Shetland finest performers and tutors including Ross Couper, Bryan Gear, Cathy Geldard, Andrew Gifford, Kevin Henderson, Jim Leask, Bernadette Porter and Pauleen Wiseman delivering their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm across the classes, throughout the week.  Once again Ryan Couper will be leading the guitar classes.

Together with the musical activities, there will be a range of artistic workshops including drawing and paining with Blue Sky Studios, Contemporary Knitting with Jennie Bradley and Creative Writing with T.S. Eliot Prize winner Jen Hadfield.

` Nordic Fiddlers Bloc

This year Fiddle Frenzy will be welcoming young scholarship musicians from Orkney and the Western Isles to take part in the Harris Playfair Big Band Project and all the weeks activities thanks to financial support from the Scotland’s Islands fund.

For the full programme of events visit www.shetlandarts.org/events/fiddle-frenzy or for further information contact Shetland Arts on 01595 743 843.

Bookings for concerts and workshops can be made at Shetland Box Office, Islesburgh Community Centre, Lerwick 01595 745555 or visit www.shetlandboxoffice.org

Farlin has been organised by Shetland Arts and Fife Contemporary Art & Craft in collaboration with StAnza: Scotland’s International Poetry Festival.

Farlin: a communal container of herring
= a unifying resource of work and nourishment

8 poets and 8 makers from Shetland and Fife will exchange pieces of work: each will then produce a piece (or pieces) in response to the piece they have received.

Each poet will have a partner who is a maker: Fife makers will partner Shetland poets and Shetland makers will partner Fife poets.

The project will provide an opportunity to explore new ideas: to explore your own creativity and the creativity of another artist through communication and by experiencing their work, allowing them to experience yours.

Experience, communication, exploration, exchange and nourishment – a virtual creative community across the seas.

Using post, skype, email, phone and social networking.

For application information please contact:
Shetland:   info@shetlandarts.org
Fife:            diana.sykes@fcac.co.uk

Deadline for applications:    Monday 29 August 2011

Selection to be made by Monday 12 September 2011

Shetland Arts and Shetland Islands Council accessed Scottish government funds to implement a ticket system that would help reduce the barriers that rural communities face in accessing tickets for events.  An advisory group looked at many systems that could cope with ticket sales and memberships systems and chose Tessitura, one of the largest international companies specialising in this field, as it was flexible enough to fit all their needs.  The Albert Hall, the Grand Metropolitan and many other famous venues have been successfully using the system for many years, including a similar partnership in Victoria, Canada, which sells ticket for a partnership across a wide geographic area, using Tessitura in a similar way to Shetland Box Office Partnership.

Phase 1 (face to face ticket sales in Islesburgh Centre and the Garrison Theatre, and phone sales operated by Islesburgh Centre staff) has been highly successful with over 95000 tickets sold in Shetland to date.  59 promoters have used the facilities selling tickets for 176 productions and 827 individual performances at venues from Fair isle to Unst.

The website enables users to view all up-coming events currently on sale via the What’s On page.  The events are listed in date order and include details such as the venue, description of the event and ticket prices.  Once you register as a user, you can buy tickets by credit or debit card and choose to have them posted to you for a small fee or collected from the venue or box office, unless the event is within the next 7 days, when the tickets will only be available for collection.  You can select your seat for events in the Garrison Theatre, with other venues having unreserved seating.

Other users of online box office facilities have found that within 6 month of their websites going live over 40% of all sales have been through the web. Offering three ways of purchasing tickets – face to face, over the phone or online – will open up events to everyone across the isles.  It will reduce the need for queuing for popular events, help those in the outer isles plan ahead to go to the cinema and other shows in town, and provide an opportunity for all promoters to sell their tickets outside Shetland, attracting tourists in advance to events across Shetland.

Gwilym Gibbons, Director of Shetland Arts, said: “This latest phase of the Shetland Box Office marks a significant development in this partnership project. The option for Shetland customers to buy tickets online and browse what’s on information across many different promoters, venues and organisations is a great step forward.  For visitors to Shetland it provides for the first time, information in one place that shows the vast offering of arts activity in Shetland; and best of all allows them to buy their tickets 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world”.

Gwilym added: “The Shetland Box Office’s success to date is born out of a special partnership between Shetland Islands Council, namely their Islesburgh team, and Shetland Arts. Partnerships around this complex mixed operational and strategic nature are always challenging across organisations and the Shetland Box Office has been no exception.  The launch today of online sales is a real tribute to the determination and commitment of staff in both organisations.  Shetland is at its best when organisations share resources and come together for the benefit of all, it’s not always the path of least resistance but more often than not, given time it does lead to the greatest return on investment”.

Florence Grains, the Council’s Spokesperson for Culture and Recreation said: “I’m delighted to see that the Shetland Box Office is now fully operational, including online sales. This development assists the Council with its aspiration to make services more accessible to everyone in Shetland, regardless of where they live.  I am also pleased to see that the Council and Shetland Arts are working so well together on this shared project and I look forward to seeing this service further develop over time.

• http://www.shetlandboxoffice.org/

How are we doing?

Have your say about the work of Shetland Arts

In 2007 Shetland Arts piloted a small-scale consultation process called Art Focus. People were invited to focus group meetings to discuss issues for the arts in Shetland.

It was a new step for us, and an important one. Although people found lots of positive things to say about our work, some of the responses were challenging and at times very critical; all the responses were valuable to us.

Three main themes emerged – we were asked to: broaden our horizons and take on new ideas; make what we do more accessible; be inclusive and communicate better the opportunities we offer.

During the last three years we have tried to take these comments on board and now we’d like to know how successful we’ve been, and how we can continue to improve the services we offer.

We’d really appreciate it if you could take five minutes to fill in this questionnaire. The results will inform our development plans for the next three years.

The survey contains a series of statements – some of them pretty blunt – with which you are invited to disagree or agree, as well as some questions about our marketing. At every point there is an opportunity for you to add further comment if you so wish. We look forward to hearing what you have to say.

* Click here to be directed to the online survey *

If you’d prefer to fill in a paper copy, please drop it into one of the collection points listed below:

• Shetland Arts (Toll Clock Centre)
• Shetland Library
• Peerie Shop Café
• The Lounge Bar
• Shetland College
• Clickimin Centre
• Islesburgh
• Sound Service Station
• Shetland College
• Bonhoga Gallery
• Garrison Theatre
• Wind Dog Café
• Your local shop!

We’d be grateful if you could return the copies to us by Friday 10th December

The book, for children under seven years old, was inspired by a creative writing residency undertaken by Debi Gliori in September 2007, run by Shetland Arts in partnership with SIC Creative Links and supported by the Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature Funding.

Speaking about the book, Debi Gliori said, “Stormy Weather is my love letter to Shetland. It is my lullaby for the  children I met, a love song to the sea-wrapped landscape I walked and  a heartfelt thank you to the people of Shetland for making me so  welcome and so very much at home.”

The deadline for voting is the 28^th January 2011 – vote at this address:

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/royalmailawards

Debi Gliori’s residency was the first of four Creative Writing Residencies run by Shetland Arts in partnership with the SIC Creative Links, in Shetland Primary schools.