• 11.00 – Brack da Bröd
• 11.30 – Lerwick Brass Band
• 12.00 – Sheila Henderson
• 13.00 – Rummle
• 14.00 – Donald Anderson Band
• 15.00 – Scaldin Bragg

On a cold, grey, windy night an enthusiastic crowd gathered at the North Ness, Lerwick to see the first turf dug out on the site of Mareel, Shetland Arts’ long awaited Cinema, Music and Education Venue which will be up and running early in 2011.

At 6.30 pm, on Wednesday 25 May, to the strains of Europe’s ‘The Final Countdown’, Sandy Cluness, Shetland Islands Council Convener, donned a hard hat and climbed aboard a bright yellow digger to break the first ground.  The building phase of the £12 million venue was under way.  Mr. Cluness who has always been a staunch supporter of Mareel said it is‘one of the most exciting projects we’ve seen in Shetland for a very long time.’

Local construction firm DITT Construction Ltd has been awarded the contract and representatives of the company were on site to join in the celebrations.  The building has been designed by Gareth Hoskins Architects and funding has come from Shetland Islands Council, European Regional Development Fund, The Scottish Arts Council Capital Lottery Fund, Shetland Development Trust, Highland Islands Enterprise and the Gannochy Trust.

The crowd then moved along the waterfront to the Shetland Museum and Archives where Shetland Arts Director, Gwilym Gibbons, thanked everyone for their support in getting Mareel to this stage.  In particular he mentioned his colleague, Kathy Hubbard, Arts Development Manager with Shetland Arts, who was instrumental in raising funding.  Indeed, Kathy told of the very first meeting when the possibility of such a venue was only a dream.  A party atmosphere took over, refreshments were served, and music was provided by young local band, Brack da Brod, well known performers Sheila Henderson and Brian Nicholson

Thus begins the next stage of Mareel.  A webcam is sited so that you can watch the progress of the building on www.shetlandarts.org

For more information call:
Gwilym Gibbons, Director of Shetland Arts on 01595 743843
Peter Tait, Director DITT Construction Ltd on 01595 692733

Note to editors:

The funding package secured by Shetland Arts Development Agency to design and build Mareel consists of contributions from the following partners:
Shetland Islands Council   £5.19m
European Regional Development Fund  £2.82m
Scottish Arts Council Capital Lottery Fund £2.12m
Shetland Development Trust   £0.965m
Highland Islands Enterprise   £0.965m
Gannochy Trust     £0.050m

Shetland Young Promoter’s Group (SYPG) will hold a fund-raising ‘Variety Night’ in the South Nesting Public Hall on Saturday the 11th of April.

The event will allow the SYPG to further work of promoting young musicians and bands, and giving the youth of Shetland greater access to well produced music events.

The evening, compared by Scalloway School teacher Patrick Robertson, will start with a concert followed by supper and a dance.

Concert performers include Shetland Senior Young Musician of the Year Erin Sandison, Shetland Schools Music festival award winning group “Norman & The Folding Deckchairs”, Kollifirbolli and “The Bryan McCaffrey Experience”.

There will also be comedy sketches by performers including Margaret Jean Robertson.

The dance will feature young bands “Brack da Bröd” and “Four Piece Suite” culminating with “Rachel Anne Williamson & Friends”

Chairperson Ryan Stevenson said, “We aim to promote young bands in all areas of music and we think the best way to introduce new dance bands is to give them a chance to play”

SYPG committee member Harley Gear said, “We’d like to thank all the local businesses who generously donated prizes for the raffle. We’re really grateful for all the help we’re getting from everyone”

Bryan Peterson, Shetland Arts Music Development Officer added. “It’s great to see the young promoters putting such effort into supporting the young performers and their local communities. Many of the promoters themselves are top class musicians, such as SYPG Vice Chair Lana Thomson, a Schools Music Festival Award Winner and finalist in the Young Musician of the Year competition. The SYPG gives them a chance to gain experience of the organisational side of events, which really complements their performance skills.”

The Variety Night will be held in the South Nesting Hall on Saturday 11th of April starting at 7pm. Tickets cost £8 for adults and £5 for children (under 16’s) and are available from the Shetland Box Office, Islesburgh Community Centre, Lerwick – 01595 745 555 and the Robertson and Reid shop, South Nesting – 01595 890 374
Press release ends

SYPG Variety Night poster

Further information
www.bebo.com/sypg
SYPG c.o. Shetland Arts, Toll Clock Centre, Lerwick, Shetland
01595 743 843

Notes to the editor:
The group aim to build on the recent success of their over 14s alcohol free ‘Rock vs. Rave’ event at the Aith Hall on 20th February. This youth gig featured performances by local bands The Revellers, Pets In Jars and Happy Hour, together with DJs Nadia and Murray.

The ‘Variety night’ is the latest in a long list of events planned for the coming year including:

• Youth Music Forum Conference – Sat 16th May – Sandveien Community Centre – featuring a performance by Oscar Charlie

• Silent Disco – 22nd & 23rd May – Islesburgh Community Centre and Norscot Angling Club (a disco where no speakers are used as the audience hear the music through wireless headphones)

The Shetland Young Promoter’s Group (SYPG) is a joint initiative between Shetland Arts, The Shetland Youth Music Forum and Shetland Youth Services. SYPG is an enterprise to empower young people to stage music events and gain the real-world skills and knowledge needed to manage and promote their own concerts.

SYPG organise events in conjunction with experienced promoters, technical crews and music industry professionals in order to learn aspects of event management; including promotion, business skills, health and safety, sound engineering and lighting; and obtain practical experience of event management and promotion.

It also gives younger audiences a chance to experience live performances in a safe environment and provide young up-and-coming musicians, bands and DJs with performance opportunities.

SYPG is a self contained constituted group open to young people aged 14 to 18 who formed in late 2008.

The formation of the group follows consultation with the Shetland Youth Music Forum, a consortium of youth organisations, local agencies, music professionals and young people, intended to support and sustain youth music provision in Shetland.

The Youth Music Forum is an initiative sponsored by the Scottish Arts Council and administered by Shetland Arts.