2007 was Highland Year of Culture and across the Highlands of Scotland and beyond thousands of events took place to embrace Highland culture and Caithness Arts was part of the celebrations. The Caithness Arts Festival took place from the 8th to the 22th September 2007 across Caithness.

Please click on the poster above for the full Festival programme.

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The Events

An exciting mix of visiting performers joined in the Festival and we were delighted to welcome the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to Caithness who opened our Festival on the 8th.  Many other events took place including Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Scottish Opera, and Theatre Modo who made a welcome return.

We also had an exciting mix of local performers, some of whom came back for a second year.  These included :

The Massed Band Parade hosted by the Wick Pipe Band got the Festival off to a flying start.  Supporting the Wick Pipe Band were the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.

Grey Coast Theatre Company performed a reading of Antigone at Skinandi's in Thurso with a community cast.

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SCOTIA REVIEW held three exciting events this year :

Saturday 8th - 22nd : Writing Althing in the St Fergus Gallery

For the duration of the Festival Scotia Review invited folk to come in and write something - a response to the Local Artists' Exhibition; a personal reflection; a story; a poem; or just a rant!  The work was displayed alongside the exhibition and some will be posted some of it on their website at www.scotiareview.org

Wednesday 12th : Reading Althing in Tempest Cafe

With Scotia Review's Writing Group.  Poems and stories were read to the assembly.

Wednesday, 19th : Caitaibhs Castles Celts at the St Fergus Gallery

Four Caithness Skalds : Writing and Music with Donald Mackay.  Pete Hodgson, George Gunn and Donald McKinney.

Click the above Scotia Review logo to go directly to their site.

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The Caithness Orchestra performed the work of Caithness-born composer James Ross, a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, which was specially commissioned for the orchestra.

The Swanson Gallery in Thurso was the venue for an exhibition of work by the Kross Kounty Quilters and the St Fergus Gallery in Wick the venue for members of Caithness Arts to display their work art work.

Ormlie Community Association returned this year to with a 2-week workshop event for children on the theme of Life Sized Papier Mache figures.

George Gunn, Master Dry Stone Waller took on a community project at Thurso Esplanade where members of the community got involved in building stone seating which is now a permanent feature of the town.

To find out more about the 2007 Festival, please download our programme by clicking on the poster above.

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