The programme for Across the Grain 2020 is now available, featuring film shorts and musical composition premieres as well as opportunities to tune in live and chat with performers, musicians and festival contributors.
Now in its third year, the festival celebrates the Doric language and the culture and traditional music of the north east.
An inspiring mix of activities, workshops and films will take place online on Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4.
It’s a chance to celebrate collectively, and for people to share their love of local landscape and language.
There are newly commissioned film shorts from contemporary makers exploring the poetry of the landscape, stories and soundscapes to coorie up to.
Dip into the Elphinstone Sessions, inspiring short films highlighting the culture and living traditions of the north east of Scotland. Featuring Sheena Blackhall, Mae Diansagu and Shane Strachan among others, and created by the Elphinstone Institute, the films reflect the unique heritage of language, music, ballad and song, story, craft, history and lore which exists alongside the dynamic creativity of those who live and work here today.
The weekend will also premier a winning musical composition, ‘Gaither’, by Aberdeenshire loon James Lindsay, inspired by Forvie National Nature Reserve. Led by NatureScot in association with Feis Rois, this new score is complimented by a film short shot on location.
For wee ones, Doric Bookbug is back, this time online. If the family need a breath of fresh air, then book into a workshop at Aberdeenshire Farming Museum. Whether it’s tatties or tattiebogles, if you want outdoor, hands-on, socially distanced, and messy making then go online and book your places.
Sunday morning sees Doric for Beginners, a festival special event led by poet Jo Gilbert and storyteller Jackie Ross.
The perennially popular Doric Call My Bluff returns and will be held online for the first time, headed by Professor Peter Reid. Switch on, join in and test your wits against the clock.
Warming up to the festival weekend in October there are a host of pre-festival activities available now or for signing up to.
If you’re feeling adventurous, take yourself off for your own Sound Map walk in communities in north Aberdeenshire or head inland to discover the new Kemnay Steens.
There is still time to sign up for the Scottish Culture and Traditions online workshops, with a few free penny whistles still up for grabs.
Check out all the details of the weekend festival programme online here.
You can follow Live Life Aberdeenshire on Facebook or Twitter for all the latest updates.
This festival is a partnership jointly funded by Live Life Aberdeenshire and Creative Scotland.
