Creative Scotland backs 2011 BLAS Festival

The seventh Blas festival in the Highlands and Islands has received a major boost with the confirmation of £50,000 investment from Creative Scotland.
 
The investment from the national leader for Scotland’s arts, screen and creative industries has enabled the organisers of Blas, which has established itself as the premier event celebrating all that is good about the Gaelic language and culture of the Highlands, to offer a packed programme of events which features top performers and two new commissions, one celebrating the culture of Scotland’s islands.
 
This year’s Blas festival will deliver nearly 100 cultural events between 9 and 17 September in venues across the Highlands ranging from community halls to Inverness Airport, The Jacobite Queen cruise boat and Eden Court Theatre. 
 
Welcoming the news, Arthur Cormack of organisers Fèisean nan Gàidheal said: “The additional investment from Creative Scotland for Blas 2011 is a major boost. Most people will be aware of the funding pressures which we have had to face, in common with every other arts organisation and event. As part of Creative Scotland’s role is to enable creativity to shine at home and abroad, Blas will certainly be well burnished with this assistance. It will enable us to approach the starting date of the festival at the beginning of September with increased confidence and hopefully Creative Scotland will continue to invest in future Blas festivals.”
 
Traditional music as well as Gaelic language and song are the bedrock of the festival but, for the first time, Blas will also have a strand featuring Gaelic writers, organised in collaboration with Comhairle nan Leabhraichean - the Gaelic Books Council.
 
The 2011 festival is also a key part of the Year of Scotland’s Islands initiative and with tickets sales holding up well, the festival looks set to be a roaring success.
 
Ian Smith, Portfolio Manager for Music and IP Development, Creative Scotland, said, “The Blas Festival is a true celebration of Highland music and culture, and this year’s line up doesn’t disappoint with performances from some of Scotland’s best traditional artists.  The Blas Festival is also an excellent platform for the Fèis movement, offering young performers the opportunity to learn and develop their skills in traditional dance, music and song.  We are delighted to have invested in the Blas Festival at a time when we are reviewing our interaction with the Highlands and Islands region as a whole.”
 
Featured artists at Blas 2011 will include top musical talent such as Karen Matheson, Karine Polwart, Iain Morrison & Daibhidh Martin, Kathleen MacInnes, Maggie MacInnes & Colum Sands and chart-bidders Mànran. 
 
The Blas Festival is a partnership between Fèisean nan Gàidheal, the Promoters Arts Network and its main funder, The Highland Council. 
 
The full programme and information about several ways in which to buy tickets – which are still available at a reduced rate until the end of this week (July 31) - is available from the festival website http://www.blas-festival.com.