From Friday 20 to Sunday 29 September, the multi-award-winning biennial festival will present a spectacular ten-day cultural explosion, set in unexpected spaces and scenic locations, within the rural and coastal towns and villages around the stunning bay of Findhorn and beyond. The themes of the 2024 festival are nature and the natural world, connection and belonging.
Image by Mark Richards.
The 5th Findhorn Bay Festival is presented by Findhorn Bay Arts and funded by Creative Scotland, Event Scotland, Moray Council, the UK Government, and Berry Burn Community Fund.
Moray communities and visitors to the area will have a chance to experience an eclectic, vibrant and wide-ranging mix of outstanding Scottish, national and international art, theatre and performance and live music, alongside family-friendly events and a host of participative and accessible creative activities.
The festival opens and closes with two stunning concerts. The opening concert features two local talented musicians and singer-songwriters - Brother Sea and Oran - on their home turf. With hypnotic vocals accompanied by a playful twist on classic folk instruments, Brother Sea creates a sense of awe and intrigue with songs like campfire stories exploring heritage and folklore as they gently flicker through captivating soundscapes. Moray-based singer-songwriter Oran will launch her debut album Rebellious Rebirth, that's been inspired by Moray’s landscape.
Celebrated South Korean-born cellist, Su-a Lee, closes the concert with her collaborators from her debut album Dialogues. Joining her on stage are Duncan Chisholm, Donald Shaw and Hamish Napier. Support on the night comes from Oonchancy, the culmination of Findhorn Bay Festival’s international musicians-in-residence collaboration between Dopey Monkey (Moray) and Jean Luc Thomas and Gab Faure (Brittany). The festival is delighted to partner with Compagnie Hirundo Rustica in Brittany for this international exchange. The musicians will be popping up throughout the festival in a range of different settings.
Other music highlights include the Manchester-based music duo The Breath with their contemporary take on alt-folk. Joining them on stage is Inge Thomas with Fraser Fifield. Story in Song brings together three musicians - Adam Ross, Greenshanks and Harry Bird. The award-winning composer Malin Lewis will share the stage with VRï - two-time winners of ‘Best Album‘ at the Welsh Folk Awards. Scotland in Song brings together some of our finest Scottish singers - Brian Ó hEadhra, Fionnag NicChoinnich, Jo Miller and Scott Gardiner.
Jazz and Blues take centre stage with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and Kurt Elling with a stunning repertoire directed by Scottish jazz legend Tommy Smith. Top Scottish blues band, Main Street Blues performs their tribute to the three blues masters: Albert King, Freddy King and BB King - King of the Blues.
Forres Town Hall is getting taken over by Karawane DJs, Mark Thomson and Ali Aitken - known for their back-to-back 4-deck journey sets through wild dancefloor salsa, afrobeat, cumbia and joyful music from around the world. Joining them for the festival takeover are artists who will raise the level to a fever pitch and give an unforgettable experience.
Making her debut, Annabel Kershaw performs The Mariner's Daughter, inspired by her own experience of growing up in a coastal community in the North East of Scotland and her family heritage as daughters and wives of master mariners. Co-commissioned by Sound Festival and performed by a stellar line-up of classical musicians.
Poet Genevieve Carver and Highland composer Lucie Treacher perform a new collaboration - Hydrophonica - fusing music, spoken word and ecological science. Written during a residency with the Lighthouse Field Station in Cromarty, Hydrophonica responds to fieldwork studying dolphin and porpoise populations in the Moray Firth.
The festival welcomes back the National Theatre of Scotland with June Carter Cash: The Woman, Her Music and Me. Festival favourite Ben Harrison returns with his long-term collaborator David Paul Jones, to perform Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me - a homage to the 1980s.
The theatre programme includes Graeme Leak’s SAVED - a meditative, musical journey through the mundanity of everyday life, finding beauty in small moments, elegantly orchestrating instruments onto which Leak has lovingly bestowed a new lease of life.
Hebridean Treasure makes a welcome return to Moray captivatingly blending song, dance and storytelling with live Scottish and South Asian music.
Barrowland Ballet’s much-loved Family Portrait and Vision Mechanics The Fantastic Life of Minnie Rubinski make up the installation programme. Two personal and pertinent pieces were created during the pandemic - one capturing Barrowland Ballet’s Artistic Director, Natasha Gilmore and her three children in an intimate portrayal of family life and the other a deeply meaningful piece inspired by Kim Bergsagel’s (Vision Mechanic’s Creative Director) experience of her mother’s rapid onset of dementia.
Family shows include Eco Drama’s The Forgotten Orchard - a show dedicated to apples; Moonbeam on a Cat’s Ear adapted from the book by Marie-Louise Gay and Unicorn Dance Party is set to add some sparkle to the festival.
Visual arts play a strong part in the festival. Silver Stories explores the emotional and spiritual journey of people who choose to let their hair naturally turn silver. Source to Sea is a curated selection of large paintings from local award-winning artist Lisa Shaw drawing from the artist's intimate connection with both the Moray Firth and the Findhorn River. LVII Independent Photographers Collective will present work from established, early-career and emerging fine art photographers based on the festival themes: nature and the natural world, connection and belonging. The Moray Kilt Series exhibition presents the works-in-progress of local kiltmaker Andrea Chappell at Acme Atelier, who has collaborated with local craftspeople and communities to develop contemporary kilt outfits that promote the kilt as a functional garment of workwear.
Festival Artists-in-Residency include Eve Mosher further exploring our connections to the watershed and inviting others to celebrate nature and the natural world, local waterways, the watersheds ecosystem and its inhabitants. Kate MacKay has collaborated with artists, young people and their families to re-imagine everyday spaces to enhance wellbeing. Working creatively with light, colour, texture, plants and sound, a public space has been transformed into a Space for Wellbeing.
The Festival's Out and About programme encompasses events and activities including walking tours, performance art, and family events. Look out for the Festival Markets in Forres on each Saturday of the Festival, showcasing the wealth of local makers and artists.
To view the whole programme, visit findhornbayfestival.com
Kresanna Aigner, CEO/Creative Director, Findhorn Bay Arts said: “We look forward to welcoming local and visiting audiences to celebrate the very best of local, national and international cultural experiences. Encompassing themes of nature, connection and belonging, we have over 42 shows and 119 events. The 5th Findhorn Bay Festival programme is set to spark debate and reflection as well as inspire people of all ages. Participation and engagement are at the heart and central to our programme. We would like to thank all our Funders without whom there would be no festival, so a special shout-out to Creative Scotland, EventScotland, Moray Council, The UK Government Fund and Berry Burn Community Fund. This year’s festival is truly a creative and cultural explosion and one not to be missed.”
Karen Dick, Creative Scotland’s Head of Place, Partnerships & Communities said: “Congratulations to Findhorn Bay Arts on the launch of its 5th Festival programme. Thanks to invaluable support from The National Lottery audiences are in for a treat with a vibrant lineup of performances and engaging activities for all ages. The Festival’s dynamic programme not only celebrates creativity but also shines a spotlight on an impressive array of talent, both local and international, offering something truly special for everyone living in and visiting Moray.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events said: “EventScotland is delighted to continue its support for Findhorn Bay Festival through the National Events Funding Programme. This festival is a highlight of the north east’s events calendar and plays an important role in the community, bringing people together to connect, enjoy and share memorable experiences. The 2024 edition is set to offer another packed programme with Findhorn providing the perfect stage for audiences and performers alike from the local area and further afield.”
Gemma Cruickshank, Chief Executive, Visit Moray Speyside said: “We are delighted to support the 5th Findhorn Bay Festival and its 2024 programme. As the local Destination Marketing Organisation, Visit Moray Speyside recognises the significant impact this multi-award-winning festival has on bringing visitors to our beautiful region. The diverse range of cultural, artistic, and musical events not only showcases the rich heritage and creative talent of Moray Speyside but also provides a substantial economic boost to local businesses and communities. Events like the Findhorn Bay Festival are crucial in highlighting our area's unique attractions and fostering a sense of connection and belonging among both residents and visitors. The festival’s focus on nature and the natural world aligns perfectly with our ongoing efforts to promote sustainable and immersive travel experiences.”
She added: “We are particularly excited about the opportunities this festival presents for local artists, performers, and small businesses to shine on an international stage. The economic benefits extend far beyond the festival dates, contributing to the overall growth and resilience of the visitor economy in Moray Speyside. This festival is a testament to the power of cultural events in driving tourism and creating lasting memories for all who attend.”
Tickets and Booking
Online: findhornbayfestival.com
In person: Festival Box Office, 98 High Street, Forres, Moray, IV36 1NX
Background
The 5th Findhorn Bay Festival is presented by Findhorn Bay Arts and supported by Creative Scotland, Event Scotland, Moray Council, the UK Government, and Berry Burn Community Fund.
Website: findhornbayfestival.com
Findhorn Bay Arts has been ‘making creative things happen’ in Moray and beyond since 2012. An award-winning creative producer of cultural events and activities, its work is rooted in the communities of Moray. Findhorn Bay Arts strives to create high-quality and accessible cultural experiences, including the biennial Findhorn Bay Festival. It has established a year-round programme for people of all ages and abilities and its work has been a driver to the rise of tourism in the area, contributing around £800,000 to the local economy. Over the past decade, it has forged strong partnerships with funders, stakeholders, artists, and creative practitioners and, most of all, local communities across Moray. On a regional and national level, Findhorn Bay Arts has won awards for playing a major part in the community and creative regeneration of the area as well as winning awards for its contribution to the cultural sector.
Visit Moray Speyside (VMS) are the Destination Marketing Organisation and Tourism Business Improvement District (BID) Company for the Moray & Speyside area of Scotland.
Visit Moray Speyside’s work is focused on three main areas of activity.
- Marketing – Destination marketing for Moray Speyside. Attracting consumers and engaging with the international travel trade to position Moray as a world-class destination.
- Business Support – Supporting tourism businesses in the region with training, opportunities, digital skills and more.
- Visitor Experience – Improving the experience for visitors from inspiration to arrival and beyond.
Visit Moray Speyside works in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders, tourism organisations, community groups and commercial businesses to drive forward tourism development in Moray Speyside.
EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events by securing and supporting an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events. It provides funding opportunities and access to resources and information to develop the industry.
EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation, alongside Business Events and Development teams. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news, visit visitscotland.org/events, follow @EventScotNews on X and follow EventScotland on linkedin.com.
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot.
This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local businesses, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus.
Media contacts
For further information contact:
Wendy Niblock / [email protected] / +44 (0) 7961 814834