A range of top Scottish music artistes are to perform at this year’s ‘HebCelt Survival Sessions’, the hybrid live and digital event being staged by the Hebridean Celtic Festival Trust, 14th-17th July 2021.
There will be a series of limited-audience live shows staged at the Stornoway Arts Centre, An Lanntair, featuring a special Between Islands show, Saltfishforty, Colin Macleod, Staran, Sian, Fara, and the Tumbling Souls which will all be live streamed for a global audience.
Pre-filmed digital content will provide a Survival Sessions exclusive special from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, as well as music from the Elephant Sessions, and a range of pre-recorded curated content featuring local artists. Also included will be the 2021 offering of Postcards from Scotland which will feature an exciting range of top Scottish artists.
The Survival Sessions digital event will be bookended by two specially commissioned new works from Lewis native Josie Duncan and Skye trad/electronic fusion band Niteworks.
Caroline Maclennan, HebCelt Festival Director, said: “This is a very strong programme which showcases our culture and Gaelic. It is gender-balanced and offers a variety of shows which we believe will give us a fantastic bounce-back from the pandemic. We are making it as simple as possible to access, both in terms of platforms and ticket prices.
“Topping Wednesday through Friday will be a virtual festival club with Josie Duncan, Norrie Maciver, and Willie Campbell respectively. There will also be Gaelic language, song and story workshops in partnership with Lews Castle College UHI, and a whisky tasting event. This programme delivers a strong essence of the HebCelt experience. We are so grateful to the ticket-buyers, supporters, funders, volunteers and friends of the festival who have made this possible, and continue to help our chances of a full return in 2022. We hope that the Survival Sessions will be greatly enjoyed by all.”
For more information and tickets visit the ticket link.
HebCelt is supported by Creative Scotland, EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and other public and private sector supporters.
Creative Scotland’s Siobhan Anderson said: “Community based with a firmly established international following, the much loved and revered Hebcelt opens up access to and enjoyment of the very best of Scotland’s Gaelic and traditional music. From family concerts to gigs featuring some of the country’s leading acts, local as well as up-and-coming talent, the festival’s hybrid programme will bring welcome connection between our talented artists and international audiences, leaving no one in any doubt about Scotland’s flourishing musical tradition.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “Events are an important part of our communities and EventScotland is delighted to be supporting HebCelt’s Survival Sessions through Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund. The fund was specifically designed to support organisers to respond and adapt to the effects of the pandemic by trying new ideas. By embracing the hybrid format, trad music fans both in Scotland and around the world will be able to enjoy the very best of Scottish music across the festival’s 4-day programme.”
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Leader, Cllr Roddie Mackay, said: “The Hebridean Celtic Festival is a major success story for the Western Isles, reaching out to audiences, local, national and worldwide. The Comhairle is delighted to support this year’s HebCelt programme and it is great to see the festival return, even if it is in limited form. We wish everyone involved the very best and look forward to a return to the full programme in 2022.”
'#SurvivalSessions