WEST COAST ARTS
promoting music and theatre on Loch Ewe
West Coast Arts is a local non-profit community organisation run entirely by volunteers. It aims to promote subsidised live music and theatre events from all over the world for both local people and visitors to this remote area of north-west Scotland to enjoy year-round.
WCA uses several venues - mainly Aultbea Village Hall, an old building with a stage which was once a cinema for the use of troops stationed on the Loch in World War Two - and Poolewe Village Hall, which features a modern, purpose-built performance space ideal for musical events and theatre in the round. Sometimes we also stage larger performances at Gairloch Community Centre and smaller ones in the bar at Poolewe Hotel.
Aultbea Village Hall
Poolewe Village Hall
Gairloch Community Hall
Poolewe Hotel
Forthcoming events for 2008:
08 July Poolewe Hall 8pm
£7 adults, £5 concessions, £2 children
Ali McCulloch Trio
A return visit to Poolewe by this hugely popular celtic fiddler and his band. Three times former National Fiddle Champion, Alistair McCulloch is one of the busiest and best-known fiddlers in Scotland. As well as having a highly successful solo career, Alistair is lead fiddler in the band ‘Coila' . His annual tour of the Scottish Highlands has become an eagerly awaited event in the Scottish Music calendar with his high energy concert performances and infectious humour.
Fiddle workshops in the afternoon at the hall - drop in about 3pm to participate!
More info at Ali's website.
5 August 2008 Gairloch Community Hall 8pm
£7 adults, £5 concessions, £2 children
The Outside Track
With a diverse line-up from Ireland, Scotland, Canada and England, The Outside Track combine music from all their different cultures to form a distinct and dynamic musical sound. Flute, harp, fiddle, guitar, accordion and vocals combine in expressive, energetic arrangements that deliver traditional music with a modern twist. Ailie Robertson - clarsach; Norah Rendell - vocals, flute, whistle; Fiona Black - accordion; Alan Jordan - guitar, vocals; Lauren MacColl - fiddle.
More info at The Outside Track's website or listen to music at their MySpace
September - date and venue to be announced
Mull Theatre's production of Shakespeare's Macbeth
14 October 2008 venue to be announced
Au Courant
Baroque music: details to follow
19 February 2009
Essential Scottish Opera - Gairloch Community Hall 8pm
further details to follow...!!
Other events to follow (dates still to be confirmed):
Live Premiere of Selkie - new choral song cycle written and performed by local musicians and writers
An evening with the Scottish Storytelling Centre + local musicians
Check us out, become a friend or leave us a comment on MySpace.
Click here for some details of our past events....
For all West Coast Arts business contact:
Chairman Carole Miller, Treasurer Alasdair Wright, or Secretary/Webmaster Clare O'Brien
Other local links:
Hi-Arts: Arts in the Highland region
An Comunn Gàidhealach Meur Loch Iu: local Gaelic culture
Harp2Ewe : local traditional music workshops and tuition
Poolewe Ceilidh Nights: singing and dancing, traditional style
Species 8472: local non-trad music outreach project
Black Cherry: Ally, Carole and Clare's folk/jazz crossover band
Clare O'Brien: local crofter, writer and biographer
Coming here on holiday? Looking for somewhere to stay on Loch Ewe? Try Poolewe Hotel or if you're after self-catering - Coille Bheag, Stone Ewe Croft or Tigh-na-Sith And while you're here, don't forget to visit Poolewe Swimming Pool!
West Coast Arts receives support from The Highland Council and The Scottish Arts Council
