AFTER a journey that has seen innovative new work presented across Scotland, the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme is now approaching a final weekend featuring an exciting range of shows.
Evocative music performed in the Isle of Canna’s harbour, a world music world premiere, and performances by stars of the Scottish rock scene, are among the highlights still to come.
More than 1,500 events will have taken place across the country as part of the programme by Sunday 31 August to celebrate Scotland and Glasgow’s hosting of the XX Commonwealth Games.
Friday 29 August sees the world premiere of The King of Ghosts at Leith Links.
Commissioned for the opening of the Edinburgh Mela, this new musical work is a collaboration between the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and rising world music star Soumik Datta.
Inspired by the classic 1969 Indian art house film. Gupi Gayen, Bagha Bayen, by Oscar-winning director, Satyajit Ray, King of Ghosts will follow its debut on Friday with a tour of Scotland. ww.edinburgh-mela.co.uk/ghosts
The East End Social’s celebration of Glasgow, its east end and a uniting love of music, reaches a climax at The Last Big Weekend, Richmond Park, Glasgow on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August. The packed bill includes Mogwai, The Wedding Present, The Twilight Sad, Young Fathers, Hudson Mohawke, Jeff Mills, and James Murphy. www.eastendsocial.com
Glasgow’s Tramway is hosting the four-day dance festival, Gathered Together. Taking place from Wednesday 27 – Saturday 30 August, the festival is bringing together dance practitioners from across the globe to share best practice and knowledge as well as presenting a series on public performances culminating in a Ceilidh on the Saturday night.
Conceived by leading inclusive dance development company, Indepen-dance Gathered Together is the country’s first International Inclusive Dance Festival and is part of Get Scotland Dancing. http://indepen-dance.org.uk/festival-programme1
As part of the South African Season at the Edinburgh International Festival 2014, Handspring Puppet Company brings Ubu and the Truth Commission to the Royal Lyceum Theatre from Thursday 28 -Saturday 30 August.
With its dark and sardonic wit, documentary footage, spectacular animation, poignant puppetry and superb actors, this metaphorical tale of marital betrayal affords glimpses into the devastating complexities of apartheid. www.eif.co.uk/ubu
Artist, composer and performer, Hanna Tuulikki’s Air falbh leis na h-eòin (Away with the Birds) explores the vocal mimesis of birds in Gaelic song in performances in the historic harbour of the Isle of Canna harbour on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 August.
The work is a re-imagining of the archives and vibrant lives of John Lorne Campbell and Margaret Fay Shaw, two of Scotland’s most important ethnomusicologists and the last Laird and Lady of the island. www.awaywiththebirds.co.uk
Scottish cult-pop raconteur, Aidan Moffat, and award-winning filmmaker, Paul Fegan, spent this Spring touring the length and breadth of Scotland – socialising with local characters, carousing into the early hours, and exploring the country’s music traditions as part of their unprecedented folkloric pop voyage, Where You’re Meant To Be. This Sunday they will transform Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom into a cabaret-style cinema venue, for a one-off preview screening of several key scenes from their forthcoming film, interspersed with songs from Moffat, and his tales about the characters and anecdotes behind each clip. betterdays.co.uk
GENERATION’s celebration of 25 years of contemporary art in Scotland also continues at venues across Scotland. Ongoing exhibitions include Where do I end and you begin at City Art Centre as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival; work by Alison Watt at Perth Museum and Art Gallery; The Patrons by Alex Frost at Cove Park, Rosneath penninsula; and work by Richard Wright at the Modern Institute, Glasgow. http://generationartscotland.org
Leonie Bell, director of Arts and Engagement at Creative Scotland, said: “Don’t miss out on the chance to experience thought provoking, inspiring, and celebratory events and activities during the final weekend of the XX Commonwealth Games Cultural Programme.
“The programme has placed arts and creativity at the heart of the celebrations, bringing together artists, communities and audiences from Scotland and across the Commonwealth. New creative connections have been made along the way that hold the promise of more exciting things to come in the years ahead.
“For now, we can look forward to a final weekend of more superb events as the exhilarating journey of the Cultural Programme reaches its conclusion.”
The closing weekend follows Festival 2014, Glasgow’s Games time cultural celebration which saw more than 6,000 performers take part in 1,000 performances across 100 venues. The Host City was brought to life during the Games, at Live Zones across the city and by shows which were integrated with the sports programme, helping to contribute to the success of the best Games ever.
Jill Miller, the head of Culture at Glasgow 2014 and Director of Culture at Glasgow Life, said: “We wanted the people of Glasgow and Scotland to connect with the Games through some of the very finest creative talent, both homegrown and from across the world. They did not let us down. It has been an extraordinary summer, with hundreds of thousands of people enjoying the spirit of the Commonwealth Games and their connection to Glasgow and Scotland, by enjoying some of the very best performances and activities.
“This may be the final hurdle for the Cultural Programme, but the connections we have made with both artists and communities, will benefit us for years to come.”
A selection of exhibitions, including work as part of GENERATION, will continue into early 2015. http://generationartscotland.org
The Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme is a partnership between the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee, Glasgow Life, and Creative Scotland through National Lottery funding.
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ENDS
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