Eden Court’s outdoor summer festival Under Canvas officially kicks off today and to mark the occasion, organisers announced the event will also hit the road this summer.
Under Canvas Across The Highlands will be setting up stretch tents across the region that will offer music, entertainment and engagement activities from July 13 to July 31.
Under Canvas is Eden Court’s flagship outdoor summer festival, offering a great line-up of contemporary folk, Scottish traditional music, world music DJs, jazz, blues and more from today till September 30.
However, since not everyone will be able to go to the festival taking up residence at the Inverness theatre, Eden Court bosses decided to simultaneously launch a touring version of the festival later this month.
Under Canvas will visit rural villages
Having begun life in 2018, this is the first time the festival will be delivered outwith Inverness to rural communities. Under Canvas Across The Highlands, delivered in partnership with The Highland Council, will visit Tain, Wick, Ullapool, Kyleakin, Fort William and Strontian.
Eden Court’s chief executive officer, James Mackenzie-Blackman, said: “Eden Court was founded as the arts venue for all the people of the Highlands. Touring Under Canvas to every corner of the region is a testament that we take these founding principles very seriously.
“I can’t wait to set up our tent, deliver fantastic opportunities for children and young people to enjoy a summer of play and to host the very best Scottish musicians for audiences.”
Eden Court will work with local schools
Eden Court’s engagement team will be on the road, working with local schools and agencies to identify the children and young people who would most benefit from creative sessions during the summer holidays.
The tent aims to be a relaxed space for the young people in these communities to explore their creativity – whether it’s filmmaking or crafting – and as the evenings draw in, the tent will play host to great musicians and food and drink vendors.
Eden Court’s head of engagement, Lucy McGlennon, added: “We’re genuinely so excited to be hitting the road this summer. It feels like it’s been a long time coming, and we can’t wait to be out and about meeting children and young people from across the Highlands.”
Festival will feature great bands
Throughout the tour, audiences can enjoy the Under Canvas House band, featuring musicians including Ruairidh Gollan, Megan MacDonald and Calum McIlroy.
Local guest artists will perform alongside the House Band at every stop along the way, including Malin Lewis, Anna Massie, Ali Levack, Ingrid Henderson and Iain Macfarlane, with more guests and surprises to be revealed.
There will be two sessions per evening, one at 6pm and one at 8pm, lasting for 90 minutes each. The event is free with a £5 reservation fee per person that will secure a table and be redeemable against food or drinks bills at the end of every session. Tickets will go on sale later today.
See the full tour dates below:
- Tain: Tain Academy (Tuesday July 13 – Wednesday July 14)
- Wick: Rosebank Playing Fields (owned by Wick Youth Club) in partnership with Lyth Arts Centre (Friday July 16 – Saturday July 17)
- Ullapool: Ullapool Primary School (Tuesday July 20 – Wednesday July 21)
- Kyleakin: the green outside the Village Hall, Kyleakin, Skye (Friday July 23 – Saturday July 24)
- Ballachulish: (Tuesday July 27 – Wednesday July 28)
- Strontian: Show Ground (Friday July 30 – Saturday July 31)