Rural arts fundraising campaign launched

A FUNDRAISING campaign to help rural venues host live performances begins this morning. The “Keep Rural Arts Live” initiative aims to raise £20,000 through the Crowdfunder website. The campaign is being run by The Touring Network, which brings together artists and venues spread across Scotland. The money will subsidise lost income if venues have to…

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Keeping children engaged with the great outdoors

During lockdown, many families have found the time to reconnect with the outdoors. Now that restrictions are starting to ease, conservation expert Jeff  Waddell explains why it’s important that families continue to explore nature together and gives advice on how to keep young ones engaged with the great outdoors. THE National Trust for Scotland (NTS)…

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Authors pick top lockdown crime novels

Ahead of the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival, which begins online on 18 September, authors Alex Gray and Gordon Brown – who writes as Morgan Cry – pick their favourite lockdown books. Alex Gray Three books that were really good during lockdown days include Kate Atkinson’s Big Sky. A terrific read, thoroughly enjoyable, beautifully written and quirky.…

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Spot the smaller things in nature this summer

Travel writer Phoebe Smith and binocular maker Swarovski offer tips to help countryside explorers slow down this summer and notice the little things in nature. 1. Look for nature’s clues Sometimes, when we take a walk, we can get so fixated on where we are headed to that we forget to take the time to…

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When you discover a murderer in the family

When writer Cal Flyn discovered the dark secret in her family’s past it started a long but cathartic investigation. In the summer of 2011 I made a discovery about my family history that has dominated my work and thoughts ever since. I learned that I was the great-great-great niece of Angus McMillan, who left Scotland…

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£3000 crowdfunder to buy hospital staff pizza

A Scottish trio of friends, in partnership with pizza restaurants around the country, have started a crowdfunding campaign to raise £3000 to provide pizza to healthcare workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  Scottish Field’s whisky writer Blair Bowman, with Mark Dickson and Helen MacInnes, organised the initiative, with the goal to start delivering pizzas this Friday…

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Tenth Boswell Book Festival delayed till October

The Boswell Book Festival, the world’s only event dedicated to memoir and biography, has been postponed. The programme for the 10th Boswell Book Festival was to have been announced with a line up of writers proving that great lives make great stories. However, the festival which had been due to take place from 8-10 May…

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The life and crimes of author Craig Robertson

Crime writer Craig Robertson confesses to a fondness for cemeteries and his local 19th-century pub, as well as taking plenty of inspiration from his home town of Stirling. I could probably be accused of being a bit of a fraud in one aspect of my writing. All but one of my books are set in…

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A Monster Calls ready for its Scottish debut

The stage adaptation of A Monster Calls is making its Scottish debut next week in Aberdeen. Patrick Ness’s piercing novel is brought vividly to life in the Olivier Award-winning production by visionary director Sally Cookson, at His Majesty’s Theatre from 17-21 March. The production will also play at the Edinburgh Playhouse from 7 April-11 April.…

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