This month we are delighted to host 3 live events under the banner of Sensing Stories, which is the culmination of a series of workshops and discussions to inspire new stories waiting to be told. We are passionate about ensuring all voices and stories are heard and encouraged in Scotland. Our stories are the threads … Continued

TRACS is delighted to be assisting Creative Scotland and other partners in delivering a pilot programme of Traditional Arts Mentoring, building on work undertaken by the Traditional Music Forum. The aim is to exchange knowledge, skills and experience between the generations. The programme is aimed at early or mid-career practitioners in Scotland. Successful applicants will … Continued

TRACS and the Scottish Storytelling Centre present an entertaining take on the life of Robert Burns with poems, stories, songs and music this Burns Night, devised by storyteller, author and presenter David Campbell, as an alternative to Burns Suppers with formal speeches. The popular annual live event now goes virtual to offer a convivial evening … Continued

Love drawing? Join the first SISF online art challenge and engage with the festival community in new ways, with the chance to win a book of Scottish folktales! Everyone is encouraged to join the fun. All levels are welcome, and our challenge is open to all art illustration styles and techniques. How to get on … Continued

Set sail this autumn, as the Scottish International Storytelling Festival (SISF) takes audiences on a voyage, exploring Scotland’s coasts and water through music and storytelling. The 2020 SISF programme is revealed today, promising an eclectic mix of online events spanning across the globe and small-scale face-to-face events, celebrating Scotland ‘a nation shaped by the sea’. … Continued

We just celebrated the summer solstice–the longest day of the year–on Sunday, and we’re enjoying the longer daylight hours that summer brings. On Wednesday 24 June, we will celebrate midsummer in Scotland. Midsummer has its roots as a Celtic fire festival, blessing the crops for a fruitful summer harvest with bonfires and using torches to … Continued

We’re excited to announce that the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, which runs from 17 – 31 October 2020, will keep you ‘In the Flow’ with an eclectic mix of online events and small-scale face-to-face performances, celebrating Scotland ‘a nation shaped by water’, taking you on voyages at home and away. Stories and songs are vital … Continued

It’s been hard to miss the various creative responses to the restrictions, mandatory and self-imposed, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. From the weekly outbreak of applause, pot-banging and bell-ringing in appreciation of the health workers, to rainbows in windows, and comedian Janey Godley’s affectionate parodies of the First Minister, people have been making sense of … Continued

“The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.” (Neil DeGrasse Tyson) However, as humans we cannot help but marvel at the great infinite sky and the sheer number of stars and constellations. We can trace first cave drawings of stars as far back as the stone age and we owe much of … Continued

For many years two important parts of my life ran along in parallel. My life in traditional dance arose from my own enjoyment of Irish and Scottish social dance and the old-style stepping traditions of both countries. Sharing the Irish Sets and Scottish Cèilidh dances I learned over the years seemed a natural thing to … Continued