Storylands Sessions

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Storylands Sessions CONNECT | CREATE | BELONG Tales and Tunes Come Together in Monthly Live Events in Badenoch. Read more about your hosts below. Six events per month!

The Storylands Sessions are a series of music and storytelling events in Badenoch led by musician/composer Hamish Napier and storyteller/researcher Aila Schafer, with our MC, academic researcher Jo Rodgers. The Storylands Sessions are a series of music and storytelling events in Badenoch venues. Hosted by musician, Hamish Napier, and writer, Merryn Glover, The Sessions are a celebration of Highland culture and community, both traditional and contemporary. We welcome locals and visitors alike, classic material and original creations, and we love the buzz when they come together. Hamish Napier is a Highland folk musician, composer and tutor. His award-winning recent album The Woods, celebrates the trees of Scotland. https://www.hamishnapier.com/

Merryn Glover is a writer of fiction, drama, poetry and non-fiction. Her award-winning recent novel, Of Stone and Sky, is a story of the bonds between people and land in the Cairngorms. https://www.merrynglover.com/


When and Where Are the Events? Open Mic Night

The high point of the Storylands Sessions is the monthly Open Mic Night at the Ptarmigan Dome, Loch Insh, with an Early Show and Late Show on the same night. The evenings celebrate Highland culture and community, both traditional and contemporary, drawing locals and visitors and young and old alike in a warm and welcoming space. The evening will be threaded together by your co-hosts, Merryn and Hamish, with tales, tunes and terrible jokes.
.and four Workshop Series

Story and Poetry for Performance, one in person and one online, with award-winning author and experienced performer, Merryn Glover. This workshop series builds confidence for taking your ideas and experiences and shaping them into spoken pieces for sharing with others! In a relaxed, fun and highly supportive environment, we will share our work and find the best ways to get your best words into the world. Folk Music, also one in person and one online, with award-winning musician, music tutor and experienced performer, Hamish Napier. Learn how to arrange and perform folk tunes and songs in a group, or solo in this workshop series that in this builds confidence and ideas to find the best ways to get your best playing and singing into the world. https://badenochstorylands.com/storylands-sessions/

Our Sponsors

Storylands Sessions is proud to be funded by the Cairngorms National Park Authority and by the Community Led Vision Fund through the Cairngorms Trust.

🎻 Storylands Sessions Annual Concert Series 🎻Lauren MacColl & Anna Massie 📅 10 Nov, 7pm 🏡 Boat of Garten Community Hall...
12/10/2026

🎻 Storylands Sessions Annual Concert Series 🎻

Lauren MacColl & Anna Massie
📅 10 Nov, 7pm
🏡 Boat of Garten Community Hall

We’re excited to launch our new Storylands Sessions Annual Concert series with two of Scotland’s most celebrated and much loved traditional musicians: Lauren MacColl and Anna Massie. ✨

Award-winning fiddler Lauren creates music rooted in the landscapes, stories and traditions of the Highlands—and has strong Strathspey connections, having previously lived and taught in Carrbridge.

She’ll be joined by exceptional multi-instrumentalist Anna Massie, one of traditional music’s foremost guitarists, widely known for her engaging and often humorous performances.

Unlike our usual mixture of music, poetry and storytelling, this is a full concert - a chance to settle in and enjoy a whole evening of remarkable musicianship with a deep connection to Scotland’s landscape, folklore and musical traditions. 🏔️🎶

🎟️ Tickets are on sale now via link in comments.

And there’s another chance to see these wonderful musicians locally - on 29 November, at RSPB Loch Garten’s Folk in the Forest, Lauren and Anna join acclaimed singer Hannah Rarity, known for bringing a fresh energy to traditional song with her captivating voice and distinctive style.

With two contrasting gigs so close to home, you may well want to enjoy both! 💚

🔔 ONE MORE WEEK TO SUBMIT TO THE STORYLANDS SESSIONS ANTHOLOGY! 🔔New deadline: 13 OctoberWe’ve loved receiving submissio...
08/10/2026

🔔 ONE MORE WEEK TO SUBMIT TO THE STORYLANDS SESSIONS ANTHOLOGY! 🔔

New deadline: 13 October

We’ve loved receiving submissions for our very first Storylands Sessions anthology, and because we’ve heard from people who didn’t quite make the original deadline, we’re giving everyone one final chance to be involved.

We're looking for poetry, stories and creative prose, music and visual art from across the Storylands community. You don't need to be a professional artist, writer or musician. You don't need to have performed at Storylands before. And equally, if you're one of the professional artists who has joined us as a guest over the years, we'd love to hear from you too.

Our aim is to create something that truly reflects Storylands: different art forms, generations, experiences and perspectives, all brought together in one place. ✨ ❤️

If you’ve been thinking, “I might submit something…” - this is your nudge!

See the image below for more details and find the link in the comments.

Not sure whether your work fits? Please get in touch, we’d much rather you asked than decided not to send it. 🙏🏻

✨ A Storylands Sessions STORYTELLING SPECIAL ✨📅 Tuesday 13th October | 🕖 7.00pm–9.30pm📍 Ptarmigan Dome, Loch Insh Outdoo...
07/10/2026

✨ A Storylands Sessions STORYTELLING SPECIAL ✨

📅 Tuesday 13th October | 🕖 7.00pm–9.30pm
📍 Ptarmigan Dome, Loch Insh Outdoor Centre

We're delighted to be taking part once again in the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, with a special Storylands evening inspired by this year's festival theme, Bird and Beast.

We'll be joined by two special guest storytellers: Nana Tomova, whose vivid, immersive storytelling brings traditional tales together with contemporary insight and Luke Winter, the creator of the Story Wagon, whose playful, participatory storytelling brings people together.

🎤 Would you like to take the stage?

As ever, you are invited to contribute and for this session, we're making a little more room than usual for tales to unfold. Alongside some of our familiar five-minute open stage for contributors, storytellers can take up to ten minutes to lead us somewhere else for a while – into an old tale or a new one, something remembered, imagined, inherited or gathered along the way.

We welcome music, poetry, spoken word and other creative contributions alongside traditional and contemporary storytelling. All we ask for this particular evening is that, in some way, your contribution tells a story. So whether you tell yours through words, music, poetry or something else entirely, we'd love to welcome you to the stage.

And, of course, you don't have to perform at all. Come with something to share - or simply come and listen.

Visit the links in comments to perform or book your place to come along.

ONLINE WRITING WORKSHOP 'MIX & MATCH' ✒️ 💻 WEDNESDAY 7th October🔷 7 – 9pm, ONLINE WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS (AGE 16+) (Dista...
05/10/2026

ONLINE WRITING WORKSHOP 'MIX & MATCH' ✒️
💻 WEDNESDAY 7th October
🔷 7 – 9pm, ONLINE WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS (AGE 16+) (Distance no object!)

Join us from wherever you are in the world and discover the unexpected stories that emerge when you 'Mix & Match'

We’ll explore intriguing combinations and contrasts, unexpected pairings and playful connections, using objects from the Highland Folk Museum collections as a doorway into creativity and new writing.

Led by educator and poet Karen Hodgson Pryce, these friendly and welcoming sessions are open to new and experienced writers alike

✒️ Short creative prompts to get you started
✒️ Time to write and develop your work
✒️ Gentle discussion and optional sharing

Come along, get curious, mix things up, and see where your imagination takes you.

Follow the link in profile bio for full information and booking details.

ONLINE WRITING WORKSHOP 'MIX & MATCH' ✒️ 📖 💻 WEDNESDAY 7th October🔷 7 – 9pm, ONLINE WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS (AGE 16+) (Dis...
04/10/2026

ONLINE WRITING WORKSHOP 'MIX & MATCH' ✒️ 📖
💻 WEDNESDAY 7th October
🔷 7 – 9pm, ONLINE WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS (AGE 16+) (Distance no object!)

Join us from wherever you are in the world and discover the unexpected stories that emerge when you 'Mix & Match'

We’ll explore intriguing combinations and contrasts, unexpected pairings and playful connections, using objects from the Highland Folk Museum collections as a doorway into creativity and new writing.

Led by educator and poet Karen Hodgson Pryce, these friendly and welcoming sessions are open to new and experienced writers alike

✒️ Short creative prompts to get you started
✒️ Time to write and develop your work
✒️ Gentle discussion and optional sharing

Come along, get curious, mix things up, and see where your imagination takes you.

Follow the link in comments for full information and booking details.

WORD WORKSHOPS: MIX & MATCH 7th and 8th OCTOBER When Fuzzy Felt meets Vintage ToysThis October, our Written Words Worksh...
28/09/2026

WORD WORKSHOPS: MIX & MATCH
7th and 8th OCTOBER

When Fuzzy Felt meets Vintage Toys

This October, our Written Words Workshops invite you to explore the hidden stories of everyday objects from the Highland Folk Museum..

Inspired by the theme Mix & Match, we’ll explore how intriguing combinations and contrasts, unexpected pairings and playful connections can open the doorway into creativity.

Using objects from the museum as inspiration, you’ll be guided into new writing - from stories and poems to memoir, humour, drama, reflections on place, or something completely unexpected.

Led by educator and poet Karen Hodgson Pryce, these friendly and welcoming sessions are open to new and experienced writers alike.

Come along, get curious, mix things up, and see where your imagination takes you. ✍️

💻 Wednesday 7th October
ONLINE adults workshop, age 16+
7–9pm

✒️ Thursday 8th October
IN PERSON at the Highland Folk Museum
Young Writers, ages 13–18: 5–6pm
Adults, age 16+: 6:30–8:30pm

Visit the link in comments to find out more and book your place.

This Week! STORYLANDS SESSIONS AT FINDHORN BAY FESTIVAL: 'CONNECTIONS' SEPTEMBER: CONNECTIONS📅 Wednesday 30 September 🕖...
28/09/2026

This Week! STORYLANDS SESSIONS AT FINDHORN BAY FESTIVAL: 'CONNECTIONS'

SEPTEMBER: CONNECTIONS
📅 Wednesday 30 September
🕖 7.00pm– 10.00pm
📍 Duffus Village Hall

We're delighted to announce that Storylands Sessions will be part of this year's Findhorn Bay Arts Festival. We'll be taking our unique blend of music, poetry and storytelling to Duffus Village Hall for a special festival edition.

Our theme will be Connection and we'll be exploring: Connection between people and place, Past and present, Language and landscape, Memory and belonging, The natural world and ourselves.

We have a full and varied programme in store, and we’re especially excited to welcome many performers making their Storylands debut, alongside some of our regular Sessions contributors.

🎶📖✨ It promises to be a wonderful evening of stories, songs, music, poetry and connection.

Audience tickets are available through the Findhorn Bay Festival website, and we'd love to see some familiar Storylands faces in the audience.

27/09/2026

Watch Hamish Napier's fundraising antics at Findhorn Bay Festival...watch right through to the end for maximum effect! 🫣 😄 🎶 🍺

Hamish is Musician in Residence this at this year's festival in beautiful Findhorn and we're very excited to say that we are taking our unique blend of music, poetry and storytelling to Duffus Village Hall for a special festival edition this Wednesday, 30th September.

We have a very full and varied programme lined up and we're delighted to welcome some new performers who will be joining the Sessions for the very first time!

Audience tickets are available through the Findhorn Bay Festival website, and we'd love to see some familiar Storylands faces in the audience 🥰

We're delighted to welcome storyteller Nana Tomova to our Storytelling Special evening on 13th October in partnership w...
19/09/2026

We're delighted to welcome storyteller Nana Tomova to our Storytelling Special evening on 13th October in partnership with Scottish International Storytelling Festival Go Local

The Festival theme is Bird and Beast, exploring the relationships between humans, animals, birds and the more-than-human world and we invite stories that wander into that territory – folklore and folktales, encounters with animals, wild places, transformations, creatures real or imagined – but, as ever at Storylands, the theme is an invitation rather than a rule.

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Badenoch And Strathspey
Kingussie

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