Do you want to develop your confidence and leadership skills? Master Collette is an ex-Vice President of Nike and is an International Health Coach and Suntao energy master. She brought the first mindset event into Nike World HQ before returning home to Scotland, and has been teaching at the Burgh Hall since August 2024. This new evening class is a more advanced option that integrates leadership insight and Qi Gong principles, Join Collette on Tuesdays from 22nd July between 6.15pm and 7.15pm in our Main Hall. Collette has kindly asked that session proceeds are made as a donation to Dunoon Burgh Hall – you can book online or pay at the cafe on arrival.

Isola reflects on the idea of the island as an existential condition. The images were photographed at the opposite ends of Europe, in the Western Isles of Scotland and the islands of the Northern Aegean, acknowledging the fact that John’s life is defined, respectively, by his family origins in the Greek island of Chios and the Scottish island of Arran, where he now lives. Resonating with the etymology of the word ‘island’, the series was begun in April -May 2020, in a period of enforced isolation on Arran during the first coronavirus lockdown in the UK. The detachment afforded by living through this period led the artist to begin reflecting on the experience of living between islands and on his own transnational identity as an islander and photographer. This has since led to find parallels between islands at the edges of Europe to the point where, in this work, they merge to become the Island that defines John’s experience and imagination as a European. Entry to our exhibitions is free but it does cost us money to bring them to Dunoon Hall. We would appreciate any donations to help us keep providing our exhibition program in the future.

Alasdair Taylor (1936 – 2007) was born in Edderton in the Highlands of Scotland and studied at the world-famous Glasgow School Art (GSA) from 1955 to 1959. In 1973, writer and artist, Alasdair Gray, wrote that Taylor was as “a lyrical painter: a painter whose colour, like a musician’s sound, makes sombre and radiant feelings without showing (as many painters do and all writers must) details of the social life causing them.” Making and creating was central to Alasdair Taylor’s being. A prolific painter and sculptor, regarded by peers and art critics alike as being touched by genius, Taylor shied away from the commercial side of the art world. This exhibition commemorating what would have been Alasdair’s 90th birthday, presents a remarkable collection of work, ranging from paintings to sculptures and sketchbooks. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through Alasdair Taylor’s artistic evolution, from his early days in art school in the 1950s to his passing in 2007. Entry to our exhibitions is free but it does cost us money to bring them to Dunoon Hall. We would appreciate any donations to help us keep providing our exhibition program in the future.

The Demarco Archive is a comprehensive record of continuous contemporary and collaborative artistic practice from the second half of the 20th century into the present day. This exhibition highlights the seminal work of Joseph Beuys, one of the most significant artists of the 20th century, and his collaborations with Richard Demarco on the Cowal Peninsula. Beuys, a professor at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, was a founding member and lifelong supporter of the German Green Party. His visionary concept of social sculpture sought to integrate art with society and the environment. Beuys’ visits to Argyll, facilitated by Demarco, were part of this mission, with plans to plant 7,000 oak trees as an extension of his groundbreaking work. His ideas on social sculpture have since been widely explored, shared, and developed through artistic practice, pedagogy, activism, and writing. A pivotal figure in Scotland’s cultural landscape, Richard Demarco co-founded the Traverse Theatre and played a key role in shaping the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Through the Richard Demarco Gallery, he introduced artists from across Europe to Scotland, fostering exchanges that profoundly influenced a generation of Scottish artists. This exhibition offers a rare insight into the legacy of Beuys and Demarco—two visionaries who redefined the role of art in society. Entry to our exhibitions is free but it does cost us money to bring them to Dunoon Hall. We would appreciate any donations to help us keep providing our exhibition program in the future.

Language Art, Altered and Handmade Books in Scotland Dunoon MOCA collaboration About Dunoon MOCA: Established in 2022 by artists and curators Kathy Bruce and Alastair Noble, Dunoon MOCA is a small, artist-run gallery dedicated to text-based art, visual poetry, and book arts. In addition to exhibitions, the gallery hosts public events such as poetry readings and book signings, fostering a space for creative dialogue. This collaboration between Dunoon MOCA and Dunoon Burgh Hall offers a unique opportunity to explore the evolving nature of the artist’s book—blurring the lines between literature and visual art, tradition and innovation. Entry to our exhibitions is free but it does cost us money to bring them to Dunoon Hall. We would appreciate any donations to help us keep providing our exhibition program in the future.

What is Qi Gong? Qi Gong is designed to slow the nervous system down. You will learn the main principles of this ancient practice for restoring balance and harmony between the body and mind. Learn about your energy system and how to recover a calm and focused state of being. Qi-Gong is about the balance of tension versus relaxation and circulating energy in the body. Through practice, you can retrain your brain to release old habits and stored up emotions to recover your natural, balanced state. Master Collette has studied and taught Tai Chi and Qi-Gong for almost twenty years. Each week you will be guided through specific movements and principles that you can use every day. These sessions are accessible for all ages and levels. Collette has kindly asked that session proceeds are made as a donation to Dunoon Burgh Hall – you can book online or pay at the cafe on arrival.

Simon Yates of Touching the Void returns to Dunoon Burgh Hall, with his new talk ‘Pleasure and Pain’! ‘Touching the Void’ mountaineer Simon Yates is a veteran of over eighty expeditions to high and remote mountains around the globe. Now in his sixties, he is showing no signs of slowing down! This is his story of the last decade, of new adventures and climbs in the far north and south, along with summits in South America, Central Asia and the Himalayas. In 2023, Simon travelled with legendary British mountaineer Mick Fowler to attempt the unclimbed north face of Patkhor in Tajikistan. Their trip ran smoothly until the first evening on the mountain when they both contracted food poisoning from their freeze-dried food. After some debate, they continued, but this was just the beginning of a series of events that would see them run out of food, retreat below the summit in a storm, and Simon taking a bone-breaking 100m fall during the descent. After two days of lying on the glacier waiting for a helicopter, rescuers finally arrived but were unable to carry Simon down. Somehow, he would need to summon the energy for the painful three-day walk to safety.

Details coming soon!

For reasons outwith his control, Fred had to cancel his 2025 Edinburgh Fringe shows and his Autumn Tour - “Fred MacAulay: No podcast - LIVE”. Now, thankfully, due to reasons completely within his control, he is now preparing to hit the road in 2026 with the 2025 show repackaged and updated and simply called “GOOD EVENING!”. So what happened? Simply put: Fred suffered a freak accident and then an unrelated prostate cancer diagnosis. Is there humour in either of these? In the words of a famous Scotland footballer “Maybes Aye, Maybes Naw”. Now in the fourth decade of his comedy career, Fred MacAulay still loves being on stage doing what he does best...quite simply it's STAND-UP and his appetite for performing is as strong as it was all those years ago when he took a massive side-ways step from a career as an Accountant and Company Secretary into the world of entertainment. A career which has taken him all over the world (apart from South America) (and some other continents) where he has worked in television and radio. But it’s always been and always will be as a stand-up that Fred wants to be remembered. It's because of stand-up that he’s been asked to do all the 'celebrity' things that he’s done. He might talk about some of them, but he's more likely to talk about what is current - having been a guest on the famous Radio 4 News Quiz show for almost 18 years he has some previous in this respect. And as a family man he'll no doubt be talking about the latest stage of that aspect of life...grandchildren. "I can remember the joy of having our kids just after I'd embarked on my career in comedy... what a great source of material they were! I mean, that wasn't the main reason for having kids ... but I hope the same applies to the grandkids!" Fred hates the word ‘celebrity’ yet he’s done Celebrity Mastermind (twice) and Celebrity Masterchef (once) and who can forget his Celebrity Fame Academy for Comic Relief (Answer: hopefully everyone). Asked twice to do ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’ Fred said No! “I’m waiting for the Scottish version... “So You Think You’re A Celebrity, Get The Out Of Here!” Asked for a snappy quote for publicity, Fred sent this: “I really hope that a lot of people come out to see this tour. I think it’s the best show I’ve done since the last one.”

Scotland’s top tribute acts Killer Instinct and Clans of Leon are coming to The Burgh Hall Dunoon for an evening of Indie-Rock Classics! Under 16’s must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian

Medea By Euripides In a version by Kathy McKean Directed by Gordon Barr I am not a part of the story you tried to write I am the story And it ends when I say so Everyone knows how Jason won the Golden Fleece - everyone knows how he became a hero for all time - and everyone knows the part his wife, Medea, played in creating his legend - don't they? Erased from the narrative - abandoned by her husband for a new wife and a new life - left isolated and alone in a city where she does not and cannot belong - Medea begins to plot revenge - a terrible, bloody revenge that will send a howl of rage echoing through the ages. The award-winning production of this thrilling Greek tragedy returns re-imagined to tour Scotland's stages. Funded by Creative Scotland Touring Fund

Step into Dystopia, where Beldon Haigh, President Blame and the indefatigable Helen Raiser lead a renegade prison-band of traitors, tyrants and delusional demagogues including Touchy Trump, Polonium Putin and the ineffably sequinned and quiffed Kim Jong Elvis. Together, they drag us on a gloriously unhinged journey from darkness into blinding floodlights, from austerity to imaginary abundance, and from fear-ridden obedience to something dangerously resembling hope.

Christine Thynne and Robbie Synge present These Mechanisms. In her eightieth year, Christine wondered if she might create her first show. Who says an octogenarian shouldn’t be working with stepladders, electronics… and water? A performance of persistence and joy, celebrating the beautiful functions and limits of a human body and the desire to make things happen. Assisted by her helper, Calum, Christine manipulates and raps her way along a precarious journey of movement and sound, taking us to surprising places. Led by play and curiosity and an infectious personality, we are likely to encounter the banal to the jaw-dropping. This is real, and what happens along the way we can’t be sure. Nor can Christine, such is the nature of These Mechanisms. Please note the Thursday afternoon show is a relaxed, community performance.

Mezzo-soprano Cheryl Forbes accompanied on the piano by Gordon Cree.

Steve Bingham will play an innovative concert on Violin with his own backing using looping technology. More details to follow.

Jazz concert with Lorne Cowieson, trumpet and flugelhorn player of national reputation, who comes to Dunoon with a seven piece band. More details to be confirmed.

ARTMIX is back! ARTMIX is a multi-art and film project for young people at Dunoon Burgh Hall, funded by the National Lotterys Young Start Fund and BFI/ Screen Argyll. The project explores the fundamental skills of filmmaking and animation with world-renowned artists and filmmakers such as Jim Parkyn (Aardman Animation) and Alasdair Satchel. The project will cover model-making and stop-frame animation, music video and short filmmaking, and film editing and composition. Wonderful local artist, Jill Bryson, will also be leading some workshops as part of the sessions. Starting February 4th, it will run every Wednesday until 25th March. These workshops are free! Please book your spot.

Artmix is back! Artmix is a multi-art and film project for young people at Dunoon Burgh Hall, funded by the National Lotterys Young Start Fund and BFI/ Screen Argyll. The two-year project will explore the fundamental skills of filmmaking and animation with world-renowned artists and filmmakers such as Jim Parkyn (Aardman Animation) and Alasdair Satchel. The project will cover model-making and stop-frame animation, music video and short filmmaking, and film editing and composition. Wonderful local artist, Jill Bryson, will also be leading some workshops as part of the sessions. The project is open to all young people aged 8-21. Starting October 29th, it will run every Wednesday, and the Age 12 - 21 sessions will run from 6.00pm to 8.00pm These workshops are free, but please book your spot to avoid disappointment!

Photography exhibition From the Xijiang to the Yangtze River explores the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China’s longest and most significant waterway. This region not only serves as a cradle of traditional Chinese culture but also stands at the forefront of the country’s rapid economic development. Over the past four decades, China has experienced some of the most dramatic transformations in the world, with the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, and the areas along the Yangtze River undergoing particularly profound changes. These regions epitomize the sweeping urbanization and modernization that have reshaped both the physical landscape and the cultural identity of contemporary China. Through his photography, Li Zhengde captures the immense scale of urban expansion and its dual impact—both material and spiritual—on the lives of the Chinese people. His work reflects on the tension between progress and heritage, questioning how rapid development alters personal and collective identity. Born in the 1970s in Anhua, Hunan Province, Li Zhengde is an artist and photographer based in Shenzhen, where he founded the “Little Park” art space. #While photography remains central to his artistic practice, he also explores conceptual art, performance, and painting. His works have been exhibited in various institutions, including Minsheng Modern Art, Museum, Guangdong Art Museum, Shenzhen Art Museum, Guanshanyue Art Museum, the Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany, Brandts – Museum of Art and Visual Culture in Odense, Denmark, SOLLERIC in Palma, Majorca, Spain, as well as in art spaces like Photo L.A in Los Angeles and Saddleback College in Los Angeles, USA. His works have received several accolades including the Hou Dengke Documentary Photography Award in China, a nomination for the “Touchpoint” award at the Lianzhou International Photo Festival, and the Chairman’s Award of the DIPE International Photography Alliance at the Dali International Photo Exhibition. In 2020, his work ‘Layers’ was selected for the Eighth Annual China Photography Rankings. Entry to our exhibitions is free but it does cost us money to bring them to Dunoon Hall. We would appreciate any donations to help us keep providing our exhibition program in the future.

Pianist Fergus McCreadie’s trio is among the leaders of the exciting young wave currently energising the vibrant and creative Scottish jazz scene. A phenomenal technician, McCreadie has developed a deeply personal style that captures Scotland’s musical traditions and landscapes while honouring his American and Nordic influences. His trio with David Bowden (bass) and Stephen Henderson (drums) has already made a impression in the UK, winning the coveted Peter Whittingham Jazz Prize in 2016, and its debut album, Turas, as well as reaching the shortlist for the Scottish Album of the Year Award 2019, a rare feat for a jazz group, won Best Album at the Scottish Jazz Awards 2019. Their concerts, highlighting their thrilling virtuosity, brilliantly attuned collective dynamism and their music’s huge emotional charge, have earned five-star reviews and invitations to appear at London jazz mecca Ronnie Scotts’ International Piano Trio Festival as well as Oslo and Stockholm jazz festivals.