Hailed by critics and fans alike as a one of the finest singer-songwriters of his generation, Dean Friedman has achieved legendary, pop-icon status for chart-topping hits, Ariel, Lucky Stars, Lydia, Woman of Mine, McDonald’s Girl, “Well, Well,” Said the Rocking Chair and more. Friedman performs songs from throughout his four decade career, including familiar hits and fan favourites. Invite family and friends for an evening of powerful, poignant and hilarious songs about the ordinary and extraordinary lives we share.

Following on from the success of 2024’s “Any Port in a Storm” tour, King Creosote’s 2025’s follow-up “Any Storm in a Teacup” promises a night of modular synth, I DES tracks and KC classics.

Together Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham have established themselves as the epitome of excellence in the world of traditional music. With their musical magic and quick-witted humour they will pull your emotional strings one moment and have you falling off the seat with laughter the next. Mike Russell has described them as "probably the best traditional musicians you are ever likely to hear”.

Kris Drever originally comes from Hrossey in the Orkney Islands. Over the years, he has taught himself to be a songwriter, guitarist and singer of note (and sometimes many notes). As well as creating award-winning original songs and instrumental pieces with the trio Lau, he has had a fruitful solo career exploring the cracks between classic and modern songwriting and the traditional music that he comes from. Drever’s sound is rooted in the earthy and hypnotic rhythms of much older music, but there’s a sophistication to both the lyricism and the instrumentalism which places him skilfully in the present. He has an extensive collection of BBC R2 Folk awards, plus a fistful of Scottish NaTrads awards for everything from best album, best singer and best live act to best original song. He has worked with many excellent musicians, including Jack Bruce, Eddi Reader, Mark Knopfler, Jerry Douglas and Roddy Woomble, and is a member of the beautiful multi-media project Spell Songs: The Lost Words. Currently, Kris is preparing for a series of Lau events around the UK, writing music for a new solo album and learning some old tunes for reasons he can’t quite explain. We are offering a free carer/companion ticket for any disabled or wheelchair-user audience members throughout our shows this season. Please note that it is helpful if this is booked in advance via the WeGotTickets website, so that we can ensure that there is adequate accessible seating reserved on the day/night of the event. Wheelchair access, or entry for people with a disability is available from the side entrance, by the Phoenix Café. Tickets for our Spring/Summer 2025 events can also be purchased in person at the Phoenix Shop, Findhorn. These will be available for purchase from February 2025. Please note that this is a seated event.

After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island's animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.

For over 30 years Boo Hewerdine has been considered one of the UK’s finest singer-songwriters. As lead singer of seminal band, The Bible, through his subsequent solo work and his long-time collaboration with the incredible Eddi Reader he has become something of a national treasure. Since Swimming in Mercury was released in 2017, Boo has been writing, recording and touring with Eddi Reader, Chris Difford, Kris Drever and Emily Barker among others. He is in demand as a writer, producer and performer. This Autumn he will be undertaking an extensive tour, singing songs from his new album ‘Before’ and his extensive back catalogue. A naturally gifted raconteur his gigs are always a total joy.

At the forefront of the UK’s world and roots music scene matching fiery intensity with exquisite finesse.

Having recently celebrated a decade of touring together Scotland’s ‘chamber-folk’ quartet Rant released their latest album ‘Spin’ to much critical acclaim last year. A bold, ambitious and reflective collection, Spin is an album of reinterpretation – Rant's take on influential tracks from their formative years. Music of bands and players from across the globe who inspired them individually and collectively. The album is a tribute to those influences, and whilst nostalgic by nature has a fresh, confident, energised approach synonymous with the band’s well-established resonant sound. With 3 acclaimed albums under their belt – Rant remain at the forefront of the Scottish fiddle scene. The meeting of four of the country’s finest players, the quartet use just their fiddles to weave a tapestry of melodies, textures, layers and sounds. Bethany Reid from Shetland, Anna Massie and Lauren MacColl from the Highland peninsula of the Black Isle, and Gillian Frame from Arran join forces to showcase the combined resonance of their instruments with repertoire unearthed from both old collections and their own contemporary writing. Rant create a sound which is both spacious and lush, yet retaining all the earthy bite and spark of a traditional Scottish fiddle player. Their live set – whether on the festival stage or an intimate church – reflects years of honing their sound together and their love for the music of their respective home regions through their writing, repertoire and stories. “Chamber-folk of the highest order” Scotsman “An irresistible journey through reels, strathspeys and jigs” Songlines “It is honest, deep instrumental music at its finest.” Folk Radio UK “The album feels alive” Irish Music Magazine “This is powerful and evocative music that is invigorating, bewitching and beautiful.” Folk Radio UK £18 General Admission | £16 Concessions | £10 Under 16s We are offering a free carer/companion ticket for any disabled or wheelchair-user audience members throughout our shows this season. Please note that it is helpful if this is booked in advance via the WeGotTickets website, so that we can ensure that there is adequate accessible seating reserved on the day/night of the event. Wheelchair access, or entry for people with a disability is available from the side entrance, by the Phoenix Café. Tickets for our Autumn 2025 events can also be purchased in person at the Phoenix Shop, Findhorn. These will be available for purchase from late July 2025.

Born in Dungiven in 1975, surrounded and infused with the rich cultural heritage of her native County Derry, Cara has risen to become one of the finest exponents of traditional Irish song anywhere in the world. Together with her husband and musical partner, Sam Lakeman, she has succesfully steered an eclectic musical path defying the typical pigeonholes that hinder most artists in her genre. Celebrated for entwining traditional and contemporary elements she has earned both commercial success and astonishing critical acclaim. Whether she's singing her native traditional songs of lost love and emigration, or original compositions, you will be hard pressed to find a more emotive and captivating performer. Cara Dillon is at the very top of her field and one has the feeling she'll remain there for a very long time.

Dunedin Consort presents: Handel, Biber, Bach Programme to include: Johann Sebastian Bach Cello Suite No.3, BWV 1009 Selections from Handel's Nine German Arias Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber Guardian Angel Passacaglia Charlotte Bowden soprano Dunedin Consort Strings Running time approx 90 minutes Stop. Listen. Breathe. Dunedin Consort invite you to immerse yourself in the astonishing clarity of four musicians, together and alone. Rising star Charlotte Bowden offers up beautifully reflective and philosophical Handel, while violin, cello, and theorbo each take their turn in the limelight. Bach's mesmerising and forthright third suite for solo cello contrasts with the obsessive tread of Biber's Guardian Angel Passacaglia, the final movement of his astonishing Mystery Sonatas. £18 General Admission | £6 Disabled/Unwaged/Student/Under 30 | Under 18 Free We are offering a free carer/companion ticket for any disabled or wheelchair-user audience members throughout our shows this season. Please note that it is helpful if this is booked in advance via the WeGotTickets website, so that we can ensure that there is adequate accessible seating reserved on the day/night of the event. Wheelchair access, or entry for people with a disability is available from the side entrance, by the Phoenix Café.

"Dougie MacLean is Scotland's pre-eminent singer-songwriter and a national musical treasure (SingOut USA) who has developed a unique blend of lyrical, 'roots based' songwriting and instrumental composition. He is internationally renowned for his song 'Caledonia', music for 'Last of the Mohicans' and inspired performances from London's Festival Theatre and Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall to New York's Carnegie Hall and Sydney's opera House. His songs have been covered by Paolo Nutini, Amy MacDonald, Ronan Keating, Mary Black, Frankie Miller, Cara Dillon, Kathy Mattea and many other top performers. Having achieved his 50th year as a professional musician in 2024, his popularity is still growing as his weekly broadcasts begun in March 2020 from his Old Schoolhouse (renamed a Global Streaming Theatre) have reached over 4 million viewers in 70 dierent countries. He has received two prestigious Tartan Clef Awards, a place in the Scottish Music Hall of Fame, a Lifetime Achievement Award from BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, an Honorary Doctorate and an OBE. "...a Scottish phenomenon...with his exquisite guitar style, expressive voice and honest performance, his songs conjure up remarkably vivid imagery of our world" (The PerformingSongwriter, USA) "Strong yet subtle, hauntingly evocative yet contemporary in feel, this music demands listening to over and over again." (Time Out, UK) ...a musical hero (Wall Street Journal) £25 General Admission We are offering a free carer/companion ticket for any disabled or wheelchair-user audience members throughout our shows this season. Please note that it is helpful if this is booked in advance via the WeGotTickets website, so that we can ensure that there is adequate accessible seating reserved on the day/night of the event. Wheelchair access, or entry for people with a disability is available from the side entrance, by the Phoenix Café.

Dallahan is one of the most distinct forces in the international folk music scene. Forged in Scotland's traditional music community, but drawing on the traditional music styles of the Balkans and North America, they create an original and seamless musical montage, blending their contemporary influences from jazz, funk, and pop music.

From Great Yarmouth’s Contemporary Ritual Theatre comes the critically acclaimed folk tragedy SALT, a visceral and immersive tale of ancient fisherfolk. “I’m going out wi’ the tide, old wench, I came in on the flood; an’ the sea is streaked wi’ silver, an’ the sun is red wi’ blood.” The East Norfolk coast. 1770. Man Billy, a pious young fisherman, lives with his domineering Mother, Widow Pruttock. Two things govern their life: the herring harvest and devotion to God. Into this cold and isolated life comes Sheldis, a singer with supernatural gifts. As Billy’s obsession with her grows, his Mother, believing him bewitched, will do anything to break the spell. Filled with sea shanties, dances, hymns and folk songs, SALT is a visceral tale of faith, jealousy and demonic passion. Ages 12+ Running time 1 hour 55 min including a 20 min interval Following a sell-out tour of East Anglia and London in 2024, SALT comes to Findhorn as part of a UK-wide tour. “Extraordinary…If Shakespeare, Ken Loach and Nick Cave went on a day trip to Great Yarmouth, SALT could be the result.” ★★★★ The Reviews Hub “This enthralling tale is magically brought to life…Beau Hopkins’s writing and the wonderful performance from the cast will leave you breathless. Devilishly good!” Harbour Radio “Visceral and immersive…you can almost smell the sea air. SALT draws you in and leaves you feeling truly transported.” A Young(ish) Perspective

In April 1923 the SS Metagama left Stornoway with over 300 young islanders onboard, bound for Canada. Within a year, nearly 1500 young people had left the Hebrides on the ships Marloch, Canada and Metagama. Coming on the back of WWI and the Iolaire disaster, this mass emigration would have a devastating impact on the Western Isles, still felt today. This centenary concert celebrates the lives and stories of those emigrants, many of whom journeyed south to the USA, working in car factories and construction. Some returned home during the Great Depression, but many stayed to establish new lives in the New World. An ensemble of acclaimed musicians and singers will carry you aboard the Metagama, a journey that will take you to the lakes and plains of Canada, to 1920s Detroit and Prohibition, through the ebb and flow of fortunes on both sides of the Atlantic. Join award-winning writer Donald S Murray, musician Liza Mulholland, actor and 7:84 Theatre founding player Dolina MacLennan, Gaelic singer and piper Calum Alex Macmillan, fiddler Charlie Mackerron of Capercaillie, singer-songwriter Willie Campbell, cellist Christine Hanson, and visual artist Doug Robertson, in marking this historic event with an evening of music, song and story. The ensemble toured this ★★★★★ show to great acclaim and capacity audiences in the Highlands & Islands in 2023 and followed this with a sell-out concert at Celtic Connections 2024. With support from Creative Scotland, Harris Tweed Hebrides, Charlie Barleys and Crowdfunder supporters, the ensemble recently recorded an album of the music and song and are touring the show throughout Scotland in 2025. Recommended ages 12+

Independent Arts Projects present: Maya and The Whale By Hazel Darwin-Clements Performers – Hazel Darwin-Clements & Fay Guiffo Original director & dramaturg – Lewis Hetherington Outside eye – Andy Cannon A show for audiences aged 10+, running time 1 hour Maya and the Whale is the story of a young climate activist on the run who finds herself face to face with a dying whale. Her dad works in the oil industry and her mum just wants her to have a childhood free of worry, but how can she go about business as usual when there’s a climate emergency? If we stand by and ignore current conflict, are we complicit? How far are young people prepared to go to get governments to act? The audience play the part of a dying whale, in this show about smallness facing up to hugeness. This is a darkly comic, provocative show with live music, which was written for a generation faced with unprecedented challenges. This production is part of Splore, the North Scotland Children’s Theatre and Dance Network, which is a new consortium of venues and organisations across the region who have come together with the shared ambition of building relationships with families and young audiences in rural areas of North Scotland. As a collective, we aim to do this through programming high quality children’s theatre and dance, with wraparound activities, additional marketing resources and meaningful, tailored accessibility. The project will also explore more ecologically sustainable and regenerative touring models. To find out more head to the website of Lyth Arts Centre. “I think its perfect for kids. It’s got just the right amount of profound realisation and facts that they might not have thought of or realised/learned yet. It was just the right amount of impact for the age group it is aimed at.” (audience) “I thought the performance was incredible.” (audience) £7 General Admission | £6 Concessions | £5 Under 16s We are offering a free carer/companion ticket for any disabled or wheelchair-user audience members throughout our shows this season. Please note that it is helpful if this is booked in advance via the WeGotTickets website, so that we can ensure that there is adequate accessible seating reserved on the day/night of the event. Wheelchair access, or entry for people with a disability is available from the side entrance, by the Phoenix Café. Tickets for our Autumn 2025 events can also be purchased in person at the Phoenix Shop, Findhorn. These will be available for purchase from late July 2025.

Independent Arts Projects present: IDEAS JUKEBOX By Hazel Darwin-Clements in collaboration with Andy Cannon, Fay Guiffo, & Mamoru Iriguchi Recommended ages 3-5, running time 1 hour Expect puppetry, live music and the opportunity to get involved in this interactive performance and workshop. Watch BIG ideas come to life when we play them on the Jukebox and then add your own ideas to the mix. Ideas Jukebox will inspire all ages to express their wacky and wonderful ideas through crafting cardboard creations. We desperately need your planet saving plans, fun problem fixes and off-the-wall theories, so please join us for the adventure and see which ideas you get excited about. This workshop is part of Splore, the North Scotland Children’s Theatre and Dance Network, which is a new consortium of venues and organisations across the region who have come together with the shared ambition of building relationships with families and young audiences in rural areas of North Scotland. As a collective, we aim to do this through programming high quality children’s theatre and dance, with wraparound activities, additional marketing resources and meaningful, tailored accessibility. The project will also explore more ecologically sustainable and regenerative touring models. To find out more head to the website of Lyth Arts Centre. £4 General Admission | Under 3s Free We are offering a free carer/companion ticket for any disabled or wheelchair-user audience members throughout our shows this season. Please note that it is helpful if this is booked in advance via the WeGotTickets website, so that we can ensure that there is adequate accessible seating reserved on the day/night of the event. Wheelchair access, or entry for people with a disability is available from the side entrance, by the Phoenix Café. Tickets for our Autumn 2025 events can also be purchased in person at the Phoenix Shop, Findhorn. These will be available for purchase from late July 2025.

Halloween Special! Dare to join Magic Gareth on a spooky-fun adventure in his brand-new Halloween Special! Packed with mind-boggling magic, hilarious ghost-busting antics, and plenty of audience participation, Magic Gareth needs the help of some brave kids to catch a mischievous ghost causing some trouble this spooky season. Don’t be afraid! This family-friendly show is perfect for kids who love a good Halloween scare with a twist of comedy. You’ll be on the edge of your seat—laughing all the way through. 50 Mins | Suitable for ages 5 + Optional Plus The BALLOONATIC Balloon Twisting Workshop (Ages 6+) You’ve seen the show, now become a BALLOONATIC! Magic Gareth is offering an exclusive workshop after his show where he invites you to discover the secrets behind creating some of the most famous balloon models in the WORLD! You’ll master the classic balloon dog, a swashbuckling sword, and a surprise ‘mystery object’, in this hands-on class for ages 6+. With very limited tickets, this is a unique chance to play, create, and take home your very own balloon art. Make a magical day of it! Book both the show and workshop for the FULL BALLOONATIC experience! Running Order: Show – 2pm-3pm Workshop – 4pm-5pm Please note that is a maximum capacity of 30 for the workshop which follows the show, so pre-booking online is advised to avoid disappointment!

The finale to a great weekend of music and song at the 1st Findhorn Ukulele Festival, will be a grand celebratory concert. Festival participants and special guests will combine to create a rich evening of mainly musical entertainment. All proceeds after costs will go to Community Connectors Forres. Inquiries to [email protected]

Chart-topping and critically acclaimed Scottish composer Alexander Chapman Campbell will be returning to the Universal Hall in the wake of a new album release, ‘Oak’; a collection of intimate and deeply felt piano works. Composed between the spring and autumn equinoxes of 2024, ‘Oak’ is written in Alexander’s “achingly beautiful” signature style. Brought to life in a tiny shed at Alexander’s home, perched one thousand feet above sea level in the Scottish Highlands, the album’s inspiration is rooted in a single young oak tree growing nearby. What began as a response to that oak tree, growing defiantly at the limit of its ecological range, gathered into a wider act of reverence for the surrounding landscape and the unfolding summer. The album is a timely collection of nature-inspired music, representing a search for a simple but profound connection to the natural world, and acting as a resolution of hope in the face of the environmental challenges of our day. With over 20 million streams and a Number 1 Album to his name (UK Specialist Classical Charts), and extensive features across TV and radio, ‘Oak’ is likely to affirm Alexander’s place as one of the leading composers of his generation. “Absolutely Stunning” Zoe Ball, BBC Radio 2 “You can hear that intimate relationship between a performer and their instrument” Anna Lapwood, BBC Radio 3 “Deserves repeated listening” ClassicFM

Dunedin Consort presents: Handel, Biber, Bach Programme to include: Johann Sebastian Bach Cello Suite No.3, BWV 1009 Selections from Handel’s Nine German Arias Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber ‘Guardian Angel’ Passacaglia Charlotte Bowden soprano Dunedin Consort Strings Running time approx 90 minutes Stop. Listen. Breathe. Dunedin Consort invite you to immerse yourself in the astonishing clarity of four musicians, together and alone. Rising star Charlotte Bowden offers up beautifully reflective and philosophical Handel, while violin, cello, and theorbo each take their turn in the limelight. Bach’s mesmerising and forthright third suite for solo cello contrasts with the obsessive tread of Biber’s ‘Guardian Angel’ Passacaglia, the final movement of his astonishing Mystery Sonatas.

SEVENS, a triple bill of Bharatanatyam and Kathak dance with live music from one of the UK’s leading choreographers of classical Indian dance. Conceptualised and choreographed by award-winning Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer Nina Rajarani MBE, with an original music score by composers Y Yadavan and Shammi Pithia. Through the medium of Bharatanatyam and Kathak, and originally composed live music, ‘SEVENS’ will explore the sacred, and sometimes sinful, significance of the number seven. From playful and energetic, to soulful and contemplative, the show will take audiences on an emotion-filled and entertaining journey. Seven Snags: A flirtatious courtship, the choreographic equivalent of an obstacle race, this fast-paced ensemble is rhythmic, full of exciting dynamics and laced with challenging cross-rhythms. Seven Steps: A duet by Nina Rajarani MBE and vocalist/composer Y Yadavan, based on ‘saptapadi’ (seven steps) – the most important rite of a Hindu marriage ceremony. With each step, the couple take a vow that is beautiful, simple and timeless. Seven Sins: The age-old concept of rights and wrongs, performed by the full ensemble of seven dancers and musicians. This thought-provoking, nuanced piece questions the very perception, and challenges what have become social norms. “Rajarani’s take on classical Indian dance is invigorating.” – The Sunday Times “The highlight was the deeply moving vocal, composed and sung faultlessly by Yadavan” – The Independent SEVENS will run for 90 minutes including 15 minutes interval and is suitable for ages 9+

Storytellers Ruth Kirkpatrick and Colin Urwin bring selkie myths and coastal voices back to life, inspired by David Thomson’s remarkable work The People of the Sea. Both tender and brutal, Thomson’s collection of seal folklore and folktales from the coasts of Scotland and Ireland captures the mythic bond between people and the natural world, acting as a quiet yet powerful homage to a disappearing world. This event is part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival programme for 2025. Running time: 1 hour Recommended ages 13+ This event will be bookable from 10am on Wednesday 10th September – Save the date!

Storytellers Ruth Kirkpatrick and Colin Urwin invite you to a playful workshop where you’ll discover how to breathe life into the written word and make stories your own. Building on their performance of The People of the Sea, they’ll share insights into their own creative process, from choosing the right material to shaping it for the oral tradition. This event is part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival programme for 2025. Running time: 2 hours Recommended ages 13+ This workshop will be bookable from 10am on Wednesday 10th September – Save the date!

The Space Between is a Creative Learning Exchange focused on the often-overlooked pauses in the development process - the moments of silence, reflection, space and incubation that support ideas and creativity to thrive. Hear from creative practitioners, artists, producers, designers, activists, community leaders and changemakers as they reflect on the meaning of the space between in their work and practice. The Space Between invites artists and people who work in the arts, culture, education and community and is open to anyone who is interested to share ideas and experience, listen to others and explore the essential space between and how this can help shape new ideas that can contribute to a creative and thriving community. Basic Schedule -Registration and cafe open from 9.00am - Event starts promptly at 10.00am - Conference ends at 5.00pm Following the conference you are welcome to stay for networking at the Phoenix cafe between 5.00pm - 7.00pm Attendance Options In addition to the ticket options available to book online, we can offer a limited number of bursary placesand also a fewvolunteering opportunities in exchange of front of house help, stewarding and help serve teas and coffees etc. If either of these options are of interest to you please email us at [email protected] to register your interest.