Article Source: Issued on behalf of Largo Arts Week by BIG Partnership
Last Updated: 12 July 2021 13:59
Arts festival boost as Largo Arts Week returns in Fife’s ‘Robinson Crusoe’ village
ARTS festival Largo Arts Week is making a welcome return this summer to the Fife coastal village of Lower Largo and its surrounding communities after being postponed last year due to Covid.
A mixture of internationally-renowned performers and Scottish artists have been announced for the week-long event, being held from Saturday, July 17 to Sunday, July 25 - www.largoartsweek.com
The full line-up of artists, performers and musicians includes folk music legend Rab Noakes, international sculptor David Mach, author and broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell, Skids frontman Richard Jobson and Scots folk musician James Yorkston.
A total of 60 artists – nearly double the number who participated in the festival’s inaugural year in 2019 – will be exhibiting in their own homes and studios, which will be open to the public throughout the week.
Lower Largo is famous as the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, the man who inspired the story of Robinson Crusoe. It’s anticipated that the second Largo Arts Week will deliver a major boost to the community and also attract visitors to the area.
Gigs, concerts and talks will take place mainly in the village’s Durham Hall with a limited audience due to Covid guidelines. All artists’ venues will also follow current Covid and social distancing rules.
Highlights of the week include:
● A solo gig by legendary Scottish singer songwriter Rab Noakes, who has been a mainstay of the UK’s folk and traditional music scene in a career spanning five decades.
● Internationally-renowned sculptor and installation artist David Mach will open his home studio in the area to visitors for the first time and host his own evening of talk with former Skids frontman and actor Richard Jobson, covering a range of topics including art, music, film, performance, architecture, lyrics and poetry.
● Author, journalist and veteran broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell will be ‘in conversation’ with former Scots makar Liz Lochhead.
● A new work of public art by local artist Alan Faulds, whose creations already populate the village, will be unveiled during the festival. Entitled the Largo Obelisk, the sculpture will be installed on top of the village’s traditional red community telephone box.
● Other performances include a gig from James Yorkston and a recital from Fife-born opera singer, Charlotte Whittle.
The festival has been created and organised by local artists Dougi McMillan and Andrew Stenson, who are delighted to see the event returning after last year’s Covid-enforced postponement.
Andrew Stenson said: “It’s been tremendous to see the demand from local artists to be a part of this year’s festival and with 34 studios and homes to visit, we hope visitors and locals will be able to enjoy a vast and diverse range of art.”
Dougi McMillan added: “While we’ve had to restrict audience numbers for the gigs and indoor concerts, the fact that there will be a limited audience means these will be special and intimate performances. After all the lockdowns and restrictions, it’s a great boost to host the festival and allow people to enjoy art and music once more.”
Local bands and musicians, including Astral Sun, Open Sea and Longway will be playing open air gigs and specialist street food vendors will be setting up in the village’s main beach car park overlooking the Forth. A photographic exhibition on the increased popularity of wild sea swimming featuring local swimmers’ group ’The Swans’ will also feature.
Tickets for the concerts are expected to go on sale early in July with full details on the festival’s website: www.largoartsweek.com
Image: Internationally-renowned sculptor and installation artist David Mach
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