Posts for April, 2024

We are once again looking forward to our Festival of Words, held at various locations in Kingussie. More information will follow soon. We look forward to seeing you there!

Come and meet Van Coo: the curly-haired bull missing part of his ear, just like his namesake! In 2021 he wandered into the creative imagination of local artist Joanna Wilson. Here he was joined by other creatures of the Cairngorms before finding form in the expressive mixed media for which Wilson is best known.

An award-winning artist of international acclaim, Wilson grew up among these glens before work and study took her far and wide, from the Hayward Gallery to Yale University. Her abstract and figurative paintings can be found in private and public collections all over the world.

Coming home to set up her studio in Grantown-on-Spey reconnected Wilson with her Highland roots. This limited collection of prints represents a unique opportunity to own a lighthearted example of her work that celebrates this land and its inhabitants.

Not many people around here know about Joanna Wilson’s secret life as an international artist. And yet her hideaway studio on Heathfield Road is filled with thousands of art works: floor-to-ceiling abstracted figures that seem to leap from her fingertips and dance across her walls.

A Saatchi Featured Artist and the recipient of numerous awards, Joanna’s work appears in private and public collections throughout the world. But not until now has it received an exhibition space of its own right here in her hometown.

Encountering her work for the first time you will notice a lilting, musical quality to her handling of form, reminiscent of the glens where she grew up. But her compositions incorporate geometric and purely decorative elements too, which seem to reference the urban settings of Edinburgh and London, where she has also lived and worked as an artist.

A full-circle moment for Joanna, this very room is where she met with the Bank Manager to open her business account some 18 years ago. Now with a flourishing business of her own, she has created O P E N S P A C E to share her platform with other contemporary artists searching for a safe space to showcase their own groundbreaking work.

Thoughtful and expressive, modest and exuberant — to know Joanna’s art is to know the artist herself, which is why her work so universally approachable and collectible.

It’s long been said that Cubans sing when they speak, dance when they walk, and woo with a love song.

So it should be of little surprise that The Cuban Brothers’ peerless funk soul review blends sexy, SOULFUL MUSIC, with jaw-dropping B-BOY ACTION and RIOTOUS COMEDY.

From humble beginnings, Miguel Mantovani, Young Dominico and Kengo San have built Los Hermanos Cubanos – The Cuban Brothers – into a legendary outfit that continuously sells out shows across the globe.

The Brothers have recently been extending their family, with Shaka Loves You becoming honorary members and touring together.

This will be kick ass. And will sell out. Don’t hang about for tickets.

Twelve little bunnies have hidden themselves around the Museum to quietly eat their carrots!

Keep your eyes peeled to see if you can spot them hiding in the historic buildings.

Don’t forget to hop over to our gift shop before you leave to collect your prize!

No need to book – just turn up and buy your trail from reception.

Session A9 are coming back to Boat of Garten Community Hall on 5 April 2024.
They will be celebrating the launch of their long awaited CD “The Magic Roundabout”.
Get your tickets early, this will be a night to remember! Licenced Bar.

Award-winning comedian Jo Caulfield hits the road with her first UK tour in five years.

Fresh from a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Jo is bringing her new tour show, Here Comes Trouble to a host of venues across the UK.

Here Comes Trouble is a solid 90 minutes of stand-up comedy where Jo gets her claws into everyone (and everything) that annoys her. From stories about the pitfalls of buying a new mattress, what happens when you gate-crash your husband’s “boys’ night out” and trying to recapture the magic in a long-term relationship, this is pure stand-up, delivered with nothing more than a microphone and a bad attitude.

“My tour show is made up of some of my favourite jokes from my last few Fringe shows and some brand-new material about what I’ve been up to since my last tour, so I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to get out there and tell these stories, and generally talk about everything that’s happened – and annoyed me – since I was last out on the road like this.”

We are so delighted to be hosting The Three Inch Fools here for what’s set to be a truly uplifting and energetic night of music, story telling and rip roaring hilarity. It will be a re-enactment of Shakespeare’s most farcical comedy like you’ve never seen. A definite fun for all the family!

The performance will be on our lawn at The Dell with plenty of space for you to bring your picnic rugs and deck chairs. You are very welcome to bring your own food, but we will be running a bar so no BYOB.

More information and tickets can be found in the ticket link.
We can’t wait!

Join Cairngorms Astronomy Club and Tomintoul & Glenlivet Development Trust in The Square, Tomintoul for an all ages telescope moon viewing session. The first quarter moon on the 16th is a great time to view and learn about the moon. We’ll meet at Tomintoul & Glenlivet Discovery Centre at 43 The Square, Tomintoul.

The Glenlivet and Tomintoul area is one of the best places in the Cairngorms National Park to discover the wonders of the night sky. Not only does this remote area have stunning dark skies but it also has easy access allowing everyone to enjoy a night sky brimming with stars.

We’ll have the Celestron telescope and a smartphone bracket on the night that will allow you to take the moon home in your pocket!

Toilets are available in the Tomintoul & Glenlivet Discovery Centre.

If the weather isn’t suitable on the day, we’ll endeavour to run an alternative session in the days following.
As we will be outside in April, please dress appropriately for cold and changeable weather. Please also wear appropriate shoes for wet conditions.

f you’re wondering how you can develop your business or tourism offering within the Dark Sky Park this event is for you! Join us for an evening of networking and discussions on leveraging our dark sky status for business growth.

Join us for a welcome drink in our Dark Skies exhibition and browse the museum displays. After an introduction we’ll share some news and success stories before heading down to Tomintoul’s Dark Sky Discovery Site for a dark sky experience. Please wear outdoor clothing, waterproof shoes or boots.

We’ll return to the Discovery Centre where there will be food, refreshments, and a Q&A session with members of the Dark Skies working group on how we can support the local community and local businesses going forward. What do you need to succeed?

Members of the Dark Skies working group from Glenlivet Estate, the Cairngorms Astronomy Group, the Cairngorms Business Partnership, and Tomintoul & Glenlivet Development Trust will be available to chat informally and answer any questions you may have before the event wraps up at 8pm. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from our passionate advocates who can support you to develop your own astrotourism offering.

The Tomintoul & Glenlivet Discovery Centre is located at 43 The Square, Tomintoul and is your one stop gateway for residents and visitors to find information and inspiration.