Latest Festival News
All the latest festival news as well as news and updates from the traditional music scene in Dumfries & Galloway including concerts, workshops, artist updates, new music releases, music reviews and more. We'll also be featuring news and views from some of our favourite traditional music artists and traditional music news from around the world.
WEST supporting this years Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival
Trad Music Trust and everyone involved with this years Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival are hugely grateful to WEST for their support. Established in 2006 West has received lots of awards for both the beer it produces and the service it delivers.
22 Jun 23
Charlie McAdam
Inverarity Morton supporting Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival
We are delighted to announce another commercial sponsor for this year's Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival. Founded in 1945, Inverarity Morton are Scotland's leading independent wines and spirits merchant and are the main suppliers for The Vault Arts Centre.
16 Jun 23
Nathon Jones
Moniaive Folk Festival this weekend!
Taking place over 5th-7th May 2023, the 20th Moniaive Folk Festival includes performances from Ape House, Junkman's Choir, Mat Cook, Pete Garnett, Big Red and the Broken Spectre, Lauren Collier, Brogeal, The Roving Pedlars, Shambles Band & Errant Thieves, Mairi Sutherland, Jen Mac and many more!
4 May 23
Nathon Jones
48th annual Girvan Traditional Folk Festival this weekend!
It's the fantastic Girvan Traditional Folk Festival this weekend - 28th-30th April 2023 - and another amazing lineup of traditional music and song featuring the very best in traditional music. Concerts, session trail, workshops, storytelling, talks, instrument makers fair, family events and more.
26 Apr 23
Nathon Jones
Trust no longer able to support vital Project Co-ordinator & Festival Director role
With funding cut for the annual traditional music festivals and the recent closure of the music tuition and youth group projects at The Vault Arts Centre, the Trust continues to make cutbacks to ensure its survival, but the loss of its only member of staff will have a significant negative impact.
12 Apr 23
Nathon Jones
Merrick Real Estate supporting July festival
Sponsorship is a fantastic way to demonstrate your support for the vital arts, culture and traditions of Scotland and can really help promote your business. We're delighted to be welcoming back our good friends from Merrick Real Estate who are generously supporting this year's event.
28 Mar 23
Nathon Jones
Win a place at The National Piping Centre's Autumn Junior Gathering Weekend
The winner of this year's 14 & Under 4-Parted March / 2 x 2-Parted March category at the solo piping competition will win, courtesy of the National Piping Centre, a free place at one of the Autumn Junior Gathering Weekends held at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow.
16 Mar 23
Nathon Jones
Penninghame Estate supporting this year's piping competition
The very good people at Penninghame Estate have kindly offered to support the solo piping competition through a new sponsorship agreement for this year's festival. This is fantastic news for the event and we are delighted to have Penninghame Estate's support for this vital cultural tradition.
15 Mar 23
Nathon Jones
D&G Council cuts festival funding by 42%
Despite a national award nomination - Event of the Year finalists at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in 2022 - and being Contribution to Tourism award finalists at this year's Awarding Wigtownshire, D&G Council's Major Events Strategic Fund has slashed this year's festival funding by 42%.
21 Feb 23
Billie Jones
Seachdain na Gàidhlig - World Gaelic Week - 20th-26th February 2023
The first official nationwide language and culture week aims to raise the profile of Gaelic through community initiatives, projects and events. To celebrate, we'll be hosting a Gaelic singing workshop and concert featuring Rachel Walker & Aaron Jones at The Vault Arts Centre on Friday 24th February.
20 Feb 23
Nathon Jones
Contribution to Tourism 2023 Finalists
After an incredible festival in 2022 - Event of the Year finalists at the national MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards - Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival has only gone and done it again, finalists in the Contribution to Tourism category at this year's Awarding Wigtownshire!
20 Feb 23
Nathon Jones
Here's tae oor National poet
Born on this day in 1759 in Alloway, in Ayrshire, and laid to rest in Dumfries where he died on 21st July 1796, we hope you'll settle down with haggis, neeps and tatties for tea and raise a dram, and hopefully a song and/or poem or two along the way, to celebrate the life and work of Robert Burns.
25 Jan 23
Nathon Jones
