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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.

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Trad Tunes at The Vault Arts Centre

Live music this weekend at The Vault Arts Centre, Newton Stewart, and the return of the folk club night which features local and visiting musicians playing Scottish & Irish traditional music. There's a fully licensed bar until 11:45pm and the Courtyard is open until 10pm. Musician's very welcome.  

20 Jul 21
Nathon Jones

Best of the south-west!

Wonderful article in the Scotsman today by Sarah Devine about Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival and the towns of Newton Stewart and Minnigaff.  

8 Jul 21
Nathon Jones

Festival weekend excitement...

Less than a week to go before this year's Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival, Festival Director Nathon Jones discusses opportunities for traditional music sessions this weekend and we look at plans that are already underway for some very exciting comeback events in 2022.  

5 Jul 21
Billie Jones

Campus Has Talent

This year's Penninghame and St Ninian's Primary Schools talent competition will be recorded using The Vault Arts Centre's state-of-the-art livestreaming camera equipment and will be made available to parents, via private link, on The Vault Arts Centre's YouTube channel straight after the show.  

23 Jun 21
Nathon Jones

Festival Update 2021

With lockdown easing paused for a further 3 weeks, which runs into this year's dates, Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival will, instead, focus on what has made the event so popular; the fantastic tune and song sessions which take place at venues throughout the towns.  

16 Jun 21
Nathon Jones

TVYP is back!

If you're aged between 12-25 years old and would like to meet like-minded young people, musicians and performing artists then please pop along to The Vault Arts Centre, Newton Stewart, on Wednesday's between 4:30pm-6:30pm.  

9 Jun 21
Nathon Jones

Music Shop @ The Vault Arts Centre

Delighted to have the music shop open again, Thursday-Saturday / 1pm-5pm at The Vault Arts Centre, Newton Stewart and we've got some fantastic instruments available including acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, bouzouki, banjos, drum kits and amps plus strings, leads and accessories.  

4 Jun 21
Nathon Jones

Council funding to arrive too late

With funding from D&G Council already guaranteed to be at least 43% down on the previous year, following removal of the Major Events Strategic Fund, it came as a huge blow to discover that any funding the event does receive this year, which isn't guaranteed, won't arrive in time for July's event.  

21 May 21
Billie Jones

Fiddle Lessons Online from 17th Feb

Local fiddle player Claire Mann will be hosting an Improving Beginners/Intermediate fiddle class online via Microsoft Teams every Wednesday for 6 weeks starting Wednesday 17th February 2021. It's free for under 25's or, if you're over 25, it's just £60 for the block. Online booking available now.  

5 Feb 21
Nathon Jones

Wheelchair accessible facilities

Delighted to see the toilet facilities works under way at The Vault Arts Centre which will provide a wheelchair accessible cubicle and additional toilet facilities/capacity in both the ladies and gents toilets, with as little disruption as possible whilst we're currently closed to the public.  

5 Feb 21
Nathon Jones

Tae Robert Burns

This time last year we celebrated Robert Burns with Dumfries singer Rose Byers and fantastic local piper Karen Keenan, live at The Vault Arts Centre. We would dearly love to be doing that again right now. Until we can again, have a happy Burns night and we’ll raise a dram together soon we hope x  

25 Jan 21
Nathon Jones

Closed until further notice

Following recent advice from the Scottish Government, The Vault Arts Centre will be closed to the public until further notice. We are currently working on a programme of online tutoring which we will announce later this month. Until then, please stay safe and we hope to see you in early February.  

6 Jan 21
Nathon Jones

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Trad Music Trust

Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival will celebrate its 13th year over 10th-12th July 2026. It's an incredible achievement. The charity has created a viable, sustainable, event that continues to grow and develop, proudly celebrating the very best in traditional Scottish, Irish and World music. Make sure you book early for what is shaping up to be the biggest event yet!

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