National Lottery & Scottish Government Funding Inspires Artistic Connection in Outer Hebrides

In July 2025, the beach at Traigh Mhor, Isle of Lewis, will transform into a poignant site of remembrance and performance. Keening - The Song of the Stranding commemorates the tragic mass stranding of 55 long-finned pilot whales in 2023, blending music, dance, and visual art in a deeply collaborative project. 

The performance, informed by scientific research and local workshops, will culminate in a communal act of creating sand sculptures of whales. As the tide reclaims the sculptures, music composed by Alex South will blend Gaelic keening traditions (vocal mourning performed at funerals) with the haunting vocalisations of pilot whales, forging an emotional connection between community, art, and nature.  

Sam Gare, visual artist and project organiser said: "This project allows us to come together as a community in a shared act of remembrance, to commemorate and reflect on the whales who lost their lives. The project weaves together art, music, dance, science, and storytelling to promote healing and strengthens the island community’s deep connection to the surrounding seas, and those who call it home.” 

Musician Alex South added: “I'm really excited to be working in collaboration with Aya Kobayashi, Katherine Wren, Nerea Bello, and Sam Gare to create a unique site-specific piece of performance art that we hope will nurture the deep concern held by many for the plight of marine mammals at a time of warming oceans and other anthropogenic threats.” 

Glasgow-based singer-songwriter Michael McGovern is set to craft his second album at Black Bay Studio on the Isle of Lewis. Building on the introspective themes of his debut album, Highfield Suite, this new work explores a richer, full-band sound, honed through years of live performance. 

“I first went to Black Bay for a recording session in 2021, and since then I've wanted to record an album there. It's so beautiful and remote, you can purge your brain of all the unnecessary distractions and concentrate on your art,” says McGovern. “There's such a wealth of talent on the Island, it's amazing. In a way I feel sort of accepted there, and it's an honour.” 

The album, featuring artwork developed with a local Hebridean artist, will debut its first single in late spring, with subsequent releases throughout summer 2025 and album release scheduled for autumn 2025. 

Acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Fergus McCreadie will record his fifth album over five days in a cottage on the Isle of Uist. The album’s production will feature a single-room setup, creating a "warmer, roomier" sound that reflects the island’s natural atmosphere, co-produced with musician Laura Jurd.  

Finally, Uist-based artists AJ Stockwell and Susannah Bolton will represent the Outer Hebrides in an international residency on Quehui Island, Chile. In collaboration with Chilean artists, they will explore parallels between the Hebrides and the Chiloé archipelago, fostering a cross-cultural dialogue. 

“We will collectively explore island perspectives and cultivate meaningful connections between the Outer Hebrides and Chiloé archipelagos” Bolton explains. The findings will be presented at the Museo de Arte Moderno Chiloé and later in Scotland, enriching both local and global artistic landscapes. 

These funding awards are just a few of the 72 individual grants totalling £1,355,890 made to writers, musicians, visual artists, theatre makers and other creative practitioners across Scotland in this latest round of funding, supporting a wide range of innovative and impactful projects.  

The full list of awards made in this round of the Open Fund can be found on our website.  

Paul Burns, Interim Director of Arts at Creative Scotland commented: "The latest projects supported by our Open Fund will provide valuable opportunities for people across the country to engage deeply with Scotland's unique cultural identity, made possible through the crucial support of the National Lottery and the Scottish Government."