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Daily Record
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Organisers hail success of 2025 Girvan Arts Festival
Across the weekend just 10 tickets were left unsold as the Girvan Arts Festival once again proved to be a success Organisers were thrilled with the success of the almost completely sold out Girvan Arts Festival. Only 10 tickets were left unsold across the whole weekend of festival as bumper crowds took in the usual mix of arts, culture and musical events. Extra space had to be found with a number of events oversubscribed. Now in it's fourth year, the festival brought a diverse line up to the town from June 5 to 7 this year. Alan Jeans from Girvan Arts Festival was happy with the way the weekend went and he's now looking forward to the 2026 festival. Speaking to Ayrshire Live, Alan said: "The fourth Girvan Arts Festival surpassed all our expectations - the forecasted rain stayed away, and the Community Garden buzzed with festival goers soaking up the music and the atmosphere. "The festival got off to a fantastic start with the opening of the Art Exhibition at the McKechnie institute, and it was nice to see so many people admiring the wonderful paintings and jewellery on display, and also taking a first look at the children's brilliant Tattie Fest drawings and paintings. "A very busy writer's workshop kicked off the Saturday, and sell-out crowds heard about a first class farm shop, then three very different authors spoke about their books - Cliff McCabe entertained us with tales of his Glasgow tenement childhood, Brian Lavery gave a riveting talk about the Hull Arctic Trawler disasters and the women who fought for fishermen's safety rights, and the one and only Denise Mina talked about crime writing, feminism and what made her the writer she is today. "Eight wonderful poets entertained us at 'Words by the Sea' the spoken word event that gets better every year, and the Bookshop Band delivered a wonderful performance that married their love of music and reading, with seamless grace. "Sunday saw artist Rod McCance open up with tales of his globetrotting artistic life and his famous artist great uncle, then Jim English from Kay's Curling enthralled everyone with his talk on producing Olympic Curling Stones from 60-million-year-old Ailsa Craig granite. "World-class guitarist Preston Reed's performance was astounding, and it was great to hear his speak about his life in music, and why he plays the guitar as a percussive instrument. "This was followed by Tony Morrell's poignant talk about his wife Margaret's 20-year project that culminated in publication of her seminal book about Turnberry Airfield's part in two world wars, published shortly before her death. "In between all the events, there were musical interludes provided by talented local musicians, and artistic activities for festival-goers to try. For the finale to the whole weekend, the festival decamped to the Girvan Valley Church to listen to Soprano Colleen Nichol and Tenor David Douglas from the Scots Opera Project put on a spine-tingling performance of Opera pieces from the cinema, mixed with familiar songs from the musicals. "The Girvan Arts Festival has now become a stalwart of Girvan's growing list of brilliant events, with something for everyone and encouraging visitors to come to Girvan. Bring on the 2026 festival."
Daily Record
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Girvan Arts Festival returns for 2025
Organisers have announced the much-anticipated line up for the fourth Girvan Arts Festival which kicks off on Friday, June 6. A weekend packed full of authors, artists, musicians, craftsmen, poets and even farmers will take place over three days. Highlights include Denise Mina, talking about her stellar career as a crime-writer, and Preston Reed, world renowned guitarist, who will be talking about his life in music and playing some of his amazing back catalogue. Opera is also coming to Girvan, with a selection of famous opera hits, a few songs from the musicals and some of Scots Opera's own work - Seal Woman. Some of Ayrshire's finest poets will be joined by others from further afield in the spoken word event Words by the Sea and Jim English will be telling audiences all about his passion – making Olympic curling stones from Ailsa Craig Granite. The Bookshop Band will bring the entertainment on the Saturday evening. Their last album was produced by Pete Townshend of The Who – who also played on it. There are two events for children in the library, and a 'Festival Fringe' has been introduced for 2025 with CRAG and Girvan Youth Trust holding workshops and events. There are Zentangle drawing sessions at the New Café Royale and the Tattie Fest is having a showcase of children's art leading up to their big weekend. Rod McCance, the great nephew of a seminal Scottish artist who spent the latter part of his life in Girvan, will speak about his own colourful career as an artist. He'll also be exhibiting his work in the McKechnie Institute, along with eight other talented artists.
