Fife festival set to mark 10th anniversary

A packed programme for the St Monans Community Arts Festival has been launched, featuring live music, workshops and lots of exhibitions.

The event was started in 2009 by a group of locals who wanted to showcase the talents of people from or with links to St Monans.

“Ten years later, we are still, first and foremost, a community festival, with local artists, local craftspeople and musicians being at the heart of our programme,” said festival chairperson Ruth Craib.

“And while we are keen for people from far and wide to come and join us, we never lose sight of our aim to make the festival one that has something for everyone in our village, with all events being free to attend, to ensure that it is a truly community arts festival.”

The programme for the 2019 festival, which takes place between September 14-15, has now been published on stmonans.org.uk.

Events include fun activities for children and adults with glass and stone painting, pottery and jewellery making, giant bubble blowing, a theatre workshop that has an undersea theme, and diabolo and kendama skills with the famous and award-winning Donald Grant.

There will be art workshops with well-known artists such as George Birrell and Susan Forsyth, a talk about artists’ collaboration by Barbara Rowell, a writing workshop with Jayne Wilding, and history walks through the village led by Alison Ogilvie.

There will also be live musical performances, including impromptu music events around the village, art and photographic exhibitions, stalls offering a diverse range of crafts, and a festival café in the church hall, along with open studio exhibitions around the village.

The photographic exhibition will feature the winners and runners-up in the fifth annual competition for photographs of St Monans and the surrounding area. Entries must be received by September 1.