Thirty of the best young traditional musicians from the Highlands and Islands are about to embark on a series of concerts at the end of this month, as they set off on the first ever Ceòl nam Fèis (Music of the Fèisean) tour of towns and cities out with the Highlands.

This summer, two voluntary-run local organisations based in the Highlands and Islands are gearing up to host their own distinctive music festivals, with  considerable line ups including Woolfstone, the Red Hot Chili Pipers and folk legends Na h-Òganaich set to entertain, and both to be held in the remarkable surroundings of the Outer Hebrides and the banks of Loch Ness.

A significant step took place for the traditional arts in Scotland yesterday with the agreement of four key institutions to look at ways of creating a new ‘Fèis Academy’ in Scotland.