Nairn Book & Arts Festival

The Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, who will be appearing at the festival, was so moved by David Beckham’s devastating injury she immediately put pen to paper and wrote a new poem: Achilles in which tributes to Beckham’s ability with a football are mixed with references to the classical myth in which the warrior is let down by his one weakness – his heel – while fighting at Troy. She told the BBC: “He (Beckham) is almost a mythical figure himself, in popular culture.

A.L. Kennedy’s dark comedy set in 1870s London and based on a true ... Confessions of a Medium has just been broadcast on Radio 4.

The BBC’s Book at Bedtime has recently featured several festival writers: Sally Vickers, Katy Hickman and Esther Woolfson.

More Venues & Prizes for Nairn Festival’s Art Exhibition

Gallery space has greatly increased for this year’s Open Art Exhibition.  Following the remarkable success last year’s event when over 500 entries were received, this year selected works will be exhibited in both Nairn’s Town House and in The Seaman’s Hall.

Artists from all over Scotland entered the Competition last year and the organisers are anticipating another bumper entry this year –particularly with a new prize for artists from the Highland and Islands as well as acceptance of photographic works for the first time. 
Robyn Ruane, organiser of the Open Art Competition, said “We were so excited last year by the enthusiasm of the entrants who submitted so many more entries than we had expected that we want to highlight a much greater number this year while maintaining the high standards required by our judges”

EventScotland are continuing their support for the Competition ,  with a prize roll starting at £1500, a second prize of £500, a Student prize of £500, sponsored by Nairn’ Rotary Club and the new Highland Prize, sponsored by Inverness’ design company Dynam, of £500.

The student winner will also be offered free exhibition space at the following year’s Festival. Last year’s winner, Edinburgh’s Ruth Nicol, whose pictures so impressed the judges that they made her overall winner, will be showing her latest work in the Community Centre during the 2010 Festival said today – “I have received a lot of recognition throughout the art community since winning the Nairn Open and my work has been accepted by professionals in the high quality art world. I’m looking forward to showing my work again to the friendly and knowledgeable visitors who come to the Nairn Festival.”