Scotland’s Luminate festival
When: 1st – 31st October 2016
Where: Across Scotland
£: Ticket prices vary, depending on the event. Some events are free
What is it?
Luminate, Scotland’s creative ageing festival, celebrates our creative lives as we age. The festival takes place throughout October, with events and activities across the country.
From care homes and community centres, to art galleries, theatres and concert halls, the festival takes place across Scotland, and features dance, drama, music, visual arts, storytelling, photography and crafts.
Luminate’s opening production, Forgotten, takes place at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow. Fishamble’s Forgotten, is a one-man portrayal of four older people in care homes around Ireland. Forgotten features a unique blend of Kabuki dance and Irish storytelling. The production will also be visiting the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock and The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen.
The Luminate Photography Challenge: Pop-Up Exhibition displays photographs taken by older people across Scotland, and celebrates the buildings that are important to people and communities. Inspired by images taken by professional architectural photographer Chris Leslie, the exhibition will pop-up all over the country at locations from Lochcarron to Hawick.
Fishamble’s Forgotten (Photo: © Gerr Blanch)
Italy’s best known artist and satirical writer, Dario Fo, is celebrating his 90th year. Edinburgh is honouring the occasion with events at the Italian Cultural Institute, the Scottish Storytelling Centre, and the Royal Lyceum Theatre.
Luminate has commissioned two artists to create work in collaboration with older people in care homes this year. Amy Gear is working with residents of the Isleshavn Care Home in Yell, Shetland. Their installation, The Weight of Knowledge, Measured in Clay, will be exhibited on the island during the festival. In Edinburgh, film-maker Duncan Cowles is collaborating with residents of North Merchiston Care Home on a series of short films directed by residents.
HM Frigate Unicorn sails into Luminate with events including Woven Tapestry, a fun experimental weaving workshop, and Dundee and the Sea, a chance to celebrate Dundee’s relationship with the sea through song.
Companies PRIME, Quicksilver, and Gracenotes, pour their hearts into their movement in Carry On Dancing, featuring legendary songs to fresh Hip Hop tunes, in Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh. For something different, participants can have a go at circle dancing, experience the joy of dance chosen to reflect the sea and cultural heritage in Moray, or join the Intergenerational Dance Party at the Glad Cafe, Glasgow.
Join the Burl & Purl Club Nite (Photo: © Eoin Carey)
Livingston is the location for the Burl and Purl Club Nite, with older people from the Craigshill Good Neighbourhood Network spinning tunes after a series of workshops with a professional DJ.
Dive and Luminate’s Intergenerational Cabaret will take over the Traverse Theatre Bar in Edinburgh on 27th October. In Glasgow there’s an opportunity for older people from the LGBT+ community to join a new cabaret project at the Tron Theatre.
A film double bill features Director Ken Wardrop’s Mom & Me, investigating the relationship between mothers and grown-up sons in Oklahoma, and A Wee Night In which is a heartwarming portrait of love in older age. The Grump features an 80-year-old Finnish farmer who is forced to move in with his son and daughter-in-law. Luminate and the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival will be screening documentary A Family Affair, directed by Tom Fassaert, exploring the history of his family’s complex relationships across the generations.
A Play, A Pie & A Pint visits The Lemon Tree with Miss Veitch’s Roses, and Tricky Hat have been working with older people in different parts of Scotland, to create original performance pieces. Catch the Flaming Elders’ performances in Glasgow and Greenock.
Luminate features dementia friendly events, aimed at people living with dementia in care homes and day centres, as well as those supported by family carers. The Festival Theatre in Edinburgh presents a dementia friendly matinee of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and a performance of Tales of a Grandson by Scottish storyteller and performer, Andy Cannon.
Get Creative with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at Ayr Town Hall and City Halls, Glasgow, sees an intergenerational orchestra and choir created from scratch. Ukuleles can be heard in Dundee with a performance by the University of the Third Age’s ukulele group, Dee Ukes.
More info: www.luminatescotland.org