Artyness columnist and musician Liza Mulholland has two contrasting projects in mind this week

I can’t help thinking that, for its size, the town of Nairn more than packs a punch in cultural terms, with so many great events and festivals.

Here in Inverness, we regard Nairn as our ‘next door neighbour’, a place most of us have visited since childhood for beach fun, swimming, and a relaxed stroll round the links finished off with fish and chips, and ice-cream.

It’s no wonder Charlie Chaplin liked to holiday there.

But there are so many more reasons to visit Nairn now, including their Book and Arts Festival, a terrific community centre with its lovely theatre space, Fèis Inbhir Narainn music events, great new restaurants and even a wonderfully stocked independent bookshop. The town has long been renowned for its jazz traditions, and I’m delighted to say that Dorec-a-belle’s next gig is at the Beer and Music Festival this weekend.

Six days of ‘celebrating real ale, great music and great food’ sound like a lot of fun, and we’re thrilled to be part of it. Held in the Bandstand Hotel (Highlands and Western Isles Pub of the Year 2022) from June 1-6, with daily music and dozens of beers to try, we will be playing on Sunday, June 5 at 5.30pm; it would be great if some of you are able to make it along!

I also want to share exciting news of Fèis Rois’s Lullaby Project. Of many music projects I’ve been fortunate to work on, this is without doubt one of my favourites. Run in partnership with New York’s Carnegie Hall and Aberdeen University, Tàlaidhean Ùra offers mums the chance to work with musicians to write a lullaby for their babies.

With childcare provided, and a relaxed and supportive environment, mums and musician facilitators get to know each other over a wee bit of crafting, some writing prompts and many cups of tea. Over the weeks, lyrics and music magically unfold as writing and singing confidence develops.

Several cohorts of the Lullaby Project have already taken place across the Highlands, in person and online, with many lullabies now professionally recorded and sung by the mums themselves with musical accompaniment.

But the aims of the project are wider than just the lullaby, including promoting bonding between mum and child, nurturing maternal well-being, offering a safe and nurturing space for women to relax for a couple of hours while children are looked after in the same room. It is a space where women can share, draw breath, and develop their creativity.

This new Inverness group will be held on Mondays in Merkinch Community Centre, for 10 weeks from June 6 through to approximately September, with a summer break – and it’s free! Open to women with children up to three, there are spaces now so please check out details on Fèis Rois’s website or Facebook page. I can promise it is a beautifully heart-warming and fulfilling project to be part of.

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