Creating Connections

In 2007 the Oxford Junior Dictionary dropped a set of words from its pages. Acorn, bluebell, kingfisher, otter, wren. They were replaced by words children were now more likely to use, most of them about screens. Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris answered with The Lost Words, a book of spells and paintings meant to summon those creatures and plants back into everyday speech. Folk by the Oak then turned the spells into the Spell Songs, an album that has been playing in more than a few Largo households ever since.

 

Creating Connections started with a handful of local people who love that book and that music and wanted to do something with it. What they came up with is a weekend of film, art, poetry, birdsong and singing, open to everyone in the villages, with the Spell Songs at its heart.

What it is for

The weekend is a celebration of reconnecting: to the natural world around Largo Bay, to our shared history, to each other and to ourselves. It is for anyone who is curious, values nature and enjoys making things alongside other people. You do not need to be an artist, a poet or a singer or have any experience creating. You need to turn up and join in.

 

All events are free, with donations welcome. All ages are welcome, with a recommended minimum age of 6. Under-16s must be accompanied by an adult, and both need a ticket. Spaces are very limited.

Friday 2nd October: the film

We open with a rare screening of Lost for Words, the feature documentary by Hannah Papacek Harper that grew from the same book. It is not on general release, so this is a real chance to see it. The film asks what our future with nature looks like and how we might shape it, and we will stay on afterwards to talk about what it raises.

 

Largo Library and Community Hub. Doors and bar open 18:30, film 19:00. The film runs 90 minutes and contains some nudity, so it may not suit younger viewers.

Saturday 3rd October: the workshops

The morning offers three workshops at the same time, so choose one: an art workshop with Jill Calder exploring Lost and Found through drawing, words and book forms; a collaborative poetry workshop with Colin Orr, starting with a short guided meditation; or a shoreline walk and acrostic poetry session with Andrew Duff, designed for young people and their grown-ups.

 

In the afternoon, Friends of Largo Bay run Connecting with Birds, a hands-on hour with birdsong, bird names and the 70 bird species of highest conservation concern in Scotland. Then Robin Bell and Greg Smith lead a singing, humming and whistling workshop where you learn chorus sections of the Spell Songs. The afternoon sessions do not overlap, so you can do one or both.

Saturday evening: the celebration

Every workshop ticket includes a place at Celebrating Creating Connections at The Aurrie Mor (doors 18:30, starts 19:00). This is where the day comes together: the artwork, the poems, the bird calls, and the Spell Songs sung with everyone joining in from the audience. It is intended first for the people who took part during the day, which is why places are limited. If any remain, we will run a waitlist.

How to book

Book each workshop through the TicketSource links on the Creating Connections event page. One evening ticket per person is included automatically, however many workshops you attend. If you do not have internet access, call 07926 416857 during working hours.

 

If you book and can no longer come, please cancel through TicketSource or email [email protected] so someone else can have your place.

 

Questions? Email [email protected] or [email protected].

 

Creating Connections is organised by Largo Communities Together with Louise Robb, Jill Miller, Greg Smith, Robin Bell, Yvonne Stephenson and Fiona Smith.