Having got Blas 2011 off to the best-ever opening weekend in terms of attendance numbers and range of performances, the festival’s continued success through an packed week has left audiences throughout the Highlands and Islands clamouring for more.From the hugely successful first weekend which was marked by a string of sell-out performances delivered to criticalacclaim right through to Saturday night’s finale in Eden Court Theatre, the audience response to the seventh festivals programme of events has been described by festival organisers as “magnificent”.

Speaking after the Grand Finale, which he hosted, Arthur Cormack of Fèisean nan Gàidheal, who organise the festival said: “There have been a number of notable achievements throughout this week from the opening night with Julie Fowlis’ new commission Heisgeir, right through to today and tonight with the dramatic scenes at the shinty cup final where Fèis Cèilidh Trailers were part of the entertainment, Blas 2011 has been a tremendous success. These are challenging times for arts organisations throughout the Highlands but Blas 2011 has proved that with appropriate levels of support from key organisations such as The Highland Council and Creative Scotland, it is possible to produce a series of events which will command the audience’s attention. We hope we can do it all again in 2012.”

 

Donna MacRae, Director of Blas 2011 added: “This year’s festival has been innovative, imaginative and inspiring. We have involved local suppliers and their food and drink produce at events; provided local talent with a platform to showcase their skills alongside some of the most popular traditional musicians in the world and built new relationships with organisers and 400 volunteers which has seen us stage events selling out at numerous venues from Lochaber to the top of the Cairngorms, from Wick to the waters of Loch Ness. Our opening Friday night in particular was unprecedented with four out of six shows sold out. This is all a great tribute to theartistes themselves, the volunteers who have helped stage everything behind the scenes and indeed to the audiences who have continued to back Blas as a concept which delivers the high quality events across a wide range of venues involving a stellar lists of performers. We are very proud of the fact that we attracted sell-out audiences. It might be difficult to top this but we are up for the challenge of surpassing what we have achieved when we deliver Blas 2012.”

This year’s Blas festival staged nearly 100 cultural events between 9 and 17 September throughout the Highlands and Islands including a comprehensive schools programme organised by Lynn Johnston of The Highland Council.  Traditional music as well as Gaelic language and song are the bedrock of the festival and, for the first time, Blas also featured Gaelic writers, in collaboration with Comhairle nan Leabhraichean (the Gaelic Books Council) and Acair.  Early online responses show that the way in which Gaelic is used at Blas enhances the experience for audience members.

Blas 2011 celebrated the Year of Scotland's Islands with a series of "Island Cèilidhs" and the Julie Fowlis “Heisgeir” commission, showcasing some of the best known Gaelic singers from the islands along with great traditionalaccompaniment.