Girvan Arts Festival returns for 2025
A weekend packed full of authors, artists, musicians, craftsmen, poets and even farmers will take place over three days.
Highlights include Denise Mina, talking about her stellar career as a crime-writer, and Preston Reed, world renowned guitarist, who will be talking about his life in music and playing some of his amazing back catalogue.
Opera is also coming to Girvan, with a selection of famous opera hits, a few songs from the musicals and some of Scots Opera's own work - Seal Woman.
Some of Ayrshire's finest poets will be joined by others from further afield in the spoken word event Words by the Sea and Jim English will be telling audiences all about his passion – making Olympic curling stones from Ailsa Craig Granite.
The Bookshop Band will bring the entertainment on the Saturday evening. Their last album was produced by Pete Townshend of The Who – who also played on it.
There are two events for children in the library, and a 'Festival Fringe' has been introduced for 2025 with CRAG and Girvan Youth Trust holding workshops and events.
There are Zentangle drawing sessions at the New Café Royale and the Tattie Fest is having a showcase of children's art leading up to their big weekend.
Rod McCance, the great nephew of a seminal Scottish artist who spent the latter part of his life in Girvan, will speak about his own colourful career as an artist.
He'll also be exhibiting his work in the McKechnie Institute, along with eight other talented artists.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
21 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
BBC sports presenter reveals she's pregnant with sweet bump pic after getting engaged and buying new home
She gave an insight into how her pregnancy has been so far grand slam! BBC sports presenter reveals she's pregnant with sweet bump pic after getting engaged and buying new home BBC sports presenter Jenny Drummond has revealed she's pregnant with her first child. The 36-year-old shared her happy news after getting engaged and buying a brand new home. 3 Jenny Drummond has revealed she is pregant with her first child 3 Jenny is a well loved sport's presenter Credit: Instagram Posting a picture cradling her baby bump, Jenny - who has not revealed who her partner is - told her followers: 'They say things sometimes come in threes - engagement, house, now baby G. Feeling very lucky indeed.' The former tennis player - who has covered everything from Wimbledon to the Women's Six Nations - was inundated with messages from her famous pals and fans. Fellow presenter Laura Woods commented: 'Amazing news congratulations! Xxx' Golfer Annabel Croft remarked: 'Congratulations, such wonderful news.' Read More on BBC sports LIFE CHANGING Olympic hero Rebecca Adlington reveals life-changing diagnosis And Sky host Eleanor Roper added: 'Aww congratulations!!!' Jenny gave an insight into her pregnancy as she shared a video made during Wimbledon. She wrote alongside it: 'Always so proud to present and voice the women's preview to the Wimbledon final of @bbcsport coverage. 'Not going to lie, I puked my way through this shoot - morning sickness has not been my friend but we got there thanks to pick n mix and most importantly to Joe Bamonte, @bensmith_cam and the editing team in Salford.' Jenny, who hails from Scotland, is known for her work on BBC Sport and TNT Sports, where she specialises in tennis, rugby, and golf. She previously opened up about being a female in a male-dominated industry and told the Daily Mail: 'As a female you get commented on how you look and what you wear rather than how you perform as a presenter or reporter. 'Then people criticise the angle of your questions or how articulate you were in the way that you said something. That p****s me off, for sure. 'I use Twitter/X for work but am not active on it. I'm sensitive and can't hack that (abuse) side of it, so I don't even bother looking.' 3 Jenny was sent lots of messages of congratulations
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Legendary rock band admit they 'don't communicate very well' anymore in honest interview
A member of a legendary rock band has admitted they 'don't communicate very well' in a brutally honest new interview this week. The Who was formed in London in 1964, with the original lineup consisting of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Keith tragically died at just 32 in 1978, while John passed away at just 57 in 2002. Both Roger and Pete previously announced they will be retiring from touring after 60 years, following a final run of shows in the US this year. However, in a new interview, Pete has admitted he and Roger 'don't communicate very well' ahead of the shows. Speaking to AARP about their love/hate relationship, the 79-year-old explained: 'We don't communicate very well. The Who was formed in London in 1964, with the original lineup consisting of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon Both Roger and Pete previously announced they will be retiring from touring after 60 years, following a final run of shows in the US this year (pictured in 2016) Earlier this year, The Who made a shock U-turn to welcome drummer Zak Starkey (pictured) back into the band, after he was sacked following a bitter fallout 'He and I are very different and we have different needs as performers. He got upset because he felt I had sometimes given the impression of having left the building. 'Roger complained about the fact that he is deaf. He's a singer, and he has to be 100 percent fit in order to do his job.' Meanwhile, Pete said the band have become a 'Who tribute' following Entwistle and Moon's deaths, which he revealed has made their respective families 'millionaires'. He said: 'Roger and I have a duty to the music and the history. The Who [still] sells records —the Moon and Entwistle families have become millionaires. 'There's also something more, really: the art, the creative work is when we perform it. We're celebrating. We're a Who tribute band.' Earlier this year, The Who made a shock U-turn to welcome drummer Zak Starkey back into the band, after he was sacked following a bitter fallout. The pair had reportedly sacked the drummer after a 'huge fall out' happened after the band's two recent gigs at the Royal Albert Hall last month. A spokesperson had previously announced the news of Zak's exit from the band by saying: 'The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. Both Roger and Pete previously announced they will be retiring from touring after 60 years , following a final run of shows in the US this year Pete previously revealed that he has a scheduled day off between each of the shows on the advice of his throat specialist, having previously had growths removed from his vocal cords back in 2009 'They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.' However, the musicians have now confirmed Zak is firmly still in the band and hasn't been asked to leave. Zak is the son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr and Maureen Starkey Tigrett. The Who are set to play 16 shows in the US, with the first kicking off on August 19th in Newark, New Jersey. Pete previously revealed that he has a scheduled day off between each of the shows on the advice of his throat specialist, having previously had growths removed from his vocal cords back in 2009. Roger added: 'I can't do consecutive shows. At the end of the tour I might be able to do two back to back. 'I've been ordered by my throat specialist, (who would) say ''You have to have a day off after every gig, and then after every three gigs you have to have two days off, because otherwise you will wreck your voice and you will not be able to sing''.' Pete previously opened up about how he wished he quit the band decades ago in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail as he shared an insight into his life with wife Karen.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Terence Stamp, star of original Superman films, remembered as ‘true movie star'
Veteran British actor Terence Stamp, who starred in the original Superman films, has been remembered as 'iconic' and a 'true movie star'. The Academy Award-nominated actor, who played Kryptonian villain General Zod in Superman and Superman II, died on Sunday aged 87. Filmmaker Edgar Wright, who directed Last Night In Soho – the last movie Stamp featured in, paid tribute to the actor in a lengthy social media post. He said: 'I am deeply saddened by the passing of Terence Stamp, a British actor who was truly iconic. An East Ender that rose to such fame in Swinging Sixties London, he could rightly be called its epicentre. 'Terence's career spanned seven decades and never stopped surprising. I was fortunate to work with him on what became his final screen role in Last Night in Soho. 'Terence was kind, funny, and endlessly fascinating. I loved discussing music with him (his brother managed The Who, and he's name-checked in The Kinks' Waterloo Sunset) or reminiscing about his films, going back to his debut in Billy Budd. 'He spoke of his last shot in that film, describing a transcendental moment with the camera — a sense of becoming one with the lens. 'Decades later, while directing him, I witnessed something similar. The closer the camera moved, the more hypnotic his presence became. 'In close-up, his unblinking gaze locked in so powerfully that the effect was extraordinary. Terence was a true movie star: the camera loved him, and he loved it right back. 'If I have a regret, it's that he had to endure a few night shoots — tough for an older actor. Yet this gave rise to an anecdote that lives on in Soho. In one scene, his character exits The Toucan pub via the basement stairs. 'It was late, and Terence — who never did many takes — looked at the setup and said: 'This shot isn't going to be in the movie.' I asked why. He deadpanned: 'This staircase isn't good enough to be in a movie.' 'It was one of the funniest things ever said to me on set. We did the shot and I promised it would make the cut.' Wright said he regaled the story at a Q&A attended by the pub's owners who decided to immortalise his remark on a brass plaque that you can see at the top of those basement steps. He added: 'The last time I saw Terence, he was in excellent spirits. He came to record ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) and perhaps because of his prolific Italian film career, his looping was flawless. Afterwards, over tea, he regaled me with stories of (directors) Fellini, Pasolini, Wyler and Ustinov. I hugged him goodbye, but never saw him again. 'You will be missed, Terry. But you are immortalised — in film, in song, in print and in the heart of the city where you were born.' In the comments, actor Sam Claflin, who was in the film, said: 'I'll never forget you gifting me the chance to meet him mate. 'What was supposed to be a quick coffee meet and greet, turned in to a four hour conversation about film and the meaning of life. A true gent. An absolute king.' Among Stamp's performances was a transgender woman in 1994's The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert, which saw him nominated for a Bafta. Director of the film, Stephan Elliott, told the Guardian that Stamp 'was absolutely terrified to play Bernadette' as 'he was being voted one of the best-looking men on earth and suddenly in Priscilla he was, and this is a direct quote, 'dressed up as an old dog'.' Star of the film Guy Pearce wrote on X, formerly Twitter: 'Fairwell dear Tel. You were a true inspiration, both in & out of heels. We'll always have Kings Canyon, Kings road & F'ing ABBA. Wishing you well on your way 'Ralph'! xxxx' Bafta said: 'We're saddened to hear of the passing of Terence Stamp, aged 87. Well known for playing General Zod in the Superman films, Stamp was nominated for two Baftas in 1963 and 1995 for his work in Billy Budd and The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert.' Born in the East End of London in 1938, Stamp rose to acting fame in the 1960s after he won a drama school scholarship. The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art scholarship led him to the stage, where he acted in repertory theatre and met Michael Caine, who was five years older than him. The pair lived together in a flat in Harley Street while they were both looking for their big break, but they parted ways and lost touch, Stamp previously told The Guardian. He made his film debut in Peter Ustinov's 1962 film adaptation of Herman Melville's Billy Budd, and his portrayal of the title character brought an Oscar nomination. Known for his stylish clothes, Stamp famously dated actress Julie Christie, who he performed alongside in the 1967 film Far From The Madding Crowd and was also in a relationship with the model Jean Shrimpton. But, after missing out on the role of James Bond, he fell out of the limelight for a while. It was not until 1978 that he got his most famous role as General Zod and appeared in Superman's 1980 sequel as the same character. Stamp's Superman co-star, British actress Sarah Douglas – who played General Zod's accomplice Ursa, paid tribute to the actor, describing him as 'beyond gorgeous and talented' in a post on Instagram. Stamp was also widely praised for his lead in director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 crime drama The Limey. He began voice acting and writing books in the late 90s, but also continued acting in films, appearing alongside Tom Cruise in Valkyrie in 2008 and working on movies directed by Tim Burton. He married 29-year-old Elizabeth O'Rourke in 2002 at the age of 64, but the couple divorced six years later. He did not have any children. His film career spanning six decades ended with Wright's 2021 psychological thriller starring Anya Taylor-Joy. Stamp's death was confirmed in a death notice published online, the Associated Press said.
