“Solas” ( Light in Gaelic) is the name given to the recent project from Canna House, profiling the life and film work of Margaret Fay Shaw of Canna . To highlight this work and Canna’s connection to the sea and shoreline of Scotland, the Canna Archivist invites proposals for papers of 20 minutes length for presentation at a one day “SolasSea Symposium “on the Isle of Canna, on Saturday 27th June, 2020.
The theme of the Symposium is ““Enlightenment Enhanced by the Coastal Environment” and should be taken in its broadest terms, depicting and describing the creation of knowledge and enjoyment from all things around us visually and aurally, in particular the coastal environment.
The keynote speech will be presented by Professor Hugh Cheape of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig who will explore John Lorne Campbell’s “Sea League” project of the 1930’s, campaigning fo the rights of the Minch fishermen, in conjunction with author Compton Mackenzie, then of the Isle of Barra.
We invite scholars, researchers, artists and interested members of the Public, to explore what this theme means to them and how they would like to represent their ideas and scope of knowledge.
Subject matters might include, but are not restricted to:
• Climate Change and Creativity. How does climate affect the way we physically depict the world around us? Does it inspire, challenge or frustrate us?
• How can we link coast & conservation more closely?
• Politics in the Coastal Environment. Do you have new or inspired ideas of how to engage with communities on the Coasts of Scotland in terms of improving or enhancing lives of the people who live in that environment. Can we learn from historical initiatives which either succeeded or failed in this respect?
• Linguistic links to the Hebridean coastline. How do these inspire creativity perhaps? Or a sense of belonging?
• The Hebridean coastline through the Lens and how this affects the way that we, as visitors in that environment, respond to the land and sea around us.
• Practical demonstrations or performances of projects which involve ‘collage’ representations of the sights and sounds which surround us. ( please note that space available will be very limited, in the case of performance art)
• How has the geography and/or topography of the Scottish coastline affected the socio economic structure of that particular area.
• How does the littoral ‘zone’ affect creativity in the “Island Space?”
• Discussion on how the ‘island space’ affected the work of Margaret Fay Shaw and/or John Lorne Campbell in particular. ‘Work’ may mean ‘folklore collecting, photography, filmography, writing, research, scientific studies, performance”
These are only intended as ideas to spark ideas and we encourage interested participants to interpret the theme in whatever way they wish. Please submit proposals of no more than 150 words to fmackenzie@nts.org.uk by April 3rd, 2020.
There is no charge to present at the Symposium and lunch will be provided for presenters. The fee for attendance at the Symposium will otherwise be £25 for the day including lunch. It will be possible to visit Canna for the day only if you are unable to stay. The ferry departs Mallaig at 0730 and leaves Canna at 1830 in the evening. Information on accommodation providers will be supplied.
The symposium is part of a week long programme of events to celebrate the “Solas” project. Sunday 28th will see the inaugural “Canna-Not Cannes-Film Festival” take place on island.
For more information, check out the Canna House page www.facebook.com/CannaHouseNTS or email fmackenzie@nts.org.uk