2008 sees the first COAST Festival of the Visual Arts, an annual festival of weekend-long events, which will be taking place in the beautiful Banffshire coast towns of Banff and Macduff.
The festival runs over the long bank holiday weekend at the end of May this year; from Friday 23rd to Monday 26th. COAST aims to become a festival of both National and International prominence, to promote the visual arts in its many forms, develop the arts community in the area and attract visitors from far and wide to enjoy everything this stretch of the rugged Scottish coastline can offer.
The event in 2008 will feature exhibitions, a mini sculpture park, an art fair, temporary public art, participatory workshops, demonstrations, artist talks, music events and a food fair.
COAST Festival has been designed to build on the existing interest and demand for creative activity in the Banffshire coast area, notably the existence and activities of Duff House which hosts collections of the National Galleries and the growing demand for arts-tourism in the area whereby visitors can participate in art courses as well as having the opportunity to view and celebrate art created by others.
Sculpture: Julie Brook
COAST has a strong professional structure designed to drive forward the implementation of the Festival. It is run by The Banffshire Visual Arts Festival Ltd, a company set up by a voluntary Board of Directors consisting of local Business people and Artists. COAST also has an Arts Advisory Group to provide specialist advice to the Board of the company; this is made up of local Artists and those working in the Art Industry, including a representative from Aberdeenshire Council’s Arts Development Team and the Manager of Duff House Country House Gallery.
Painting: Robert Mackay
In addition to the above, a Festival Manager is also in place to undertake the executive activities of COAST.
www.coastfestival.org.uk
About The Area
Banff and Macduff are two coastal towns situated on the north east coast of Scotland, joined together by a seven arched bridge which crosses the River Deveron, before entering the Moray Firth.
Both of the towns enjoy the spectacular sea views, magnificent sunsets and beautiful surroundings that the Banffshire coast has to offer.
Banff is known to be one of Scotland’s best restored Royal Burghs with a rich architectural style telling its glorious history, whilst Macduff rose up as a fishing settlement during the late eighteenth century developing at a great pace to establish itself at the forefront of the fishing industry in North East.
Today, Macduff is still a working fishing port and also home to Macduff Marine Aquarium, whose deep central exhibit displays a living kelp reef, the only one of its kind in Britain. Banff is home to Duff House Country Gallery, Banff Marina and the restored Banff Castle, now grade A listed.
Banff and Macduff boast a wide variety of accommodation to suit all tastes; hotels, bed and breakfast, self catering cottages, caravan parks and hostels. Please visit the link below for more information on accommodation providers.
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