Festival People
Festival Director
A group of ten people were behind the inaugural event, their aim being to attract live music to the Western Isles.
One of those founding members is now the festival director, Caroline MacLennan, who revealed the bad and good elements of the job: "The least favourite things I have to do are funding applications and reporting procedures. They're essential but they're still a drag to do."
Completion of contracts; administration; organising content for marketing and promotion; liaison with the rest of the festival team - you name it, if it's a part of the festival, then Caroline will have a role to play.
Said Caroline: "I've been a full-time director since 2001 and have been part of the festival since it began and I'd have to say I can't really think of many disappointments along the way. I guess carrying forward a £6k deficit from the first year was a low point but we've very much improved from that. We have always managed to find a solution to any problems."
Caroline was born in Renfrewshire, just outside Paisley comes from a family with quite a background in education. Her Grandfather taught in Paisley while both her Mother and Father were teachers, the latter based at the Nicolson Institute, Stornoway. The family stayed near Oban in Argyll for a time before moving to the Western Isles when Caroline was seven years old where she and her four brothers grew up.
Almost surprisingly she says she is not musical herself. "I've always had an interest in music", Caroline reveals. "I was given a fiddle once but I've never really been able to play it."
Since she can't play for festival audiences herself, what does Caroline enjoy most?
"I enjoy both listening to live music and meeting people. I've enjoyed some great nights through the festival, such as Davy Spillane's performance the first year - that was a special night. I also really enjoy bands like Shooglenifty."
So how are acts chosen for the festival? Said Caroline: "Up till now we've had a fair idea of who we wanted to get and then it's just a case of who is available. Choices are shaped a lot by who is actually touring. People we haven't had but would like to would include the Galician piper, Carlos Nunez. But at the moment, we've managed to get most of the acts on our wish list."
Content for the festival has to suit its broad theming. Wednesday night has more of a traditional feel; Thursday presents 'world' music; Friday is rock night while the last night on Saturday is traditionally party night.
With all nights experiencing record attendance, revenue and ticket sales, where can the festival go from here? Can it get bigger?
Caroline thinks so. "Eventually I would like to see two weeks for the festival. I'd also like to see two stages with a decent second one in the town where we can put on acts for people who want to sit and listen. This would enable us to build on our community programme and day acts.
"The constricting element is the availability of accommodation for what might be even greater visitor numbers."
Year-round job though the festival director post is, there has to be time for relaxation and perhaps predictably, music plays its part in Caroline's wind-down processes.
"I like to listen to music and especially female artists. I'm listening to the latest Cerys Matthews album at the moment.
" To be honest though, things are pretty full-on during the festival so I don't get too much opportunity to take it easy but at other times in the year, I like to spend time in the garden and I have my own green house."
With all the hard work and effort that the festival demands, Caroline had to answer one final question: 'why do you do it'?
"I think that's a question all the festival team ask themselves each year. I know in the beginning the founding members decided to start the festival because we wanted to hear live music.
"The only answer I can come up with though is that we are all totally committed, the festival is our baby and we enjoy such a great feel-good factor each year at festival time."
The thousands who attend the festival, the acts and the media, all appreciate and experience that special atmosphere which is generated each and every year at the Hebridean Celtic Festival.
