Eden Court announces the opening month of its flagship Under Canvas outdoor festival, co-curated with Fèis Rois, in a spectacular new tent on the banks of the River Ness
Popular summer festival is back from 1 July – 30 September 2021 with a fantastic line-up of contemporary folk, Scottish traditional music, world music DJs, Jazz, Blues and more.
Under Canvas, Eden Court’s outdoor summer festival co-curated with Fèis Rois, is back! From 1 July – 30 September 2021 a three-month programme of music will take place on the lawns at Eden Court, next to the beautiful banks of the River Ness.
This welcoming, family-friendly event returns better than ever in a spectacular newly designed tent by Becky Minto and Kate Bonney, and with live music sessions, performance and DJ sets, a bar serving local beers, gins and whisky and an outdoor pizza oven.
Throughout July contemporary folk and Scottish traditional music take centre stage Wednesday to Friday with artists including Mairearad Green, Anna Massie, Project SMOK, Gary Innes and Ewen Henderson, FRAS, Man of the Minch, Amy Henderson Trio and Assynt among others. Resident DJ Karawane spins world grooves most Saturday evenings. Sunday afternoons feature an eclectic mix of musical genres and literary offerings, from performance poetry and author panels to classical music, blues and jazz.
Under Canvas began life in 2018, showcasing traditional and contemporary Scottish music. Its reputation as the go-to summer destination for locals and tourists was consolidated in its second year, when it was nominated for Event of the Year at the 2019 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.
Now in its third year, the event has been redesigned to maintain the spirit of socialising and shared enthusiasm for the arts, whilst mitigating the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and following recommended guidance.
Special Events
In addition to the monthly programmes, there are a number of specially curated events throughout the summer:
A celebration of queer voices in folk Bogha-frois (14-18 Jul) is curated by Pedro Cameron (aka Man of the Minch). Each day features members of Bogha-frois (Gaelic for Rainbow), a community of queer and LGBT+ folk musicians. The collective, fuelled by love and inclusivity, aims to encourage creativity and collaboration which reflects the queer experience.
Càirdeas (25-29 Aug) brings together global Gaelic communities. As part of the Colmcille 1500 commemorations, Under Canvas showcases artists and music from Scotland, Ireland, Cape Breton and the Isle of Man, and the kinship that has existed between these cultures over hundreds of years.
Marking Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters is Uisge (12-19 Sep). Rivers, oceans, lochs and waterways have long been inspirations for Scotland’s musicians. This week features a series of critically-acclaimed compositions and performances, which all evoke the might and mystery of uisge.
The Under Canvas tent is twice the size of the previous venue and has had some fabulous design updates to ensure it complies with COVID-19 government guidelines ensuring a safe experience for audiences, performers and staff.
Under Canvas couldn’t take place without the incredible support of its funders, supporters, sponsors and stakeholders: Programme co-curators Fiona Dalgetty and Fèis Rois, designers Becky Minto and Kate Bonney and new onboard Tailormade Moves, Emerging Talent Sponsors. We’d also like to give a special mention to the Banister family for their generous donation to Under Canvas.
Emerging Talent Sponsor
Under Canvas is proud to celebrate the best of Scottish traditional and Gaelic music and has welcomed some of the biggest names to the stage. It is equally proud to offer key performance opportunities to young musicians still developing their craft. Eden Court is delighted Tailormade Moves is supporting Under Canvas as Emerging Talent Sponsor helping to showcase these amazing up-and-coming young performers.