2 minute read
Arts of Lochaber
By Ilona Munro Lawson
BOING! BOING!
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‘You make me feel so young…’ In my head there’s Frank crooning to me. ‘You make me feel so spring has sprung!’ Ah March, allegedly it’s the first month of spring – but who knows? Lochaber is famous for confusing the flowers.
If creativity is my slugabed companion of the long, rainy winter, then it’s also my Tigger of a hopeful spring. Few of us enjoy the dark, sleet-filled drive home from clubs and classes on the narrow, potholed roads we know. As the good old British clock springs forward, we can travel a little more easily- this year, more so, as two years of restrictions ease away. Let’s enjoy this time. Let’s not talk about tourists and midges. Let’s stay with the sweetspot.
Will you spring into action and prioritise your creativity and enjoyment of the arts? Can extra daylight rejuvenate you and your creative endeavours? As I write, I am still smiling at the memory of Junior Youth Theatre night. They are always joyously bouncy, no matter what the season. They grab their precious 90 minutes to laugh, move, make friends and express themselves. They are the antithesis of the teenage stereotype. They know the value of creative fun.
I have never subscribed to the theory that ‘there’s nothing to do in Lochaber’. We have so many cultural classes and clubs. The Music School, Lochaber Youth Theatre, Nevis Centre Glee Club , Paul’s Rockskool, Lochaber Community Wind Band, Creative Writing at Duror Hall, Victoria’s ballet, to name a few. Art and craft classes too numerous to list and the amazing Room 13.
Of course, transport is an ongoing issue, as is the A82. This can have a massive impact on accessing all the wonderful clubs out there. But then, aren’t we supposed to be car sharing for the planet?
While I love to write under a cosy blanket, I still check the window regularly. When will the sun come back? I live in Kinlochleven. I need that spring daylight to extend my travels, to make me more adventurous, to get me to late night cinema, to pull me to the lochside where I can dream and create. Let March put a spring in your step and shine on your creativity.
