We went to the shetland festival this year - a lot of local people in the line up, including some talented youngsters, and shetland dancing as part of the concert and workshops. Most of the audience seemed to be local and they made an effort to take one of the concerts round to the remoter islands. The concerts were fairly full.

There is a general concern in the shetlands that the council are pulling the funding for the children to have free music lessons where fiddles and accordians are strong. The festival sessions were mostly tune sets rather than singing.
FloraG