Shetland Blues - Bigton, Lerwick and Fair Isle 20-30 August 2026

CHROMA’s 10th residency in Shetland is inspired by 27 Shetland Blues by Fair Isle textile artist and knitter Marie Bruhat.

In Bigton and Lerwick on mainland Shetland we are working with the Shetland Youth Orchestra at Mareel in Lerwick, and the young musicians of Bigton, with a concert involving young musicians at Hymhus.
Our Fair Isle residency encompasses music composition and creative writing to make new pieces for performance by and for the community, as well as art, cyanotypes and a giant knitting workshop led by Marie.

BIGTON
Saturday 22 August
Hymhus 7pm doors for a 7.30pm start
featuring members of the Shetland Youth Orchestra

FAIR ISLE
open-to-all sessions:
Wednesday 26 August
from 2pm Muckle Urigeo - foraging seaweed and other botanicals for cyanotypes

Saturday 29 August
from 2pm in the Hall - music rehearsal for those who want to play with us in the concert, singers and instrumentalists

Saturday 29 August
7.30pm
Free concert in Fair Isle Community Hall

Team CHROMA:
Stuart King (clarinet, lead animateur)
Chihiro Ono (violin)
Jo Turner (bassoon)
Jessica May (piano)
Claire Shovelton (creative producer, art, photography)

Fair Isle:
Marie Bruhat textile artist, knitter

photo of 27 Shetland Blues by Maëlys Gauthier

Shetland Blues Blog

Shetland Blues is a collaboration with the communities of Bigton and Fair Isle, and is funded by:
Cockaigne Fund, administered by Foundation Scotland
Hope Scott Trust
Hugh Fraser Foundation
Golsoncott Foundation
The National Lottery Community Fund
The Maple Trust
The Radcliffe Trust
Shetland Community Benefit Fund