This year’s Tannahill Arts Festival has become the latest event to fall victim of the lockdown.
The festival named in honour of Paisley’s 18th century poet Robert Tannahill got it first outing last year, and was set up by composer Alan Fleming-Baird.
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The Paisley composer’s own work Tannahill - The Opera was the highlight of the event.
But due to the uncertainty surrounding future social distancing, this year’s event is now off.
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Said Alan: “I’m sad that I’ve had to cancel this year’s Tannahill Arts Festival that was due to run in September.
“This provides work and money for a lot of freelance artists, so there’s a knock-on effect if I don’t produce work I can’t pass on the opportunities to others.”
Like many other creative artists, Alan, who is also organist at Paisley’s Stow Brae Kirk, is finding work hard to come by at the moment.
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“The situation with my work is that I’m furloughed from church, but I did lose a lot of money from up-coming gigs.
“But more than the money it’s losing the chance to have pieces I’ve written played.
“That’s how I get asked to write things in the future – when people have heard something of mine in a concert then I might get receive a commission to produce something else.
“Some musicians are doing remote recordings, so I’m able to keep going with the writing, but I’m really missing rehearsals.
“There’s no replacement for face to face rehearsals.
“The London Contemporary Orchestra has found a way to do remote recordings so I’m utilising that.
“I’ve applied to Creative Scotland to fund projects in lockdown.
“I’ve also received financial help from the Musicians’ Union, and Renfrewshire Council along with The Bungalow have reached out to me for a couple of pieces of music for their digital Sma’ Shot Day.”
As revealed in the Paisley Daily Express, the annual workers’ festival will for the first time see a full programme of online events and activities take place to celebrate this historical date in the town’s calendar.
