Land Festival

Take part in a day of creative workshops and discussions about land and housing justice in Badenoch & Strathspey. 

Draft schedule for the day

Morning 10am - 1pm: 

Welcome plus a collective mapping of land ownership in the area.

Take part in a choice of family friendly practical workshops exploring our relationship to the land, including:

• Walk exploring native herbs and their uses with Finlay from Poynztfield Herb Nursery, and their lore and heritage with Sarah from Strathspey Storywalks
• Screenprinting with Colleen of Timber & Stitch Studio - bring your own bag, t-shirt or tea towel to print on!
• Zine making with Tara and Clem from the Landworkers' Alliance.

Followed by a screening of the short film 'Rooted,' which highlights people with connections to Glen Tanar in the Cairngorms, whose voices are less often heard. From tenant farmers to ecologists to GPs, it covers themes such as dùthchas - the Gaelic expression of constant dialogue between people and place in shaping identity and heritage - types of knowledge, forest economy, nature, ownership and power dynamics.

Lunch 1pm - 2.30pm: Bring your own packed lunch, meet new people and have a chat.

Afternoon 2.30 - 5.30pm: 

A workshop with Lauren and Helen from Living Rent, Scotland's largest tenant and community union. This session will bring folks together to think about practical demands around housing rights, second home-ownership and short term lets to ensure tenants, resident owners and communities are able to shape our neighbourhoods for the common good.

We will then be treated to excerpts from 'The Chariot, the Flag and the Empty Empty Houses,' a play with music written by Daniel Cullen, built after workshops and conversations had with people on the Isle of Skye. The atmosphere at the play is one of fun and engagement, there are lots of upbeat comedy songs and scenes, but the substance behind the work is strong - with themes addressing some of the problems those who are from and live on Skye face on a daily basis, including housing, transport, language, over-tourism, eradication of identity.
This will be followed by a lively discussion with invited guests about land and housing in Badenoch & Strathspey.

Meal 6pm - 7pm: Enjoy a delicious feast made using locally sourced sustainable produce.

Evening 7 - 9pm: Take part in a traditional Ceilidh House - a space to share music, songs, poetry and stories that relate to the land (no dancing planned, unless you want to do the calling!)

This community event is being organised by local members of Scottish Histories of Resistance and The Landworkers' Alliance with support from a team of artists and volunteers. Children are welcome, and we'll try to organise some additional kids activities during the afternoon workshops if there is demand.

Sliding Scale Tickets available for the full day and evening (including the feast):

Tier 1 - Low income adult ticket £15

This is our cheapest option and ensures we can provide a space for people with limited access to money. Choose this option if you have limited expendable income, little or no access to financial support from family, significant debt, and little or no access to savings.

Tier 2 - Standard adult ticket £20

This is the amount we need most people to pay to ensure the event can go ahead. Choose this option if doing so would be an investment but not create hardship for you. If you are regularly able to meet your basic needs, you have some expendable income, can travel every couple of years without burden, and/or have some debt but are able to make regular repayments toward it.

Tier 3 - Solidarity adult ticket £25

This option means we can offer more Tier 1 & 2 tickets to people on lower incomes. Choose this option if you are comfortably able to meet your basic needs, own the home you live in or rent a higher end property, travel recreationally, have access to financial savings and/or investments, have reliable work (or do not have to work to meet your needs), have/will have inherited wealth, and/or have increased earning privilege due to your race, gender or education.

Day tickets: 10am-5pm (no meal) £5

'Ceilidh House' tickets: 7pm-9pm (no meal) £5

Kids are FREE - but please book them a ticket!

Travel & camping

We can help with organising lift shares, and if you need somewhere to stay there's a campsite at Dalradddy Holiday Park (2.3 miles away). The closest train stations to Kincraig are Aviemore or Kingussie (both around 6 miles away).

If you have any questions, or contributions you'd like to make to the programme, please contact Tara Wight: tara.wight@landworkersalliance.org.uk