OPEN STAGE APPLICATIONS invited

The stars of tomorrow are now able to apply for a spot competing in the Orkney Folk Festival’s Open Stage event, held during the festival on Saturday, May 23.

As well as the sought-after trophy, the winner will receive a guaranteed place in the festival’s 2010 line-up and a position competing in the Danny Kyle Open Stage at Celtic Connections, Scotland’s biggest folk festival, in 2010 should they choose to accept it.

Presiding over the action will be two visiting adjudicators, independent from the festival committee, including one from Glasgow who regularly judges the three-week-long Celtic Connections Open Stage, whose previous winners include Orkney’s own The Chair, as well as countless others including Breabach and Wingin It.

The Orkney Folk Festival Open Stage is open to both groups and soloists, with any instrument permitted; the only stipulation is that each entrant’s set must be seen to fit into the folk genre. The event will take place in the Stromness Town Hall, one of the main concert venues used throughout the festival, kicking off at 1pm on Saturday afternoon. Successful applicants will perform a ten minute set, and an overall winner and two runners will be up announced no later than 4pm the same day.

Previous winners of the Open Stage include Shetlander Maggie Adamson and local duo Jennifer Austin and Louise Bichan, both of whom have gone on to win a ‘Danny’ at Celtic Connections – Maggie alongside Brian Nicholson in 2008, and Jennifer and Louise as half of Skalder earlier this year.

This is the fourth year that the Open Stage is to take place, yet this year missing the invaluable contribution of the late Graham Morris, who initiated the event in 2006. Such was his contribution to the festival, and in particular towards encouraging up-and-coming talent, however, that the festival committee felt it only right to continue with the event.

Application forms for the Open Stage can be downloaded from www.orkneyfolkfestival.com. Completed forms should be returned to Open Stage, Orkney Folk Festival, Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AA or emailed to orkneyopenstage@live.com Entrants will be notified no later than Thursday, May 21, as to whether they have been successful and will compete.

Good luck!