Our industry-focussed workshops are designed to offer invaluable insights and practical guidance for musicians and organisations working within traditional music in Scotland.
Whether you want to learn how to record and release your music, craft a successful funding application, improve your self-promotion, learn how how to book gigs, or take control of your finances – these workshops are designed with your professional development in mind.
“This was a brilliant workshop that really made me feel like I could achieve things that I previously thought were beyond my reach.”
(Participant feedback from 2025 workshop)
Fri 17 Apr | 10am (3hrs) | An Lanntair, Stornoway
Join us for a fundraising workshop for traditional musicians and organisations led by Siobhan Anderson, Traditional Music Officer, Creative Scotland.
Sat 18 Apr | 10am (3hrs) | An Lanntair, Stornoway
Are you a musician looking to record and release your music with confidence? Join us for an in depth, practical workshop with Keith Morrison (Wee Studio Records) that explores how to take your music from an initial idea through recording and out to the world.
Sat 9 May | 10am (3hrs) | CatStrand, New Galloway
Led by festival organiser, folk music agent, and creative producer Katch Holmes. For individuals and organisations, this interactive workshop will take you through important considerations for developing a funded project, how to budget it, writing the application, and keeping track of finances once you have secured the funding.
Sat 9 May | 2pm (3hrs) | CatStrand, New Galloway
Katch Holmes has worked in the music industry in Scotland for over 25 years. In this workshop that focuses on self-promotion and booking gigs, participants will take a look at who they are as an artist and how they promote themselves, and consider practical steps to booking gigs, such as how to build contacts, approach promoters, negotiate fees and costs, and more.
Each summer we hold our popular annual Scots and Gaelic song workshops at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh.
Everyone is warmly welcome to join us, whether you’re completely new to Scots or Gaelic, learning the languages, or already fluent.
Expertly hosted by some of the leading figures in Scots and Gaelic song, the workshops offer a friendly and supportive space to explore songs, language, and tradition together.
Sat 13 Jun | 11am (2hrs) | Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
Led by Norrie MacIver, one of Gaelic music’s most versatile and accomplished voices. Come and explore the catalogue of Gaelic songs written and performed by Runrig, from their first ever album Play Gaelic, which included some of the biggest songs of their career, to more contemporary Gaelic songs that helped shape the Gaelic folk scene and inspire many singers over the last 50 years.
Sat 27 Jun | 11am (2hrs) | Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
Join award-winning North-East folk singer Ellie Beaton for an engaging exploration of traditional Aberdeenshire ballads from the Greig–Duncan Folk Song Collection. Through these rich resources, participants will delve into the art of folk song collecting, while exploring the distinctive ornamentation and style of the region.
TMFS members can enjoy an exclusive 50% discount on all workshops.
These workshops are supported by TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland) through Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding.
Become a member of the Traditional Music Forum of Scotland (TMFS).
TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland SC043009) brings together the Traditional Music Forum (SC042867), the Scottish Storytelling Forum (SC020891) and the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland (SC045085). TRACS is based at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, which is a partnership project between the Storytelling Forum and The Church of Scotland (SC011353).
