Bloody great news for crime festival

THE BLOODY Scotland crime writing festival said it registered ticket sales up 17% on last year.

The festival said it has seen a “stellar” year of attendances, with audience numbers growing to 9,985 compared to 8,474 in 2017.

The festival took place in Stirling, its annual venue, this past weekend.

As part of the festival, Liam McIlvanney won the McIlvanney Prize, the crime writing award named after his late father.

It also featured a torchlight procession for over 500 people led by Mr McIlvanney, Val McDermid and Denise Mina, and a performance by The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers.

The Scotland v England football match was won 6-3 by England.

Events which were sold out ranged from the Gala Opening, Val McDermid and Denise Mina, Two Lives Lived in Death - Professor Sue Black and Dr Richard Shepherd - and Ann Cleeves and Louise Penny.

Next year the Bloody Scotland Festival will run from 20 to 22 September.

Bob McDevitt will be director in 2019.

He said: “The sun shone and the stars came out for another record-breaking Bloody Scotland.

“I’ve once again been overwhelmed by the tremendous good humour and bonhomie exuded by crime writers and readers.

“We brought nations together, discussed different genres, drank some gin, sung a few songs and even before the festival was over people were booking hotels and looking forward to next.”

www.bloodyscotland.com

Images of older Edinburgh exhibited

THE City Art Centre in Edinburgh is to showcase an exhibition of street photography by Robert Blomfield.

Edinburgh Street Photography will run from November 24 to March 7 next year.

Blomfield practised street photography across the UK from the 1950s to the 1970s, beginning in Edinburgh.

He moved to the city to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh in 1956, when he was 18 years old.

Whilst a student, Blomfield pursued his passion for photography and spent his free time capturing life on the streets.

A subsequent medical career meant his large collection of images remained largely hidden, stored away in cardboard boxes.

In 1999, a stroke forced him to retire from medicine and put down his camera, and ten years ago, his wife Jane started the huge task of cataloguing and digitising these photographs.

After her passing Blomfield’s three sons William, Edward and George, along with his brother Johnny, continued this labour of love.

The exhibition Robert Blomfield: Edinburgh Street Photography - An Unseen Archive displays a selection of around 60 black and white works from this private collection, documenting the dramatic shifts taking place in Edinburgh’s urban landscape during the 1960s.

www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk

Bellany to speak in Irvine artist talks

THE Scottish Maritime Museum has announced that Helen Bellany, an artist and widow of the critically acclaimed artist, the late John Bellany, will be the next to headline the Museum’s current series of artist talks.

During the event, which is led in association with Tidelines Book Festival, Helen, will read from her new memoir, The Restless Wave. It will take place this Saturday, at 2pm at the museum on the Harbourside in Irvine.

The artist Will Maclean will be the next artist to take part in the Meet the Artist : Tea, Talk and Tour series at the museum at 2pm on 6 October.

www.scottishmaritimemuseum.org