SCOTTISH musicians and poets are to be part of the Lake of Stars Malawi Arts Festival which is taking place in the African country a the end of this month.

Poet Michael Pedersen of Neu! Reekie!, pop star Be Charlotte and Scottish Album of the Year Award nominee Kobi Onyame will be performing, alongside local artists including George Kalukusha and poet, musician and actor Lily Banda.

To mark its 15th anniversary Lake of Stars is expanding their partnership of more than five years between Scottish and Malawi, through a residency programme and showcase of Scottish artists.

Funded by Creative Scotland, this will connect artists from the Scottish music and poetry scenes with artists from Malawi.

Ben Macpherson, the minister for international development, is also joining the artists in Malawi at the festival, which runs from September 28 to 30.

Mr Pedersen said: "Lake of Stars is a fertile breeding ground for fast flowing ideas and collaborations without even trying.

"To be dropped into built for purpose environment, on site in Malawi, that is rich with momentum and creative support, alongside such a wide variety of skillsets, proffers limitless leaps forward for us all.

"Let the Malawian / Scottish creative romance begins."

Alan Morrison, head of music at Creative Scotland, said: "Lake of Stars is one of Africa’s most respected arts festivals, attracting performers and visitors from across the globe.

"Our support enables Scottish artists not only to showcase but also to collaborate with artists from the African continent.

"Following up on online exchange with the Malawian artists, Michael Pedersen and Be Charlotte will rehearse and record while at the festival, culminating in the release of new work, and exposing each artist to new audiences and industry professionals."

Lake of Stars was established in 2003 to encourage international tourism to Malawi, taking inspiration from events like WOMAD and Glastonbury.

www.creativescotland.com

BARBARA Morgenstern and Cucina Povera are to play at Platform in Glasgow on November 26.

Morgenstern is a German electronic music artist, keyboardist and singer from Berlin who has made lauded electronic records over the last 20 years.

Moving to Berlin from Hagen via Hamburg in the early 1990s, Morgenstern was introduced to Gudrun Gut’s label Monika Enterprise and became paert of the Wohnzimmer scene.

The Wohnzimmer scene saw gigs take place at illegal parties and living rooms.

She has made music with Pole, Robert Lippok and Stefan Schneider of To Rococo Rot, Bill Wells, Maximillian Hecker, Justus Kohncke, T.Raumschmiere amongst others as well as leading the Choir Der Kulturen Der Welt and writing music for theatre company Rimini Protocol.

"Unschuld und Verwüstung" (Innocence and Desolation) is the name of her tenth studio album and is her debut on Berlin based label Staatsakt.

www.chemikal.co.uk

THE Glasgow Youth Film Festival (GYFF) that took place from 14 to 16 September registered an 89% increase in audiences from last year, it has said.

The festival was celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Around 17% of attendees welcomed were students, or utilising the GFT’s free 15-25 Card.

Sarah Emery, the Glasgow Youth Film Festival coordinator said: "We are delighted by the audience numbers achieved by GYFF 2018, it is testament to the hard work the Young Programmers have put into the festival throughout the year.

"By way of sell-out premieres, innovative workshops, and fascinating Q&As hosted by the Young Programmers, we hope to have inspired a younger generation of filmmakers and film lovers."

www.glasgowfilm.org