Slippit festival to host free creative workshops

SHETLAND’s first “women powered” music festival has announced a series of workshops which are set to take place in August.

The free sessions, hosted by Slippit, are aimed at aspiring musicians, performers and creatives of all experience levels and will be hosted at the Staney Hill hall in Lerwick.

Organisers said the workshops cover “everything from live sound and starting a band to confidence-building, songwriting, photography and creative play”.

Aligned to the ethos of Slippit, some of the workshops are just for “women, girls and other marginalised genders”.

Organisers said “it’s not about leaving anyone out – it’s about making space for people who haven’t always had the chance to be heard”.

The workshops are taking place across two weekends — 2/3 August and 9/10 August.

They lead up to the Slippit festival itself, which takes place on Saturday 13 September at the Lerwick Legion – a “celebration of grassroots music, creativity, and collective care in our local scene”.

Details of the line-up for the festival are expected in due course.

Workshops will be led by local musicians, artists, and facilitators including Amanda Pearson, Stevie Hook, Lisa Ward, Lakota Clubb and Ashlea Tulloch.

Slippit chairperson Carina Newell highlighted the role of Pearson and Hook, saying they are a “powerhouse of knowledge when it comes to music, sound tech and putting on gigs”.

She added: “As chairperson of the Slippit committee, it’s genuinely inspiring to see the workshops being offered by members of the Slippit team.

“It’s such a powerful example of what happens when facilitators reflect the audience – they help spark that belief in others that ‘people like me can do this’.

“For me, it’s a real testament to the team’s commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space where they’re not only sharing skills but also modelling leadership and giving 100 per cent to Slippit as a movement for change.”

All the workshops are free, but spaces are limited and booking is essential via Eventbrite.