The Royal National Mòd will showcase and celebrate the very best in Gaelic music and culture when it comes to Perth for the first time in 18 years.
A vibrant programme of fringe concerts, shows, ceilidhs and exhibitions has been unveiled and will delight audiences across the city between October 14-22, 2022.
The eight-day event is Gaeldom’s premier musical and cultural celebration staged annually at a different Scottish town.
This year’s Royal National Mòd in Perth will mark 130 years since the first ever event took place in Oban in 1892.
Around 1000 musicians and participants will fill over 10 venues, in the city this October, including Perth Concert Hall, Perth Theatre and North Inch Community Campus.
There will also be shinty and football at Bell’s Sports Centre, and a massed choirs event on Perth High Street will close the nine-day celebration.
Cuirm-Fosglaidh a’ Mhòid 2022 (Mòd 2022 Opening Concert) will welcome some of the very best Gaelic talent to the Perth Concert Hall stage.
Singers Mairi MacInnes, Arthur Cormack, Ceitlin Lilidh and Darren MacLean will perform alongside an all-star band led by Gary Innes and Ewen Henderson of Mànran fame.
The Saturday evening will showcase a very special night dedicated to the thriving Gaelic culture and traditional music that Perthshire has to offer.
Entitled Ar Cànan ‘S Ar Ceòl (Our Language Our Music), the special night will feature a host of notable names including Margaret Bennett, Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton’s Symbiosis, alongside Patsy Reid.
This concert will not only celebrate the well-known musicians and singers who have put Perth on the musical map, but also the many community and educational groups who worked to ensure the local traditional cultural community continues to thrive.
These groups include Perth Gaelic Choir, The Gordon Duncan Experience and The Tayside Young Fiddlers.
A new competition for Perth Mòd 2022 is the Cogadh nan Còmhlain (Battle of the Bands), with the under 13s final taking place on Monday, October 17 and the under 19s final on Tuesday, October 18.
This junior competition will provide an opportunity for young people to perform live on stage, with the winning bands receiving a recording session experience with Wee Studio in Stornoway.
The Leonard Brown Scottish Dance Band will play a legendary ceilidh in the Salutation Hotel Ballroom on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights of this year’s event.
Cuirm Crìochnachaidh a’ Mhòid (The Mòd Grand Finale) will welcome west coast favourites Trail West to the Perth Concert Hall to close Gaeldom’s 2022 premier musical and cultural event.
Duais Ealain na Gàidhealtachd (The Highland Art Prize) will also take place in Perth’s City Contemporary Art Gallery.
It will exhibit recently selected artwork by local art associations and galleries that celebrate art and culture from across the Highland and Islands.
In conjunction with the Royal National Mòd, the winning artwork will be chosen and presented with a prize of £1000 (shared between the artist and their corresponding gallery), alongside an opportunity to exhibit their work at a high-profile Glasgow gallery in 2023.
The vibrant fringe programme will accompany a full suite of in-person competitions, some online competitions and a selection of exciting new categories.
Competitors wishing to take part have until 10pm on Friday, July 15 to submit their entries.
Competition categories include singing, bàrdachd, instrumental, drama and Highland dancing, while new elements include an accompanied choirs’ competition aimed at harmony singing groups of between five and 10 singers alongside a new solo singing contest, The CalMac Competition, which is open to adult learners.
Outwith the syllabus, a new TikTok competition and Sruth, an event aimed at encouraging more natural conversation among young people, will be part of the programme this year.
Perth and Kinross Provost Xander McDade said: “The Mod returning to Perth is tremendously exciting and will bring a real buzz to the city in October.
“This will be a fantastic showcase for Perth and a wonderful celebration of our Gaelic heritage, and the Gaelic language and culture.”
Perth and Kinross Council leader councillor Grant Laing said: “The Mod and its Fringe programme will make Perth the place to be in Scotland this October.
“I’m delighted to see so many events taking place in venues across the city.
“I am sure it will be an unforgettable festival and deliver a real boost to the city’s economy.”
The Royal National Mòd is supported by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, The Highland Council, EventScotland, The Scottish Government, HIE, Caledonian MacBrayne, The Inverness Common Good Fund and SQA.
Tickets will be available to buy from Horsecross Arts box office from mid-late August at www.horsecross.co.uk
Entries for Mòd competitions must be submitted by Friday, July 15 at enter.ancomunn.co.uk
