Welcome to an eclectic night of ancient myth, contemporary storytelling, post-folk music, and physical artistry. Steeped in the traditions of Scottish storytelling, we evoke the warm atmosphere of peat-smoked hearthsides and ceilidh house revelry, presenting timeless motifs relevant to a discerning modern audience. Join host Dougie Mackay as he invites a different selection of Scotland’s finest storytellers, songwriters, musicians, and performing artists to each bi-monthly Hearth Fire Session to create an innovative showcase of Scotland’s contemporary culture. July's session features storyteller Daiva Ivanauskaitė, singer/songwriter Miwa Nagato-Apthorp and multi-disciplinary artist and Scots singer Josie Vallely (Quinie).
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Dougie Mackay hails from the Scottish Highlands, from a lineage of natural storytellers. He is fascinated by the wild northern tales of Scotland, Scandinavia, Ireland and the Baltics, with a practice steeped in group-work facilitation and storytelling as a tool for development, connection and empowerment. He has been telling stories professionally for over 10 years and has developed successful long-form shows including Animate Lands and A Wolf Shall Devour the Sun. He co-curates and hosts Hearth Fire Sessions throughout the year.
Daiva Ivanauskaitė is an engaging and inspiring storyteller who loves to tell tales inspired by real life, myths and folk tradition from Lithuania, Scotland and other lands. Daiva is the curator of SEKAS, Lithuania’s first storytelling festival and regularly performs in her native land, her adopted home of Scotland, and internationally on stage and at community events. Daiva lives in Glasgow and works at the Village Storytelling Centre. She also co-curated the storytelling programme for Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022.
Miwa Nagato-Apthorp is an artist and musician based in Hawick in the Scottish Borders. Her practice is often collaborative and draws on folk traditions to explore multicultural understandings of history, climate, gender and home. Miwa has performed her music at various festivals, including Celtic Connections, and recently supported Eddi Reader on tour.
Josie Vallely (Quinie) is a multi-disciplinary artist and Scots singer, whose work explores language, landscape, tradition, identity, and alternative histories. Her new album Forefowk, Mind Me was released in May 2025 to critical acclaim. The songs on the album are sung in Scots and draw from Scottish Traveller singing traditions. A screening of the Quinie's accompanying film will precede Hearth Fire Sessions, with Josie and filmmaker Lizzie Mackenzie.
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