St Duthac Book and Art Festival are delighted to congratulate Finn Robinson,former Tain Royal Academy pupil, who is hosting a new solo exhibition of paintings at Horsepower Art Gallery in Glasgow .The exhibition entitled Caught in the Act is on display until 1st March .

We were thrilled when Finn agreed to be part of the St Duthac Book and Arts Festival in 2023.

Every year we reflect and evaluate the festival and this year is no exception.  As well as reviewing feedback received in our comments books, in conversations and from our social media platforms, we keep a record of tickets sales, engagement and followers to improve year on year.  We also share our summary with funders who support us. Read our summary here.

To mark St Duthac Day on 8th March we will be welcoming back Shona MacLean, author of award winning novel 'The Bookseller of Inverness'. 

Don't delay, book your tickets today. 

Scan the QR Code, call the number or click here

We are 'going all in' to promote the national year of reading which is a major campaign launched by the Department of Education in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust.  The initiative seeks to address the decline in reading for pleasure, especially among children.  Click on the image to learn more. 

We held our first group meeting of 2026 on the 27th Jan. 

Plans for the September 2026 festival are coming together nicely,

Did you know that the French wish Happy New Year throughout the whole of January?

We would like to wish all of our followers and visitors a happy, healthy and prosperous 2026. 

What did you think of the window art for the festival? Designed and applied by local volunteer Clair Wallace. 

We loves them.

This year our nominated charity is Marie Curie. 

The Stiches group, which is run by volunteers, are welcoming you to take part in their project to crochet a curtain during the festival run. 

Daily in Pipers Cafe. 

Author and shepherdess Helen Percy is popping up in the festival bookshop on Saturday 13th Sept from 11 a.m. Helen Percy's journey from a Church of Scotland minister to a shepherdess is a testament to her resilience and adaptability. Her memoir, Skirly Crag, offers a candid look at her life's challenges and triumphs, from her early days of lambing to her current role as a shepherdess. Percy's work is not only a personal narrative but also a call to action for those seeking to understand the realities of rural life and the strength required to overcome adversity. Her books, such as Scandalous, Immoral and Improper and Skirly Crag, provide readers with a glimpse into the world of a shepherdess, one who finds beauty and purpose in the most challenging of environments.

From babies to children in their early years and all the way through to early teens, reading brings  benefits that can have a lifelong positive impact on children’s lives.

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Which is why every child who visits the St Duthac Pop-Up Bookshop will be gifted a pre-loved book of their choice. 

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This year the pop-up book shop is located in the Masonic Lodge on Queen Street, Tain.  Come and say hello. 

“The principles of true art is not to portray, but to evoke.” – Jerzy Krzysztof Kosiński

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Check out our art trail in detail via the website. https://www.stduthacbookfest.com/copy-of-meet-the-artists-2024

Our handy map of Tain and the Easter Ross Peninsula is now available.  

Pick up a copy in and around the area now or download your copy here. 

This year we are 'flitting' and 'setting up shop' in a different venue for our popular Pop-Up Bookshop and Gallery.

Come and find us and your next new or pre-loved boo in the stunning Masonic Lodge on Queen Street, Tain. 

We are super excited to announce that we will be live streaming two of our events during our 5th festival.

The wonderful award winning, Jess Smith who has written about her life as a Traveller girl taking to the roads of Scotland with her parents and seven sisters. And international best seller Coinneach Macleod, aka the Hebridean Baker.

To book your live streaming ticket please visit Ticketsource.

The International best-selling cookbook author who has recently announced his debut television series will first be cooking up a storm, providing a taste of Tain as part of the St Duthac Books and Arts Festival

Coinneach MacLeod, aka the Hebridean Baker, recently announced his television presenting debut which will air this autumn in a brand new culinary travel series, Hebridean Baker: Nordic Islands. 

Coinneach will be cooking up a storm at The Duthac Centre, Tain on Saturday 13th September 2025 from 14-15:00 and his demonstration will be full of stories, wisdom and fun.

St Duthac Festival Chairperson, Frances Wood, said, “Coinneach is already proving a Festival favourite. 

“The news of his upcoming television series just goes to show that the people of Tain know what many more outside of the Highlands are about to discover - that we have great taste!”

Tickets are available via the Festival website, https://www.stduthacbookfest.com/ or from  https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/select/gbeazjwwvjyo 

We have the huge pleasure of hosting the wonderful Cynthia Rogerson, a Californian Scottish writer living in the Highlands, winner of the V.S.Pritchett Prize and holder of a Royal Literary Fund Fellowship.

Cynthia will be launching her latest book '100,000 Birthdays' at the St Duthac Book and Arts Festival on Wednesday 10th September 2025 from 7.30 p.m. "This book celebrates every fragile, fleeting heartbeat in the grand tapestry of existence".

Cynthia has published a memoir, five novels, a collection of short stories and has supervised on the Edinburgh University Creative Writing program.

Click here to book.

The tickets for the 5th St Duthac Book and Arts Festival go live at 9 a.m. on the 29th July 2025. 

Save the date and set an alarm because you don't want to lose out on this brilliant varied programme of events, right on your doorstep. 
got to Ticketsource direct or scan the QR Code or call 0333 666 3366 to book. 

On Thursday 17th July, we officially launched the 2025 programme at a volunteer event.  The hot of the press programmes were shared amongst the volunteers who have been delivering to locations across the district. 

Not seen a copy yet, don't worry you can view it in it's tangerine glow by clicking here. 

​Back by popular demand following the Poetry Slam of 2024, this Open Mic Session encourages everyone who has a song, poem, or story to tell to turn up, get up, and give it a go!
Bring your own work, or perform someone else’s, this will be a cracking good night and just the thing to get everyone in the mood for Festival Week.

Monday 8th September, 7.30pm—9.30pm
The Underground, Castle Brae, Tain, IV19 1AJ

​Can't wait for our programme of events to be announced? We have been keeping tight lipped about the content of the 2025 programme, but you may have noticed we are feeling peachy this year.
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The 2025 brochure is with the printer right now and we plan to distribute it with the help of our fantastic volunteers, across the peninsula and further afield, from the 18th July 2025.
 
Booking will open from the 29th July 2025.

The first author in this year’s St Duthac Book and Arts Festival line up has been announced.
The Ross-shire event is to welcome back popular author Jess Smith.  Smith, who also appeared at the Festival in 2022, is the author of six books often dealing with the traveller community.
Jess has written an autobiographical trio – ‘Jessie’s Journey’, ‘Tales from the Tent’ and ‘Tears for a Tinker’ – as well as ‘Sookin’ Berries’, a collection of stories aimed at younger readers, a novel (‘Bruar’s Rest’) and a more sociological study of the traveller community, ‘Way of the Wanderers’.
Chairperson Frances Wood made the announcement of Smith’s return at the Book and Arts Festival’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). She said: “We are delighted to announce the welcome return of Jess Smith to this year’s programme.
“I know how valued her first appearance was, and we are all looking forward to hearing more of her stories from the world of the traveller community.”
Jess Smith will be appearing on the 9th of September at 19:30 in the Tain Golf Club. 

On Monday 9th June, some 65 people enjoyed two walks around the Castle and grounds of Balnagown Castle, Easter Ross.  The walks were organised by St Duthac Book and Arts Festival Group with the kind permission of the Management of Balnagown Estate.
 
A highly informative talk about the history of the Rosses of Balnagown was delivered by Jason Ubych in his usual enthusiastic style and Catherine Williams told stories about the more recent times on the Estate, including the environmental work being undertaken to protect rare butterflies.
The Castle shone in the morning sunshine and the gardens planted up for the season looked stunning.  With the gentle sound of the Balnagown River running alongside, visitors enjoyed seeing the well cut into the rock face and walking across the bridges to reach the island in the pond. The afternoon rain did not dampen spirits, and the resounding request at the end of the day was "More Please".

Can't wait for the full festival in September?  Then why not join us on our ever popular walking tour of Balnagown Estate, lead by Jason Ubych of Tain and District Museum?
Book your tickets by clicking on the link below. 

We were feeling the love with over 45% of our membership at our 4th AGM on the 24th April.

We popped up with a stall at the Tain daffodil tea in aid of Marie Curie on the 12th April. 

On the 19th April we had a stall at the first 2025 Tain Market. 

We are delighted to welcome a new member to our merry little band of volunteers.