The Gaelic Way of Seeing: Exploring the Gaelic Colour Spectrum through Poetry and Songwriting

Join poet, singer-songwriter, translator and editor Mark Spencer Turner for a creative workshop exploring the Gaelic colour spectrum and the unique ways Gaelic language, landscape and place-names shape how we see the world. Drawing on colour, memory, environment and embodied experience, this session will invite participants to think beyond English-language categories and use Gaelic ways of seeing as a springboard for new writing. The workshop is suitable for Gaelic speakers and advanced learners, and will be delivered through the medium of Gaelic. Please make sure to reserve your ticket, as space is limited. The workshop will be followed by a tri-lingual open mic event (Gaelic, Scots, and English), where participants will have the opportunity to present their work and listen to Marcas share his own poetry.
 
Bidh am bàrd, an seinneadair, an neach eadar-theangachaidh agus an neach-deasachaidh Marcas Mac an Tuairneir còmhla rinn airson bùth-obrach cruthachail a libhrigeadh. Thigibh ann gus sùil a thoirt air speactram nan dath ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig – Ciamar a chuireas cànan, cruth-tìre, agus ainmean-àite riochd air ar sealladh dhen t-saoghal? Thèid brosnachadh a thoirt do chom-pàirtichean gus beachdachadh air dathan, cuimhne, an àrainneachd agus fèin-fhiosrachadh, le bhith a’ cleachdadh dhòighean mothachaidh Gàidhlig gus pìosan sgrìobhaidh ùra a chruthachadh. ’S ann tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig a bhios am bùth-obrach seo, agus bidh e freagarrach do luchd-labhairt agus luchd-ionnsachaidh adhartach. Às dèidh làimh, thèid 'mic fosgailte' trì-chànanach a chumail (Gàidhlig, Albais, agus Beurla), far am bi cothrom ann do chom-pàirtichean an obair aca a leughadh, agus bidh Marcas a’ leughadh na bàrdachd aige fhèin.


Mark Spencer Turner is a poet, playwright, translator, and singer-songwriter. Holding an MA Hons and MLitt from the University of Aberdeen, he has published four acclaimed poetry collections, including Polaris, shortlisted for the Saltire Society's Scottish Poetry Book of the Year. He won the Wigtown Gaelic Poetry Award in 2017, and in 2024 became the first poet shortlisted on both its Gaelic and International lists, co-winning the International Prize. He received the National Gaelic Award for Gaelic Arts and Culture (2023). A pioneer of the Scottish GaelPop music genre, his album Speactram (2022) saw him shortlisted for the Gaelic Singer of the Year Award at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards. A former Makar of the Federation of Writers (Scotland), he is Gaelic Editor of Northwords Now and poet-in-residence at The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh.

'S e bàrd, dràmaire, eadar-theangair agus òranaiche a th' ann am Marcas Mac an Tuairneir. Le MA Hons agus MLitt bho Oilthigh Obar Dheathain, tha e air ceithir co-chruinneachaidhean bàrdachd fhoillseachadh, is nam measg Polaris, a chaidh a chur air a' gheàrr-liosta airson Leabhar Bàrdachd na Bliadhna aig Comann Chrann na h-Alba. Choisinn e Duais Bàrdachd Gàidhlig Bhaile na h-Ùige ann an 2017, agus ann an 2024 b' esan a' chiad bhàrd a chaidh a chur air and dà gheàrr-liosta airson Bàrdachd na Ghàidhlig Bàrdachd Eadar-nàiseanta, a' co-choisinn na Duaise Eadar-nàiseanta. Fhuair e Duais na Gàidhlig airson Ealain is Cultar na Gàidhlig (2023). Na thùsaire GaelPop Albannach, dh'fhoillsich e a chlàr Speactram (2022), rud a chuir e air geàrr-liosta Duais Seinneadair Gàidhig na Bliadhna Duaisean Ceòl Traidiseanta na h-Alba. Na Bharrabhàrd aig Caidreachas nan Sgrìobhaichean (Alba), 's e Deasaiche na Gàidhlig do Northwords Now a th' ann, agus tha e na bhàrd air mhuinntearas aig Taigh-òsta Bhoth Mhoireil, Dùn Èideann. 


Find the full programme, including accessibility information, at www.waywordfestival.com