Atlantic Edge Music Services

Cape Breton Visit

November 10, 2011

Davie Gardner, manager of Atlantic Edge Music Services, Shetland, recently visited Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada at the invite of Celtic Colours International Festival as part of their 'International Delegates' initiative.

Together with Davie Henderson (Artistic Director with the Shetland Folk Festival) - plus other members of the Shetland Folk Festival committee who also attended the event -  the Shetland contingent were involved in a number of networking and promotional initiatives, and other related events, with a wide range of industry members and festival promoters from North America, Europe and Australia throughout the 9 days of the festival.

It is hoped (indeed intended might be a better word) that this initiative will lead to increased touring and performing opportunities for Nova Scotia artists in the UK, and vice versa for Shetland and Scottish artists in Canada and North America in general.

Over and above music related topics the Shetland delegates also took the opportunity to promote Shetland itself as a destination on behalf of local marketing organisation 'Promote Shetland' - distibuting local marketing materials to artists and audiences alike throughout the festival.

Davie Gardner said "This was my third visit to Cape Breton for Celtic Colours Festival to participate in their International Delegates Initiative. Once again the wide range of networking opportunities available to us - not to mention the quite incredible Cape Breton 'hospitality', friendship and their fantastic music and scenery - more than made the trip totally worthwhile. It's too early to publicly talk specific details yet, but I'm very confident positive business relationships will be further cemented as a result of this visit and mutual / partnership working opportunities will be the outcome" he said.

Davie said there had also been incredible interest in Shetland as a place and possible holiday destination - especially due to the islands being a vibrant musical community very similar to Cape Breton. He said the marketing materials they took out there on behalf of 'Promote Shetland' had been in great demand, very much admired and proved to be very popular indeed, with especially the "I Love Shetland" badges (strategically handed out by Mhari Pottinger of the Shetland Folk Festival committee) becoming a 'cult' item for artists, delegates, festival organisers and audience members alike to wear by the end of the festival.  Even legendary Scottish singer / songwriter Dougie MacLean (writer of "Caledonia") was pictured on stage sporting one of the badges during the festival.

For further information on Celtic Colours Festival click - HERE

For further information on Cape Breton click - HERE

For further information on Promote Shetland and Shetland itself click - HERE

For further information on one of the worlds most acclaimed (and best) folk-festivals - The Shetland Folk Festival - click - HERE

For more Cape Breton / Nova Scotia photos from our trip click - HERE

All photos Davie Gardner