“I don’t believe that the pandemic can kill off creativity.” Caroline Maclennan, Festival Director of The Hebridean Celtic Festival (HebCelt), tells writer Vaila Erin Bhaumick why music festivals refuse to go quietly into the night and why human connection is so essential to our survival.

“The beating heart of HebCelt is its people,” Caroline tells me, and although she is the only original festival team member left, she assures me they are all still in touch. It seems that connection is the lifeblood of HebCelt, in more ways than one, and that the human elements of volunteers, staff, musicians and the wider community are what weave it all together to create magic year after year.

HebCelt has taken place every summer since 1996 in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, until this year. Caroline, a crofter, admits it originally came about almost haphazardly, whilst “yarning” (chatting) with a colleague about music and all the local talent. “It was kind of like a dare and neither of us wanted to back down”, and so HebCelt was born.

In 2020, the magic had to cease due to the pandemic. HebCelt’s tight-knit team was understandably emotional when the time came for them to make the inevitable decision to cancel. It was an especially bitter pill to swallow as 2020 was the festival’s 25th anniversary. “It was difficult to comprehend a situation where you are literally helpless”, recalls Caroline, admitting that staying busy and focused on the postponement arrangements kept them sane. Although she did confess that the team shed some private tears.

Staying true to her belief that the pandemic could not stop creativity, Caroline did indeed keep busy. Aside from creating an alternative HebCelt online, as a crofter, she turned to the land and with lambing season in full swing, she had plenty going on. As with many of us, the lack of contact with family was a tough blow, but with the help of technology, both her connection to music and family were able to survive.  

There remained a big question mark over what an alternative HebCelt might look like under lockdown. In the end, the team focused on celebrating the islands, their music and their creativity, commissioning video collaborations that reflected the musical traditions, and releasing them on social media as the ‘HebCelt Sessions’/#SeiseanHebCelt during the festival’s planned dates. 

One of the HebCelt pieces, Only The Brave, entered the Scottish singles charts at number 27. The piece features Colin MacLeod, Rory Macdonald (Runrig), Julie Fowlis and the Hebridean Allstars. Caroline was extremely pleased with the reaction and added that “those involved are all immensely proud of the work created and feedback has been tremendous”.

The festival’s cancellation left a gaping economic hole on the island this summer, but the HebCelt team was determined that there should be some local benefit. They decided to raise funds for the Bethesda Hospice on Lewis through a Just Giving campaign and the proceeds from the commissioned music.  

The global pandemic has highlighted many things we take for granted and the future of live music hangs in the balance. When asked why live music is so important to the human race, Caroline responded: “Connection in all its forms is key to wellbeing”. She went on to elaborate that small music festivals “provide connections on many levels — memories, new sights and sounds, new cultures and new human connections. They can leave huge benefits both economically and culturally for the communities who host them”.

It remains to be seen what form HebCelt 2021 will take, but the team is hopeful that their 25-year-old endeavour to promote and protect traditional music will survive. Creativity and human connection have been ubiquitous during my conversation with Caroline, and her only wish sums up how much of her own heart is in it: “I think we all look forward to celebrating our 25th HebCelt, whenever that may be, in a muddy field with all our festival family.” Connection, albeit virtual, for the time being, is truly alive and well at HebCelt. 

hebceltfest.com
twitter.com/HebCelt
instagram.com/hebcelt
justgiving.com/fundraising/hebcelt-sessions