BAFA CONFERENCE FOR FESTIVALS 2013

What can Science bring to an Arts Programme?

Some aspects of the Orkney International Science Festival

Tom Stevenson

Where is Orkney? What sort of place is it?

‘Old Man of Hoy’ – a rock stack 137m high

Stromness Harbour

Typical Orkney landscape

Bad weather => Good source of renewable energy!

OISF founded 1991and still going strong!

Dr Howie FirthOISF Director

Founded first Edinburgh Science Festival in 1989

Quote from Howie Firth on the background to the OISF

“A science festival is first and foremost a festival.

Up till then [1991], science had been something that was good for you, and science events were aimed at scientists and people who were already interested.

By contrast a festival was something for the whole community to enjoy, something fresh and creative, with surprises and excitement and sheer enjoyment.”

Update on Marine Renewables

Lecture on the maths of knots and twisting, with dance !

OISF Lectures

Sue, Mike & Ken give a live demonstration

Patricia Long talks about Prof. Sutherland Simpson of Cornell University

OISF Lectures

African musicLive Jazz

Open Air Events

Daily lunches with local food & drink and a toast to a local celebrity e.g. Dr John Rae, Arctic explorer

A capacity crowd at a lecture in Kirkwall Town Hall

Sandy using an Aldis signalling lamp

Tom & Dorothy playing with water in trays !

A Lecture on Science.......with breaks for Music and Pictures

Howie Firth + ‘Three in a Bar’

“This was my very first visit to Orkney and therefore, my first exposure to the vibrant and exhilarating Science Festival. It was an incredible week – the Festival pulsated! It was far larger and far better supported than I would have thought possible.”

Visitor from Edinburgh, 2012