Ràmh Beacons

In the winter of 2025, three Island groups brought together CHARTS members and members of local communities, who took part in Ràmh Beacons, a mini one-day festival highlighting the distinct nature of Argyll's islands and creative communities. Discover the events that took place on Mull, Bute and Tiree. 

Mull | Fermenting Futures and Grafting Connections

On January 18 and 19, 2025, Fermenting Futures and Grafting Connections brought together artists and community members from across Mull to explore food preservation and sustainable horticulture. The event was designed in two parts: a fermentation workshop and a collaborative artist study day.

The Community Fermenting Workshop and Lunch took place at the Harvest Archway in KNOCKvologan Studio, led by Nina Pope, Miek Zwamborn, and Rutger Emmelkamp. The workshop featured inspiring stories and recipes from guest Karen Guthry, the initiator of The House of Ferment (exhibited at the V&A), whose insights sparked engaging conversations. Participants from the Ross of Mull and beyond gathered to exchange fermentation techniques, recipes, and cultural traditions. The workshop highlighted fermentation as a powerful tool for storytelling, sustainability, and social bonding. Participants experimented with European and Asian fermentation methods, taking home starter cultures to continue their practice.

On January 19, the Artist Gathering and Study Day connected creative practitioners through a shared exploration of historical and contemporary horticultural practices. A guided tour of local walled gardens at Erraid, Pennyghael, and Carsaig focused on fruit tree grafting and garden restoration. Thought-provoking discussions explored the potential of walled gardens to support community food systems and biodiversity conservation.

The event fostered deep connections, inspiring new collaborations such as a fermenting club and collective efforts to revive underused garden spaces for the benefit of the wider community. Through shared knowledge and hands-on experiences, participants forged lasting relationships that will continue and shape the island’s creative and sustainable future.

“Fermentation is more than preservation; it is storytelling, cultural exchange, and community building. Through sharing food, knowledge, and traditions, we are not only reviving heritage practices but also shaping a more connected and sustainable future.” - KNOCKvologan, CHARTS Island Advocates 

“Like decay, fermentation is similarly a process of survival inherent in all organic life, extracting energy from the molecules that it breaks down. Yet fermentation also introduces a resolutely different trajectory into the processes of decay: to ferment is to excite, to create effervescence and vivacity!” - Sophie J Williamson, Author

Bonnie Book Binding | Bute 

On January 18th, Island Advocate Sam Kilday and local artist Jane Hunterhosted a creative gathering facilitated by Atlas Arts and their Making Public Press at Bonnie Bling’s event space. This event brought together Bute’s creative practitioners and heritage workers in a collaborative exploration of the island’s past, present, and future.

The day allowed participants to engage in meaningful discussions and contribute to shaping a cultural manifesto for Bute. In a hands-on activity, attendees crafted and bound their own books, exploring the art of bookbinding while reflecting on the island's cultural identity.

Participants engaged in a collaborative discussion about Bute’s cultural scene throughout the workshop. With the help of collage materials from old magazines and packaging, ideas, words, and inspirations were collected on storyboards that Jane and Sam had created, exploring questions about the local creative and cultural environment. 

“Our wee Ràmh Beacons event brought a bit of colour, light, fun and hope to a gloomy January weekend. For such a small gathering, we managed to bring together a diverse mix of people from different backgrounds and ages, ranging from 10 years old to retirees, new residents to long-standing islanders.

Using collage, drawing, printing and book-binding allowed attendees to engage creatively with the idea of a cultural manifesto in which we could openly discuss what the culture of our place was, is and could be. 

Multiple organisations were supported by CHARTS for this event: Atlas Arts, Bute Community Forest, Isle of Bute Artist’s Collective, a local stage school and the Mount Stuart Trust as well as independent artists and pupils from the primary school. 

It is my hope that this event could be a jumping-off point for the development of a plan for culture and creativity here on the Isle of Bute.” - Sam Kilday, CHARTS Island Advocate 

Tiree | Illuminations 

On January 18th, Tiree Makery invited islanders of all ages, from 1 to 77, to come together in a creative journey to craft lanterns inspired by the traditional houses of Tiree. Participants transformed everyday materials into glowing works of art using recycled plastic bottles and vibrant tissue paper. The lanterns were displayed as a temporary exhibition throughout January at the Makery, brightening the island’s winter months with a colourful and festive installation.

The local community played a crucial role in this project, collecting plastic bottles and containers, which were then transformed into lanterns by members of the Cùram Craft Club, Tiree Primary School students, and families from the wider community. An open workshop as part of Ràmh Beacons allowed everyone to join in.

This project allowed Tiree Makery, a new creative organisation that opened its doors in August, to engage with the community and establish its vision and It marked Tiree Makery’s first collaboration with Tiree Primary School.

“Seeing such a large number of community members come together to create an exhibition that lit up our window during the darkest winter months has been an incredibly effective way to connect with people. It has set the tone for how we hope to continue meaningful creative work moving forward, deepening our connection with the community and the local environment.” - TIree Makery, CHARTS Island Advocates 

“I absolutely love the window, and every time I pass it it lifts my heart”

“It’s so beautiful and so simple, so nice that they have been made by all ages” 

- Ràmh Beacons, Participants 

Ràmh Beacons Mull is supported by the Culture, Heritage & Arts Assembly, Argyll & Isles (CHARTS), made possible with support from Argyll and Bute Council, the Scottish Government and Bòrd na Gàidhlig.