The project aimed to collect, research and share Orkney family legends about surnames and place names. These aims were all achieved.

The project collected 226 legends in a database (including some variants of the same story). These were drawn from both oral and written sources: Interviews with Orkney people, oral history audio archives at Orkney Archive and School of Scottish Studies, published books (e.g. George Marwick Yesnaby’s Master Storyteller), pamphlets (e.g. produced by heritage groups and projects), magazines (e.g. Sib Folk News) and websites.

Actual audience figures for the film screening were nearly 50% higher than forecast, and a 4.75/5 ping-pongometer score (our audience feedback system) was our highest for many years.

Our invited director Eva Charlotte Nilsen travelled with her husband and both were invited to be guests of honour for Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17th. Eva gave a speech outside St Magnus Cathedral and her husband Erik Bugge gave a speech at the dinner reception in the evening. This was a nice positive outcome which wasn't forecast and made their visit extra special.

My award was used to fund a research trip to the exhibition ‘Sheila Hicks: Off Grid’ at the Hepworth Wakefield in West Yorkshire. This took place in early August of 2022. The experience of seeing ‘in the flesh’ works by an artist I have long admired en masse and on hugely varied scale was moving and significant in a lasting way, both personally and professionally, and several months on is still returning to me in unexpected moments.

It is impossible to replicate the experience of seeing works which are as deeply physical as Hicks’ in reality and it is an opportunity I am very grateful for.

The project is aimed at both local people and visitors to the islands.  The project benefits the people of Orkney directly, enabling them to participate in the storytelling and workshops, enjoying our own local storytellers and visiting professional performers. Visitors to the islands enjoy out-of-season activities that involve local traditions and culture. A collaborative story-telling event hosted at Stromness library for local teenagers was one of the fully-subscribed events (this was a donations only event, not paid tickets) - there was a waiting list in case spaces opened up.

The award was used to acquire materials to model examples of kinetic sculptural forms /objects from prototype to finished pieces.

It has been hugely beneficial in bringing ideas that have long been simmering on back burners various in the recesses of my brain firstly onto paper, then to physical reality in very encouraging and inspiring ways that could not have been foreseen had the objects never materialised. To be given the impetus to problem solve through physical modelling has been a real kick-start to a new chapter of creative endeavour.