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A special art installation encompassing music and words will go on display at the Orkney Library in November.

In 2013, James Robertson – one of Scotland’s leading authors – set himself the challenge of writing a short story every day for a year. Each story was to be 365 words, no more, no less. It became an enchanting, roaming collection of fairytales and memories and provocations published in 2014 by Penguin as 365:Stories. That was only the beginning.

In 2016 Scottish fiddler and composer Aidan O’Rourke (of Lau) wrote a tune every day in response. The result is a major new body of 365 tunes – a significant addition to the Scottish traditional music canon. O’Rourke’s fiddle tunes are sparse and emotive; his playing is renowned for its lyricism, here paired with kaleidascopic harmonies from Mercury-nominated Kit Downes on harmonium and piano, guitarist Sorren Maclean and harpist Esther Swift.


The album 365: Volume 1 was released in May 2018 and 365: Volume 2 was released in August 2019 with the 365: Music + Stories tour featuring music from both albums

Robertson’s stories and O’Rourke’s music now form a touring installation which will be at Orkney Library from 15 to 30 November. Designed by inventor Yann Seznec in collaboration with design team Old School Fabrications, the installation is a piece of art in itself, beautifully crafted from wood and brass with no digital screens in sight encasing the spoken-word recordings of all 365 stories: Robertson reads many himself, and other storytellers provide rich and varied accents from artists, actors and young people around Scotland including; Gerda Stevenson, Cathy Macdonald, Matthew Zajac and Kate Molleson.

The free to enjoy installation, which allows up to six people at a time to browse through all 365 stories and listen through headphones, was commissioned by the Edinburgh International Book Festival supported by Creative Scotland and PRSF, and launched in August 2019 and now embarks on a tour to Linlithgow Palace, Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Shetland Word Play Festival, Orkney Library, Celtic Connections and Huntingtower.