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Hands Up for Trad\u2019s Women in Music and Culture 2026 list has been announced to celebrate just some of the women working in Scotland.<\/p>\nHands Up for Trad\u2019s Women in Music and Culture 2026 list has been announced to celebrate just some of the women working in Scotland.<\/p>\n
Launched as part of International Women\u2019s Day 2026<\/a>, we shine the spotlight on 12 women who all contribute towards Scotland\u2019s cultural landscape through their work. Read the 2026 list here<\/a>.<\/p>\n We asked Laura Harrington<\/strong> to tell us more about their work, influences and ambitions for the future.<\/p>\n How did you first get involved in the arts and who were your early influences?<\/strong> My Grandad was my biggest early influence. He played the accordion and would sit for hours with me, playing the same tunes over and over (and over!) again while I learned by ear. There was such patience and happiness in those moments of sharing from both sides.<\/p>\n I started fiddle lessons with the late Bernadette Porter when I was 8 before being taught by Trevor Hunter. I vividly remember working out \u201cTwinkle Twinkle\u201d by ear not long after I started and it felt like a complete lightbulb moment. I was hooked!<\/p>\n Being part of the youth groups, New Tradition and later Swingin\u2019 Fiddles, gave me unforgettable experiences growing up and planted the seed for the youth work I\u2019m so passionate about now. Growing up in Shetland was also hugely formative. Having the Shetland Folk Festival and the Accordion & Fiddle Festival right on my doorstep meant I was constantly inspired \u2013 not just by the incredible musicians, but by the community spirit, the volunteering, the craic, and the feeling that everyone had a place and was welcome. The arts felt accessible and truly alive.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t \u201cget involved\u201d in the arts in a formal way \u2014 I grew up immersed in them. The people, the places and that deep-rooted sense of community shaped who I am, and they continue to sit at the heart of everything I do.<\/p>\n In a time when many artists and creative professionals are facing significant challenges, how have you developed and evolved your creative practice over the past few years?<\/strong> I\u2019ve become much more confident over the years in advocating for traditional music. For someone who can sometimes feel quite shy, that is quite something! Part of my creative practice now includes speaking up for its value and articulating why it matters socially, culturally and across generations. That advocacy often feels just as important as playing the tunes themselves.<\/p>\n At the same time, I\u2019ve made a conscious effort not to lose the joy of it. Making space in a busy life for me and my fiddle has been hard at times, but protecting that space for creativity and connection is absolutely worth it.<\/p>\n Who or what interests you creatively?<\/strong> My faith also shapes how I see creativity. It gives me a sense of purpose and perspective, and reminds me that creativity isn\u2019t just about self-expression, but about sharing something that brings people together and builds community.<\/p>\n I love creativity in everyday life, particularly around the kitchen table. Making up stories with the children, decorating cakes, and getting stuck into crafts like needle felting and sea glass art, those small shared moments are often where ideas begin. Before life got quite so full, some friends and I used to have regular \u201cCrafternoons\u201d, which were a space to create, listen to good tunes, have a bacon roll and enjoy a nice piece of cake. It was simple but brilliant, and I\u2019m looking forward to the day we can get back to them!<\/p>\n On a work level, partnership working interests me creatively. I love having an idea and then collaborating with others to bring it to life. There are so many talented people working within the sector, and I genuinely believe we can do incredible things together. Shared creativity, that spark between people, often leads to something far bigger than any one person could create alone.<\/p>\n More than anything, in all areas of my life, I\u2019m inspired by community, by people creating, building and sharing. That\u2019s where my creativity feels most alive<\/p>\n What are your plans for the next year or so and\/or what are your longer term creative ambitions?<\/strong> Following the very welcome stability of Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland for SC&T Youth, I\u2019m excited to focus on deepening the impact and reach of the programme, continuing to widen access and strengthen pathways for young people across the North East to be involved in traditional music.<\/p>\n Creatively, having started up the \u2018NAFCo House Band\u2019 last year with some lovely friends, I\u2019m really keen to dedicate more time to simply playing for the joy of it. Over the last six months, developing new arrangements for various gigs has reminded me how much I love the process of learning new tunes, shaping sets, experimenting with arrangements and performing alongside friends. There\u2019s something very special about that shared energy, and it has been a timely reminder of why I do all of this.<\/p>\n Perhaps most of all, I\u2019m looking forward to playing music more with my children. Now aged 11, 9, 8 and 6, they\u2019re trying out different instruments and growing in confidence. So far in the Harrington Family Band line-up, we have guitar, mandolin, piano, a solid bothy ballad singer, and little Innes is on the fiddle! It brings me so much joy knowing they\u2019re growing up in an environment where it\u2019s normal to have tunes in the kitchen and music nights which go on for hours and hours. I\u2019d love for them to grow up feeling as inspired and connected to the music as I did.<\/p>\n Longer term, my ambition is simple but meaningful: to keep strengthening the traditional music sector, passionately advocating for its value, and ensuring there are plenty of opportunities for everyone to get involved. I believe our community is thriving, not just surviving.<\/p>\n Read the Hands Up for Trad\u2019s Women in Music and Culture 2026 List<\/a><\/p>\n
\nI first got involved in the arts in the most natural way possible, through community. Growing up in the islands, in Orkney and Shetland, music wasn\u2019t something that happened on a stage far away; it happened in living rooms at music parties, or at the bottom of the farm track busking with your cousins for Rousay tourists! Before I could even play, I remember sitting listening intently to Billy and Ingie Jolly, Owen Tierney, Edwin Flaws, to name just a few. The sound of the tunes, the laughter, the sense of belonging \u2013 it completely captured me.<\/p>\n
\nIn terms of other early musical influences, Natalie MacMaster was a firm favourite of mine along with Catriona Macdonald and Duncan Chisholm. I used to save my pocket money and spend it all on their CDs!<\/p>\n
\nThe last few years have definitely stretched me, both creatively and personally. With so many challenges facing artists and organisations over the last few years, and still ongoing, including funding pressures, rising costs and general uncertainty, I\u2019ve had to become more adaptable and more intentional about how I work. I wear a lot of different hats, and I\u2019ve learned more than ever to let them strengthen one another. The strategic thinking I use when managing different projects informs how I approach creative work, and staying active as a performer keeps everything grounded and authentic.<\/p>\n
\nI\u2019m naturally quite a creative person, so I\u2019m inspired by and interested in lots of things beyond just music.
\nNature is a big one for me. Give me the sea, a big sky, a sunrise or sunset, or a wander through the woods and I feel completely reset. There\u2019s something about being outdoors that clears my head and makes space for ideas. It\u2019s not always easy to slow down, but when I do and really notice what\u2019s around me, inspiration almost always follows.<\/p>\n
\nOver the next year, a big focus will be delivering the 25th Anniversary of the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention (NAFCo) in Aberdeen \u2014 do make sure you\u2019ve got 24th\u201328th June 2026 firmly in the diary! It\u2019s going to be an incredible opportunity for so many different communities to gather, celebrate and showcase the music and dance that connects us\u2026 I can\u2019t wait.<\/p>\n