North East Arts Touring (NEAT)

North East Arts Touring (NEAT) 'Cultivating Creative Communities' http://www.neatshows.org.uk

NEAT is a Rural Touring Scheme

NEAT was formed in 1985 as a collaboration between local promoters, 5 Grampian District Councils and the Scottish Arts Council and in that time has made a positive difference to the cultural and social life of rural communities across the North East. Previous to 1985 there had been little professional theatre provision in the area except for Aberdeen City and Inverness. NEAT identified a service gap and became an organisation focused on providing small scale theatre for local audiences in rural communities and in turn provided tour dates for theatre companies. A coordinated approach meant that NEAT was a cost effective solution, providing high quality art experiences in less populated areas.

🚗 TRAVELS WITH OUR PLACEMAKERA new series from North East Arts TouringEver wondered where the arts can take you? 🎭Over t...
12/10/2026

🚗 TRAVELS WITH OUR PLACEMAKER
A new series from North East Arts Touring

Ever wondered where the arts can take you? 🎭

Over the next wee while, we'll be taking you along on our travels with North East Arts Touring (NEAT) — visiting the wonderful venues we work with, sharing shows I’ve seen, introducing the people who make it all happen, and stopping along the way to share a few interesting discoveries and adventures.

First stop…

📍 FINDOCHTY TOWN HALL — PRONOUNCED "Fin - ech - tee"!

Nestled in this beautiful coastal village on the Moray Firth, Findochty Town Hall is a wonderful example of what can happen when a community comes together to look after a place that matters to them.

When the hall faced closure, local people rallied to secure its future, bringing it into community ownership in 2022. Today, this much-loved space continues to serve the village, hosting activities, gatherings and events for local people including a weekly café every Thursday afternoon. ❤️

And we're delighted that Findochty Town Hall is part of the North East Arts Touring promoters scheme, working together with us, to bring live performances and cultural experiences closer to home.

We believe everyone should be able to enjoy great arts experiences in their own community — without having to travel miles to find them.

✨ We're looking forward to bringing more live events to Findochty next year, and we can't wait to see what 2027 has in store!

A huge thank you to everyone who helps keep community venues thriving. These halls are so much more than buildings — they're places where people meet, connect, laugh and share experiences.

🗺️ That's the first stop on our travels. Where will we go next?

Follow along for more venues, performances and stories from across the North East!

🎬🖤 SHE WILL - Cert. 15 🎬Sunday 25 October | 7pm | Haddo House LibraryJoin us at Haddo House for an evening of cinema, c...
12/10/2026

🎬🖤 SHE WILL - Cert. 15 🎬
Sunday 25 October | 7pm | Haddo House Library

Join us at Haddo House for an evening of cinema, conversation and the darker side of Scottish history.

Following a life-changing operation, an ageing film star retreats to the Scottish Highlands to recover. But as unsettling visions begin to blur the boundaries between past and present, She Will becomes a haunting exploration of trauma, power, revenge and the enduring legacy of the witch.

Starring Alice Krige and Malcolm McDowell, this atmospheric psychological drama draws together the landscape of the Highlands, buried histories and the lingering power of stories about witchcraft and persecution.

🎬 PRE-SCREENING TALK

Before the film, Dee Lawlor will introduce She Will with a fascinating look at how contemporary researchers believe mental health may have influenced the witch trials.

Dee is the author of Contagious Enemies, her book on the Aberdeen witch trials, and has researched the Scottish witch trials extensively. Her talk offers a thought-provoking historical context for the themes explored in the film.

Then, as the lights go down, enter the unsettling world of She Will…

📍 Haddo House Library
📅 Sunday 25 October 2026
⏰ 7pm
🎟️ Tickets £7 — limited spaces, so early booking is recommended.

Part of Festival of Darkness: Witches.

Come for the conversation. Stay for the film. Enter the shadows.

11/10/2026

3 DAYS OF DARKNESS
🎬 Film
🗣️ Talks & discussion
🎭 Theatre & performance
📖 History & folklore
🔥 Stories & storytelling

Haddo House + The Barn, Banchory
Tickets - www.neatshows.org.uk

10/10/2026

Set against the magnificent backdrop of Haddo House, Festival of Darkness: Witches invites you to explore stories that have haunted, fascinated & challenged us for centuries.

From the persecution of those accused of witchcraft to the ways their stories resonate today, discover a weekend of film, music, conversation and shared experiences that looks beyond the shadows to question what we fear, what we believe, and whose stories we choose to remember.

🎬 FILM & DISCUSSION
Explore the history and modern meaning of witchcraft with the documentary Witches, followed by a discussion panel. Discover the unsettling world of Häxan: The Esoteric Cut, with a live performance of a brand-new score by Neil Birse and Matthew Kilner, commissioned by Haddo Arts. And join us for She Will, a haunting psychological drama preceded by a talk exploring mental health and the Scottish witch trials.

✨ A LITTLE MAGIC FOR ALL AGES
Bring the family along for the enchanting animated film The Secret of Kells, inspired by Irish mythology and folklore, followed by a magical outdoor trail through Haddo Country Park.

🕯️ STORIES THAT DESERVE TO BE HEARD
The festival continues beyond the weekend with Wicked Quines in Banchory — an opportunity to explore the Aberdeenshire Witch Panic of 1596–97 through theatre, history, folklore and community storytelling.

🍂 MAKE AN EVENING OF IT
Join us for a warming autumn supper from Haddo’s Courtyard Café between Saturday’s screenings. Advance booking for supper is essential.

Whether you're drawn to classic cinema, contemporary film, local history, folklore or the stories that lie at the edges of the familiar, there's something here to intrigue, inspire and perhaps unsettle you.

Come curious. Leave questioning.

🖤 Festival of Darkness: Witches
📍 Haddo House
📅 Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 October
🎭 Wicked Quines — Wednesday 28 October, The Barn, Banchory

🎟️ Explore the full programme and book your tickets:
https://neatshows.org.uk/witches/

Where will your darkness take you?

🎭 Behind Enemy Lines 🎭MacRobert Memorial Hall, Tarland Saturday 17 October @ 7:30pmPortgordon Village Hall Sunday 18 Oct...
09/10/2026

🎭 Behind Enemy Lines 🎭

MacRobert Memorial Hall, Tarland
Saturday 17 October @ 7:30pm

Portgordon Village Hall
Sunday 18 October @ 7:30pm

New Deer Public Hall
Monday 19 October @ 7:30pm

Ages 12+

Extraordinary women whose courage, daring, ingenuity and sacrifice defeated N**i terror. Songwriter and storyteller Louise Jordan uncovers the lives of inspiring secret agents of WW2.

Who were they? How were they selected and trained to commit acts of sabotage, subversion and silent killing? Did they ultimately evade capture, torture and ex*****on?

Behind Enemy Lines is a solo performance of live music, original songs, storytelling, soundscape, acting and choreography. Join Louise Jordan as she honours the inspirational lives of some of history’s lesser-known women.

Ticket Information
Adults £12.00*
Under 18s & Students £9.00*

*Plus online booking fee per ticket - Adults £0.83 and Under 18s & Students £0.62.
Online ticket sales close one hour before the event. Tickets may be purchased on the door (cash only), subject to availability. We recommend booking in advance to secure your tickets.

Tickets are available from www.neatshows.org.uk

🎭 Rogues' Gallery 🎭Tullynessle & Forbes HallSaturday 17 October @ 7:30pmAges 8+Step inside Rogues’ Gallery — where the f...
08/10/2026

🎭 Rogues' Gallery 🎭

Tullynessle & Forbes Hall
Saturday 17 October @ 7:30pm

Ages 8+

Step inside Rogues’ Gallery — where the forgotten women of art history finally get to speak, sing, and take the spotlight.

In this brand-new comedy from award-winning company Black Liver (BBC Radio 4 Sitcom Award winners), two performers bring to life a whirlwind exhibition of stories, sketches, songs, and spoken word. Set in a contemporary gallery, the show uncovers the rebellious, remarkable, and often ridiculous tales of female artists and muses who fought the system.

A funny and fiercely feminist two-hander, Rogues’ Gallery blends laughter and learning with a splash of paint, a dash of poetry, and a soundtrack that sings with protest and celebration.

Ticket Information
Adults £12.00*
Under 18s & Students £9.00*

*Plus online booking fee per ticket - Adults £0.83 and Under 18s & Students £0.62.

Online ticket sales close one hour before the event. Tickets may be purchased on the door (cash only), subject to availability. We recommend booking in advance to secure your tickets.

Tickets are available from www.neatshows.org.uk

🕯️ WICKED QUINESWorkshop • Talk • Community Story SharingWednesday 28 October | 7.30pm📍 The Barn, Burn O’Bennie, Banchor...
08/10/2026

🕯️ WICKED QUINES
Workshop • Talk • Community Story Sharing
Wednesday 28 October | 7.30pm
📍 The Barn, Burn O’Bennie, Banchory

What stories from the North East have been forgotten, overlooked — or simply waiting to be told?

Join us for a special evening exploring Wicked Quines, a new play inspired by the Aberdeenshire Witch Panic of 1596–97.

The evening begins with an interactive workshop taking you behind the scenes of the play. Discover how historical research can be transformed into dramatic storytelling through script extracts, discussion and optional practical theatre exercises.

🎭 No previous theatre experience is needed, and there is absolutely no pressure to perform.

The workshop then opens out into a talk and community story-sharing session, exploring the history of the Aberdeenshire Witch Panic, its relevance today, and the importance of remembering the stories of North East Scotland.

And this is where you come in…

📖 What local legends have you heard?
🌿 What folklore has been passed down through your family?
👩‍🦱 Are there forgotten women or figures from your community whose stories deserve to be remembered?
🏚️ Are there local events, tales or traditions that you think belong on the stage?

Come along and share them. You never know — your story might become the inspiration for something yet to be told.

Come for the workshop, the talk, or both.

An evening of theatre, history, folklore and community storytelling — bringing the past into conversation with the present.

🗓️ Wednesday 28 October
⏰ 7.30pm
📍 The Barn, Burn O’Bennie, Banchory
🎟️ Pay What You Decide: £0–£9

Part of Festival of Darkness: Witches.

🕯️ HÄXAN — THE ESOTERIC CUTSaturday 24 October at HaddoAs the nights draw in and the veil between worlds seems to grow t...
07/10/2026

🕯️ HÄXAN — THE ESOTERIC CUT
Saturday 24 October at Haddo

As the nights draw in and the veil between worlds seems to grow thinner, join us at Haddo for a very special screening of one of cinema’s most unsettling and extraordinary visions of witchcraft, fear and persecution.

🎞️ Häxan (1922) is a landmark of early cinema — part documentary, part historical drama, part fever dream. Blending folklore, superstition, demonic imagery and dark humour, it remains as strange, provocative and haunting today as it was a century ago.

For the Festival of Darkness, experience The Esoteric Cut — a specially presented version of this remarkable film, accompanied by a live performance of a brand-new score by Neil Birse and Matthew Kilner, commissioned by Haddo Arts.

The new score brings fresh energy and contemporary resonance to a landmark work that continues to challenge our understanding of fear, belief and persecution.

🕯️ PRE-SCREENING TALK
Before the film, join us for a fascinating exploration of the themes, history and enduring legacy of Häxan, setting the scene for an evening of cinematic darkness.

🍂 AUTUMNAL SUPPER
For those wanting to make an evening of it, Haddo’s Courtyard Café will be serving a warming autumn supper before the screening — comforting, hearty food inspired by the season. Pre-ordering is essential.

One night only.
One extraordinary film.
One new live score.

Come into the darkness and experience Häxan as you’ve never seen — or heard — it before.

🖤 Saturday 24 October
📍 Haddo
🎟️ Booking essential

✨🧙‍♀️ THE SECRET OF KELLS 🧙‍♀️✨Join us for the beautifully animated, Oscar-nominated The Secret of Kells at Haddo House ...
07/10/2026

✨🧙‍♀️ THE SECRET OF KELLS 🧙‍♀️✨

Join us for the beautifully animated, Oscar-nominated The Secret of Kells at Haddo House Hall!

🎬 Sunday 25 October | 1.30pm
📍 Haddo House Hall, Aberdeenshire

A magical adventure inspired by Irish mythology, folklore and the Book of Kells — perfect for families and fans of fantasy. 🍂✨

And the magic continues after the film! 🧪🌿

Families can head into Haddo Country Park for a special witchy potions trail, discovering the ingredients needed to make a magical potion of their own.

🎟️ Tickets £5 | PG | 79 mins

Come for the film, stay for the magic! ✨

Address

The Barn
Banchory
AB315QA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3pm
Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm
Thursday 9am - 2pm

Telephone

+441330826525

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when North East Arts Touring (NEAT) posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to North East Arts Touring (NEAT):

Shortcuts

Share