Community Culture
The Aros Centre in Portree provides vital resources for locals and visitors
PORTREE is the unofficial capital of Skye for more than one reason. It’s the island’s largest town, it contains its only secondary school and it’s a principal haven for yachts and fishing boats. It’s also the location for Aros, a community-led cultural centre that offers everything from film screenings and live music to exhibitions and workshops.
Aros plays a leading role in outreach, delivering the area’s history and heritage in an innovative and creative learning programme.
It recently celebrated its silver anniversary, and for the last 25 years has filled an important niche in the social and cultural heart of Portree and north-east Skye. Willie Stewart is the Aros general manager.
“When Aros first opened as a restaurant and exhibition centre, there wasn’t any visitor centre in the Portree area,” he says. “An extension in 1997 added a 180-seat theatre and rooms for training and conferences. Recently, we added a large indoor play area.”
The centre has a gallery which hosts up to 12 local artists every year, allowing them to showcase their work.
Aros also launched a film called Skyestory, a 45-minute presentation about the history of Skye. Visitors and locals can learn about various subjects such as land formation, early settlers, Viking incursions, the Clearances and modern-day Skye.
While the building caters well for the local community, perhaps the most important part of the Aros centre is their Good For You project, or Tha Seo Math Dhuibh in Gaelic.
“We have also helped provide music tuition to school children”
“We started this project about three years ago,” says Willie, “with the intention of focusing on people who don’t normally get involved in arts projects.
“The activities are accessible, inclusive and celebrate diversity. We aim to reduce social isolation and increase creativity among people of all ages and abilities in the area.
“Activities include art workshops for people with dementia, working with the local young carers group, afternoon tea, ceilidhs and dance and movement classes for the elderly and disabled. We have also helped provide music tuition to several groups of school children.”
At the moment, Willie and the Aros staff are working on the Community Theatre programme for the coming year. Go to aroscommunitytheatre.co.uk for more.