Spotlight Shorts: SOTHI at the Royal Highland Show
Good morning from us all at the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands (SOTHI) team who are freshly back at the office after a wonderful four days at the Royal Highland Show in Ingliston last week.
We were delighted to be invited to present at the 200th anniversary of the show – it’s first full return as an event following lockdown – and showcase what we have been working on behind the scenes over the past few months. We have had the pleasure of working with Airborne Lens to create 360° immersive films inspired by the landscape of the Highlands and Islands and the stories kindly shared with us by you all on our archive.
We were very fortunate to have two spaces at the show to present these films to the public in two ways – via virtual reality (VR) headsets featured in the ‘Scotland’s Natural Capital – Highlands and Islands’ tent and through our immersive portal in the ‘Scotland’s Larder’ hall, referred to affectionately at the show as the ‘TARDIS’. Both offered very different, immersive ways to experience the places at the heart of the natural and cultural heritage of the Highlands and Islands.
Image provided by Spirit of the Highlands and Islands
Image provided by Spirit of the Highlands and Islands
The Spirit of the Highlands and Islands team at the Royal Highland Show
It was fantastic to see such a brilliant turnout and to engage with a wide range of people from across the world and all walks of life with the beauty of our natural landscape. To meet representatives from other brilliant projects, businesses and community initiatives to boot really was the icing on the cake. We even received visits from the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar!
Our thanks again go to the RHS team for welcoming us in. Look out for us at the Inverness Highland Games at Bught Park on the 16th July!
Image provided by Spirit of the Highlands and Islands
Image provided by Spirit of the Highlands and Islands
From left to right: The Viking Age meets the Digital Age; First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visits the immersive portal in 'Scotland's Larder' alongside the V & C Equestrian Club