Coll Connections is a small collaborative folk festival based in the Isle of Coll in the Inner Hebrides.The event is organised by An Cridhe, the island’s community centre.
Coll’s stunning island landscape provides the perfect backdrop for our joyful celebration of music, community and place. Coll Connections brings people together for performances, workshops, and a variety of sessions that invite everyone to share their own talents and style. Whether you’re a seasoned musician or simply a lover of music, the festival offers a unique opportunity to connect with others, immerse yourself in traditional folk music and song, and experience Coll’s magic. Don’t miss this chance to make lasting memories in this breathtaking Hebridean setting!
Coll Connections 2026 will run from Saturday 4th – early on Thursday 9th April 2026. We’re bringing together musicians and singers for another intimate festival in Arinagour, the island’s village. Workshops, concerts, ceilidhs and other events will be based in An Cridhe and in the wider community.
“Such a special few days from the first welcome to the session on the ferry home. People were so welcoming and the tutors were fab. Loved the Saturday night dance and seeing all the wee ones and beginners having a go. Great venues. Saturday night lasagne (and then leftovers on Tuesday) was excellent. Many thanks to all who helped to make it happen.”
An Cridhe (‘the heart’) is an amazing space with acoustics, facilities, and attention to detail that can rival many major venues.The small size of the island and the friendliness of the Collachs engenders a sense of community that welcomes visitors, who frequently return year after year.
Coll has a long history of traditional music, from the hereditary pipers of the MacLean clan to our present day island ceilidh band, Clachan Ceòl. We welcome musicians of mixed abilities to join us for a celebration of traditional music in this special place. This golden thread of island traditions links all musicians, past, present and future. Our festival is sure to be a unique experience to remember and treasure.
“The tutor’s concert was exceptional – tingly all over. Such extremely talented musicians. I loved learning the tunes and digging into how to capture the mood, how to change the feel, the dynamism, by improvisation (harmony, chord, rhythm…) etc., how to play in a group – democratically, complementing etc etc etc…. there was so much there. And of course the sessions and ceilidhs were lovely opportunities to play great tunes (and discover new, beautiful ones) with a bunch of great musicians. The coming together at the end was a fantastic conclusion – and the way it then trickled onto the pier…. and into the bar on the ferry, stopping only as we hurriedly put our instruments away as we docked at Oban!”
