About
Fèis Phàislig is a vibrant arts organisation offering traditional music and Gaelic cultural experiences for young people across Renfrewshire.
From ceilidhs and choirs to summer schools and school tours, we aim to inspire the next generation of musicians and cultural ambassadors.
Gaelic for “Paisley Festival”, Fèis Phàislig was established in 2015 and delivered its first ever ‘Fèis Week’ — an intensive course of come-and-try workshops that saw over 60 children take part in instrumental tuition, singing, and drama with some of Scotland’s leading traditional musicians. Since then, we’ve grown to offer a year-round programme of events, reaching over 14,000 young people in 2024.
What is a Fèis?
Fèis (plural Fèisean) is the Gaelic word for festival or feast. Today, it’s most commonly associated with the Fèis movement – a network of community-led Gaelic arts festivals that began over 30 years ago. These events, now held across Scotland, focus on traditional music, song, dance, and drama, especially for children and young people.
A Fèis provides a fun and welcoming space to learn and share Scotland’s Gaelic cultural traditions. While the atmosphere is informal and inclusive, the tuition is of a high standard, delivered by experienced artists and tutors.
Find out more about the history of the Fèis movement at feisean.org.
Our Team
Fèis Phàislig is led by Director Grant McFarlane, who oversees the development and delivery of our year-round programme of events. He is supported by a dedicated board of volunteers who meet throughout the year to help guide and support our work.
We are a registered Scottish charity and work in partnership with our national umbrella body, Fèisean nan Gàidheal.
If you’re interested in getting involved, we’d love to hear from you. We’re always looking for new ideas, fresh energy, and support to help us offer the best possible experiences for young people across Renfrewshire.
Our Year-Round Programme
Since launching in 2015, Fèis Phàislig has grown from a one-week summer event into a vibrant, year-round programme reaching thousands of young people across Renfrewshire. Our work now includes:
- Weekly Lessons – Regular instrumental tuition in traditional Scottish music
- Gaelic Choir – Group singing sessions that support Gaelic language learning
- Fèis Week – Summer music and arts workshop for learners at all levels
- Schools Engagement – Eight-week blocks delivered in maintsream and ASN schools throughout the year
- Stramash for Schools – A touring traditional music experience for primary schools
- Ceilidh Trail – A performance and professional development programme for young musicians aged 16–25
We aim to offer high-quality, accessible experiences for all young people — whether they’re picking up an instrument for the first time or developing their skills on stage.
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