By Grace Hatchell, having a wee dram.
An Tobar and Mull Theatre in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull has unveiled an ambitious new three-year artistic vision, launching its 2026 programme under the banner We Know Where We’re Going.
Inspired by the iconic Powell and Pressburger film set on Mull, the programme is shaped by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, using art to explore global themes of peace, prosperity and environmental responsibility.
Each year will focus on a different goal, with 2026 centred on Life on Land, bringing together artists responding to landscape, biodiversity and the fragile ecosystems that sustain life.
As the only producing theatre and multi-artform creative hub in the Hebrides, An Tobar and Mull Theatre will deliver a wide-ranging programme spanning theatre, music, visual art and community participation, exploring the connections between climate, culture, equity and imagination.
The visual arts programme includes The Ground Shakes by Dundee-based artist Calum Wallis, running until 26 June, which traces Scotland’s geological history through large-scale drawings, lithographs and film. Later in the year, Invasive Species will offer an immersive outdoor audio experience in Aros Park, combining storytelling, sculpture and sound to explore themes of belonging and environmental change.
The programme also includes a curated film series by Ronald Forbes RSA, marking the Royal Scottish Academy’s 200th anniversary, alongside artist exchange and residency projects linking Scotland and Cornwall.
Summer highlights include a vibrant exhibition by Scottish artist Eve Campbell from 11 July, featuring workshops in screen printing, ceramics and textiles inspired by the natural world.
The theatre programme features Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In on 30 May, telling the story of the 1981 Greenock factory occupation and the fight for workers’ rights. On 16 July, actor Scott Kyle presents It’s Not Where You Start, an autobiographical performance exploring his journey from foster care to Hollywood.
For younger audiences, A Home for Hamish arrives on 1 July, combining dance and British Sign Language in an interactive experience designed for children aged 4–7.
Music and comedy also form a key part of the season, with Bruce Fummey bringing Scotland Made the World on 30 April, while experimental folk duo Amulet perform on 23 April, creating soundscapes inspired by the island’s landscape and history. Further performances include Iona Lane on 9–10 July and Cuban guitarist Ahmed Dickinson on 25 June.
The programme also includes a Pride celebration on Tobermory beach on 21 June, bringing together community, music and performance.
Rebecca Atkinson Lord described the programme as a way of setting a creative compass for the future, using Mull’s landscape and community as a starting point for ideas that can resonate nationally and globally.
From its island base, An Tobar and Mull Theatre continues to position itself as a vital cultural hub, demonstrating how creativity rooted in place can spark wider conversations about the future of people, communities and the planet.
From a theatre-goer’s perspective, this is not just a programme — it’s a statement of intent, using the arts to engage with some of the most pressing questions of our time.
Now then… this one took a bit more than a quick cycle round the village.
We’re talking proper journey. Wind in your face, satchel strapped tight, checking the timetable twice because yes… that’s a ferry. A ferry. For theatre news.
I’ll be honest, somewhere between the mainland and Mull, I did think, “Grace, this is a long way to go for a delivery.” But then again… if the story’s worth telling, you go where it takes you.
And what I found when I got there wasn’t just a theatre quietly getting on with things. It was something bigger. A place right on the edge of the map, looking out at the sea, and somehow thinking about the whole world.
There’s something quite special about that. No rush, no noise… just big ideas taking shape in a place where you can actually hear yourself think.
I did pause, mind. Sat myself down, looked out over the water, and thought a wee dram might be in order after all that travelling. Strictly for recovery purposes, of course. Wouldn’t want anyone thinking I was slacking on delivery duty.
But it stayed in the satchel. Job comes first.
Because that’s the thing about Theatre Village — the news doesn’t just sit still waiting for you. Sometimes it’s tucked away on an island, shaped by the land, the people, and the stories that grow there.
And if that means a ferry ride and a bit of sea air to get it… well, I’ll make the journey.
Though next time, I might pack a thicker coat.
14 March – 26 June
Calum Wallis: The Ground Shakes
https://www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/the-ground-shakes
23 April
Amulet
https://www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/amulet-at-an-tobar
30 April
Bruce Fummey: Scotland Made the World
https://www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/bruce-fummey-scotland-made-the-world
12 May
Sarah McQuaid in Concert
https://www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/sarah-mcquaid-in-concert
30 May
Stand and Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-In
https://www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/stand-deliver-the-lee-jeans-sit-in
25 June
Ahmed Dickinson
https://www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/ahmed-dickinson-cuban-guitarist-at-an-tobar
1 July
A Home for Hamish
https://www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/a-home-for-hamish
9–10 July
Iona Lane
https://www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/hpdvaqi7ws49ej8z0akqboh3r8n4wc
11 July
Eve Campbell Exhibition
16 July
It’s Not Where You Start
https://www.antobarandmulltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/its-not-where-you-start
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