One of 32 local authority regions, the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides or ‘the Long Isle’ as they are collectively known) are an archipelago of small islands lying 80 kilometres off the north west coast of Scotland, the largest being Lewis, Harris, North and South Uist, Benbecula and Barra. The total landmass is 3,071 square kilometres, and with 26,370 residents (2005), the population density is low. It is a remote but not desolate landscape with patches of remarkably fertile ground. Even the weather is moderate by Atlantic standards and the islands receive the full benefit of the Gulf Stream.

Despite the proximity of the mainland, a sense of isolation and distance created by the rolling Atlantic Ocean that surrounds them has contributed to the creation of a distinct cultural identity, expressed in the widespread use of Gaelic. The influence of the Free Church of Scotland is the mainstay that has preserved the use of Gaelic in everyday life. There are also significant Catholic communities in the south.

The Isles are facing several economic difficulties with the decline of the fishing industry, crofting, the tweed weaving industry, the reduction in the military base in Benbecula and the failure of an oil rig construction yard at Stornoway. As a result there is severe population loss with a drop of about 17 per cent projected between 2000 and 2016. The Western Isles Council’s draft community plan outlines a vision through to 2050 which includes promoting and marketing the leisure industries and promoting tourism using local culture, heritage and language. It also encourages the introduction of tele-cottaging, digital and broadband technologies. The Western Isles also benefit from the European Union’s LEADER + funding for the regeneration of rural economies and Western Isles Enterprise is an important force for economic revitalisation. The Council (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar) consists of 31 members and has decentralised its administration across the islands. The Council works with a considerable number of contemporary Gaelic artists and artists’ support organisations seeking to preserve and to develop the unique culture of the place.