OUR AMBITION: to fund a new 'Concert Grand Piano' for all on the island of Bute, as our currently loaned Piano since 2015, returns to Rothesay Pavilion in 2026.

Bute Arts Society 2024/25 Season: we are an ambitious society, with concerts doubling and audiences trebling since Lockdown. We are supported by 18 island businesses advertisers and sponsored by both Bute Island Foods - a company of international repute, the island charity 'For Bute'; and Rothesay Common Good Fund through Argyll & Bute Council. We have statutory funding from Chamber Music Scotland through Creative Scotland. Larger activities are supported by both Trusts and local sponsorship.

To ensure financial security, we have active Trustees, Patrons, Friends & Season-Ticket Holders.

Society Objectives: Bute is classed as an area of multiple deprivation. The Trustees believe that access to the 'Arts' is key to a myriad of educational and career opportunities and want the Arts to be available to all at modest cost. Traditionally hosting just 6 classical chamber music concerts, we now promote 12 monthly shows, from Soloists and Ensembles, to Opera, Choirs, Brass Bands, Jazz Groups, traditional Folk Music & Gaelic Groups and now Theatre & Drama. The Society ensures it is inclusive to those less fortunate.

Audience attendance: numbers have increased from as low as 35 to now up to 130 plus for normal concerts to as high as 250 plus for larger events. For a small island population, this change affords a variety of quality live Music and the Arts to residents of the island who would otherwise incur considerable travel and overnight costs due to restricted terry timetables.

All performances are free to school children.

Concert Venue & new Piano home: at the new Isle of Bute Parish Church, who's members have actively welcomed the Society to its existing portfolio of users. The Kirk Session has already made major changes to the sanctuary to allow performances of all sizes to be housed, including space for the new Piano. We plan for digital streaming of concerts to those too ill or infirm to attend using the Church equipment.

Society sustainability: wishing to be able to confirm performances beyond January 2026, we want to have the finest piano available for our many Scottish, UK wide and International artists who now visit Bute. In the present challenging times, we seek support across a range of Trusts, Sponsors and Private Individuals to allow us to reach our target. The welcoming venue exists, the ambition exists and our concert planning is now working in Spring 2027 with many performances requiring a quality piano. We envisage that the funding of a new grand piano will further increase our audience engagement at concerts and improve the future sustainability of the Arts Society and sequentially the Church venue.

Support Credit: we envisage crediting any support in our Concert Brochure, distributed to 4,300 Bute homes, on our Monthly Posters distributed throughout the island and in concert Programmes available at all concerts. Credit will be shown on a Bute Arts Society Web site Page and on our active Facebook Page.

APPEAL: to raise £35,000 to fund a new Yamaha concert 'Grand Piano' for all on the island of Bute.

Support is sought to purchase a new, international concert standard, Grand Piano for the Island, to be housed at the Bute Arts Society's main concert base at the Isle of Bute Parish Church. Our current loaned piano from 2015 returns to the multi-purpose Rothesay Pavilion in 2026, a venue far too large for our normal Winter concerts.

The new Piano to be made available to the whole community for concerts and to School pupils for both practice and national exams.

The current List price of a Yamaha 'C' Grand Piano is c. £52,000. Yamaha UK have offered Bute Arts Society a Business to Business rate vat inclusive of £33,750 subject to availability.

Contact at Yamaha:
Pars Evrenos,
Business & Education Specialist,
The Yamaha Brand Store,
152-160 Wardour Street,
London,
W1F 8YA, UK

Phone: +44 2074324400

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Download PDF version of newspaper clipping

Appeal Launched - Friday 29th November 2024 in the IOB News:

With a £5,000 donation from the Bute Island Charity, 'For Bute'.

Following this, pledged sums amounting to £18,600 have been committed as early as Sunday 01 December. Further support is sought from Trusts, Businesses and Private Individuals from within Bute and further afield with a 'Just Giving' Web Site being Set Up.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to our piano fundraising appeal.

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We are thrilled to announce that the funds raised have already been put to good use!

The Trustees of Bute Arts Society, attach an update for the Garfi eld Weston Foundation.

Piano Appeal:

The good news is that thanks to your support, our Appeal is complete and our new Yamaha Concert Grand Piano is with us on Bute.

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Nearby Donors were invited to our new Piano Launch at the IOB Parish Church on the afternoon of Saturday 04 October 2025 for a concert at 2pm, which allowed off island supporters to travel to Bute to join us and depart the same day. ‍Donors were invited for a pre-concert snack ‘Soup & Sandwich’ Lunch from Noon onwards, with a 2pm concert and further requested to join us at a post concert reception for supporters.

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We were delighted that the young pianist, Bute Arts Society Artist and Friend, Nikita Lukinov, can join us on Bute to launch the new Piano and entertain us. Nikita brought some pianist friends and we enjoyed some special piano music.

Using the current loaned piano we had two matching grand pianos for at least one duet. With the music arriving from the USA we will have 8 hands on two pianos which is very rare in performance and a fi rst for Bute. The concert is free to all thanks to the fi nancial support of Bute BID and Visit Bute.

We enjoyed a glorious piano recital launch despite high winds stopping the ferries and many guests then unable to join us on the island. Around 200 of an audience were able to be there for an exceptional concert - a report on which is attached to this update.

Our sincere thanks for your support and for making our Appeal a reality.

Below is some more information regarding the piano appeal update -

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