Hamish Henderson Memorial Lecture with Dr Stephanie Smith

Dr Stephanie Smith gives the Hamish Henderson Memorial Lecture at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Saturday 14 November, hosted by TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland). The lecture honours Hamish Henderson, the Scottish folklorist, songwriter and activist whose work has reached across generations.

Smith's connection to Henderson is a long one. She first came across his work as a postgraduate student in the 1970s and 80s, when she was studying tradition bearers like Lizzie Higgins and the Fisher family. From there, she spent more than two decades at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage in Washington DC, including a stint as Archives Director. The talk traces Henderson's impact across her life and career, from those early days in Scotland to her years in the US.

The lecture is part of the Carrying Stream Festival 2026, which grew out of the Edinburgh Folk Club and celebrates the 'Carrying Stream' — the organic route by which music, song, spoken word and culture are passed from person to person and from generation to generation. There's more on the same bill: Henderson's daughter, Janet Henderson, introduces her new book, and Charles Nasmyth screens a new film, Hamish Henderson - An Artist's Inspiration.

It's in the Netherbow Theatre, 43-45 High St, EH1 1SR. Doors open at 12:00, and the lecture starts at 12:45, running for about two hours. Entry is free but ticketed, with a £1.25 handling fee per ticket, capped at four per person.