Introducing Sophie McCarthy

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We’re delighted to welcome Sophie McCarthy to the Articulation team as our Programme and Membership Coordinator.

Sophie McCarthy is photographed in an outdoor, woodland setting. She has long auburn hair and is wearing a brown dress and an elaborate woodland-inspired headband. Photograph by Davinia R. Díaz

Sophie is a Scottish based Storyteller and Outdoor Performer with a background in the music industry, event and festival production, political representation and lobbying, and membership and community engagement.

Sophie has been a Board Member of Independent HE, representing students in specialist higher education, and a Trustee of the Beltane Fire Society, where she is still actively involved in community organising and performing. She is currently also an apprentice storyteller at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.  Sophie says:

“I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself to all our wonderful members, and to members of the future. My name is Sophie and I am delighted to join the team as your Programme and Membership Coordinator! 

Whilst I’m excited to get to know all of you over the coming months, I thought offering some insights to my background, interests and most importantly my adopted cat Wilma (who may make a guest appearance in meetings) would be a good way for us to get to know each other. 

I am, at heart, a huge hippie. When I’m not working you can find me most often spinning stories out in nature. From my garden to far away remote glens, the canvas that the outdoors offers for performance and spectacle has always been something that has fascinated me. From sprinting around festival sites, to all the wonderful ritual performances I’ve been involved in at the Beltane Fire Society and to weaving stories and magic for children as a Christmas Elf in Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle; my heart soars in the places that your heart soars in. 

I have worked in the Creative Industries for 8 years, with a sandwich involving student representation and Higher Education policy in those 8 years too. This background is one I am particularly excited to draw upon in this role. The small and specialist HE providers and their students I lobbied for were an afterthought in the wider HE policy and cultural landscapes of that sector. In much the same way, circus artists, outdoor arts practitioners and those involved in spectacle performance are often an afterthought in our own policy and cultural landscapes. 

Working hand in hand with you, our members, to continue reversing this and recentering the narrative in Scottish Arts is something I couldn’t be more excited for!

A woman in an outdoor, daytime setting is photographed in a white and brown outfit with tartan detailing. They have long, curly, auburn hair and dramatic green eye make-up.
Copyright: Sébastien Lemaire for Beltane Fire Society.
A performer is photographed at night, wearing face paint and a costume featuring celtic motifs. In their left hand they are holding a flaming torch.
Photo Credit: Euan Cherry for Beltane Fire Society.
A woman wears a white, floating dress while standing in a pool of water, surrounded by lush, green foliage.
Photo credit: Sammi Searle.
A performer is photographed wearing face paint and a costume featuring celtic motifs. Their tongue is licking the blade of a large sword they are holding in their right hand.
Copyright: Daniel Cass Senior for Beltane Fire Society.
A large group of musicians play percussive instruments in an outdoor forest setting.
Credit: Kelburn Garden Party.
A performer is photographed in side profile, wearing face paint and a costume that features tartan and celtic motifs. In their right hand hand they are holding a flaming torch. Additional fire performers are out of focus in the background.
Copyright: Daniel Boyce for Beltane Fire Society