Outwith | Valda, MacDiarmid and Whalsay
An exhibition exploring personal connections, island life, and the poetry that endures.
Shetland Museum & Archives (SMAA) will launch the exhibition, Outwith - Valda, MacDiarmid and Whalsay, for spring 2026, coinciding with centenary celebrations at the National Library of Scotland (NLS) and the bicentenary of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA). The exhibition will focus on the nine years (1933–1942) poet Hugh MacDiarmid and his wife Valda spent on the Shetland island of Whalsay, exploring how the island influenced their lives and work despite persistent challenges.
Featured items will include original manuscripts and personal letters on loan from NLS, visual art from artists Alexander Moffat RSA and Ruth Nicol, and images drawn from private family collections.
The exhibition will be presented at Da Gadderie Gallery in collaboration with NLS, RSA, Shetland Library, and Whalsay History Group, connecting national heritage with local Shetland history.
