The quest for a name for the new Cinema and Music Venue is finally over. After months of consultation, soul-searching and head-scratching, the Trustees of Shetland Arts have made their choice. ‘Mareel’ was chosen from a long list of suggestions that touched on every notion relating to films, music the arts, and in particular, a sense of place. Defined in John Graham’s dictionary as ‘the phosphorescence seen on the sea, mostly during autumn’, the Trustees felt that this well expressed the sense of magic that they want the new venue to inspire. The public was asked to put names forward for the new venue, which is due to open in spring 2010, and suggestions have been steadily coming in since February this year. Sited adjacent to the new Museum and Archive, the venue is being designed by Gareth Hoskins Architects and will be a further development in the water’s edge regeneration of the Hays Dock/North Ness area.

Director of Shetland Arts, Gwilym Gibbons, said “I believe this is a special name for a special building. It gives the venue a definite Shetland identity which we hope will inspire artists and audiences alike.”

Project Officer Kathy Hubbard said that Shetland Arts would like to thank all the people who phoned, wrote and e-mailed them over the past six months. “There can be no doubt about the creativity of the Shetland public,’ she said, ‘suggestions came in from all over Shetland, and we were presented with a wealth of possibilities. This one really stood out – ‘Mareel’ is a lovely name, and when the new building is reflected in the sea, it will create its own special shimmer on the water.”