Festival of Small Halls returns to regional WA with Iona Fyfe and Colin Lillie

After being previously scheduled for 2020, the tour started in Capel on April 19 and moves inland through the South West and Great Southern, before heading north through the Wheatbelt and Goldfields and ending in Lancelin on Sunday, May 7.

Nearly all of the towns will be supported by a local musician, nominated by the shire or the community.

Festival producer Isobel Bartlett said the festival was modelled on a similar concept at Prince Edward Island in Canada.

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"It's about taking high-quality musicians into places that don't often get to experience it in their own backyards," Ms Bartlett said.

"And it gives musicians a chance to play and get a fan base in areas that they otherwise wouldn't get to.

"It's also a great way to engage local musicians, it's a great way for them to get experience and engage with other musicians on a professional level."

Iona Fyfe and Colin Lillie are the headline acts for the second WA tour.

An award-winning Aberdeenshire folk singer, Ms Fyfe has established herself as one of Scotland's finest singers, by singing in the traditional language of Scots.

The 25-year-old is an advocate for the recognition of the Scot's language and successfully campaigned for Spotify to add Scots to its list of languages.

"I'm delighted to be heading out on the Small Halls tour and exploring more rural areas of Australia," Ms Fyfe said.

"I'm extra excited to be sharing some Scottish customs, traditions and songs with audiences."

Fellow Scot, Mr Lillie has found a new home in the Northern Territory's Alice Springs, where he lives as a songwriter.

His lyrics are heavily inspired by the ups and downs of life, which makes him an inspirational figure to people in recovery from addiction.

Mr Lillie uses his songs and life experiences as a way of assisting others.

Later in the year, he plans to travel to Nashville to record his third studio album.

"There is nothing more exciting than to be on the road and to be offered the opportunity to take part on the Small Halls tour is so thrilling," Mr Lillie said.

"Coming from a remote community, such as Alice Springs, I understand how wonderful it is when artists

come through our town.

"I can't wait to share my songs and stories with so many new faces."

What makes the festival unique is its venues.

Community halls across the country are famous for their versatility.

"The whole point of the halls is that they're such beautiful buildings and they're such pillars of the community," Ms Bartlett said.

"Some of the halls are so old and were used so much back in the day.

"It's also about reinvigorating the town hall and putting some life back into it."

Wilyabrup Community Association secretary John Cuthbertson said in 2017, the Wilyabrup Hall was bought by the association off the local shire for only $5.

"It's full of asbestos," Mr Cuthbertson said.

"They were going to demolish it, but we use it every year for the Christmas party - which has been going for 100 years."

The Wilyabrup Community Association uses the building for three to four events per year, one being their Christmas party, but it can also be hired by the public.

It was built in the 1920's as a teachers' quarters for the local school, but in 1954, the school burnt down.

Rumours about the incident shroud the hall in mystery.

"One of the school kids, who I think is still alive, (was said to have) burnt the school down," Mr Cuthbertson said.

"I'm not sure if it's true, it's only hearsay.

"But they were at some school event doing something behind the school sheds, it might have been smoking..." he said, laughing.

Following the incident the school was closed and converted into a hall, where it was used for dances and events until it fell into disuse.

The Festival of Small Halls made a stop at the Wilyabrup Hall on the tour last year.

It had a big tent outside which held more people than the hall had capacity for and saw a turn out of about 110 people.

"It was a good night," Mr Cuthbertson said.

"It's not often you get that many people together."

Bridgetown Agricultural Society junior vice-president Hayley Thorpe said Bridgetown's Centenary Hall was a great place to host the festival.

The hall was built in 1988 in recognition of the Bridgetown agricultural show's 100-year anniversary.

Since then it has been the exhibition hall for produce and cooking in the agricultural show.

"It's a bit ugly, it's just this blank canvas and it's used for so many other different things throughout the year," Ms Thorpe said.

"I think it's a bit overlooked by the community because it's ugly on the outside, but when people get in there with a bit of imagination and a bit of decorating, it's really such a special space.

"And it has good acoustics, it's great for this kind of event."

This is the first year Centenary Hall has been involved with the Festival of Small Halls.

"It's so scary, we've never done this before," Ms Thorpe said.

"But if it is successful, we would definitely go for it again, because it's something a bit different."

Ms Thorpe said locals around the area appreciated good music, but hosting this festival was "a real step up".

"Iona Fyfe is just amazing, in herself and what she is doing for Scotland, she's a real powerhouse,'' she said.

"It's definitely something different coming to the community - I think it's a great opportunity."