DUNFERMLINE'S own Barbara Dickson is coming home for this year's Outwith Festival. 

The highly anticipated music and arts festival will return in September, bringing with it a number of well-known artists and performers. 

Top billing will go to Barbara, the singer-songwriter, multi-million-selling recording artist with an equally impressive Olivier Award-winning acting career who is considered one of the most enduring artists in Britain today. 

The Dunfermline-born star is known for her early days singing with Billy Connolly and Gerry Rafferty, her role in Willy Russell’s musical about The Beatles as well as famously creating the role of Mrs Johnstone in Russell’s Blood Brothers. 

Her hit singles include Caravans and January, February while I Knew Him So Well, recorded with Elaine Paige, topped the UK charts. 

A guest residency on The Two Ronnies beamed her into UK homes, clocking up an audience of 15 million, while other high-profile TV acting performances included Taggart and Kay Mellor’s Band of Gold.

Looking back at her whole multi-faceted career, she will explore the most important cultural moments of her life in a conversation with writer and broadcaster Nicola Meighan on Thursday September 5.

Another homegrown hero who will be returning to the city for the festival is Steven Dick, comedy writer for Frankie Boyle and Have I Got News for You, amongst others.

He will be returning to Outwith to exhibit his paintings in the Abbot House Workshop.

Originally from Dunfermline, Steven Dick has given strong support to the event over the years by hosting comedy writing workshops for budding comedy writers. 

Critically acclaimed Scottish author, David Keenan, also makes an Outwith appearance this year with an interview and readings. He'll discuss the challenge of adapting his award-winning cult hit This is Memorial Device, for the stage.  

It tells the story of an imaginary band from Airdrie and was turned into a play starring Paul Higgins which garnered 5-star reviews from London to Glasgow.

His other works include For the Good Times, which won the Gordon Burn Prize, and Rough Trade Book of the Year, Monument Maker.  

Popular comedian and writer Darren Connell, who rose to fame as likeable character Bobby Muir in BBC Scotland’s hit sitcom Scot Squad,  will appear at Outwith for the first time.

Convinced by Kevin Bridges himself to give up his job in a supermarket to pursue comedy full-time, Connell has since performed at the Edinburgh Fringe and had a sell-out show at the Glasgow Comedy Festival.

Completing the Outwith 24 guest line up will be some of the cast of Gregory’s Girl, including Dee Hepburn, who will be in Dunfermline to celebrate Bill Forsyth’s classic movies. 

The festival runs from September 3 to 8. More information and tickets can be found here.