Tag: culture

Scottish Government commits £100 million to support businesses

Pressure on UK Government to deliver more financial support as Omicron cases surge

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced the breakdown of a lifeline £100 million financial package to support businesses experiencing cancellations due to the rapid spread of the new Omicron variant.

The £100 million support package is broken down into:

  • £66 million for eligible hospitality businesses
  • £20 million for the culture sector
  • £8 million for food and drink supply chain businesses including wholesalers
  • £3 million for the wedding sector
  • £3 million for the worst affected businesses in the tourism sector, including international inbound tour operators

Final details of the funding available and how to apply is being determined in discussion with business organisations and will be published next week.

Eligible hospitality businesses will be contacted directly by their local authorities and will not need to apply for support.

Food and Drink wholesalers can apply for funding through a re-run of the Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund in January 2022.

Guidance has also been published to enable businesses to take reasonable measures to limit the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The steps we are asking people to take are already having a severe economic impact, particularly for sectors like hospitality and culture, which have been badly affected by previous waves of Covid and were hoping for a better Christmas period this year. This is why we have found £100 million to help businesses in those sectors.

“The support we’re providing is significant – but we know it won’t fully compensate for the impact of Omicron. Business now needs the type and scale of financial support that was available earlier in the pandemic and that can only come from the UK Government – which has borrowing powers that the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments do not.

“The best way to support business sustainably, is to get the virus back under control. Please get your boosters and stay at home as much as possible just now.”

Downing Street confirmed that The First Minister spoke with Prime Minister Boris Johnson later in the afternoon.

In a statement, the PM’s office said:

‘The Prime Minister has spoken to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon this afternoon to discuss the ongoing response to the Omicron variant.

The Prime Minister and the First Minister agreed on the importance of close collaboration for the benefit of citizens across the UK.

They discussed the shared challenges including the economic disruption caused by Covid and will continue to work together.

The Prime Minister confirmed UK Government will be convening a COBR meeting over the weekend with counterparts from the devolved administrations to continue discussions.

Tattoo unveils ‘Voices’ show theme as 2022 tickets go on sale

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will celebrate the power of connection with a spectacular combination of music, dance and military precision from some of the world’s leading armed forces and cultural performers, as it makes its return to the Castle Esplanade in 2022 with a new show titled Voices.

Tickets for the iconic military spectacle go on sale from 1 December 2021, with the show running from 5 – 27 August 2022.

The show is the first from the Tattoo’s new Creative Director, Michael Braithwaite. It draws inspiration from people across the globe who, despite physical separation, continue to connect and share their voices creatively through spoken word, song, writing, music and dance – languages common to all.

Military acts continue to play a central role in the performance, with the Army confirmed as the lead service in 2022. Audiences will enjoy the legendary sound of the Massed Pipes and Drums that will echo around the Esplanade as part of Voices, supported by Tattoo pipers and drummers, and musicians from UK Military Regiments.  The Tattoo dancers and Shetland fiddlers also join the line-up, with international acts and further details about Voices announced in the coming months.

Tattoo Creative Director, Michael Braithwaite

Tattoo Creative Director, Michael Braithwaite, says: “Through the challenges and separation of the last two years, people of every culture have used their voices to remain connected. These voices can be found in many ways – the piper through music, the dancer with movement, the poet through words and the drummer with a beat.

“Voices is our desire to make next year’s Tattoo not just a reunion, but a celebration of the connections, cultures and languages that bring us together at the unique setting of Edinburgh Castle.

“I’m hugely excited to play a part in the history and spectacle of the Tattoo, helping it return to the global stage, re-energised and invigorated for a new era.”

Voices is the first show under the Tattoo’s bold new brand proposition, Performance in a New Light. It embraces all the military tradition the Tattoo is known and loved for, while combining exciting new innovations in production effects, lighting and staging, along with world-class appointments to the creative team.

Tickets for next year’s Tattoo can be purchased from 10am on 1st December online at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188.

The Chat Cafe’s back at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

MONDAYS at 11am

#ChatCafe is back

#FaceToFace in @RoystonWardieCC Mondays at 11am

Booking is essential so please contact carlasayer@pchp.org.uk 07595589343

#LivingInHarmony

#WomenSupportingWomen

#Granton

#Pilton

#Muirhouse

#WesterDrylaw

#Wardieburn

☕

Festival of Politics: The Final Day

Everything that’s happening today, the final day of the Festival of Politics

Sunday 24th October

Use the links below to book your free tickets to these online discussions:

The Covid-19 decade: Understanding the long-term societal impacts 

10am – 11am

Big brains for big solutions to save the world 

11.30am – 12.30pm

Is the North to blame for the climate crisis? 

12pm – 1pm

Why culture is key to good health and well-being 

2pm – 3pm

Resilient and sustainable cities 

4pm – 5pm

Prioritise Mental Health 

6pm – 7pm

Explore the full programme: festivalofpolitics.scot

Events line-up to enrich climate conference

A 10 metre tall puppet, STORM, will make an appearance in Glasgow and many projects are already well underway in the run up to the climate conference, including the launch of Climate Beacon hubs in seven locations across Scotland.

STORM is a huge sea-goddess puppet made entirely out of recycled materials with oyster shells for eyes and kelp for hair and is created by Vision Mechanics. She is due to walk in Govan on 10 November.

Led by Creative Carbon Scotland, the Climate Beacons project is a collaboration between climate change, environmental, arts, heritage and cultural organisations to stimulate long-term public engagement in climate change. The hubs throughout Scotland, including Argyll, Caithness and East Sutherland, Fife and Inverclyde, will provide information about climate change in each local area.

The hubs will be run as sustainably as possible with many of the projects and activities using recycled materials.

For instance the Message in a Bottle project in the Outer Hebrides will send messages to people at COP26 in plastic bottles washed up on the beach and the Midlothian hub at the National Mining Museum Scotland will feature outdoor clay sculpture that will eventually degrade back into the earth.

Creative Carbon Scotland’s film, Climate Action Needs Culture, made in collaboration with national cultural and heritage organisations, will be shown to a variety of cultural leaders and policymakers on November 5 as a virtual event.

Scotland’s five national performing arts companies, each receiving regular support from the Scottish Government, are among the many cultural organisations across Scotland organising events around COP26.

On 31 October, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra will premiere Symbiosis, a new commission for strings in a 20 minute video. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra will give a pop-up performance at ScotRail’s Haymarket Station on 1 November to welcome delegates to COP26 while the RSNO Junior Chorus will perform a selection of specially commissioned Green Songs in the official COP26 Green Zone the following day.

Scottish Opera have launched an intergalactic view of climate change in The Last Aliens, an opera for primary children. Schools can access the production online now with live tours planned next year.

Schools and communities across Scotland and India have created 100 shoes for a digital shoe shop as part of Millipede, the National Theatre of Scotland’s collaboration with ThinkArts, a Kolkata-based children’s organisation. Launching on 1 November, the interactive art installation will explore personal responses to climate change and carbon footprints through a range of creative activities.

Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “With the world’s spotlight on Scotland, COP26 in Glasgow is a once in a lifetime event and our cultural organisations have risen to the occasion by programming an impressive line-up of live and online activities to engage audiences at home and abroad. 

“The Scottish Government is proud to support the cultural and heritage sectors as they have a major role to play in encouraging debate around environmental issues.

“Climate change affects us all and it’s heartening to see so many communities taking part in these projects to create a lasting legacy for future generations.”

A dedicated website, Culture at COP, for all cultural activities around COP26 has been set up by Museums and Galleries Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and the Climate Heritage Network.

Scotland’s UNESCO Trail

Did you know Scotland is home to six World Heritage Sites, two Biosphere Reserves, two Global Geoparks, and three creative cities? That’s a supersized helping of history, nature and culture right on your doorstep!

If you aren’t sure what UNESCO status means, it’s similar to how National Park status helps to tell you a place is special.

Scotland is now the first country in the world to bring these truly unique sites together into trails to enjoy at a pace that suits you.

Discover destinations with a difference:

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Hannah Lavery nominated to be Edinburgh’s next Makar

Award-winning poet, playwright and performer Hannah Lavery has been nominated to become the Scottish Capital’s next poet laureate.

A report to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture and Communities Committee next week (Tuesday 14 September) recommends Hannah as the next writer to be inaugurated as the sixth Edinburgh Makar.

If agreed, Hannah will take over the honorary role from Alan Spence later this year at a special reception hosted by the Lord Provost within the City Chambers.

Born and raised in the Capital, Hannah is a highly respected poet and playwright whose work has been published widely. Hannah’s poem, “Scotland, You’re no mine” was selected by Roseanne Watt as one of the Best Scottish Poems of 2019, her poetry film, Thirteen Fragments featured as part of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Curious Festival this year and she it will feature as part of a longer work for Push the Boat Out Festival in Edinburgh, this October.

Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener, said: “Hannah Lavery is the sixth in an illustrious line of writers who have filled this important role in Edinburgh, the original City of Literature.

“Hannah is a fantastic choice, an accomplished and highly-regarded writer whose work inspires and generates important conversations, and I’m sure she’ll take the role in fascinating new directions.

“The Council continues to show its commitment to the celebration of writers and literature which enhance the capital’s international reputation, including establishing the post of the Edinburgh Makar, a Scots word celebrating the role of the writer as a skilled crafter of words and images.

“I’m truly delighted that Hannah has been nominated as the Capital’s next Makar. She of course follows the brilliant Alan Spence, who has been an impressive advocate and ambassador for Edinburgh and for poetry, and whose interest in international dialogue and exchange has undoubtedly enhanced the city’s global reputation.

“It has been a pleasure to experience Alan’s perspective of the Capital and we would like to thank him for the dedication and insight that he has brought to the role.

Hannah Lavery, said: “I am thrilled to be nominated and to be given the opportunity to build upon the work of Alan Spence and previous Makars.

“Edinburgh is in my bones – to be nominated as her Makar is an absolute honour and privilege”.

The Edinburgh Makar is a civic post instituted in 2002 by the City of Edinburgh Council. The writer is selected and nominated by representatives of the Scottish Poetry Library, Scottish PEN, The Saltire Society, Edinburgh City of Literature Trust and the Council.

Additional anti-racism support package for school staff

A new package of support materials for teachers and staff will embed anti-racism and race equality into all aspects of school life.

Education Scotland’s resource will ensure children and young people see language, content and imagery that reflects the diversity of culture, identities, and experiences, including their own.     

This week saw the publication of guidance from anti-racism charity the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights and a teacher toolkit published by Scotdec, one of Scotland’s Development Education Centres, both of which will further support teachers in embedding anti-racism across the curriculum.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Racism of any form has no place in Scotland which is why embedding anti-racism into the ethos and practice of our education system is imperative.

“This new Education Scotland guidance builds on existing resources available and was developed in collaboration with a range of young people, education practitioners and organisations with lived experience of racism and expertise in addressing it.

“Our schools and our curriculum seek to promote and inspire a sense of belonging, inclusion and social justice for learners, practitioners and the wider community. Having an education system that provides an opportunity for anti-racism learning, debate and leadership is crucial in our attempt to eradicate racism in wider society.”

Education Scotland Chief Executive and HMI Chief Inspector of Education Gayle Gorman said : “It is essential that all our children and young people develop an understanding of the world around them and how it has been shaped, as well as an appreciation of the contribution made by people from a range of cultures and identities.

“Our new resource will support the profession to teach and build a society which advances equality and actively rejects and challenges racial discrimination. We hope that our whole-school approach to race equality and anti-racism will help children and young people develop as responsible global citizens.”

Record number bid to become UK’s next City of Culture

  • Bids received from every nation in the UK as regions and groups of towns were encouraged to apply
  • The new winner will be announced next year and will be at the centre of the UK’s cultural spotlight in 2025

A record 20 places from across the UK have submitted an expression of interest to become the UK City of Culture 2025 – an all time high of entries for this prestigious competition.

Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway (part of a joint Borderlands coalition bid), Tay Cities (Dundee and Perth) and the city of Stirling fly the flag for Scotland.

The competition, delivered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in collaboration with the devolved administrations, uses culture as a catalyst for levelling up areas outside London and putting new parts of the UK on the cultural map internationally.

Entrants have been tasked with proving that they can put culture at the heart of their plans to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Regions and groups of towns have been encouraged to apply in this competition, with a number stepping forward from across the UK.

Bidding for the title in its own right has been shown to have a hugely positive impact on a place, for example previous longlisted bids have used the bidding process to bring together lasting local, national and international partners, share a vision for their area and attract investment.

To ensure as many places as possible across the country can take up this opportunity, DCMS are awarding grants of £40,000 to successful longlisted places for the first time to support their long applications.

The winner, which will be announced next year, will take on the baton from Coventry as the 2021 UK City of Culture and be at the centre of the UK’s cultural spotlight in 2025.

The benefits to the winner of the title are huge, attracting millions of visitors and investment and bringing communities together to showcase the place where they live to the country and the world.

Throughout the history of this competition the winning cities have always benefited from financial support to ensure the programme’s success and lasting legacy. Coventry has received over £15.5 million from the Government to directly support its year as UK City of Culture.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This record number of applications from all four corners of the country is testament to the huge success of City of Culture in generating investment, creating jobs and boosting local pride.

“This prestigious prize creates a fantastic opportunity for towns and cities to build back better from the pandemic and I wish all bidders the very best of luck.”

Sir Phil Redmond, Chair of the City of Culture Expert Advisory Panel, said: “From Derry-Londonderry to Hull and Coventry it has been a difficult and rewarding challenge to select the next UK City of Culture, and the list of potential candidates for 2025 indicates that life in the immediate future is going to be even more challenging!

“The three previous title holders have demonstrated the transformative and catalytic effect culture can bring about, even within places that have been ultimately unsuccessful but have gone on to develop collaborative and sustainable partnerships.

“The list for 2025 also demonstrates the breadth of ambition, aspiration and innovation that exists from coast to coast and nation to nation across the UK and I am looking forward to that challenge of immersing myself once again in the UK’s rich seam of creativity.”

Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 is providing a blueprint for how culture can be at the heart of social and economic recovery.

The city has already attracted over £100 million so far in capital investment to support cultural projects, such as Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry Cathedral and Belgrade Theatre, among many others.

City of Culture status also had a huge impact on Hull and Derry-Londonderry.

Hull saw more than 5.3 million visits to over 2,800 events, cultural activities, installations and exhibitions.

75% of those who visited Hull in 2017 stated that it changed their perception of the city for the better and 9 out of 10 people in Hull thought that UK City of Culture had a positive impact on the city and more than nine-in-ten residents took part in at least one cultural activity.

The twenty bidders will be reduced to an initial long list of bidders in the coming weeks and then cut down further to a final shortlist in early 2022. The winner will be announced in May 2022.

Full list of bidders:

  • Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
  • The City of Bangor and Northwest Wales
  • The Borderlands region, comprising Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Northumberland, Cumbria and Carlisle City
  • Bradford
  • Conwy County
  • Cornwall
  • Derby
  • County Durham
  • Lancashire
  • Medway
  • City of Newport
  • Powys
  • Southampton
  • Stirling
  • The Tay Cities region
  • Torbay and Exeter
  • Wakefield District
  • City of Wolverhampton
  • Wrexham County Borough
  • Great Yarmouth & East Suffolk

More support for the ‘Grand Old Lady of Leven Street’

CAPITAL THEATRES SECURES £6.5 MILLION GRANT CONTRIBUTION FROM SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT TOWARDS THE £25 MILLION REDEVELOPMENT OF THE KING’S THEATRE

Minister for Culture and International Development, Jenny Gilruth MSP, has confirmed total grant funding of £6.5 million from the Scottish Government for the King’s Theatre Redevelopment Project.

Opened in 1906, the King’s Theatre, Edinburgh is an important venue for touring drama, musicals and children’s shows. It is home to Scotland’s biggest Panto production and each year plays a pivotal role in hosting the Edinburgh International Festival.

The King’s has a unique place in the hearts and minds of many Edinburgh residents, and is a theatre of national and historical importance.

The redevelopment will modernise the existing facilities and transform the experiences of visitors, local communities, performers and staff, whilst preserving its unique heritage.

The plans will ensure the theatre remains a vital part of Edinburgh and Scotland’s cultural provision, as well as functioning as a community hub for years to come. The redevelopment project is set to start in September 2022, with the theatre planned to reopen in mid-2024.

This grant from the Scottish Government joins £4 million already secured from the City of Edinburgh Council along with additional loan funding. The rest of the budget is made-up of generous donations from individuals, grants from trusts and foundations, support from companies and Capital Theatres’ own contribution from ticket income.

Alongside this an application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund is currently moving into its second stage. The grant from Scottish Government consolidates a robust mixed funding model and paves the way for a public campaign to fundraise for the remaining £3 million.

Fiona Gibson, CEO of Capital Theatres said: “We’re overjoyed with this show of support and confidence in the King’s Redevelopment Project from the Scottish Government.

“As COVID 19 hit in March 2020, Capital Theatres announced that the redevelopment of the King’s would be paused for a year whilst we dealt with the impact of the pandemic. Far from lose momentum on the project, 15 months of closure has made us all the more determined to ensure the King’s Theatre can honour its illustrious past with a thriving future at the heart of Edinburgh and Scotland’s cultural life. 

“Not only a wonderful venue for joy and inspiration, the King’s will also offer a thriving hub by day for the many communities situated in and around Tollcross.  Scottish Government’s grant, along with the grant and loan funding from City of Edinburgh Council, makes this project viable.

“This funding stands alongside the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant we are working so hard to secure, and the tireless efforts of our Development Team. There is, however, still a way to go to reach our financial target and we’ll be launching a public fundraising campaign later in the year.  

“This last push will build on the generous support shown during our period of closure, so the people of Edinburgh and Scotland can continue to play their part by helping us secure the future of the King’s as a historical and cultural treasure.”

Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “The King’s Theatre has been a jewel in Edinburgh’s cultural crown for more than a 100 years, with generations of audiences enjoying a rich diversity of shows from its annual pantomimes to world premieres at the Edinburgh International Festival.

“The Scottish Government is pleased to support the redevelopment of the grade A-listed theatre and enable the King’s Theatre to reach out to a wider range of audience and increase its community engagement.”

City of Edinburgh Council Culture and Communities Convener, Cllr Donald Wilson said: “The King’s has been a beloved Edinburgh theatre for over a century, programming the best in touring drama, hosting some of the most talented community and non-professional groups; and certainly the best in pantomime, as well as bringing all kinds of theatre experiences to the city from all over the country, including London’s West End. 

“The ‘Grand Old Lady of Leven Street’ has always been Edinburgh’s theatre for everyone.” 

Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener said: “The King’s is in need of this capital project to bring the theatre back to a standard fit for the 21st century whilst acknowledging the incredible history. 

“This capital funding contribution is great news and a fantastic achievement for the theatre and will substantially strengthen its redevelopment ambitions, ensuring that we will all be able to continue to enjoy a great night at the King’s for many more years and generations to come.”