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YS2022 Community Stories Fund programme launched

We’re delighted to announce the forty-seven projects supported through the first round of the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund.

Four people with medium-light skin - three teenagers and a child - sit around a table and draw with pencils.

About

From Shetland to Whithorn, and Inveraray to Arbroath, an exciting programme of storytelling events will take place the length and breadth of Scotland as part of the Year of Stories 2022. Forty-seven community groups, museums, and culture and heritage organisations have been supported through Round One of the Community Stories Fund – delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

The programme is designed to showcase the wealth of stories inspired by, written, or created in Scotland, with each community focusing on tales uniquely important to them.

Stories old and new will be told in a multitude of languages – including English, Gaelic, Scots, Arabic and British Sign Language – by the people who call Scotland home. Young people, refugees, the LGBTQ+ community and island dwellers, are among those who will bring Scotland’s distinct culture and heritage to life in this celebratory programme.

The lives and works of iconic Scots, Scotland’s diverse landscapes, local myths and legends, and participants’ own stories will inspire new events that engage audiences through an imaginative mix of storytelling, film screenings, live music, creative workshops, guided wildlife walks and more.

A man sits in front of a fire place with a mobile phone recording him. He's wearing a blue shirt and a brown jacket.
Auchindrain: Àdhamh Ó Broin, a Gaelic tradition-bearer, will share traditional songs and stories in English and Argyll Gaelic.

Supported events include...

  • Storytelling was a crucial element of the winter months in rural Scotland. Auchindrain, the best-preserved example of a Scottish Highland farm township, will aim to recreate this tradition from January to March through a series of storytelling sessions delivered in Argyll Gaelic and English.
  • From February to July, the Highland Museum of Childhood will offer local audiences of all generations the chance to connect and share their stories of growing up in the Highlands. A rich programme of activity includes informal story sharing sessions, creative writing and craft workshops.
  • ‘A Yarn Worth Spinning’ tells the story of the history and culture of textiles in the Scottish Borders – including the local industry’s links to colonialism and its role in high fashion. This innovation fashion show, exhibition and creative video essay will be hosted by The Great Tapestry of Scotland from April to June.
  • ‘Story Ceilidh’ is a unique cross-cultural collaboration, delivered by Magic Torch Comics, that will bring together stories related to Inverclyde with the stories of New Scots families who have settled there. This celebration of traditional tales, ballads and poems in Arabic, Scots and Gaelic will take place as part of Refugee Week in June.
  • As part of their 40th birthday celebrations, St Andrews Heritage Museum & Garden teams up with St Andrews Play Club to present a new comedy exploring the town’s history – taking in golf, the University and religion. This fun, historically inaccurate play will be performed in June and July.
  • Glasgow East Arts Company will work with residents from local housing associations to create a new living archive to share the distinctive story of Easterhouse. In November an exhibition will display archive material, poetry, writing and video, and a launch event will feature performances by professional storytellers, local writers and project participants.

Read about the full Community Stories Fund programme on VisitScotland’s website.

The Community Stories Fund programme takes place alongside larger-scale events supported through the Open Events Fund, and the Partner Events Programme of activity not directly funded by VisitScotland. These three strands make up the full Year of Stories 2022 programme which will begin on 1 January and run until 31 December 2022.

How to take part in YS2022

If you’re keen to get involved, there’s still time! Round 2 of the YS2022 Community Stories Fund opens for applications on 24 January 2022. Organisations and community groups, including museums and galleries, across Scotland are invited to apply for up to £5,000 to deliver new programming for audiences that celebrates Scotland’s rich storytelling and literary heritage.

How to apply to YS2022 Community Stories Fund.

And if you’re already hosting relevant activity in 2022 and don’t need to apply for funding, why not take part in the YS2022 Partner Events Programme? This is a free opportunity to have your event(s) listed on VisitScotland.com and potentially be included in VisitScotland’s wider Themed Years promotional activity.

In the meantime, join the Year of Stories conversation by using hashtags #YS2022 and #TalesOfScotland.

 

Hero image: A group of young people take part in a creative workshop in Greenock (credit: Magic Torch Comics)