Charity envisions a world-class heritage destination
An international fundraising campaign has launched just ahead of St Andrew's Day to save the farm where Robert Burns wrote Auld Lang Syne and more than a quarter of his entire body of work.
The Saving the Home of Auld Lang Syne campaign seeks to raise £12 million to restore the only home built by Burns, safeguard a collection of national importance, and create a world-class cultural destination in Dumfriesshire that connects the poet's legacy with contemporary creativity.
The launch marks another milestone for The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust, which was formed in 2020 to save the site, and has made substantial progress in engaging the public, including recreating the site in Minecraft, developing income-generating holiday accommodation and restoring the “Burns Family Flute” in its collection, so it could be played after centuries of silence.
Ellisland achieved official museum accreditation in 2023 and the charity has received financial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, South of Scotland Enterprise, Museums Galleries Scotland, The Architectural Heritage Fund and the Holywood Trust to develop restoration plans.
Duncan Dornan, chair of the Robert Burns Ellisland Trust, who was previously Head of Museums and Collections at Glasgow Life and led the £68m Burrell Renaissance, said: "Tonight marks the beginning of an ambitious campaign to secure the future of a site of international cultural significance. Having led the Burrell Renaissance, I know what can be achieved when vision meets determination and commitment.
“Ellisland has that same potential to become both a national landmark and a source of enduring inspiration. This is our opportunity to preserve the home where the world's most famous song was born and ensure it thrives for generations to come."
The launch event, hosted at Collective Architecture’s Glasgow studio, will feature the premiere of a specially commissioned film produced by Edinburgh filmmakers Stroma, featuring Scotland’s national Makar, Peter Mackay, and the former Poet Laureate of Jamaica, Lorna Goodison, who recently completed a Scottish Poetry Library residency at Ellisland. Gerard Carruthers, Francis Hutcheson Professor of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow, and one of the world’s leading Burns scholars, contributes to the film and will speak at the event.
Despite its heritage significance, Ellisland faces serious challenges. The Category A listed building near Dumfries was designed and built by Burns himself as a home for Jean Armour and their children, but it has suffered from years of damp, decay and structural deterioration.
A 2021 conservation study funded by Historic Environment Scotland confirmed that the buildings could not safely house the museum's collection without extensive repair and restoration.
The time Burns spent at Ellisland was his most productive period. It was here that he wrote Tam o Shanter, My Heart's in the Highlands, Banks and Braes, and more than a quarter of his total output.
By far his most famous work written at Ellisland is Auld Lang Syne, a song that has become woven into the fabric of global culture, carried around the world by Scots emigrating in the 19th century. The song became particularly popular in the USA and the association between New Year’s Eve and Auld Lang Syne became embedded in American culture in the early part of the 20th century. However, most people who sing it don't know it was written at this scenic Dumfriesshire farm, beside the River Nith.
As well as leading the Burrell Renaissance redevelopment, which received the Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2023, Dornan was previously General Manager at The National Museum of Rural Life. As current Chair of Museums Galleries Scotland, he brings expertise in ensuring Scotland's heritage organisations achieve the highest standards of excellence and sustainability.
Joan McAlpine, the former MSP for South Scotland and previously Convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s Culture Committee has led the development of Ellisland as Project Director since 2021. She was previously chair of the Trust set up to save Ellisland.
McAlpine said: "This campaign is about reconnecting people with the landscape and creativity that shaped Burns's greatest works. Over the past few years, we've undertaken extensive research and consultation to understand what Ellisland needs structurally, and to explore what it could become. It quickly became clear to us that we had to find a way to also make the site sustainable – generating income to support the heritage and culture.
“This site has immense potential as both a cultural destination and an engine for regional economic regeneration. We're building a place where today's artists and musicians can find inspiration in the same surroundings that gave us Auld Lang Syne, while creating sustainable opportunities for our local community and visitors from around the world."
