£300,000 funding available to help communities celebrate Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022
Organisations are being invited to help celebrate storytelling in Scotland.
Groups from across the country are able to apply for funding to host events and activities that will celebrate Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022.
The new fund, which is worth £300,000, is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.
Themed Years showcase the very best of Scotland, its product, places and its people. The Year of Stories 2022 will spotlight, celebrate and promote the wealth of stories inspired by, written, or created in Scotland. Stories are vital to every part of Scotland. Every community has its own tales to tell and the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund will enable groups to share the unique stories that matter to them.
With awards of between £500 and £5,000 available, the fund will provide an opportunity for new, creative events, activities and programming which showcase the five Year of Stories 2022 programme strands: Iconic Stories and Storytellers; New Stories; Scotland’s People and Places; Local Tales and Legends; and Inspired by Nature.
The Community Stories Fund will complement the Year of Stories 2022 Open Events Programme, shining a spotlight on the cultural heritage of Scotland’s communities, inspiring new stories of Scotland to be shared, and creating a year-long programme of events and activities.
The fund aims to contribute to the recovery of the sector from the pandemic, supporting a range of local businesses and individuals including local attractions, museums, venues, artists, creatives, and tourism and heritage networks.
Culture minister Jenny Gilruth said: “The latest in our series of Themed Years – Year of Stories 2022 – celebrates the diverse stories that Scotland has to offer. The Community Stories Fund, supported by the Scottish Government through VisitScotland, gives communities across the country the opportunity to tell their stories, in their own words.
“I urge community groups and organisations to apply for this funding, as it plays an important part in our collective recovery from the significant challenges we have faced since the beginning of the pandemic.”
Lucy Casot, chief executive of Museums Galleries Scotland, said: “We are very pleased to be working with VisitScotland to offer this funding to community groups, museums, heritage and other organisations to participate in this nation-wide celebration of Scotland’s stories. The Year of Stories 2022 is a real opportunity for communities to celebrate their part in telling the rich and varied stories that make Scotland. This funding will enable groups to engage with audiences in creative ways across the country to highlight community stories and work with community spaces, museums and galleries, heritage sites, and visitor attractions.”
Caroline Clark, director in Scotland, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are thrilled to support Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. A community’s shared stories, whether spoken or written, are what gives you a sense of heritage, place, history, and belonging.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will strengthen communities across Scotland by helping all of us celebrate and better understand our heritage and history, as well as inspiring everyone involved to discover their own stories. Scotland is home to fascinating heritage and we know it is a great way of bringing people together and creating a sense of pride of place, that in turn can deliver wider economic and wellbeing benefits.”
Groups and organisations can apply for funding for public facing events that are in-person, virtual or hybrid that will take place in 2022. The first round of funding opens today (11 August), with a deadline for applications on 1 October. A further round of funding will open on 24 January 2022.
Full details of how to apply for funding can be found on the Museums Galleries Scotland website.
