SUBMISSION FROM FÈISEAN NAN GÀIDHEAL

Public Services Reform () Bill

Background to Fèisean nan Gàidheal

1. Fèisean nan Gàidheal’s aim is to make Gaelic arts, language and culture more accessible and more widely appreciated through the support and development of around 45 community-based tuition Fèisean, primarily for young people, which take place throughout Scotland. It is an independent organisation supporting tuition in Gaelic song, Gaelic drama, Gaelic language, traditional music and dance to over 6,000 young people annually.

2. Fèisean nan Gàidheal is also involved in providing traditional music tuition in schools through the ’s Youth Music Initiative, and in 2008-09 over 6,200 pupils in primary schools within the Highland Council and East Lothian Council areas benefited from this. We operate Meanbh-Chuileag, the only Gaelic theatre-in-education service which, although it is part-time due to funding constraints, nevertheless manages to offer a drama experience to around 2,300 school pupils annually. Fèisean nan Gàidheal also runs the Blas Festival in partnership with the Highland Council and the Promoters’ Arts Network which, in 2008, attracted an audience of nearly 9,500 people to over 70 events across the Highlands. Cèilidh Trails, organised by 7 Fèisean, reach an audience of over 11,000 people during the summer months.

3. Our funding comes principally from the Scottish Arts Council, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, The Highland Council and Bòrd na Gàidhlig. Other funders contribute to our work in a more limited way, or on a project-by- project basis, including Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Argyll & Bute Council, Western Isles, the , European Social Fund, The Heritage Lottery Fund and so forth.

4. An economic impact assessment of Fèisean nan Gàidheal, carried out on behalf of Highlands & Islands Enterprise in 2006, showed that our work supported over 60 FTE posts, and our turnover in 2008-09 was in the region of £1.35m.

5. Our objectives are to:

ƒ provide support, including finance, for the development of individual Fèisean, promoting excellent working practices, and developing their range of activities ƒ develop the use of the Gaelic language within the Fèis movement, developing the spoken word as a means of communication and medium for tuition, according to the needs of the community each Fèis serves ƒ develop the work of the Fèisean within the formal education sector ƒ deliver strategic projects and contract work, with partners, carried out by Fèisean nan Gàidheal and individual Fèisean

ƒ develop training to enhance the skills of those involved in Fèisean and promote excellence within the Fèis movement ƒ continue to foster closer links between Fèisean, other organisations and other countries, and raise the profile of the Fèis movement through enhanced PR and showcase opportunities.

6. While Fèisean nan Gàidheal exists first and foremost to offer a range of useful services to its member Fèisean, we are also involved in strategic projects that benefit the Fèisean consistent with our aims and objectives.

7. Fèisean nan Gàidheal is a key partner in the Gaelic Arts Strategic Development (GASD) group which has developed a National Gaelic Arts Strategy. Another key project currently under development is a Fèis Academy, in partnership with the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the University of the Highlands & Islands and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. We recently sent a submission to the Traditional Arts Working Group, which may inform policy in relation to .

8. In 2008, Fèisean nan Gaidheal was commissioned by Highland 2007 to produce a new work for the finale to an event in Eden Court Theatre marking the end of the Highland Year of Culture. ‘Dealbh Dùthcha’ (Portrait of a Country) featured 27 young people from Fèisean all over the Highlands & Islands playing new music and songs commissioned from Skye-based composer, Blair Douglas. It incorporated several elements of Highland culture - traditional music, Gaelic song, step dance and images of Highland landscapes and people - and was performed in Liverpool as Scotland’s sole contribution to the Liverpool 2008: European City of Culture celebrations.

General comments on The Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill – Creative Scotland

9. Fèisean nan Gàidheal welcomes the general principles of The Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill and has been asked to comment specifically on the parts that relate to Creative Scotland.

10. We support the amalgamation of the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen in a new body - Creative Scotland - and hope that its establishment will offer an opportunity to create new support mechanisms for the development of creativity in Scotland.

11. The activities of Creative Scotland have the potential to increase the use and understanding of Gaelic in Scotland, strengthening our work in the process. Fèisean nan Gàidheal believes that one mechanism to ensure that support for the Gaelic arts, and the use of Gaelic, is maintained and developed by Creative Scotland would be through the preparation of a Gaelic Language Plan which may be required by Bòrd na Gàidhlig. In the absence of a formal Gaelic Plan at the time of its establishment Fèisean nan Gàidheal would strongly advocate that, consistent with the spirit of the Gaelic Language Act affording Gaelic equal respect with English, the opportunity should not be missed to develop a bilingual corporate identity for Creative Scotland, or to

use Gaelic in signage within its offices. We would look to having at least one Gaelic speaker among the members of the new Creative Scotland board, or that the ability to speak Gaelic should be included as a desirable skill in the person specification used for appointments to the board.

12. Fèisean nan Gàidheal wishes to acknowledge the exemplary support provided by the Scottish Arts Council to Gaelic arts and culture over many years, and believes that Creative Scotland should seek to maintain and build on that level of support. We, therefore, welcome the commitment made to the Scottish Parliament on 2 April 2009, by Michael Russell MSP, Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, that Creative Scotland will support an arts officer dedicated solely to working with partners on delivery of the National Gaelic Arts Strategy. He said: "The combination of a National Gaelic Arts Strategy and a Gaelic Arts Officer supported by the lead cultural body in Scotland demonstrates a clear commitment to Gaelic arts and I am pleased to see this is a central priority for Creative Scotland.”

13. Given the central priority outlined by the Minister, we would want support for the Gaelic arts and culture to be embedded in Creative Scotland’s functions within the Bill, contributing to delivering the general objective of Ministers to secure the status of the Gaelic language in Scotland and to enshrine Michael Russell’s commitment in particular.

14. Fèisean nan Gàidheal considers the powers and functions proposed for Creative Scotland to be appropriate to the task the Scottish Government envisages. We believe, however, that in the same way as there is a definition in the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 of Gaelic culture – “includes the traditions, ideas, customs, heritage and identity of those who speak or understand the Gaelic language” - a definition of ‘arts and culture’, would be useful in this Bill, particularly is seeking to ensure that in relation to Creative Scotland’s remit, Gaelic arts will continue to be developed and supported.

Proposed amendments

15. Consistent with our general comments above, we would propose that the following amendments to the Bill be considered:

ƒ In Part 3, 26 (1) “… known as Creative Scotland”, we would propose the addition of “and/or its Gaelic equivalent Alba Chruthachail”. ƒ In Part 3, 27 (2) “who access and participate in the arts and culture”, we would propose the addition of “and having regard to provisions for, and definition of, Gaelic Culture as set out in the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.” ƒ In Part 3, 28 (4) “as the Scottish Ministers may determine” we would propose the addition of “and have regard to provisions for, and definitions of, Gaelic Culture as set out in the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.” ƒ In Schedule 5, 2 (1) we would propose the addition of a sub-clause (c) “at least one member should be a speaker of the Gaelic language as used in Scotland.”

ƒ In Schedule 5, 10 (2) we would propose the addition of a sub-clause (k) “do so with regard to the Gaelic language as an official language of Scotland commanding equal respect to the English language.”