Annual Report 2010 Table of Contents 1 Chair’s Foreword 2 2 Fèis Facts 4 3 Key Services and Activities 5 4 Board of Directors 14 5 Staffing Report 15 6 Fèis Membership and Activities 17 7 Financial Statement 2009-10 28 Fèisean nan Gàidheal is a company limited by guarantee, registration number SC130071, registered with OSCR as a Scottish Charity, number SC002040, and gratefully acknowledges the support of its main funders Scottish Arts Council | The Highland Council | Bòrd na Gàidhlig | Highlands & Islands Enterprise Comhairle nan Eilean Siar | Argyll & Bute Council 1 Chair’s Foreword I am delighted to commend to you this year’s Annual Report From Fèisean nan Gàidheal. 2009-10 has been a challenging, and busy, year For the organisation with many highlights, notably the success oF the Fèisean themselves. In difficult economic times, Fèisean nan Gàidheal’s focus will remain on ensuring that support for the Fèisean remains at the heart of this organisation’s efforts. Gaelic drama also continued to flourish with drama Fèisean in schools, Meanbh-Chuileag’s perFormance tour of Gaelic schools and a successFul Gaelic Drama Summer School. In addition work was begun on radio drama in the Iomairtean Gàidhlig areas, continuing to make a valuable contribution to increasing the use oF Gaelic among young people. Fèisean nan Gàidheal continued to develop its use oF Gaelic language with Gaelic training to stafF, volunteers and tutors. Our service provides support to Fèisean to ensure that they produce printed and web materials bilingually, and seeks to help Fèisean ensure a greater Gaelic content in their activities. During the year, we trained volunteers and tutors and we began to see the output From our exciting Archiving Project with two more publications from Fèis Cheann Loch Goibhle and the Inverness-based Fèis na h-Òige and Fèis a’ Bhaile. Blas 2009 was the most successFul yet, with a large number of events across the Highlands, among them special concerts in castles and distilleries tying in with some oF the themes oF Homecoming Scotland. We were grateful For additional funding from EventScotland, extra support and marketing from Homecoming Scotland, as well as the continued support oF other Funders and our main Blas partner, The Highland Council. Another highlight was Ceòl nam Fèis 2009 at Eden Court, a special showcase concert marking the end oF the Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations. We welcomed Richard Lochhead MSP, the Cabinet Secretary For Rural AfFairs and Environment to this was well-attended event. Highlights were broadcast on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal on New Year’s Day. Another project oF note was one involving Western Isles-based Fèisean in a special event For the HebCelt Festival. Ar Dachaigh featured young people From the island Fèisean and was rounded off with a song called Glaodh an Iar, specially-written by Calum MacDonald oF Runrig and his son, Donald. In August 2009, Fèisean nan Gàidheal’s was visited separately by Michael Russell MSP, then Minister for Culture, External AfFairs and the Constitution and Fiona Hyslop MSP, then Cabinet Secretary For Education and LiFelong Learning. Both Ministers showed a great interest in the work oF the Fèisean and were keen to Find out how we support local groups and how we incorporate Gaelic language in our work. I would like to pass on my sincere thanks to the staFF oF Fèisean nan Gàidheal for their tremendous hard work and dedication over the year; to my colleagues on the Board who give up a great deal oF time and expertise to lead the organisation; and oF course to the many hard-working and dedicated volunteer and paid Fèis organisers, the tutors and the young people who are the heart and soul of Fèisean nan Gàidheal. At the end of 2009 we were sorry to lose David Boag who gave Fèisean nan Gàidheal great service in the 12 years he was with us. He has moved on to a new senior post within Bòrd na Gàidhlig and we wish him well in this new, challenging work. Following a recruitment process, Calum Alex Macmillan was appointed as Development Manager and took up his post in January 2010. Fèisean nan Gàidheal is extremely grateful to its Funders For continuing to support our work, which research has show to provide many beneFits for the young people we work with. In difficult economic times, we hope that support will continue from our main funders the Scottish Arts Council, The Highland Council, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Argyll & Bute Council. We are also grateful For the support of a wide range of other funders for specific projects. 2 We expect the coming year, and perhaps the next Few years, to be challenging Financially. Fèisean nan Gàidheal’s reputation has been built on ensuring delivery oF a wide range oF projects, always with a beneFit to the Fèisean. There will challenges in the times ahead, but we also think there will be opportunities, and it is likely that we will have to adapt what we do to make the most oF those opportunities. We have prepared a new Development Plan, with conFidence, and we will move ahead and continue to ensure support and, where possible, growth in the work of the Fèisean. Catriona MacIntyre Chair September 2010 3 2 Fèis Facts 2009-10 Total participants in Fèisean nan Gàidheal Programme Total number of Fèisean 44 Fèisean Highland Council Area 19 Total number oF individual participants in Fèis Activities 7,363 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 7 Total grants pledged by Fèisean nan Gàidheal £131,796 Argyll and Bute 7 Total expenditure by Fèisean £401,474 Edinburgh City 1 Classes and Workshops North Lanarkshire 1 Total grants pledged by Fèisean nan Gàidheal £74,745 Glasgow City 1 Total expenditure by Fèisean £186,862 West Dunbartonshire 1 Administrators employed through Annualised Hours North Ayrshire 1 Full-time equivalent posts 1.9 Inverclyde 1 Total grants pledged by Fèisean nan Gàidheal £19,800 Stirlingshire 1 Fèis Development Fund Aberdeen City 1 Total value oF activities £126,182 Morayshire 1 Total granted by Fèisean nan Gàidheal £57,490 East Dunbartonshire 1 Cèilidh Trails Perthshire 1 Total grants pledged by Fèisean nan Gàidheal £26,000 Other Activities YMI: Number oF Participants 3,873 Meanbh-Chuileag and Drama Fèisean audience 855 Blas audience 12,008 Cèilidh Trail and Showcases 11,470 TOTAL GRANTS PLEDGED IN 2009-10 £309,831 TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS/AUDIENCE 35,569 Members of Fèisean nan Gàidheal during 2009-10 Fèis Name Location Fèis Name Location Fèis an Earraich Plockton Fèis Arainn Isle oF Arran Fèis Lochabair Fort William Fèis Mhoireibh Elgin Fèis nan Garbh Chrìochan Acharacle Fèis Tìr a' Mhurain South Uist Fèis Chataibh Golspie Fèis Eilean an Fhraoich Stornoway Fèis a' Bhealaich Applecross Fèis Tìr an Eòrna North Uist Fèis Rois nan Deugairean Ullapool Fèis Bharraigh Isle oF Barra Fèis Eige Isle oF Eigg Fèis Eilean na Hearadh Isle oF Harris Fèis Rois Òigridh Ullapool Fèis an Rubha Point, Isle oF Lewis Fèis Farr Strathnairn Fèis Taigh Dhonnchaidh Ness, Isle oF Lewis Fèis na h-Òige Inverness Fèis Cholla Isle oF Coll Fèis Air an Oir Strathy Fèis Latharna Oban Feis Ghlinn Albainn Fort Augustus Fèis Mhuile Isle oF Mull Fèis Ratharsaidh Isle oF Raasay Fèis Thiriodh Isle oF Tiree Fèis a' Bhaile Inverness Fèis Ìle agus Dhùira Islay and Jura Fèis Òigridh na Mara Mallaig Fèis Cheann Loch Goibhle Lochgoilhead Fèis Inbhir Narann Nairn Fèis an t-Sratha Blairgowrie & Rattray Fèis Spè Kingussie Fèis a’ Chaolais Bonar Bridge Fèis Dhùn Omhain Dunoon Fèis Ghallaibh Caithness Fèis Dhùn Bhreatainn Dumbarton Fèis Dhùn Èideann Edinburgh Fèis Ghlaschu Glasgow Fèis Innis an Uillt Bishopbriggs Fèis Lannraig a Tuath North Lanarkshire Fèis Naomh Conbhail Inverclyde Fèis Obar Dheathain Aberdeen Fèis Fhoirt Stirling 4 3 Key Services and Activities This section of the Annual Report is based on our Development Plan 2005–10. Each of the 6 key services is broken down into various activities and there is a summary of the progress made in relation to these activities in 2009-10. KEY SERVICE 1 Provide support for the development of individual Fèisean, promoting excellent working practices and developing their range of activities Service Activity Summary Grant Schemes for • Main Fèis grants In the year 2009-10 Fèisean nan Gàidheal granted £131.8k in Fèisean • Year round classes support oF 41 main Fèisean and £74.7k in support oF 33 • Development Fèisean running year round classes programmes. The Fund Development Fund supported projects with a further £53.8k, resulting in excess of £140k in new activity. Reducing the • A team of support During 2009-10, Fèisean nan Gàidheal employed 18 stafF burden on staFF totalling 14.6 FTEs. The Annualised Hours scheme provides volunteers • Range of support support For Fèisean to employ part-time administrators services within local communities across Scotland. In 2009-10 this • Policy support supported the equivalent oF 1.9 FTE posts. • Annualised Hours scheme Annual Conference • Hold an Annual The 2009 Annual General Meeting and ConFerence was held Conference For in Stornoway on 25 and 26 September, and was supported by member Fèisean. Fèis representatives from across Scotland. Fèisean nan Gàidheal stafF held a Fund-raising Cèilidh in the Clan MacQuarrie Centre while in Lewis. Insurance • Arrange adequate Fèisean nan Gàidheal negotiates a block insurance policy For insurance cover all member Fèisean, which includes cover For instruments, for the range of public and employers liability. Fèis activities Musical Instrument • Regular lending of Over the years, Fèisean nan Gàidheal has built up a wide Bank instruments to range of instruments in the bank, which are lent to Fèisean Fèisean across the country.