Culture – outputs from the SRIP study visit on 2nd November 2023
Session co-curated by Rachel Hunter, Ben Thomas (Museums and Heritage Highland) and Jennifer Hunter (Lived Experience Scotland).
This session offered a curated collaboration of culture from different perspectives, from place-based projects, to being outdoors and understanding how history has shaped the present day, and then exploring how people can work collaboratively to solve problems and create opportunities.
The first study trip involved a visit to community owned Arkaig Forest, to learn about community spaces and the role of culture in supporting rural and island communities. The second was a tour of the Highland Cinema, to hear about how the independent cinema came into being.
In the afternoon there were two talks, the first from Artist, Mary Bourne, who co-founded community arts project ‘Cabrach Reconnections’, in which she showed a short film and then explained how covid restrictions changed her work.
The second talk was from Heather Fulton from Atlas Arts, with support from Eilidh Rankin from Kilmuir Village Hall, which provided an insight into community cultural activities taking place on Skye.
Early letter sent to Ministerial Working Group on importance of positioning culture and heritage at heart of Rural Delivery Plan. We wait for action in relation to letter response and will brief relevant Minister accordingly. Work ongoing to build on legacy of Rural Arts Network Scotland.
Read the session report here!