HIE Boost For Skills In Traditional Arts - £632,000

6th February 2007

Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd/Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) have announced a new investment package into the development of the Fèisean movement in the Highlands & Islands.

HIE's investment will focus on creating benefits for the creative industries, cultural tourism initiatives and skills development amongst young people.

HIE has awarded £632,000 over the next three years to Fèisean nan Gàidheal - the independent national association of Gaelic arts tuition festivals (fèisean) - to help them expand, improve and build on the success the movement has enjoyed over the last 25 years. Fèisean nan Gàidheal will also receive funding from the Scottish Arts Council, Highland Council and Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

As well as supporting Fèisean nan Gàidheal and local Fèisean, HIE investment will be targeted towards some key projects and developments. These include expanding the Fèis Cèilidh Trails, allowing young people the opportunity to tour and perform at local venues. A Ceòl nam Fèis (music of the Fèisean) tour is planned, showcasing the talents emerging from the Fèis movement as part of the Scottish Year of Highland Culture in 2007. The Gaelic drama sector will be developed as well as a Fèis training programme
and smaller-scale seedbed funding will be made available for developing new and innovative projects.

HIE recently commissioned a study into the Fèisean movement and its influence over a number of issues. Results showed that 61 percent of respondents reported that the Fèisean had a positive influence on their decision to return to the Highlands and Islands.

Alasdair MacLeòid, HIE Gaelic policy manager said: "HIE supports Fèisean nan Gàidheal as the umbrella organisation providing access to resources that will allow the local fèisean to grow and flourish. The growth of the fèis movement since the first event in 1981 has been quite phenomenal.

"There is no doubt that the Fèisean have made a tangible and long-lasting impact on the cultural vibrancy and sense of pride in our native music and language across the Gàidhealtachd over the last 20 to 25 years. The Fèisean provide a real opportunity for us to build on our cultural heritage and create real and tangible benefits for the cultural, creative and tourism sectors."

The original Fèis Bharraigh was held on the island of Barra in 1981 when a group of parents and other individuals became concerned that local traditions were dying out and that island children were not being taught traditional music in the context of formal education.

Inspired by the success of this first Fèis, many other communities throughout the Highlands and Islands, and beyond, have established similar events. These individual Fèisean are now corporate members of Fèisean nan Gàidheal, the national development and support agency for Fèisean.

Fèisean nan Gàidheal estimates that more than 11,000 young people currently participate in the work of the 43 Fèisean that take place each year and around 60 FTE jobs are created as a result of its activities.

Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson MSP, welcomed HIE's funding announcement. She said: "Fèisean nan Gàidheal is an established and valued part of Scottish cultural life and we should all be proud of its success. It has made an immense contribution to the lives of many young people and has strengthened both traditional music and the Gaelic language throughout Scotland.

"From modest origins Fèisean nan Gàidheal has experienced sustained growth, it has expanded into many areas of Scotland and its commitment to Gaelicm remains undiminished.

"It is initiatives such as this that are needed to give Gaelic speakers the confidence to use and pass on their language and thus create a sustainable future for Gaelic in Scotland."

Arthur Cormack chief executive of Fèisean nan Gàidheal, said: "We are delighted that HIE is providing this three year funding package. The contribution the Feisean have made to sustaining the Gaelic language and the local communities where they take place, and building the confidence of the young participants, is a story that we see repeated in so much of our cultural activities.

"Only a small proportion will go on to become professional musicians or to perform in public, but so many people learn an instrument or sing just for fun, and that's great.

"The skills taught at Fèisean are a highly-valued aspect of the informal education of young people. Most importantly, the Fèis experience is valued by the young participants themselves, and they seem to use the skills learned in a practical way, and I am also encouraged by the large numbers who seem moved to progress to learning Gaelic. The Fèisean are considered by many as one of the most successful arts initiatives in Scotland."

The Fèis movement was awarded the Community Project of the Year at the 2006 Scots Traditional Music Awards and have recently published a substantial book charting the history and progress of the movement over the first 25 years.

Gaelic News and Links On Caithness.org

Highland 2007

Gaelic
Fèisean nan Gàidheal - Maoineachadh bho HIE

Bidh Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean a' maoineachadh Fèisean nan Gàidheal le £632,000 airson trì bliadhna eile.

Cuidichidh an airgead cruthachadh buannachdan airson iomairtean cruthachail, cultarail is turasachd agus leasachadh sgilean a measg dhaoine òga.

Gheibh Fèisean nan Gàidheal maoineachadh cuideachd bho Bhòrd na Gàidhlig, Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus Comhairle Ealain na h-Alba.

Chaidh Fèisean nan Gàidheal a stèidheachadh ann an 1988 mar bhuidheann-sgàile neo-eisimeileach iomairt nam Fèisean. Tha a' bhuidheann a' tabhann taic-airgid, programan-trèanaidh, àrachas, 'banca' ionnstramaidean-ciùil, foillseachadh stuthan-teagaisg, agus mòran sheirbheisean eile do na Fèisean.

Tha na Fèisean air mòran a dhèanamh airson Gàidhlig agus cultar nan Gàidheal a bhrosnachadh, agus tha sin follaiseach anns na h-àireamhan mòra de dhaoine òga aig a bheil ùidh agus comas ann an ceòl Gàidhealach, òrain Ghàidhlig agus dràma Gàidhlig, a bharrachd air a' chànan fhèin. Gu cudthromach tha iad a' brosnachadh dhaoine pàirt a ghabhail anns a' chultar luachmhor a th' againne, agus a' teagasg sgilean, a bha aig aon àm air an ionnsachadh tro bheul-aithris.

Rinn HIE sgrùdadh air am buaidh a th'air na fèisean air iomadh cùis. Tha e soilleir bhon seo gu bheil na fèisean a' toirt buaidh dòchasach air 61 duine sa cheud air an co-dhùnadh air tilleadh don Ghàidhealtachd agus na h-Eileanan.

Thuirt Alasdair MacLeòid, manaidsear poileasaidh na Gàidhlig aig HIE: "Tha HIE a' toirt taic do Fhèisean nan Gàidheal airson cuideachadh leudachadh na goireasan a th'aca ma thràth. Bha a' chiad tachartas ann an 1981 agus bhon uairsin tha an leasachadh air a bhith glè iongantach.

Tha na Fèisean air buaidh bhunaiteach a chuir air dealas cultarach agus am pròis a th'anns ar ceòl dùthchasach agus cànan anns a' Ghàidhealtachd anns na 20-25 bliadhna a chaidh seachad. Tha na Fèisean a' toirt cothrom dhuinn a thogail air ar dualchas cultarach, agus buannachdan a thogail airson roinnean turasachd, cultarach agus cruthachail.

Chaidh a' chiad fhèis a chur air bhog nuair a thòisich buidheann de phàrantan ann am Barraigh a' gabhail dragh gun robh dualchas an eilein a' dol bàs is nach robh an cuid chloinne ag ionnsachadh ceòl traidiseanta anns an sgoil. Mar dhòigh gus an suidheachadh seo a leasachadh, chaidh a' chiad Fhèis Bharraigh a chumail anns an Eilean ann an 1981.

Nuair a chualas cho mòr is a shoirbhich Fèis Bharraigh, thòisich coimhearsnachdan air feadh Alba a' cur nam Fèisean aca fhèin air dòigh. Tha a' mhòr-chuid de dh'Fhèisean fhathast gan ruith le comataidhean saor-thoileach.

Tha Fèisean nan Gàidheal a' tuairmse gu bheil còrr air 11,000 daoine òga an-dràsta a' gabhail pàirt anns na 43 Fèisean a tha a' dol air adhart gach bliadhna, agus timcheall air 60 dreuchdan air an cruthachadh mar phàirt de na cur-seachadan.

Thuirt Ministear an Turasachd, a' chultair agus an Spòrs, Patricia NicFhearghais: "Tha Fèisean nan Gàidheal stèidhte agus air an luach mar phàirt de bheatha chultarach Alba agus bu chòrr dhuinn a bhith pròiseil air cho soirbheachail sa tha e. Tha na fèisean air cuideachadh mòr a dhèanamh airson daoine òga agus air neartachadh ceòl traidiseanta agus Gàidhlig mar chànain air feadh Alba.

"Tha Fèisean nan Gàidheal eòlach air fàs seasmhach agus e air leudachadh gu iomadh cheàrnaidh ann an Alba leis an dealas a thaobh a' Ghàidhlig fhathast àrd.

"Tha feum air iomairtean mar seo airson a thoirt misneachd do dhaoine a bhios bruidhinn Gàidhlig gus cleachdadh agus mar seo Gaelic a chumail seasmhachd ann an Alba san àm ri teachd."

Thuirt Art Cormack, àrd oifigear Fèisean nan Gàidheal: "Tha sinn air leth toilichte gum bi HIE a' maoineachadh Fèisean nan Gaidheal airson trì bliadhna eile. Tha Fèisean nan Gàidheal air cuideachadh mòr a dhèanamh a thaobh na cànain a cumail buan, na coimhearsnachdan far am bi iad a' gabhail àite agus a' togail misneachd a measg dhaoine òga. 'S e seo rud a tha sinn a' faicinn uair is uair anns ar gnìomhaichean chultarach.

"Thèid ach glè bheag den chlann air adhart a bhith nan luchd-ciùil proifeiseanta, no a' cluich ann an àite poblach, ach tha e math gum bi iomadh dhaibh ag ionnsachadh ionnsramaidean no seinn airson spòrs."

"Tha luach mòr air na sgilean a dh'ionnsaicheas na daoine òga aig na Fèisean, mar pàirt de foghlam neo-fhoirmeil. Tha na Fèisean air an luach leotha, agus bithear ag ionnsachadh agus a' cleachdadh na sgilean ann an dòigh practaigeach. Tha mi cuideachd air mo mhisneachadh air co mheud a tha a' dol air adhart gus Gàidhlig ionnsachadh. Tha feadhainn air a' bheachd a ghabhail gur e Fèisean nan Gàidheal aon de na h-iomairtean as soirbheachail ann an Alba.

Chuir Ailean Caimbeul, Ceannard Bòrd na Gàidhlig fàilte chridheil air an naidheachd. Thuirt e: "Se fìor eisimpleir air leasachadh cultarail is coimhearsnachd a th'ann am Fèisean nan Gàidheal, agus chan eil teagamh nach eil iad àraidh air a h-uile taic a tha dol thuca. Mar phrìomh bhuidhinn taice tha am Bòrd a' cur fàilte mhòr air an naidheachd seo bho HIE. Tha an co-dhùnadh seo bhuapa na h-aithne air na caochladh dhòighean as am bheil nam Fèisean a' cur ri amasan cultarail, sòisealta, agus eacanomaigeach air
feadh na dùthcha. Tha an co-dhùnadh seo cuideachd na cheum chudromach anns a Phlana Gàidhlig a tha HIE a nise a deasachadh dhaibh fhèin le taic a Bhùird."

Fhuair Fèisean nan Gàidheal duais bho chionn ghoirid - Pròiseact Choimhearsnachd na Bliadhna aig Duaisean Ceòl Traidiseanta na h-Alba agus tha iad air leabhar fhoillseachadh air an eachdraidh agus adhartas anns a' chiad 25 bliadhna.

Gaelic News and Links On Caithness.org

Highland 2007