A collective voice for literature and languages in Scotland
Literature Alliance Scotland

Author International Travel Fund opens

Scottish Books International has established the Author International Travel Fund to support writers who have been invited overseas to promote their work.

SBI works on behalf of the literature sector in Scotland and is dedicated to the international promotion of books, writers, festivals and organisations.

Applicants can apply for a maximum of £1000 to support travel costs towards their trip.

Applications are welcome from the writer themselves, or from the organisation who has invited the author.

The fund opens 1 April 2019. You can apply at any time throughout the year. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis while there is an available budget for the quarter.

The fund aims to:

  • Increase opportunities for Scottish writers to attend festivals and other promotional or exchange events overseas.
  • Remove barriers for Scottish writers from all backgrounds to take up these opportunities.
  • Develop relationships between Scottish writers and festivals, publishers and organisations overseas.

Find out about eligibility and how to apply for the Author International Travel Fund at Scottish Books International.

SBI is online via scottishbooksinternational.org and on Twitter @ScotBooksInt

 

April 1, 2019
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Malachy Tallack longlisted for 2019 RSL Ondaatje Prize

Huge congratulations to author Malachy Tallack whose book The Valley at the Centre of the World (Canongate) has been longlisted amongst 20 titles for this year’s RLS Ondaatje Prize.

The annual award of £10,000 for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place.

This is the first time the RLS has announced a longlist – in celebration of the 15th year of the Prize.

Credit: rsliterature.org

The shortlist will be announced at an event on Tuesday 16 April with the winner announced on Monday 13 May.

March 28, 2019
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Rebranded Wigtown Poetry Prize 2019 opens

The refreshed and rebranded International Poetry Prize is now open.

Wigtown Poetry Prize welcomes entries from poets writing in English wherever you live.

Separate categories celebrate the best of Scottish Gaelic and Scots language poetry, a special category acknowledges a rising talent in Dumfries & Galloway, and a new pamphlet prize is named in memory of Alastair Reid – local poet and one of Scotland’s foremost literary figures.

Based in Scotland’s National Book Town for over a decade, Wigtown Poetry Competition has become one of the UK’s best established writing prizes and a launchpad for many writers’ careers.

Deadline: Friday 7 June 2019.
A prize-giving will be held at Wigtown Book Festival in the autumn.

 

March 22, 2019
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Scottish Writers’ Centre launches chapbooks

Scottish Writers Centre is launching a series of chapbooks and wants your unpublished submissions of poetry, prose-poetry and flash fiction.

Entries can be written in any of the languages of Scotland and can be standalone pieces or one work / a collection of flash/poetry to be serialised.

The chapbooks will celebrate Scotland and showcase the best of our contemporary writers and aim to reflect SWC’s commitment to Scottish writing and writers, from the islands to the border.

Successful submissions will be paid at a rate of £10, plus a copy of the chapbook.

The writer chosen for serialisation will be paid a total of £100, plus copies of each chapbook.

The first theme is Island and Sea.

Deadline: midnight on Tues 30 Apr for issue 1. 

Please see the Scottish Writers’ Centre website for more information and submission / eligibility guidelines.

 

 

 

 

March 20, 2019
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‘Fishnet’ and ‘Maggie & Me’ optioned for television

STV Productions drama team has secured the television rights to a debut novel and a memoir by Scottish authors.

STV Productions has optioned Maggie and Me, the best-selling book by writer and columnist Damian Barr.  A poignant and painfully funny memoir about growing up gay in Thatcher’s Britain, it won Sunday Times Memoir of the Year, and was BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. BAFTA nominated writer Andrea Gibb will develop the story as a long running series for TV. Gibb’s recent work includes feature film Swallows and Amazons and BBC series Call The Midwife.

Damian Barr said: “Andrea was always my dream writer – her work keeps me thinking long after I’ve stopped laughing or crying (she regularly evokes both). And with Claire and Sarah I have the dream team. I couldn’t be more delighted.  Maggie & Me is in hands I truly trust and I am excited to work on it with them.”

Fishnet – written by award-winning journalist Kirstin Innes, has been optioned for development as a serial for television. Winner of The Guardian’s Not The Booker Prize in 2015, this gripping and thought provoking story follows Fiona’s obsessive search for her missing sister who disappeared six years ago leaving her baby in Fiona’s care. As she digs deeper into her sister’s secret life, she is drawn into the dark and complex world of Scotland’s sex industry. The shocking discoveries she makes will challenge everything she believed about sex work, and about the lost sister she thought she knew.

Kirstin Innes said: “Fishnet is about sex work, sisterhood and everyday economics, and is the result of three years’ worth of research. I am incredibly excited by STV’s vision for the book and can’t wait to see it on screen”

Both series will be developed by STV’s Claire Armspach and Sarah Brown, with Sarah as Executive Producer.

Sarah said: “As soon as we read Kirstin’s sensational debut novel, we knew it was the perfect material for television. This is no ordinary crime novel – along with its brilliantly plotted mystery, and wonderful characters, Kirstin’s book asks some brave and provocative questions about the world we live in. Similarly, Damian’s extraordinary book not only defines the experience of a generation of Thatcher’s children but will offer viewers an original, joyful and universal story about the triumph of the human spirit.  We are incredibly excited to be working once again with some of the best creative talent in Scotland and bringing both of these fantastic books to the screen.”

STV Productions has a track record of producing quality drama, with four part thriller The Victim – starring Kelly Macdonald and John Hannah – transmitting later this year on BBC One. STV Productions has also confirmed a second BBC drama commission – Elizabeth is Missing, adapted from Emma Healey’s novel by Andrea Gibb.  Last year, as part of a wider strategy announcement, STV confirmed ambitious plans to grow STV Productions into a world-class production company.

Ends

For further information, please contact the STV press office:

Katie Martin
0141 3003109
katie.martin@stv.tv

Anna Hendry
0141 300 3830
anna.hendry@stv.tv

March 20, 2019
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CS Open Project Awards for Literature: February 2019

More than £790,000 of National Lottery funding has been awarded to 31 recipients through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, including individual artists, musicians, writers, theatre makers, festivals and organisations working across the arts, screen and creative industries.

Congratulations to the following who received funding in February 2019 in Literature:

Aye Write! (14-31 March 2019) and Wee Write! (1-8 March 2019) at Glasgow’s Book Festival for Children & Young People will bring the best Scottish and international authors to Glasgow.

Open Book will deliver reading and creative writing sessions with new partners in library and community settings in Stranraer, Ullapool, Kirkwall (Orkney), Aberdeen, the Borders, and Fife.

Marjorie Gill commented: “Every centre that we approached to discuss the possibility of starting an Open Book group took us up on the idea immediately and we can’t wait to get started.”

Glasgow Zine Library will continue their programme of workshops, talks and screenings at their archive and lending library on the ground floor of 16 Nicholson Street, Glasgow. Their largest programming component is Glasgow Zine Fest, held in CCA from 20-21 April 2019.

CoastWord 2019 will bring together established and emerging writers in Dunbar from 24-26 May 2019. The 2019 festival will explore the theme: Scotland 2019, through discussions, talks and performance with distinguished historians, songwriters and writers whose work explores and reflects the social and cultural changes in Scotland and how Scotland, her characters and political and cultural climate affects and influences their work.

For funding information across the cultural sectors read the announcement on Creative Scotland’s website.

February 28, 2019
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CS Open Project Fund supports Shared Stories: A Year in the Cairngorms

Congratulations to writer Merryn Glover who received funding through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund for Shared Stories: A Year in the Cairngorms – a creative writing project that will take place in the Cairngorms National Park throughout 2019.

Aiming to increase public appreciation for the unique nature of the Park, the initiative also sets out to explore the inter-dependent relationship between people and the natural environment through artistic responses. The project represents a significant new venture providing a model for National Park engagement with artists, is managed by the Cairngorms National Park Authority and facilitated by Writer-in-Residence, Merryn Glover.

Outdoor Learning Officer Cairngorms National Park Authority, Alan Smith said: “The project has come about from the fact that we all know – that the well-being of the natural environment and the people of the Park is inter-dependent. This project aims to delve deeper into that relationship through creative writing and story-telling activities with participants creating pieces of writing that inspire and give insights into our relationship with the landscape and wildlife – along with outdoor experiences in the Park – to a wider audience.”

More than  £440,000 of National Lottery funding was awarded last month to 31 recipients through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, including individual artists, musicians, writers, theatre makers, festivals and organisations working across the arts, screen and creative industries. For funding information across the cultural sectors read the announcement on Creative Scotland’s website.

January 31, 2019
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A Culture Strategy for Scotland – Reports & Analysis

The Scottish Government has published its analysis report on A Culture Strategy for Scotland (23 January 2019).

The report, prepared by independent consultants Craigforth Consulting Ltd, sets out the findings of the public consultation on a draft Culture Strategy for Scotland, which you can view via the links below:

Key Themes Report

Summary Analysis Report

Full Report

Submissions on the Scottish Government’s Consultation Hub, Citizen Space

The analysis report demonstrates overall support for the ambitions, aims and actions set out in a draft Culture Strategy for Scotland and reflects the rich and varied material that the consultation on the draft strategy has generated.

The Scottish Government is reflecting on that rich material generated from the consultation and is considering how these views will shape the content of the final strategy which will be published in 2019.

January 28, 2019
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Scots writer wins Costa Poetry Book Prize

Many congratulations to Scots poet J.O. Morgan who has won the 2018 Costa Poetry Award for his book-length poem, Assurances (Jonathan Cape).

The forty-year old, who is based in Stow in the Scottish Borders, took home the Award on Monday 7 January 2019 for his work on the nuclear tensions of the Cold War period.

Speaking to BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, he said: “I think I can get round it in my head if I remind myself that it is the book that has won, not me,

“I get some benefit from it, obviously, but really it is great for the book to hopefully get more readers to it.”

Mr Morgan takes £5,000 for winning the poetry section and is one of five winning writers now in contention for the overall book of the year award to be announced at the end of the month.

Credit: Costa Book Awards

The following information is taken from the Costa Book Awards website.

About the book:

A war-poem both historic and frighteningly topical, Assurances begins in the 1950s during a period of vigilance and dread in the middle of the Cold War: the long stand-off between nuclear powers, where the only defence was the threat of mutually-assured destruction. Using a mix of versed and unversed passages, Morgan places moments of calm reflection alongside the tensions inherent in guarding against such a permanent threat. A work of variations and possibilities, we hear the thoughts of those involved who are trying to understand and justify their roles. We examine the lives of civilians who are not aware of the impending danger, as well as those who are. We listen to the whirring minds of machines; to the voice of the bomb itself. We spy on enemy agents: always there, always somewhere close at hand. Assurances is an intimate, dramatic work for many voices – lyrical, anxious, fragmentary and terrifying; a poem about the nuclear stalemate, the deterrent that is still in place today, how it works and how it might fail, and what will vanish if it does.

About the author:
J. O. Morgan was born in Edinburgh in 1978 and is the son of a former RAF officer who was involved in maintaining Britain’s Airborne Nuclear Deterrent. Assurances is Morgan’s response to his father’s tremendous responsibility: it eavesdrops on the thoughts of those trying to understand and justify their roles in keeping peace by threatening war. Those overheard include civilians unaware of danger, enemy agents, the whirring machines and even the bomb itself.

Morgan, who lives on a farm in the Scottish Borders, is the author of five previous collections. Each, like Assurances, is a single book-length poem. Natural Mechanical (2009), which was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection and won the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize; its sequel, Long Cuts (2011), shortlisted for the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Award; At Maldon (2013), shortlisted for the Saltire Society Poetry Book of the Year Award; In Casting Off; and Interference Pattern, shortlisted for the 2016 T S Eliot Prize. Assurances was shortlisted for the 2018 Forward Prize for Best Collection.

What the judges said: “We were all gripped by this polyphonic book-length poem and dazzled by its originality and inventiveness.”

 

January 8, 2019
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Edwin Morgan 100 Co-ordinator

2020 will see the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Edwin Morgan (1920–2010), one of Scotland’s most significant poets. The Edwin Morgan Trust, set up to administer his generous bequest for new Scottish poetry, aims to mark this centenary by bringing together curators, creative artists and academics to celebrate the poet’s range of interests and ongoing creative impact, and to provide opportunities for public engagement, scholarship, knowledge exchange and new work.

The Trust is looking to appoint an experienced part-time co-ordinator for Edwin Morgan100, to bring together the widest range of partners both nationally and internationally, in order to scope and set out a programme for 2020, as well as to secure partnership funding.

Please see www.edwinmorganaward.com/news.html for details. The full job post is below.

 

Position: Edwin Morgan Centenary Co-ordinator

Reporting to: Steering Committee (Edwin Morgan Trust plus other stakeholders)

Salary: £27,000 (pro rata)

This post will be for 3 days/week over eight months, based in Glasgow, with a start date as soon as possible after the interview.

Purpose:

  1. To function as point of contact between stakeholders involved in the celebrations for the centenary of Edwin Morgan’s birth, scheduled to run from April 2020 to March 2021.
  2. In particular, to co-ordinate communication, information, scheduling, and planning of all partners’ events and activities to celebrate the centenary, in order to achieve a collective impact beyond what would be possible by organisations working separately.
  3. To assist in strategy building, administrative support, fund raising, programme management, the developing of new and existing collaborations and relationships, and to provide support where required in all tasks relating to the preparation and facilitation of stakeholders’ centenary plans.
Duties and Responsibilities

The Edwin Morgan Centenary Co-ordinator will:

  • Act as point-of-contact to liaise and meet regularly with all partners, taking responsibility for communication and sharing of information, and provide feedback on progression of ongoing centenary plans, ensuring a highly effective communication stream between all stakeholders; 
  • Create, manage, and disseminate a rolling update of proposed and ongoing activities to all stakeholders; tracking the progress of such plans to best harness resources, publicity, audience awareness, and development opportunities to avoid overlapping of resources and scheduling conflicts; 
  • Help identify and then work with partners to produce a programme of events, including activities planned by non-stakeholders, and across the wider cultural sector;
  • Work with steering group to identify potential relationships, connections, funding opportunities, and collaborations across the arts sector and beyond;
  • Ensure all information is shared with sensitivity. Demonstrate awareness of data protection and copyright legislation
  • Work with artists and organisations to commission new creative responses to Edwin Morgan material;
  • Assist with administration, publicity, permission and copyright clearance for the proposed Morgan exhibition;
  • Work closely with the steering group to establish goals and ensure they are achieved.
  • Establish and maintain agreed timetables and budgets.
Person specification

Skills, abilities and knowledge

Essential

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to convey information in an engaging and effective way to stakeholders at all levels
  • Excellent administrative skills
  • Ability to build positive working relationships stakeholders
  • Good general ICT literacy, including MS Word, Excel, Outlook. Knowledge of web writing skills, and familiarity with social media
  • Ability to work independently without close supervision, to be self-motivating and act with judgement and initiative
  • Ability to plan, prioritise and manage a diverse programme of work, and to deliver planned outcomes to competing agendas and deadlines, with the flexibility needed to respond to new demands
  • Ability to manage projects, including collaborations with external partners
  • Knowledge and experience of the cultural sector, particularly in relation to literature and publishing

Desirable

  • Familiarity with the work of Edwin Morgan
  • Flexibility of working hours. To have capacity to continue in a slightly expanded version of the post after August 2019, if fundraising successful
  • Knowledge of data protection and copyright legislation

Personal qualities

  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Confidence and vision to impact positively on stakeholders’ plans
  • Ability to work with cross-functional teams
  • Commitment to supporting the professional standards of all Morgan centenary stakeholders
  • Ability to work well under pressure

Experience

  • Substantial experience of working in a co-ordination capacity and / or administrative role within the cultural or heritage sectors
  • Experience of project management in the cultural sector
  • Fundraising experience

Qualifications

  • Applicants should have a degree in a relevant subject or equivalent experience

Further Information:

DEADLINE: Applications to be submitted to: EMTMorgan100@gmail.com by 9am Monday 28 January 2019.

Applicants are asked to provide a written statement saying how their skills match the person specification and demonstrate the value and relevance of their experience to the post, together with a CV, and the names and contact addresses of 3 people who will be contacted for references if the candidate is successful.

Selection Procedure:

Applicants who meet the criteria based on the job description and the person specification, and who demonstrate this in their written statement, will be selected for interview, to be held in early February.

 

 

January 7, 2019
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New Year’s Honours for Atwood, Pullman, Donaldson and Riddell

The New Year Honours List for 2019 recognises the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK. We warmly congratulate all the Awardees, particularly those related to literature and culture, including:

Margaret Atwood. Author – Order of the Companion of Honour

This is awarded for service of conspicuous national importance and is limited to 65 people. 

 

Philip Pullman. Author. Knighthood

For services to Literature

 

Julia Donaldson MBE. Author. Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

For services to Literature

 

Diana Murray. Chair of Arts & Business Scotland. Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

For services to the Cultural and Historic Environment in Scotland.

 

Chris Riddell. Illustrator – Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

For services to Illustration and Charity

 

Read the full New Year’s Honours’ List 2019 here.

December 30, 2018
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Saltire Literary Awards Announced

Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology Dame Sue Black has won the coveted 2018 Saltire Book of the Year award for a non-fiction book that explores the many faces of death as experienced through her more than three decades’ career in forensic science – a career which has taken her from investigating the scene of horrific war crimes committed in Kosovo to identifying victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Thailand.

All That Remains: A Life in Death, which also won the Non-Fiction Book of the Year, is a gripping account of Black’s many encounters with mortal remains, whether in the laboratory, at burial sites, at murder scenes or when investigating mass fatalities due to war or natural disaster. She describes the book as being “as much about life as about death” and argues that, rather than being something to fear, death is something we should accept “as an integral and fundamentally necessary part of life’s process.”

Making their selection, the judges described the book as “curiously uplifting and life-affirming” and commented that “like all good memoirs”, it “reveals as much about the reader as the writer”.

Now firmly established as Scotland’s most prestigious annual book awards, the Saltire Literary Awards are supported by Creative Scotland and celebrate literary and academic excellence across six distinct Award categories. The winner of each individual book award wins a £2,000 cash prize and goes forward to be considered for the Saltire Book of the Year award and an accompanying cash prize of £6,000.

Dame Sue Black collected both awards at a special ceremony at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh on Friday evening (30 November 2018).

The winners of the five other book Awards announced as part of this year’s awards ceremony include Aberdeen-based Leila Aboulela’s short story collection and Fiction Book of the Year Elsewhere, Home which, through the experience of immigrants living abroad, examines the search for home in a fast-changing modern world.

Charting the writer’s personal experience of cancer treatment and recovery, becoming a widow at the age of 44 and taking on the social care system on behalf of elderly relatives, Jay Whittaker’s Wristwatch was named Saltire Scottish Poetry Book of the Year.

The award for Research Book of the Year went to Professor of English Literature and Book History at the University of Edinburgh Tom Mole for What the Victorians made of Romanticism, which considers how the popular media of the Victorian era sustained and transformed the reputations of Romantic writers.

2018 History Book of the Year is Islay-based writer and documentary maker Les Wilson’s The Drowned and the Saved, an extensively researched account of the sinking of US troopships Tuscania and Otranto off the coast of Islay in 1918, a tribute to those who died and an exploration of the huge impact of the disaster on survivors, rescuers and the local community.

Sal, the debut novel by Fife-based writer Mick Kitson and winner of the 2018 Saltire First Book Award, tells the story of 13-year-old Sal and her 10-year-old sister Peppa who seek to escape the abuse of their alcoholic mother’s boyfriend by running away into the Scottish wilderness.

Also announced at the awards ceremony was the winner of the 2018 Saltire Publisher of the Year Award with an accompanying cash prize of £1,000, which went to Edinburgh-based Canongate Books. Over the last 12 months, Canongate’s growth has seen them further develop an already strong international publishing brand. The Saltire Emerging Publisher of the Year Award went to Edinburgh-based Carolina Orloff of Charco Press in recognition of her development into an important part of publishing in Scotland in a relatively short time.

Marking 30 years since the Saltire Literary Awards’ First Book Award category was established in 1988, this year’s ceremony also included the presentation of a special award for “Most Inspiring Saltire First Book Award winner”. Chosen through a public vote from a shortlist also featuring Kate Clanchy, Jackie Kay, Michel Faber, A.L. Kennedy and Ali Smith, this special award went to Glasgow-based writer Louise Welsh. Louise Welsh won the Saltire First Book Award in 2002 for her debut crime novel The Cutting Room, which subsequently went on to win the 2003 Orange Prize for Fiction. Since then, she has written seven further novels, three plays and two short story collections as well as libretto for a number of touring opera productions.

Saltire Society Programme Director Sarah Mason commented: From poetry to publishing, fiction to academic studies, extending the length and breadth of the country and far beyond, this year’s Saltire Literary Awards are a testament to the outstanding calibre of modern Scottish literature in all its varied forms.  Every one of the individual awards was hotly contested, making the judges’ decisions particularly challenging.

My congratulations to all of the winners and my thanks to the judging panels, to all of our partners and supporters who have helped to make the 2018 Saltire Literary Awards such a resounding success.

Mairi Kidd, Interim Head of Literature, Languages & Publishing at Creative Scotland, said:Creative Scotland is delighted once again to be able to support the 2018 Saltire Literary Awards. These awards occupy a unique place in the Scottish literary landscape, recognising as they do Scottish literature and publishing in all its many and varied forms. Particular congratulations to Dame Sue Black on winning Saltire Book of the Year, to Louise Welsh on her special honour marking the 30th anniversary of the First Book Award and to all of the other individual category winners in what was another very competitive year. It is great to be able to celebrate and showcase the work of everyone shortlisted and, in so doing, hopefully to promote it to a new and wider audience.

The Saltire Literary Awards are made possible through the support of Creative Scotland, Literature Alliance Scotland, the National Library of Scotland, Publishing Scotland and the Scottish Historical Review Trust.

We were delighted to partner with Saltire Society on the networking element of the evening. See the full shortlist for each award category on the Saltire Society website.

 

December 3, 2018
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CS Open Project Awards for Literature: Oct 2018

£847,250 of National Lottery Funding has been awarded to 41 recipients through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, including individual artists, musicians, writers, theatre makers, festivals and organisations working across the arts, screen and creative industries.

Congratulations to the following who received funding in October 2018 for Literature:

StAnza International Poetry Festival (6-10 March 2019) receives support for its 2019 programme, developing existing and new audiences for poetry, as well as supporting and promoting Scottish poets and their work. Festival Director, Eleanor Livingstone commented: “We are thrilled that once again StAnza will be showcasing some of the biggest names in poetry alongside some of the brightest new and upcoming talent.”

The third season of spoken word cabaret nights from Sonnet Youth receives support. Taking place across Edinburgh and Glasgow, Sonnet Youth is the brainchild of spoken word artists Kevin P. Gilday and Cat Hepburn.

Writer and poet Hugh McMillan receives funding to research and write a poetry book exploring the coastal kingdoms that traded with and influenced ancient Galloway. McMillan said of the new book: “We’re used to seeing Scotland as an adjunct to England’s story, but the same can be said of some of its parts, places seen as backwaters which were once vibrant,  populous and prosperous. Turn Scotland 90 degrees to the right and you have Galloway on top, once the hub of a thriving maritime Empire, now the centre of a pattern of neglect and depopulation that crosses four national boundaries.”

Storyteller Marion Kenny has been invited as principal guest artist to Chennai Storytelling Festival in India. During the trip Kenny will undertake research into the ancient South Indian tradition of Villupaatu – storytelling combined with musical accompaniment.

Kenny said: “I am delighted to have been invited as principal guest artist. I will be leading a number of workshops as well as giving several performances including one alongside Indian Storyteller Deepa Kiran. We’ll be collaborating to present a performance of music and stories, sharing traditional tales of weaving from Scotland, Ireland and India which was first performed at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. I will also be researching the Ancient storytelling and music art form of Villupattu. It is called the Bow song due to a Bow shaped instrument covered in bells which is struck by the principal storyteller. It is known as the Mother of all Storytelling.”

For funding information across the cultural sectors read the announcement on Creative Scotland’s website.

November 30, 2018
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CS Open Project Awards for Literature: Sept 2018

£919,218 of National Lottery Funding has been awarded to 44 recipients through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund.

Awards of between £1,000 and £100,000 were made in September 2018, supporting individual artists, musicians, writers, theatre makers, festivals and organisations working across the arts, screen and creative industries.

Congratulations to the following who received funding in September 2018 for Literature:

Funding will enable Glasgow-based author Oliver Langmead to undertake a writer’s residency at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne.

Floris Books’ 2019 publication programme will include the Kelpies imprint of Scottish books for children from ages 1 to 16.

For funding information across the cultural sectors, read the announcement on Creative Scotland’s website.

October 31, 2018
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The Chinese in Britain – Barclay Price

Today over 400,000 Chinese live in Britain, many more attend British universities, and an increasing number visit Britain on business and as tourists. But until now, there has been no comprehensive history of the Chinese who came to the country.

This book, from author Barclay Price and Amberley Publishing, tells that story, from the first recorded visitor in 1687 through to the twentieth century, drawing on accounts by visiting Chinese, newspaper articles, memoirs, royal diaries and other contemporary sources.

It provides an account of the myriad of Chinese travellers to Britain, including seamen, students, cooks, brides, jugglers, sportspeople, diplomats and writers.  One chapter – and the starting point for researching the book – is an account of Britain’s first-ever Chinese immigrant, William Macao, who lived in Scotland for over 50 years from the mid-1770s but whose life previously was unrecorded. A remarkable omission considering he is the only individual since the Act of Union to have been legally designated a Scotsman!

Importantly, at a time of increased negativity towards immigrants, the book challenges such discrimination by providing an account of the innumerable beneficial impacts Chinese visitors and settlers have had on British cultural life over three centuries.

The Chinese in Britain is available on Tuesday 15 January 2019.

 

October 30, 2018
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Saltire Literary Awards shortlist announced

Saltire Society have announced their Saltire Literary Award Shortlists for 2018.

Multi-award winning writers and household names Irvine Welsh, Sally Magnusson and Jackie Kay feature alongside emerging talents Mick Kitson and Christina Neuwirth in the shortlists for the 2018 Saltire Literary awards, unveiled on Monday 22 October 2018.

The shortlists for six literary awards and two publishing awards were officially announced at an event hosted at the West End branch of Waterstones in Edinburgh.

The shortlists are:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images courtesy of Saltire Society.

October 23, 2018
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2018 Outstanding Women of Scotland

Ten Scottish women from the fields of the arts, culture, politics, activism and science have been honoured and inducted into the esteemed Saltire Society ‘Outstanding Women of Scotland’ community at a special event in Glasgow.

Back row L-R Sarah Wanless, Jenny Brown, Karyn McCluskey, Louise Beattie, Beth Morrison
Front Row, L_R Talat Yaqoob, Janice Parker, Rosemary Ward, Isabel McCue

This year’s ten inductees include the UK’s youngest MP Mhairi Black, distinguished scientist Sarah Wanless and actor Maureen Beattie, who is president of the actors’ union Equity and a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Histories Ensemble. Also featured in this year’s list of inductees are Chief Executive of Community Justice Scotland Karen McCluskey and pioneering campaigners Talat Yaqoob, Beth Morrison and Isabel McCue, alongside choreographer Janice Parker and literary agent Jenny Brown. Completing the list of 2018 inductees is Rosemary Ward, a notable figure in the fields of Gaelic education and literature (and a Trustee of LAS).

Since it began in 2015, the ‘Outstanding Women of Scotland’ campaign has recognised and celebrated Scottish women from all walks of life and the inspiration their achievements set for the next generation. Each year, the campaign invites members of the public to nominate living contemporary examples of Scottish women who have made a significant contribution to Scottish culture and society for induction into the Outstanding Women of Scotland community. Past inductees have included singer-songwriter and activist Annie Lennox, bestselling author J.K. Rowling and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Taking place at Glasgow Women’s Library, the special ceremony saw each inductee presented with a limited edition print.

 

Full details of this year’s ten inductees are as follows:

  • Maureen Beattie – prominent stage and screen actor and President of Equity.
  • Jenny Brown – leading literary agent, former Head of Literature at the Scottish Arts Council, founder Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival and Chair of Bloody Scotland crime writing festival.
  • Mhairi Black – Member of Parliament for Paisley & Renfrewshire South and the youngest member in the House of Commons.
  • Karyn McCluskey – Chief Executive of Community Justice Scotland, notably championed a public health approach to violence reduction and is a world-leading expert in this field.
  • Isabel McCue MBE – mental health campaigner and founder of Theatre Nemo.
  • Beth Morrison – award-winning campaigner for the care, wellbeing and rights of children with special and complex needs.
  • Janice Parker – award-winning independent choreographer and dance-maker.
  • Professor Sarah Wanless – highly regarded scientist with international recognition whose work has been essential to the conservation of marine ecosystems, a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Honorary professor at the University of Aberdeen.
  • Rosemary Ward – Director of Programmes at the Scottish Book Trust, former Director of the Gaelic Book Council and notable figure in the fields of Gaelic education, literature and culture.
  • Talat Yaqoob – Director of Equate Scotland and campaigner for gender, race and religious equality in Scotland.

 

Glasgow Women’s Library Enterprise Development Manager, Sue John, said:
“Glasgow Women’s Library is thrilled to be working with the Saltire Society once again. Each year, another cohort of incredible women is inducted as Outstanding Women of Scotland. Through their extraordinary contributions to Scotland and the wider world they are role models for us all, and I am pleased have celebrated their achievements with them on this special occasion.”

Saltire Society President, Sally Mapstone, said:
“Across the arts, politics, science, and vital areas such as justice, special needs and mental health, Scotland generates outstanding women, whom the Saltire Society is proud to celebrate. Women’s leadership, creativity, and companionship, done on their own terms and to enhance the lives of others, characterise this year’s inspiring inductees.”

Saltire Society Programme Director, Sarah Mason, said:
“It is a great privilege to once again honour truly inspiring women who contribute to both Scotland and internationally, who change the world we live in. The Saltire Society exists to promote and celebrate Scottish culture and heritage and we are proud to work with Glasgow Women’s Library on the Outstanding Women of Scotland. Over the years, the contribution of Scotland’s women to the cultural life of this country has been truly remarkable but sadly too often underestimated or overlooked. By building the Outstanding Women of Scotland community year by year, I hope we can begin to address that shortcoming and bring women to the forefront.”

October 22, 2018
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St Boswells indie bookshop shortlisted for Britain’s Best Small Shop

Congratulations to The Mainstreet Trading Company on being shortlisted in Britain’s Best Small Shop 2018.

The combined bookshop, cafe, deli and homeware store is based in St Boswells in the Scottish Borders. It is run by husband and wife Bill and Rosamund de la Hey and celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.

Mainstreet is one of four independent bookshops – and the only one in Scotland – to be included in the shortlist of 25 shops from the Independent Retailers Confederation.

The winner will be announced at an event at the Houses of Parliament on 13 November.

Read more in The Border Telegraph here.

October 19, 2018
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Em Strang shortlisted for Women Poets’ Prize 2018

LAS warmly congratulates Em Strang on being shortlisted for the Rebecca Swift Foundation’s inaugural Women Poets’ Prize 2018.

A shortlist of nine poets were selected from a longlist of 40 poets chosen from 573 applications.

Photo by Heshani Sothiraj Eddleston. Courtesy: em-strang.co.uk

Read more about the other shortlisted poets here.

The three Women Poets’ Prize winners will be announced at the end of October.

October 18, 2018
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Edinburgh welcomes rising star of Polish literature

The winner of the Lord Provost’s International Residency has been announced as Ahsan Ridha Hassan from Krakow City of Literature.

Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust is delighted to announce the name of the writer selected to come to Edinburgh for a month-long residency, through the Lord Provost’s International Residency. Following a highly competitive open call, Ahsan Ridha Hassan from Krakow has been chosen to spend November developing his work in the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature.

Ahsan Ridha Hassan is a writer based in Krakow who has already publisheda range of articles and short stories, including his debut collection Wieża (2014) and his follow-up Trupojad i dziewczyna (2017). He will be using his time in Edinburgh to work on his new novel, while getting to know Edinburgh and its literary community.

Ahsan Ridha Hassan. Courtesy cityofliterature.com

This is the first International Residency between the two cities and it will forge new connections between the two Cities of Literature, connecting their reading and writing communities and celebrating their Partner City relationship.

Lord Provost Frank Ross said: “The work undertaken by Edinburgh and Krakow as UNESCO Cities of Literature has reinforced our partnership and allowed our creative communities to flourish and grow together.  The opportunity for exchange with Krakow through writers, libraries and our local communities contributes greatly to Edinburgh’s international outlook.

 “I want to congratulate Ahsan Ridha Hassan on securing this much sought-after residency and look forward to welcoming him to Edinburgh, the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature.”

Ali Bowden, Director of the City of Literature Trust, said: “The Lord Provost’s International Residency is a great opportunity to showcase Edinburgh as a City of Literature, and welcome one of Krakow’s most exciting new talents into our incredible creative community.”

As part of his month-long residency, starting on 1 November 2018, the writer will be offered a place as a Community Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh (IASH). The Fellowship includes access to university libraries and resources, as well as desk space in one of Scotland’s ancient universities.

Professor Steve Yearley, IASH Director, expressed how pleased the Institute was to have a new Community Fellow supported by Edinburgh and Krakow Cities of Literature and the Lord Provost: “We’re delighted to welcome Ahsan Ridha Hassan and the exciting, timely writing that his work represents.”

Previous Community Fellow at IASH include Korean author Kim Ae-ran in 2014 and Scottish writer Jemma Neville in 2017.

During his time in Edinburgh, Ahsan will be staying at The Place Hotel, in the heart of the Georgian New Town, based in one of the hotel’s literary-themedsuites.

Ahsan will be available for a limited number of interviews and appearances during his time in Edinburgh. To arrange a meeting or event, please contact Siân Bevan at Edinburgh City of Literature (sian@cityofliterature.com)

The Lord Provost’s International Residency is devised and delivered by Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust with thanks to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh Council, IASH, EdinburghTourism Action Group, Creative Scotland and Krakow City of Literature.

-Ends-

For further information please contact:

Siân Bevan, Programme Manager at Edinburgh City of Literature on sian@cityofliterature.com or 0131 557 9850
@EdinCityofLit

Notes to Editor

  1. EdinburghCity of Literature Trust

The Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust is the development agency for Edinburgh as a UNESCO City of Literature. It works to bring literature to the streets of Edinburgh, involving people in the city’s literary life, bringing organisations to work together collaboratively for greater impact, and sharing Edinburgh’s literary story with the world.

cityofliterature.com        @EdinCityofLit

  1. Krakow UNESCO City of Literature

Krakow was the 7th city to be designated a UNESCO City of Literature, joining the network in 2013. The City of Literature builds on a centuries-old literary heritage by showcasing the city’s dynamic literary festivals, libraries, poets and writers.

http://krakowcityofliterature.com/city-of-literature/       @KRKCityofLit

  1. UNESCO City of Literature designation
    In 2004 Edinburgh was designated the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, a permanent title celebrating Edinburgh’s status as a literary capital and pioneer in the UNESCO creative cities network, which now has 180 member cities in seven creative art forms. The concept of a City of Literature was devised in Edinburgh by the Trust’s founding members.
  2. Edinburgh and Krakow have been Partner Cities since 1995.
  3. The Place Hotel is a luxury four star boutique hotel in the heart of Edinburgh. In celebration of Edinburgh’s place as the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, the hotel created four literary-themed hotel suites, inspired by great Edinburgh writers: https://yorkplace-edinburgh.co.uk/about-us/literature-hotel/
October 18, 2018
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Sweet Fruit, Sour Land wins ‘Not The Booker’

Congratulations to Rebecca Ley and her publisher Sandstone Press, on Sweet Fruit, Sour Land  winning the Not The Booker Prize 2018.

In a ‘brave decision’ the judges overruled the public vote, which went to Raising Sparks by Ariel Kahn, to put their weight behind  the debut dystopian novel, Sweet Fruit, Sour Land.

Courtesy sandstonepress.com

Read the full story here.

 

October 15, 2018
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CS Open Project Funding for Literature: Aug 2018

£837,000 of National Lottery Funding has been awarded through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund to 47 recipients, including individual artists, musicians, writers, theatre makers, festivals and organisations working across the arts, screen and creative industries.

Congratulations to the following organisations receiving funding in August 2018 for Literature:

Open Book have received funding towards the Open Book Community Project – a large-scale shared reading programme. Open Book will work with existing and new partners to create new year-round programmes designed to improve access to literature and develop a sense of community through shared reading and creative writing.

Publishers Polygon have received funding to expand their poetry programme. The programme will include the publication classic, modern and contemporary poetry anthologies of Scotland. The programme will also include the publication and promotion of new writers and to bring lost classics back into print.

Publisher 404 Ink received funding towards their 2018-19 publishing schedule to enable them to continue to publish exciting and vital voices in Scotland, including Chris McQueer and Nadine Aisha Jassat, create new opportunities for a network of local freelancers, and grow the company to a sustainable level to better guarantee continued success.

NessBookFest 2018 (4-7 October) will use their funding to support this year’s programme, which includes showcasing the home-grown talent of Inverness alongside well-established writers from further afield.

Ness Book Fest said: “We’re very excited to be holding our third NessBookFest in Inverness next week (4-7 Oct). Support from our funders has enabled an even bigger and better free programme than before. We’re delighted to be showcasing local emerging talent alongside writers such as Ali Smith and Stuart MacBride. We also have a great schools and family programme, as well as poetry, history, workshops, literary walking and cycling tours and much more.”

For funding information across the cultural sectors, read the announcement on Creative Scotland’s website.

October 1, 2018
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International Writers’ Residency 2019 – call for applications

Moniack Mhor Writers’ Centre invites established international poets to apply for their International Writers’ Residency in 2019.

The successful candidate will receive a month-long residency with time and space to develop their work, as well as opportunities to expand their practice.

The final terms of the residency will be agreed by the successful candidate and Moniack Mhor.

Eligibility

This international residency is open to international established/mid-career poets living or working outside of the UK. To be eligible, applicants must have published at least one major work.

Please apply by sending:

  • A CV that covers your literary achievements
  • An A4 covering letter and personal statement that outlines your intentions for the residency
  • A sample of your work (maximum of 6 poems, doubled spaced and single sided)

Deadline for applications is 5 PM on Sunday October 14th. 

Send applications to residencies@moniackmhor.org.uk 

For any enquiries relating to the fellowship please contact Rachel Humphries, Centre Director – rachel@moniackmhor.org.uk or Eilidh Smith, Programme Manager – eilidh@moniackmhor.org.uk

September 25, 2018
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Call for book gifters for Book Week Scotland

Scottish Book Trust is looking for organisations to help them gift free copies of an exclusive book across Scotland during Book Week Scotland (19-15 Nov 2018).

 The book is filled with stories written by members of the public, on a particular theme. This year’s theme is Rebel. The collection of stories represents the variety of rebellion across Scotland. From standing up to a teacher for the first time or campaigning against a local library’s closure, these stories highlight how important rebellion, big and small, is to our everyday lives. It also contains commissioned pieces from well-known authors including Anna Stewart and Professor Sue Black.

Order your free copies here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YQPTGHL
The book is suitable for ages 14+ as it contains some strong language and mature content. The minimum order is 25 copies.

Book Week Scotland is an annual week-long celebration of books and reading, run by Scottish Book Trust. This year, it will take place from Monday 19th – Sunday 25th November with a packed programme of events and activities planned throughout the country.

September 19, 2018
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CPG on Culture – Connection: Impact of Brexit on Scotland’s cultural sector, 25 Sept

The next CPG on Culture will be held on Tuesday 25 September 2018 between 5.30pm-8.00pm at the Scottish Parliament in Committee Room 2 and is entitled Connection: Impact of the Referendum on EU Membership on Scotland’s cultural sector.

The meeting will also be the AGM of the group.

A full agenda will be made available in due course, however the meeting will follow the usual format:

  • 5.30pm-6pm                Social Discussion
  • 6pm-6.10pm                AGM business
  • 6.10pm -6.40pm          Panel Presentations and Discussion
  • 6.40pm – 8pm              Group Discussion

Unfortunately, due to room capacity only 60 non-MSPs can be accommodated at the meeting. Demand is expected to be high so please RSVP to Karen.Dick@creativescotland.com  to secure your spot.

Details of proceedings will be posted on the website (www.cpgonculture.com) after the meeting.

September 13, 2018
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Jessie Kesson Fellowship: apply by 19 Oct

Moniack Mhor Writers’ Centre is inviting established writers to apply for the Jessie Kesson Fellowship in 2019. This award was established in 2009 by Moniack Mhor to honour Jessie Kesson’s inspirational life and work.

The successful candidate will receive time and space to develop their work, as well as opportunities to expand their practice. This includes a stipend of £350 per week, plus accommodation. The successful applicant will:

  • Live on-site in the cottage at Moniack Mhor from Monday March 4thto 26th, 2019.
  • Have the opportunity to deliver three or four creative writing workshops based on or inspired by Jessie Kesson’s life and work in local schools, libraries or community centres.
  • Take a role in hosting a public evening event in the form of a reading or lecture.
  • Have the option to contribute one piece of work to Moniack Mhor at the end of the residency.

The final terms of the Fellowship will be agreed by the successful candidate and Moniack Mhor.

Apply by 12noon on Friday 19 October 2018.

Eligibility
The fellowship is open to established writers (fiction and non-fiction). To be eligible for the fellowship applicants must have published at least one novel, one short story collection, one poetry pamphlet or had one professional production of their work staged. It is also essential that applicants have experience of delivering workshops or working with children and young people and/or community groups. The Fellowship is open to UK based writers and international writers. Only travel costs within the UK will be covered by the Fellowship.

Application
Please apply by sending:

  • A CV which includes previous experience of work with young people and/or community groups
  • A covering letter demonstrating your qualifications for the fellowship and how it would benefit you
  • A sample of your work (maximum 2000 words, or 6 poems, doubled spaced and single sided)

Applications should be sent by 12 noon on Friday 19 October 2018 via email to: residencies@moniackmhor.org.uk with the subject line Jessie Kesson Fellowship or by post to Moniack Mhor Writers’ Centre, Teavarran, Kiltarlity, IV4 7HT.

Interviews will be held week commencing 19 November 2018 at Moniack Mhor Writers’ Centre or by skype.

For any enquiries relating to the fellowship please contact Eilidh Smith, Programme Manager eilidh@moniackmhor.org.uk  or telephone 01463 741 675.

September 12, 2018
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National Strategy for School Libraries launched

The Scottish Government and COSLA have jointly produced a new National Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland, the first of its kind in the UK.

It was launched on 8 September – International Literacy Day – and was shaped by the views of more than 450 children across 30+ schools.

The development of the strategy, entitled Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools – A National Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland 2018-2023, was led by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) with support from an advisory group, chaired by Martina McChrystal, and five working groups.

The strategy aims to highlight to decision makers the intrinsic value of a good school library service and the impact this can have on children and young people’s wider school experience. It also aims to inform headteachers, school librarians and education practitioners on how to use their school library services.

And it will advise decision makers of the central role that school library services play in the education sector and advocate for appropriately resourced services for each child in Scotland. 

The Chartered Institute for Library and Information Professionals in Scotland (CILIPS) were part of the advisory group during the development stage and will be part of the implementation group as the strategy is taken forward.

 

 

September 10, 2018
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CS Open Project Funding for Literature: July 2018

£792,000 of National Lottery Funding was awarded last month through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund; supporting 36 recipients, including individual artists, musicians, writers, theatre makers, festivals and organisations working across the arts, screen and creative industries.

Congratulations to the following organisations and individuals receiving funding in July 2018 for Literature:

Writer Elaine Gallagher has received funding to develop a new solo performance piece, Speak for Ourselves, chronicling and celebrating Scotland’s trans and non-binary community.

Scotland’s Transatlantic Poetry Journal Dark Horse Magazine and Northwords Now, which showcases writing from across the north of Scotland have received funding to support their next editions.

Independent comic creator and author Kathryn Briggs received funding to exhibit her work at MCM Manchester Comic Con! Briggs has been shortlisted for Best Graphic Novel and Best Up and Coming Talent at the Scottish Independent Comic Book Alliance Awards – both for Magpie.

For funding information on the other cultural sectors, read the announcement on Creative Scotland’s website.

August 31, 2018
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Gaelic Books Council seeks new Director

The Gaelic Books Council is recruiting for a full-time Director.

GBC is the lead organisation with responsibility for supporting Scottish Gaelic authors and publishers, and for raising the profile and reach of Scottish Gaelic books in Scotland and internationally.

The job description is available here.

Deadline: Friday 7 September 2018.

 

August 21, 2018
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Once Upon a Time… Scotland’s Storybook Trail

  • Scotland’s Storybook Trail includes a collection of characters and stories with connections to Scotland either by author, by location or by experience.
  • The self-led trail will comprise of a map which will be available online and in print from select VisitScotland iCentres and literary outlets.
  • Book lovers of all ages can embark on a literary adventure inspired by their favourite storybook characters and discover new stories to enjoy.
  • Characters include Harry Potter, Peter Pan, The Gruffalo, Thumble Tumble, Peter Rabbit, The Howlat and Greyfriars Bobby. 

‘Scotland’s Storybook Trail’ by Visit Scotland alights at The Beatrix Potter Exhibition & Garden at Birnam Arts, Perthshire.

From Peter Rabbit to Peter Pan, Harry Potter to The Howlat, Scotland has inspired some of the world’s best-loved literary creations.

Whether it’s history, landscapes, wildlife or even architecture, for decades authors have used some of the country’s greatest assets to create characters that continue to delight readers of all ages.

In recognition of this, VisitScotland has launched, Scotland’s Storybook Trail, a collection of places with links to some of the most celebrated characters in children’s literature.

The trail, which comprises  of a colourful map hosted on visitscotland.com and will be available at selected VisitScotland iCentres , as well as bookshops and libraries across Scotland, will help bookworms embark on their own adventures across the country, learning more about their favourite stories and discovering new tales inspired by or written in Scotland.

Featured locations include the birthplace of Peter Pan creator, JM Barrie in Kirriemuir, Angus; the Isle of Coll, the inspiration of Katie Morag’s fictional home on the Isle of Struay; the Scottish Owl Centre in West Lothianwhere readers can meet some feathered friends, similar to those that feature in the Harry Potter series; and Birnam Artsin Perthshire, the region that inspired Beatrix Potter’s famous creations. And it’s not just the book locations themselves that will appeal to young readers – the trail includes some great bookshops and festivals to discover around Scotland.

Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “In this, Scotland’s Year of Young People, the Storybook Trail not only celebrates Scotland’s rich literary heritage and incredible landscapes, but it also provides an opportunity to encourage children to read for pleasure and develop a life-long love of books. 

“With so many locations across the country linked to characters in children’s literature, I am sure the trail will act as a magnet for visitors from home and abroad who will experience our beautiful, vibrant country.”

Jenni Steele, Film and Creative Industries Manager at VisitScotland, said:“Scotland has world-class literary links. Our landscapes, history and people have inspired writers for centuries, helping to bring to life enduring characters that capture the imaginations of not just youngsters but grown-ups too.

“A great story has to have great characters and that’s what inspired Scotland’s Storybook Trail. We wanted to create something, as we celebrate Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018, that encourages booklovers of all ages to discover the places and people behind these famous fictional friends. “

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, said: “Scotland has a rich history of iconic literary characters, created or inspired by its places and people. Visiting locations with a special connection to favourite stories or figures is a real thrill for fans of any age, and Scotland’s Storybook Trail is packed with superb suggestions.

“Now is the perfect time to take a trip round our beautiful country and enjoy again, or for the first time, some of the greatest Scottish stories ever told and the places where the creative spark started – just don’t forget to pack a book.”

 

So take a magical adventure from page to place and discover just some of the Scottish locations with literary links to best-loved stories;

Harry Potter – JK Rowling

Grab your wands and prepare for a magic adventure! Visit Tom Riddle’s grave at Greyfriars Kirkyard, meet some of Hedwig’s feathered friends at the Scottish Owl Centreor join a tour of the Capital to find out how Edinburgh’s buildings and people inspired JK Rowling’s smash-hit series about a boy wizard. Film fans  -make sure to hop aboard the ‘Hogwarts Express’ across the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson’s swashbuckling adventure was written during a stay inBraemar. It’s thought Stevenson based some of the characters on people he met in the village. Treasure Island is also rumoured to have been inspired by Fidra Islandin East Lothian which the writer used to watch from the area known now as Yellowcraig. Today, rather than pirates you are more likely to find puffins as the island is an RSPB Scotland reserve.

Peter Pan – JM Barrie 

Make sure to pack your pixie dust as you head off on an awfully big adventure in search of Peter Pan. A statue of ‘The Boy Who Never Grew Up’ can be found at JM Barrie’s Birthplacein Kirriemuir, Angus but it was Moat Braein Dumfries, where Barrie lived as a boy, that inspired Neverland, the enchantedfaraway place where Peter Pan and the Lost Boys outwit Captain Hook.

Beano, The Dandy and Oor Wullie

The antics of Dennis and his pals in Beano, and A’body’s favourite wee laddie, Oor Wullie have been published every week for decades by DC Thomson who are based in Dundee with Beano recently celebrating its 80thbirthday. Look out for statues of fellow DC Thomson legends, Desperate Dan, Minnie the Minxas well asOor Wullie, in Dundee city centre. And don’t miss the chance to grab a selfie on Bash Street.

Katie Morag – Mairi Hedderwick 

The Isle of Collin the Inner Hebrides was the real-life inspiration for Katie Morag’s home on the Isle of Struay.  Take a picnic to the beach, explore the island’sonly real village, Arinagour, and keep an eye out for the whitewashed cottages that look just like the illustrations in Mairi Hedderwick’s books.

Peter Rabbit and Friends – Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter created her most famous fluffy friend, Peter Rabbit, following childhood summer holidays in Dunkeld, watching and drawing wildlife.Birnam Artsis a great place to learn about the region that inspired her, you may also meet some of her other characters in the Beatrix Potter Exhibition Garden.

The Gruffalo – Julia Donaldson  and Axel Scheffler

Take a stroll through the deep dark wood on Ardkinglas Estatein search of the Gruffalo. Look out for the Mouse who’ll help guide you along the trail which tells the story, translated into Scots, of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s famous, loveable beast.

Thumble Tumble – AH Proctor

The Isle of Arranis the extraordinary little home of this extraordinary little witch. Visit Brodick Castleand Lochranza Castlewhere Thumble Tumble’s first two magical adventures were set. Keep your eyes peeled for Night Witches, Sea Dragons and Flower Nymphs – you never know what magic you might encounter on this spectacular island.

 Why not continue your literary adventure with a visit to one of Scotland’s book festivals?

 

Edinburgh International Book Festival

11-27 August

As the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, the Edinburgh International Book Festival is an unmissable event for book-lovers. The Baillie Gifford Children’s Programme is perfect for young readers from tots to teens, with hundreds of events including interactive sessions, fun performances, storytelling and workshops with authors and illustrators.

 

Killearn Children’s Festival

2 September

A fun-filled day packed with events and activities aimed a little bookworms. Learn how to draw a dragon, get tips on writing your own stories or listen to a host of tales from authors of some of the most exciting new books.

 

Wigtown Book Festival

21-30 September

Celebrating its 20thanniversary, the annual award-winning festival takes place in Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town. For ten days in September, the town buzzes with book events as well as theatre, music and a dedicated Children’s Garden offers activities to appeal to younger readers.

 

Borders Book Festival

13-16 June 2019

The hugely popular Baillie Gifford Borders Book Festival, which in 2018 attracted record audiences, is always a highlight of the literary calendar and regularly welcomes some of the most well-known writers in the country.   The Family Book Festival offers a wonderful selection of events with sessions from some of the best-loved authors for children, as well as free activities.

To find more book festivals across Scotland visit https://literaturealliancescotland.co.uk/events/find-a-book-festival/

For more inspiration to entertain little book fans visit:www.visitscotland.com/blog/family-2/storybook-trail/

ENDS

IMAGE CAPTION: Credit Julie Howden

6 year old Charlotte Brady from Invergowrie and Carter (aged 6), Angus (aged 4) and Finn McKay (aged 2) from Dundee take inspiration from Scotland’s Storybook Trail to learn more about Peter Rabbit at the Beatrix Potter Exhibition & Garden at Birnam Arts, Perthshire.

For further information and images please contact:

Louise Purves, Senior PR Officer, VisitScotland – louise.purves@visitscotland.com/0131 472 2052

Notes to editors

About VisitScotland

  • VisitScotland had launched a brand new global campaign, Scotland is Now.  To find out more go to www.scotlandisnow.com or join the conversation by using #ScotlandIsNow
  • VisitScotland’s Community site was set up for the Scottish public to help, engage and enthuse potential visitors about the country.  To get involved go to:www.visitscotland.com/community
  • For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
  • To ensure everyone can safely enjoy Scotland’s amazing countryside and landscapes, VisitScotland encourages all visitors to fully respect their surroundings by behaving in a responsible and appropriate way.
  • For VisitScotland’s press releases go to www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx,
  • For tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to www.visitscotland.org

PLEASE NOTE

This copy was correct at the time of going to press. VisitScotland cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information and accepts no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation.  All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by the reliance on the information contained herewith, or in the event of any company, individual or firm ceasing to trade, is hereby excluded

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 10, 2018
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