EventScotland Provides Additional Funding For Highland 2007
The Board of Highland 2007 announced today that EventScotland had identified an additional £1 million to support events drawing an international audience to the area during the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture.
The funding is additional to £500,000 already committed by EventScotland for the Regional Events Programme, a grant scheme to assist existing and new events in the Highlands achieve their potential in line with the aims of Highland 2007.
EventScotland agreed to the additional funding after Unique Events, producers of Edinburgh’s hugely successful Hogmanay celebrations, reviewed the potential for international events to raise the profile of this themed year.
The Board also revealed that the opening event for Highland 2007 will take place on 12 January 2007 in Inverness. This is the first event of an exciting programme of activities to benefit from the £1 million allocation; the remainder will be revealed as plans progress.
"An t-Seann Bliadhn’ Ùr" (The Old New Year) on 12 January was chosen for the launch event as it marks the end of the old year prior to the change to the Gregorian calendar in the 18th century. For many people in Scotland the end of the old year continues to be held as a special date in the calendar, and it still has a particular resonance across the Highlands and Islands today.
Minister for Tourism Culture and Sport Patricia Ferguson said: "This additional EventScotland funding will give a great boost to the already exciting range of events taking place during Highland 2007 - events that will showcase the Highlands to the world as a centre for culture, a great place to visit and to live and as a stunning part of Scotland."
David Williams of EventScotland said: "EventScotland is delighted to announce additional support of £1m to Scotland’s year long celebrations of Highland culture in 2007. Allied to our investment of £500,000, to support the Highland 2007 Regional Events Programme, this demonstrates our commitment to promoting Highland culture to an international audience and showcasing Scotland as a premier events destination"
Alison Magee, Chair of Highland 2007, said: "This added support from EventScotland as part of the commitment to Highland 2007 from the Scottish Executive will give a significant boost to the Highland 2007 team when attracting events to the area. I am particularly pleased that the opening event for Highland 2007 will be the first to benefit from this fund, bringing the year to the attention of people across the Highlands, Scotland and beyond. The Old New Year is still significant for many people in the Highlands and other areas of Scotland, giving special meaning to the choice of 12 January for the launch of this exciting year."
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For more information contact Alison Bell at Highland 2007 on 01463 702007or 07733 123037
Editor’s notes
Highland 2007, the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture, aims to promote the Highlands as a great place to live and to visit through showcasing the unique and special nature of Highland culture past, present and future. The project is a partnership between three principal funding agencies: The Highland Council, The Scottish Executive, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The year long celebration of Highland culture in 2007 will incorporate an exciting range of international, regional and community events, as well as capital projects and cultural activities specifically for young people. See www.highland2007.com for full details. Highland 2007 is the first themed year planned by the Scottish Executive to promote Scotland as a great place to live and to visit.
Major events already confirmed as part of the programme include The Highland Quest; Fonn ’s Duthchas, a national exhibition; the re-interpretation of Culloden Battlefield; the 6 Cities Festival of Design; the World Championship Highland Games; European Pipe Band Championships; World Mountain Biking Championships; 100th Camanachd Cup Final; International Tattoo; The Royal National Mod; Blas – a traditional music festival; the Scottish Wheelchair Curling Championships; the Scottish 6 Day International Orienteering Championships and Go North.
EventScotland has also contributed £500,000 to support the Highland 2007 Regional Event Programme. The purpose of this fund is to assist existing and new events in the Highlands achieve their potential in line with the aims of Highland 2007.
EventScotland is the national organisation for sports and cultural events. A joint venture between the Scottish Executive and VisitScotland, it was created to deliver the Major Events Strategy published by the Scottish Executive in November 2002. The strategy is designed to maximise the benefits of existing events, to attract new events, to showcase Scotland's assets and to encourage more people to visit Scotland to experience at first hand major sporting, cultural and arts events being staged in the country. www.eventscotland.org
Background to the Old New Year, 12 January: "In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII had the Julian calendar amended in such a way as to check the slow backward movement of the seasons. The Gregorian calendar was immediately adopted in Catholic countries and slowly in Protestant ones. In Great Britain, the change was not made until 1751, by which time the discrepancy between the Julian and Gregorian calendars amounted to eleven days: but since 1800 was not a leap year, the new and old styles of reckoning now differed by twelve days - i.e. January 1 Old Style became January 13 New Style. The change met with strong opposition from the people, who clamoured for their lost days. Well into the latter half of the nineteenth century, Scottish country folk still kept their festivals by the Old Style reckoning, and in some of the remoter parts of Shetland, the Hebrides, and elsewhere, the custom has not yet entirely died out." Ref: The Silver Bough; Scottish Folklore and Folk Belief; F Marian McNeill, 1957; William MacLellan