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Skye set to promote Gaelic culture
11/04/2008
Skye is creating the right atmosphere for bright Scots to light up the creative industries, First Minister Alex Salmond said today as he opened a new centre for the creative and cultural industries on the island.
The Fàs Centre has been developed on the campus of the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic-medium college in Sleat. It is intended to attract and support cultural enterprises, including media, publishing and Gaelic projects.
The FM also announced £260,000 of Scottish Government funding to support the work of the centre - with £200,000 to provide digital TV production and post-production equipment, and £60,000 to support the college's ambitious plans to produce a Gaelic historical dictionary.
Mr Salmond said:
"Today half of Scotland's 60,000 Gaelic speakers live in the Highlands and Na h-Eileanan Siar - with 30,000 elsewhere in the country, including almost 6,000 in Glasgow. There can be no doubt that Gaelic truly is a national language.
"Scottish language and culture are inherently linked. They are part of unique heritage and of a rich future. As Iain Crichton-Smith said; 'The Highlander who loses his language loses his world.'
"What we must do is create the economic and cultural opportunities for Scotland's Gaelic speakers - and the language itself - to thrive. Sabhal Mòr Ostaig College stands at the forefront of promoting and developing Gaelic in Scotland.
"The new Fàs Centre will allow the college's reputation to grow, and will be a home for artists, musicians, broadcasters, Gaelic adult learners and much more. That's why I am pleased to announce £260,000 funding to support its valuable work and to help creative talents to flourish.
"What better place to set a centre for creativity and culture than amongst some of Scotland's most stunning scenery? It is a fine example of the magic Scotland has to offer. Skye is the obvious place to develop stars of the future.
"Having just returned from the successful Scotland Week celebrations in the US, I know that there is enormous interest in Scotland internationally and that Scotland is capable of global cultural success. By continuing to develop our rich culture, our talent and opportunities to showcase their potential, we can promote Scotland's creativity across the world."
William Roe, Chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), one of the key funders of Fàs said:
"At £3.6m overall HIE's support was our largest-ever investment in a single creative industries project anywhere in the Highlands and Islands, and was critical in ensuring that the project would progress. High quality jobs are being supported and a world-class business environment has been created in a rural area.
"Developing quality learning infrastructure is fundamental to the long term growth and sustainability of the Highlands and Islands. The mix of cultural and business activity at Fàs will create a vibrant centre for creativity, promoting creative industry as well as creativity and the arts, in the context of Gaelic culture and language.
"We look forward to continuing to work with Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and Fàs in the future."
Writer-in-Residence Myles Campbell said:
"I'm looking forward very much to working in the new building FÀS and with my colleagues the musician Alan Henderson and artist Kate Whiteford and later in the year Ewen MacColl. I fully expect and hope that we will create new material together. FÀS is a very important building and pròject and I'm sure that it will be a beacon for Gaelic culture in the years to come."
The new Fàs Centre, over four floors, will house 420 square of letting accommodation for businesses involved in creative and cultural industries; business start-up offices; new media and digital television training facilities; a learning centre; exhibition space; artists and musician space; Gaelic research offices; meeting space and a crèche for use by staff and the community.
It will help to sustain 70 jobs. Funding support for the new centre has come from HIE (£3.6 million), Highland Council (£1.2 million), Scottish Government (£750,000), Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme (£1.9 million), UHI Millenium Institute (£145,000), Sabhal Mor Ostaig and private sponsors (£190,000), BBC (£400,000).
The total cost of the new centre is £7.6 million including specialist equipment purchased.
Tha an t-Eilean Sgitheanach a' cruthachadh an t-suidheachaidh cheart dha Albannaich chomasach airson nan gnìomhachasan cruthachail àrdachadh, thuirt am Prìomh Mhinistear, Ailig Salmond, an-diugh is e a' fosgladh ionad ùr dha gnìomhachasan cruthachail is cultarach air an eilean.
Tha Ionad Fàs air àrainn Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, a' cholaiste Ghàidhlig ann an Slèite. Tha an t-ionad airson iomairtean cultarach a thàladh is a thaiceachadh, a' gabhail a-steach phròiseactan co-cheangailte ri na meadhanan, ri foillseachadh is ri Gàidhlig.
Dh'inns am Prìomh Mhinistear cuideachd gun robh maoineachadh de £260,000 bho Riaghaltas na h-Alba ri fhaighinn airson taic a chur ri obair an Ionaid -le £200,000 airson riochdachadh didseatach TBh agus uidheam for-riochdachaidh, agus £60,000 gus taic a chur ri planaichean adhartach na colaiste airson faclair eachdraidheil Gàidhlig a dheasachadh.
Thuirt am Prìomh Mhinistear, Ailig Salmond:
"An-diugh, 's ann air Ghàidhealtachd is sna h-Eileanan Siar a tha leth den trì fichead mìle de luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig a' fuireach - le 30,000 a' fuireach an àiteachan eile san dùthaich, a' gabhail a-steach faisg air 6,000 ann an Glaschu. Chan eil teagamh sam bith nach e cànan nàiseanta a th' anns a' Ghàidhlig.
"Tha ceangal dualach eadar cànan is cultar na h-Alba. Tha iad nam pàirt de dhualchas shònraichte is de leantainneachd bheairteach. Mar a thuirt Iain Crichton Mac a' Ghobhainn: 'Ma chailleas an Gàidheal a chànan caillidh e a shaoghal.'
"Airson soirbheachadh - feumaidh sinn cothroman eaconamach is cultarach a chruthachadh dha luchd-Gàidhlig na h-Alba -agus dhan chànan fhèin. Tha Colaiste Sabhal Mòr Ostaig na fìor phrìomh ionad airson a' Ghàidhlig adhartachadh is a leasachadh ann an Alba.
"Bheir Ionad ùr Fàs cothrom dha cliù na colaiste a bhith a' fàs, agus bidh e na dhachaigh dha luchd-ealain, luchd-ciùil, luchd-craolaidh, luchd-ionnsachaidh inbhich agus mòran a bharrachd. Sin as coireach gu bheil mi toilichte am maoineachadh de £260,000 ainmeachadh gus taic a chur ris an obair luachmhor aige agus airson cuideachadh le soirbheachadh thàlantan chruthachail.
"Dè an t-àite a b' fheàrr gus ionad airson cruthachadh is cultar a stèidheachadh na am measg cuid de na seallaidhean as àlainne a th' ann an Alba? Tha e na dheagh eisimpleir de na mìorbhailean a th' aig Alba ri thabhann. 'S e an t-Eilean Sgitheanach an dearbh àite airson rionnagan an ama ri teachd àrach.
"An dèidh dìreach tilleadh bho subhachasan soirbheachail Seachdain na h-Alba anns na SA, tha fios agam gu bheil ùidh shònraichte ann an Alba gu h-eadar-nàiseanta agus gu bheil e comasach dha Alba soirbheachadh cultarach cruinne a mhealtainn. Le bhith a' strì ri leasachadh a dhèanamh air ar sàr chultar, air ar tàlant is air cothroman an comasachd sin a thaisbeanadh, gheibh sinn air obair cruthachaidh na h-Alba adhartachadh air feadh an t-saoghail."
Thuirt Uilleam Roe, Ceann-suidhe Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean (HIE), aon de phrìomh bhuidhnean maoineachaidh Fàs:
"Aig £3.6m gu h-iomlan b' e taic HIE an tasgadh bu mhotha a chuir sinn a-riamh ri pròiseact gnìomhachais cruthachail air leth ann an àite sam bith air Ghàidhealtachd is sna h-Eileanan, agus bha e cudromach airson dèanamh cinnteach gun deigheadh a' phròiseact air adhart. Tha taic ga thoirt dha obraichean inbheachail agus thathas air sàr àrainneachd ghnìomhachais a chruthachadh ann an coimhearsnachd dùthchail.
"Tha leasachadh sàr bhun-structair ionnsachaidh deatamach a thaobh fàs is seasmhachd fad-ùine na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean. Stèidhichidh am measgachadh de dh'obair chultarach is ghnìomhachais aig Fàs ionad brìgheil airson cruthachadh, ag adhartachadh gnìomhachas cruthachail a thuilleadh air obair chruthachaidh is na h-ealain, ann an suidheachadh de chultar is cànan na Gàidhlig.
"Tha sinn a' coimhead air adhart ri leantainn a' co-obrachadh ri Sabhal Mòr Ostaig agus Fàs san àm ri teachd."
'S e Sabhal Mòr Ostaig an t-aon cholaiste Ghàidhlig a th' ann an Alba. Suidhichte ann an Slèite san Eilean Sgitheanach, chaidh a stèidheachadh ann an 1973 air làrach Tuathanachais trèigte Ostaig.
Tha a' cholaiste na pàirt de Institiùd OGE nam Mìle Bliadhna agus tha àrainn aice ann an Ìle cuideachd.
Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba an-dràsta a' leasachadh bun thabhartas na colaiste le £1.25 millean airson 2008-09.
Bidh 420 meatair ceàrnagach de rùm air màl ann an Ionad ùr Fàs, thairis air ceithir làir, dha gnìomhachasan co-cheangailte ri gnìomhachasan cruthachail is cultarach; oifisean airson tòiseachadh ghnothachasan; goireasan trèanaidh dha nua-mheadhanan is telebhisean didseatach; ionad ionnsachaidh; àite taisbeanaidhean; àite dha luchd-ealain is luchd-ciùil; oifisean airson rannsachadh ann an Gàidhlig; àite choinneamhan agus crèche airson feumalachdan luchd-obrach is na coimhearsnachd.
Bidh 70 dreuchd an lùib Ionad Fàs.
Tha taic mhaoineachaidh airson an ionaid ùir air a thighinn bho Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean (£3.6 millean), Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd (£1.2 millean), Riaghaltas na h-Alba (£750,000), Prògram Sònraichte Trastach na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean (£1.9 millean), Institiùd OGE nam Mìle Bliadhna (£145,000), Sabhal Mòr Ostaig agus urrasairean prìobhaiteach (£190,000), Am BBC (£400,000).
'S e £7.6 millean cosgais iomlan an ionaid ùir, a' gabhail a-steach uidheamachd speisealta a chaidh a cheannachd.
Tormod MacGilliosa, Stiùiriche Sabhal Mòr Ostaig,
"'S e bun-bheachd ùr bhrosnachail, a tha a' dèanamh rannsachadh air co-obrachadh taobh a-staigh nan gnìomhachasan cruthachail is cultarach, a th' ann am Fàs. Brosnaichidh e nua-mheasadh mu leasachadh cànain is cruthaichidh e cosnadh. Bidh rannsaichean a' dol an lùib luchd-ciùil, luchd nan ealan lèirsinneach, craoladairean, sgrìobhadairean agus luchd gnothaich. Bidh teicneòlas na inneal feumail airson a dhol thar chrìochan agus tha an suidheachadh air leth eireachdail. Bidh e taitneach a bhith ag obair ann. Tha sinn air leth toilichte gu bheil am Prìomh Mhinistear a' fosgladh Fàs dhuinn agus gheibh e an seo meadhan lìbhrigidh airson na comasachd leasaichte air an do rinn e ro-aithris ann an Òraid an t-Sabhail Mhòir aige san Dùbhlachd mu dheireadh. Tha fàilte chridheil a' feitheamh air."
Tha Roger McClure, Àrd Oifigear Comhairle Maoineachaidh na h-Alba, air fàilte a chur air fosgladh Fàs:
"Tha Comhairle Maoineachaidh na h-Alba a' cur fàilte air fosgladh Fàs mar iomairt chudromach ann an leasachadh cànan na Gàidhlig, ann an obair eaconamach co-cheangailte ri Gàidhlig is ri cultar na Gàidhlig. Nar n-aithisg a dh'fhoillsichear o chionn ghoirid, 'Gaelic education provision in Scotland', chuir sinn an cèill cho riatanach 's a tha margaidheachd choitcheann na Gàidhlig agus cothroman àrdaichte leasachaidh choimhearsnachd. Bheir na goireasan cultarach is eaconamach a thig à Fàs taic chudromach airson na rùintean sin a thoirt gu buil."
Thuirt Coinneach Moireach, Àrd Oifigear Bòrd na Gàidhlig:
"Tha Bòrd na Gàidhlig air leth toilichte gu bheil an t-ionad ùr seo, a chuidicheas le fàs a' chultair Ghàidhlig bheòthaile, ga fhosgladh. 'S e cultar iuchair leasachaidh cànain sam bith agus lasaidh cultar làidir Gàidhlig an fhacail labhairtiche fhad 's a bhrosnaicheas e an fheadhainn aig a bheil ùidh na ceòl 's ann an ealain eile na Gàidhlig, gus a h-ionnsachadh. Tha sinn a' cur meal an naidheachd air Sabhal Mòr Ostaig airson an fhìor dheagh choileanaidh agus a' guidhe gach soirbheachadh dhan ionad san àm ri teachd."