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Scotland's National Cultural Strategy Annual Report 2003

>> ACTION CONTINUES

CONCORDE COMING TO MUSEUM OF FLIGHT -

in October 2003, British Airways announced that one of their retired Concorde aircraft would be gifted to the National Museums of Scotland for the Museum of Flight at East Fortune. The First Minister announced 2 million towards the development of the Museum of Flight, itself a site of historic importance.

• INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL ACTIVITY

Venice Biennale - Jim Lambie exhibit, photo courtesy of Jerry Hardman-Jones

>> ACTION SINCE NOVEMBER 2002

SCOTLAND GOES TO CATALONIA -

a three-day Ministerial programme - 'Scotland with Catalonia' - in September 2003 featured various tourism, culture and architecture elements to build on the Co-operation Agreement between the Executive and the Catalan government, signed in November 2002. The Deputy First Minister and Prime Minister Mas of Catalonia co-hosted a highly-successful evening of Scotland's traditional and contemporary culture. VisitScotland's activities centred on a 'Scottish Square', where over 35,000 people sampled Scottish food, drink and culture. The work of contemporary Scottish architects is becoming renowned internationally, and The Lighthouse's international touring exhibition, " Landforms", presented the best in post-devolution Scottish architecture to a Catalan audience.

"COLLABORATE IN JOINT CULTURAL ACTIVITY OR PROJECTS WITH OTHER EUROPEAN REGIONS AND MEMBER STATES"

President Martini of Tuscany visiting the Royal Museum in September 2003

SCOTLAND AT THE ROTTERDAM BIENNALE -

"Re:Motion: New Movements in Scottish Architecture" is a touring exhibition displaying the visionary responses of 8 Scottish architectural practices to the themes of travel and mobility within the context of sustainable development. The exhibition featured at the inaugural International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam in May 2003 and is touring to various venues through Scotland in 2003-04.

CULTIVATING LINKS BETWEEN SCOTLAND AND TUSCANY -

a shared commitment to promoting co-operation and exchange is at the heart of an action plan signed by the First Minister and the President of Tuscany in Edinburgh in September 2003. This builds on the Co-operation Agreement signed in November 2002. The Executive has similar Agreements with Bavaria, Northrhine Westphalia and Catalonia.

SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL -

40,000 people attended the June opening day of the Smithsonian Institution's Folklife Festival 2003, which played host to a special showcase of Scottish culture at the National Mall in Washington DC. Financial backing from the Executive, VisitScotland, the Scottish Arts Council, the National Museums of Scotland and generous support from the Smithsonian made this possible. The cultural extravaganza celebrating the traditional living cultures of Scotland, Mali and Appalachia was attended by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport. "Scotland at the Smithsonian" involved more than 100 Scottish participants including musicians, storytellers, craftspeople, dancers, scholars, cooks, historians, poets and linguists. An audience exceeding 1.1 million attended, and media coverage is estimated at 40-50 million.

• The National Museums of Scotland's acclaimed "Celebrating Scotland's Crafts" exhibition developed with Scottish Arts Council funding, showed at the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Building on the Mall from June to September. The 106 present-day objects, produced by traditional methods, highlight the continuation of specialised skills and crafts passed down through the centuries.

• VisitScotland sponsored the "Smithsonian Associates Lecture Programme" with high-profile speakers discussing many aspects of Scotland, its past and present.

TARTAN DAY -

again in 2003, Tartan Day provided an important opportunity to promote both traditional and contemporary Scotland. A Working Group has been established, chaired by the Executive, to co-ordinate future activity to strengthen links between Scotland and the US through this event.

VisitScotland and Dewars sponsored the "Tunes of Glory Parade" of thousands of pipers and drummers through Manhattan; and a series of consumer and business events, genealogy, golf, culture and heritage took place to raise Scotland's profile in this key overseas market.

Canadian Pacific Liner, photo courtesy of SCRAN

EAST MEETS WEST -

the Japanese Garden at Lauriston Castle, jointly funded by Kyoto Prefecture, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian, the City of Edinburgh Council and through sponsorship, is intended to mark the current and future friendship between the people of Scotland and Japan. The site was selected by Mr T Sano, the revered doyen of gardening in Kyoto.

Japanese Garden at Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh

" TRAILBLAZERS - SCOTS IN CANADA" -

the exhibition, " Trailblazers - Scots in Canada", opened in the Royal Museum in October 2003. This groundbreaking exhibition tells the story of the Scots' contribution over 400 years to the development of Canada. Combining exceptional collections from the National Museums of Scotland and Canadian partner museums, the display focuses on how Scots interacted with the mix of peoples they encountered in their new home. The exhibition is the product of much collaboration between many partners in Scotland and Canada, including the Canadian High Commission, the Manitoba Métis Federation, Parks Canada, the Hudson's Bay Company, VisitScotland, SCRAN, National Archives of Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, National Library of Scotland, and many other public and private collections. Trailblazers is designed to reach a wide range of audiences including those with an interest in genealogy.

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