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CHAPTER EIGHT SUSTAINED OUTCOMES OF TARTAN WEEK
8.1 On their return from New York, event organisers were invited to attend meetings at the Scottish Executive to feed back their views on their input to Tartan Week and their overall impressions of Tartan Week 2006. Whilst event organisers have provided verbal debriefs to the Scottish Executive, at the time of preparing this evaluation document, few event organisers had provided full written evaluations detailing the number of attendees who visited their events, the press coverage received and contact information regarding attendees for evaluation purposes. The Scottish Book Trust and Scottish Youth Theatre have provided excellent evaluations of their activities and events in New York and should be used as models for best practice in 2007.
8.2 Post-event, many event organisers felt that Tartan Week would benefit from an overall theme which would provide a focus for those planning events/activities as well as for the media. It was agreed that establishing an appropriate theme may be difficult but that it may well prove a positive direction for Tartan Week, which would be beneficial for all concerned.
"What about a cultural, festival events theme and just get everyone pulling around a theme."
Event organiser
8.3 The outcomes for each of the events (both immediate and long-term) sponsored by the Scottish Executive are detailed in table 8.1 below. The table highlights the links that have been made with audiences in New York and relevant organisations on which Tartan Week may build in the future.
Table 8.1 Outcomes for Scottish Executive funded events
Event | Location and Lead Partner | Outcomes |
|---|
"Geordie" - A Scottish Musical | New York Scottish Youth Theatre | - Positive media coverage in Scotland profiling young people and their opportunity to perform in New York
- Alan Cummings announced as Patron whilst in New York
- Positive links established with young people in New York
|
Scotland Run | New York New York Road Runners Club | - Opportunities exist to create a bigger event around the 10k run which would attract family groups and young professionals
|
Scotland on Film | New York Scottish Screen | - Links established with Anthology Film Archives and New York Film Academy
|
"Tartan Bites" | New York Scottish Book Trust | - Penguin USA "has snapped up James Robertson's new book" in a deal that literacy insiders believe exceeds £50,000 following attendance at Tartan Week
- Positive media coverage in US and domestic press featuring key Scottish authors such as Alexander McCall-Smith
- Positive feedback from Smithsonian Institute amongst others who are keen to work with the Scottish Book Trust again
|
Scotland Village | New York VisitScotland | - Zone within Village reported high levels of interest in studying and working in Scotland
- Provided opportunity to showcase the languages and literature of Scotland to an American audience.
|
British Memorial Garden Reception | New York | - Opportunities exist to increase relations with business community within Lower Manhattan and to broaden the reach of Tartan Week which is primarily held in Mid Manhattan
|
Social Inclusion Programme | New York City of Edinburgh Council | - Links made with young people in New York has led to talks of a potential visit to Scotland
- The group will use a web-based discussion forum to continue to communicate with the young people in New York
|
"A Scottish Salon" | New York National Galleries of Scotland | - Established links with New York donors
- Introduced new Chairman
- Relaunched American Associates
- Gave New York citizens the opportunity to access Scottish art
|
Curling | Boston Royal Caledonian Curling | - Plans for marketing Scotland as a curling holiday destination
|
William Wallace Exhibition | New York Stirling Council | - The exhibition further developed people's interest in William Wallace/Braveheart and Stirling as a tourist destination
|
"The Scotland Conversations" | New York Joint Scottish Universities event and Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama | - Established ongoing relationships with academic institutions in New York
- RSAMD has potential to work with Hunter College
- University of Edinburgh working with New School with their Continuing Education Programme during Edinburgh Festival
|
Finding Scotland in New York | Scottish National Photographic Centre | - This event has led to links between the Parsons School and Stevenson College
- The competition and collaboration between Parsons College and the Scottish National Photographic Centre generated positive media coverage
|
8.4 Table 8.1 highlights the relationships which have been built with a wide range of cultural and educational organisations within New York, providing opportunities for organisations on both sides of the Atlantic to share experience and skills. Most interestingly, significant links have been made with young people and it is to this audience that a contemporary, modern Scotland can be clearly marketed and an image which they can share with their peers. The challenge for all organisations concerned is to sustain these relationships and to consider in what ways they can work together in the future.
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