scots music group

We’re looking for someone who would be interested in helping out regularly at our ceilidhs from Ocotber.

Arthur Robertson has done a tremendous job over the last three years, supporting the volunteer team at ceilidhs, and keeping all the ceilidhs running smoothly on the night. He’s now decided to step down from his role to enjoy a bit more dancing! Many thanks, Arthur for all your help!

Would you be interested in helping out? We are looking for someone who could commit to being at the ceilidh for the evening, and support our regular team of volunteers. If you’d like to find out more, please email Ros

…on the ScotsMusicGroup gallery on Flickr.com

Mairi Campbell (Sangstream MD) and Dave Francis (former SMG Convenor and tutor) are on the film soundtrack with Auld Lang Syne – see and hear it on their website The Cast

The Creative Scotland Bill has been thrown out by the Scottish parliament. See BBC website for details of the full story.

We were interviewed by the BBC for a short piece which was broadcast on BBC2 in June, as part of the Holyrood Live programme. Alastair Cameron, our chairperson, was interviewed, along with Caroline Scott from the TMSA. The piece was broadcast as an introduction to a parliamentary debate about Creative Scotland, on the day the bill was thrown out.

Linten Adie received a certificate today from Scotland’s Learning Partnership, in recognition of all their achievements over the last year

Well done to everyone involved!

Anne Renshaw, a member of Linten Adie, our daytime song class has written her own musical protest. Download the words for her song ‘The Slender Tree’ here

Download an MP3 recording of Anne singing The Slender Tree here and a copy of the written music here

Anne entered her song into the Edinburgh Folk Club’s song writing competition and won first prize with the audience vote – WELL DONE ANNE!

Elsa Sterling (a member of Linten Adie and Sangstream) has also written a campaign song. Her song was the result of a sleepless night after writing letters to MSPs on our behalf! Download the words for Elsa’a song here

Download a copy of the most recent newsletter here

Cathy Peattie MSP has put down a members motion in support of Scots Music Group in the Scottish Parliament.

When you are writing to your MSP, please ask him or her to sign this motion, number 1872, Edinburgh Scots Music Group.

Articles in the press so far regarding the SAC funding decision:
Scotsman, Friday 9th May
Evening News, Monday 12th May
Letter from Ros Gasson in The Scotsman Monday 12th May
Scottish Daily Express, Monday 19th May
The Sunday Herald, Sunday 18th May
The Herald, Thursday 22nd May
The Scotsman Tuesday 27th May
Letter from Alastair Cameron in The Scotsman Friday 30th May
The Evening News Tuesday 3rd June

In parliament on Wednesday 22nd May, Karen Whitefield asked Linda Fabiani what support the Scottish Executive is providing for traditional voluntary arts. Hear her response here (Click on the link for ‘themed question time 22/05/08’ Karen Whitefield’s question is near the end of the video)

At the council meeting on 29th May, Councillor Godzic proposed a motion about the Scots Music Group. Read the full text (item 11.3) here

The Board of the Scots Music Group met earlier this week to respond to the Scottish Arts Council’s decision not to offer us funding for next financial year. Follow this link to read decisions of the SAC about which proposals are to receive funds and which are not.

We decided that there are grounds for appeal, and we’ll follow that route, according to the procedure set out by the SAC.

We also ask all our supporters to write to their MSPs and the press. Your MSP‘s name can be found here, and their contact details here. Don’t forget that besides your constituency MSP, you also have 7 list MSPs – if you can write to them all, that is best.

The Scottish Arts Council have recently changed their focus for the funding they provide, and are now prioritising innovation and top quality performance. The result of this shift is that a number of grassroots Scottish traditional arts organisations have lost their funding.

Personal letters and e-mails are most effective. The points we would urge you to get across in letters are:

• The result of the Scottish Arts Council’s decision is that many organisations that develop grassroots involvement in Scottish traditional arts have lost their funding, which will seriously impact on the infrastructure of the traditional music sector. We provide regular employment to top-class tutors, and stimulate increasing participation in traditional music within communities. This involvement at community level is essential to supporting and developing the innovation and top quality performances of the future. The Scottish Arts Council change in funding priorities represents a real threat to Scottish culture.

• The arts are not just about performance, they are about participation. We make a real impact in communities across Edinburgh and much further afield, spreading playing, dance and song far beyond the classes we run

• Will the Scottish Arts Council make provision to lessen the immediate impact of these cuts on individual organisations?

• Add your own personal views on any other benefits you have experienced through being involved with the Scots Music Group
  

Our plans for extending the work, and reaching out to groups who do not normally participate in Scots music and song are threatened by this decision. At a time of increasing interest in all aspects of Scottish culture, this is a short-sighted and mean-spirited decision.

Please ask your MSPs to raise this decision with Linda Fabiani MSP, the minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, and ask her what she plans to do to secure the health and well-being of the Scots Music Group in 2009 and beyond.