Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scotland Conference

Following last year’s successful conference, the ICH Scotland Partnership is looking to build on the UNESCO ratification to raise awareness of the richness and diversity of Scotland’s intangible cultural heritage and explore how we might move forward with shared actions across Scotland.

The 2024 conference aims to understand how ICH is celebrated and managed across Scotland, by looking at:

· Examples of good practice in safeguarding and celebrating ICH from the Netherlands

· Inspiring examples of ICH work from across Scotland

· Reflecting on what next steps we should take as a nation, having become signatories to the UNESCO convention

The conference is open to anyone with an interest in intangible cultural heritage, including community and arts groups, individual ICH practitioners such as artists, makers and teachers, heritage groups, academics, public bodies, arts organisation, heritage organisations and museums.

The conference will be followed by an evening of song and story, which will be open to the public, featuring local performers and some of those attending the main event.

Agenda:

Welcome

David Francis, Director Traditional Music Forum

Keynote: Pieter van Rooij, Dutch Centre for ICH

ICH in the Netherlands: The Dutch Government’s Approach to Supporting Intangible Cultural Heritage

Part 1: Who’s working on Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scotland

Màiri Callan, Gaelic Bàrdachd: Slighe Fonn na Bàrdachd

Gaelic Bàrdachd Màiri Callan will be discussing her project Slighe Fonn na Bàrdachd: BhoBhalbhachd nan Duilleag gu Binn-ghuthan an t-Sluaigh / The Musical Journey of Verse: From Silent Page to the Melodious Voices of the People. Inspired by the premise that Gaelic poetry was made to be sung, Màiri has composed melodies and musical accompaniments for ten poems from the 17th to 19th century and aims to introduce these new Gaelic songs to the performance repertoires of Gaelic singers.

Janos Lang and Simon Gall: Ando Glaso Roma Fest

Janos Lang and Simon Gall will be discussing the Ando Glaso Roma Fest in Glasgow, delivered as part of their project ‘Roma Empowerment Through Intangible Cultural Heritage’ (supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund) and showcasing Roma ICH including music, dance, language and dress.

Raghnaid Sandilands and Mairi McFadyen: The Findhorn Watershed Initiative

The Findhorn Watershed Initiative (FWI) commissioned Raghnaid Sandilands and Mairi McFadyen to conduct a pilot programme of human ecology research and engagement in the Upper Catchment area between July 2023 and March 2024, involving cultural research and fieldwork, including audio fieldwork recording in the watershed communities. The wider project will seek to bring together all of the insights, stories, reflections, and voices across the programme to begin to form the first iteration of a ‘River Findhorn Charter’.

Part 2: Opportunities and Challenges Around ICH in Scotland

Steve Byrne: Traditional Crafts Report

A report by Tina Rose Reaching the Makers: Traditional Crafts in Scotland provides a detailed insight into makers and their work with 434 responses from craftspeople across the country and covering who is making and why, the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit, what crafts are being made and sustainability and development.

Joanne Orr: What will signing the convention mean?

Joanne Orr has been the CEO of an accredited NGO with experience of developing public policy for culture and of implementing the 2003 Convention. She has developed innovative approaches to inventorying and an inclusive definition of ICH. She served on the inaugural Steering Committee for the ICH NGO Forum and the UK National Commission for UNESCO. Joanne will discuss the implications of ratification for Scotland.

Judith Hewitt, Dumfries and Galloway Council: The Role of Local Authorities

Judith Hewitt, Museum Curator for Dumfries and Galloway Council, will be looking at how local authorities can support ICH and its associated challenges.

Johnnie Anderson: ICH at Risk

Johnnie Anderson is undertaking the Historic Environment Scotland ICH at Risk Internship and will be sharing the results of their research project.

Ceilidh

The day will end with an informal Ceilidh session, where anyone who wishes to gabh òrain – share a song - or story, is invited to do so.