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Bòrd na Gàidhlig are delighted to have provided funding support to 52 projects from across Scotland through a recent Funding Scheme.    

The Gaelic Language Act Implementation Fund (GLAIF) was established to help public authorities in the delivery of commitments in their Gaelic Language Plans, and in support of the National Gaelic Language Plan.  GLAIF has also been used to assist other public authorities in the delivery of projects ahead of their formal notice to produce a Gaelic Language Plan.

Among the successful projects, support was given to local Councils and public bodies to continue with current Gaelic roles or to establish new Gaelic employment opportunities, events and Gaelic classes for staff and adults, in Schools, and at community level. A full list of funded projects is available here.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig runs funding schemes at different times through the year. You can find more information about our funding schemes here.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Gaelic Education Grants 2019/20 is currently open for applications.

This funding scheme was specifically designed to support those currently working towards a career in Gaelic teaching or Gaelic-medium teachers looking to develop their professional skills.

Applications will be considered for the 2019/20 academic year from those undertaking a postgraduate degree in education, primary or secondary, those studying undergraduate Gaelic education degrees and those undertaking HNC or HND in Early Learning & Childcare. Bòrd na Gàidhlig may also consider applications teachers that are employed in a role relating to Gaelic-medium education that wish to undertake a course to develop their skills or qualified teachers looking to develop their skills to move into Gaelic-medium education.

Visit our funding pages for application guidance and further information.

Should you have any questions, please email: tabhartas@gaidhlig.scot

Update: Applications for this funding scheme have closed.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the public body responsible for promoting Gaelic language and culture, is seeking to appoint a new Director of Gaelic Education. This part-time role is complemented by the recent appointment of a full-time Education Manager.

The post holder will be responsible for developing strategic direction for the Bòrd’s education policy, advising the Bòrd itself, Scottish Government and other education and learning providers such as local authorities on the Bòrd’s aims for developing Gaelic education.

Mairi T MacInnes, Interim Chair at Bòrd na Gàidhlig said: “The successful candidate will have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the Gaelic education at all levels – from early years’ provision to adult learning via statutory education and digital technology.

We work closely with the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and other public bodies, universities and colleges and community groups and the Director of Gaelic Education is at the heart of ensuring this partnership working is successful. The post will be both rewarding and stimulating for the successful candidate who will possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to take forward Gaelic education policy.”

Update: Applications for this post have now closed.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig has this week launched a public consultation on a draft Gaelic Language Plans guidance document.

The draft guidance has been developed under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 and will supersede the original guidance document that was first published in 2007.

The Gaelic Language Act requires that the consultation on the draft guidance be open for not less than 3 months, and for that reason will officially run until Tuesday 17th September 2019.

Once the feedback has been collated, Bòrd na Gàidhlig will finalise the draft guidance document before it is submitted to Scottish Ministers for their view.

Daibhidh Boag, Director of Language Planning and Community Developments at Bòrd na Gàidhlig said,

“Statutory Gaelic Language Plans are one of the most important tools that we have for growing Gaelic usage in Scotland. Bòrd na Gàidhlig works with public authorities across Scotland and this document is a crucial foundation on which this important work is based. The public consultation gives people an opportunity to give their views, so that at the end of the day, the guidance is as useful as it can be.”

Update: This public consultation has now closed.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig visited some of the Gaelic communities in Argyll & Bute and Lochaber as part of a series of Board meetings which were held last week, 4-6 June 2019.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig met with Comann nam Pàrant in Oban on Tuesday evening to discuss the demand and their progress for a dedicated Gaelic school in the area. The Group is continuing their campaign and parents and the Bòrd discussed steps to take the work forward. 

An informal community meeting was held in the Corran Halls on Wednesday evening where those involved in Gaelic in the area had the opportunity to meet with Board and staff members. The Bòrd’s Interim Chair, Mairi MacInnes, opened the meeting and welcomed all those who attended and the Bòrd’s Ceannard, Shona MacLennan, highlighted how Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s work is contributing to the use of Gaelic in this area. Last year, the Bòrd provided funding of £261,886 to 23 different projects in Argyll & Bute. This included funding towards Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle, the Gaelic centre in Islay; early years groups in Bowmore, Tobermory, Dunoon and Oban; officers at Comunn na Gàidhlig based in Islay and Jura, Mull and Oban and the new Comann nam Pàrant officer based in Oban; a Co-ordinator of Music and Culture in Tiree; Argyll & Bute Council’s Gaelic classes; and also funding to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust based in Tobermory, to encourage the increased use of Gaelic in their work.

In addition to supporting the funding for Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle, Bòrd na Gàidhlig also help fund Fèisean nan Gàidheal and An Comunn Gàidhealach, two other organisations which contribute significantly to promoting the use of Gaelic in the area.

Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar won the prestigious Gaelic Award at this year’s Scottish Education Awards in Glasgow, which also took place last week. Bòrd na Gàidhlig sponsored this category and congratulated Head Teacher John Joe MacNeil on their success.

More information about Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s work and funding schemes can be viewed on their website, www.gaidhlig.scot

10/06/2019

Photo Credit: Mihaela Bodlovic

Eleven organisations involved in promoting Gaelic through arts, education and digital services have been awarded more than £5 million worth of funding over the next three years by Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Included for the first time is Theatre Gu Leòr, which brings Gaelic theatre to audiences across Scotland and supports both contemporary writing, and the creation of a new repertoire of Gaelic drama.

The award of £165,000 over three years means the theatre group now has a permanent base in Partick, Glasgow, from which it can develop a creative learning programme, including Staran, a new initiative which focusses on professional skills development for Gaelic-speaking writers, actors and directors.

A new aspect of the Scottish Government-backed funding arrangements – awarded to groups which follow Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s corporate plan to promote and support the growth of the Gaelic language and culture – sees the finance awarded over a three-year cycle rather than just one year.

The move by Bòrd na Gàidhlig aims to allow those awarded funding the opportunity to put longer-term plans in place, a move which has been widely welcomed.

Among the other groups which will continue to receive funding are Comunn na Gàidhlig, (£1.36 million), An Comunn Gàidhealach, which organises the Royal National Mòd and local Mòds (£300,000) and Stornoway-based Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig (£930,000).

Comunn na Gàidhlig manages Iomairtean na Gàidhlig in 15 communities across Scotland. They aim to enthuse and enable young people and parents to use the language more often by delivering a wide range of fun and attractive activities outwith the classroom.

Among its aims are to develop a five-year expansion programme to take its activities to new communities and to grow the number of young people speaking the language.

Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig will use its funding to continue promoting its Gaelic culture by developing its resources and support to pupils, teachers and parents involved in Gaelic education.

An Comunn Gàidhealach, based in Inverness, aims to further develop its Royal National Mòd and 18 local Mòds held throughout the year, which together involve around 10,000 young, talented performers annually.

Muireann Kelly, artistic director at Theatre Gu Leòr, said: “We are delighted not just with the funding from Bòrd na Gàidhlig but the fact that it’s a three-year cycle. This gives us the stability and platform to plan ahead.

“It means we now have a home in Partick which gives us space to develop creative learning and the Gaelic theatre sector. In our new workspace Gaelic is used every day, there are hot desks for Gaelic artists, we are able to offer training and work placements, and we have launched our new initiative, Staran, which is a pathway to developing this sector.

“We are delighted to be based in Partick, which is a real Gaelic heartland in Glasgow, though our work takes us all over the country. We’re fortunate in that our workspace, which the funding supports, is next to three other established Gaelic cultural organisations which allows us to work together creatively and helps further develop this area as a cultural hub for Gaelic in Glasgow.”

Mairi MacInnes, Bòrd na Gàidhlig Interim Chair, said: “All those receiving funding do fantastic work to promote and develop the Gaelic language. Theatre Gu Leor’s support for modern writers and actors mean they are very worthy recipients of this funding.

“We at Bòrd na Gàidhlig are delighted to support them and I am sure they will put the money to excellent use.”

“We also hope that our change from a one-year to a three-year cycle will prove invaluable to all the organisations, giving them the much-needed opportunity to conduct more long-term development and financial planning.”

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “This is an important step for Gaelic and the offer of funding over an extended period of three years allows these organisations to plan their future workload and provide stability for their staff.  The Scottish Government is committed to providing a sustainable future for Gaelic and this funding goes some way to support our aims for the language and those who wish to use it.”

Donald MacNeill, chief executive at Comunn na Gàidhlig, said: “We strongly welcome our renewed funding, and its three-year basis. This will allow us to look to new opportunities; will provide our hard-working team with added security, and that in turn will be a benefit to the young Gaelic speakers at the core of all our efforts.”

Donald W Morrison, chief executive of Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig, said: “Stòrlann welcomes the three-year funding. It is most useful in planning for the resources and services which Stòrlann provides for pupils, parents and teachers, both at learner and fluent levels.

“In addition, this funding helps to contribute to the Gaelic economy, supports activity that raises awareness of the language and serves to increase the number of Gaelic learners and users in Scotland.”

John Morrison, chief executive of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “An Comunn Gàidhealach is pleased to be the recipient of three-year grant funding from Bòrd na Gàidhlig. The guaranteed funding delivers certainty to our work and makes future planning easier. We hope that other funding bodies are able to replicate the Bòrd na Gàidhlig model to allow us to deliver steady growth in all our important Gaelic language development work. We wish to thank Bòrd na Gàidhlig for creating this certainty within an overall difficult funding environment.”

Other organisations awarded funding include Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle, Islay, £310,500 to deliver a programme of events and classes to promote Gaelic among residents on Islay and Jura; Comhairle nan Leabhraichean, of Glasgow, £537,000 to increase the number of people reading Gaelic books year on year; Fèisean nan Gàidheal, £430,000 to provide support and develop the traditional arts sector through Gaelic; Ceòlas Uibhist, £207,000, to focus on promoting Gaelic culture and help deliver its ambitious project to create a centre for Gaelic music, dance and culture in South Uist in partnership with Lewis Castle College UHI; An Lòchran, in Glasgow, £105,000 to co-ordinate Gaelic arts events in Scotland’s largest city; Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba, £240,000 for its continued research for its website and database of Gaelic place names; Faclair na Gàidhlig, £225,000, to develop a historical dictionary of the Gaelic language; and Acair, in Lewis, £171,000 to publish new high-quality Gaelic books.

30/05/2019

Bòrd na Gàidhlig are delighted to have provided funding support to 74 organisations from across Scotland through a recent Funding Scheme.    

The Taic Freumhan Coimhearsnachd funding programme was established to help community groups to undertake projects in support of the National Gaelic Language Plan. Among the successful projects, support has been provided for Gaelic days and classes; regional Fèisean and Mòds; educational school and community trips; and sustainment of some continuous projects as well as new ones. A full list of the projects recieving funding can be found here.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig runs funding schemes at different times through the year. Learn more about our funding schemes here.