Campaigners in Inverness have launched a crowdfunding campaign in a bid to establish a home for Gaelic in Inverness.
Gaelic language and culture campaigners want to raise £50,000 towards the cost of creating a permanent home for Gaelic in the Highland capital.
The aim of the project is to create a community-owned Gaelic Cultural Centre, Cultarlann Inbhir Nis.
A place in Inverness for Gaelic language and culture
The project will be officially launched in Inverness, at the cathedral at 11am today.
The new space is described as being a place “where everyone with an interest in the language and culture, either from the local community or from further afield, can come together to learn, to meet with friends, to take part in a wide range of activities, or simply to use and hear Gaelic within a relaxed and welcoming social environment”.
Maggie Mulholland, chairwoman of the Cultarlann Inbhir Nis board said: “Our aim via this crowdfunding campaign is to raise £50,000 as a very significant step towards achieving our overall target of £500,000.
“As well as the fundraising element, we hope to be able to further demonstrate that there is backing for the project from people here in Inverness and the Highlands, across Scotland and internationally.”
“There is a higher proportion of Gaelic speakers in Inverness than any other city in the world and we have hundreds of young people in our community who have benefitted from Gaelic medium education.
“We want to celebrate this by creating a place where people of all ages can use and
experience Gaelic culture in a natural day-to-day environment.
“People interested in what we are aiming to achieve can find out more at www.cultarlann.scot and from there donate to our campaign in any way that they can.
Every pound will be a step forward
“Every single person who shows their support and every single pound donated will help us take a step towards creating Cultarlann Inbhir Nis.”
Cultarlann Inbhir Nis has been supported by the principal public body in Scotland responsible for promoting Gaelic, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, to help establish and develop the project to this crucial point.
Shona MacLennan, ceannard of Bòrd na Gàidhlig said: “Our aim is that Gaelic is seen and heard across Scotland, such that it is widely recognised as an integral part of Scottish daily life and a natural cultural and economic asset.
“We have been delighted to support Cultarlann Inbhir Nis and in this way contribute to the National Gaelic Plan commitment to deliver a programme of support to enable urban Gaelic communities to thrive.
“We wish them every success as they push forward with their vision of creating a home for Gaelic in Inverness.”
The Cultarlann Inbhir Nis crowdfunding campaign will run for eight weeks through to the end of June.
