National Gaelic arts agency Proiseact nan Ealan (PNE), is to close after severe funding cuts.
The Western Isles organisation, which has been at the forefront of Gaelic arts development for the past 25 years, has been denied core grants from Creative Scotland, the public body responsible for distributing financial support to cultural industries across the country.
After a year struggling to survive, the organisation has been forced to announce it is shutting down. Job losses are inevitable; a one-time staff of 12 had latterly been reduced to five.
PNE has confirmed it will cease to operate in December, just a few weeks after the agency won the arts and culture prize at the annual Scottish Gaelic Awards.
Creative director, Erica Morrison, said: “We have found ourselves in a constrained financial position in recent times and, despite all our best efforts, the organisation will close next month.”
She added: “Proiseact nan Ealan has been a major part of Gaelic arts development over many years, and I wish to thank all our supporters who have contributed to our numerous achievements.”
Board chairwoman Catherine Macdonald said: “Funding is a growing problem for arts organisations and, sadly, Proiseact nan Ealan is not immune from this.
“My thoughts are with the staff whose hard work and commitment to Gaelic arts has been validated again by (the) arts and culture award.”
Pròiseact nan Ealan were previously funded as an annual client of Creative Scotland, receiving £75,000 in 2014.
Axeing that essential funding stream has proved calamitous.
Creative Scotland previously said it was “not appropriate to discuss the details of individual applications with anyone other than the organisations themselves.”