Jenny Gilruth

As Scotland’s national day approaches, the funding will help support up to 100 individual events running from 26 November to 30 November as part of the St Andrew’s Day celebrations.

These include the St Andrew’s Fair Saturday programme and a range of community events organised by BEMIS Scotland – the national umbrella body supporting the development of the Ethnic Minorities Voluntary Sector.

EventScotland-supported St Andrew’s Day events include the SEALL Festival of Small Halls across the Isles of Skye, Raasay and Lochalsh.

The theme of the celebrations this year is kindness and consideration for others and the programme features concerts, poetry readings, ceilidhs, torchlight parades and a Diversity Cup football tournament.

The Scottish Government has also extended support to EventScotland’s Hogmanay celebrations in Stirling, Portree, Edinburgh and Stromness and their programme of events to mark Scotland’s most famous poet, Robert Burns, with Burns&Beyond and the Big Burns Supper in January 2022.

Jenny Gilruth, culture minister, said: “Scotland’s Winter Festivals bring a much-needed brightness and joy to the winter darkness and I’m very pleased that the Scottish Government is contributing up to £430,000 to the programme of events.

“The past year has been challenging for everyone so the government is proud to fund a programme of events that bring people together from near and far to showcase our world-class culture and heritage as well as our values of fairness, kindness, inclusivity and empowerment.”