Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is urging people across Edinburgh to come face to face with history as details of the inaugural Heritage Awareness Day were revealed at the iconic Leith Theatre.

Heritage Awareness Day – Scotland’s first-ever day dedicated to celebrating heritage – will take place on Friday 6th October, as the country continues to celebrate the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.

Leith Theatre took centre stage for the launch, which saw identical twins, Melanie and Eliza Chiswell (20) and Blair and Samuel McCullough (4) face a mirror image of the past as part of an open invitation to place a spotlight on Scotland’s heritage on 6th October.

Heritage Awareness Day has been launched with the aim of showcasing Scotland’s rich and diverse heritage and encouraging individuals, organisations and communities across the country to share and celebrate heritage in all its different forms.

With the countdown now officially underway, groups, individuals, communities and schools across Edinburgh are being encouraged to delve into the past and explore their heritage as part of this nationwide initiative.

Whether it’s highlighting local heritage projects, theming a community event or gathering, encouraging schools to research or dress up as a historical character to raise funds for a community project of their choice, or taking the opportunity to share and celebrate heritage through a virtual conversation online, Heritage Awareness Day is a chance to collectively celebrate Scotland’s vibrant and varied heritage.

Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland, Alex Paterson said:

“Scotland’s first-ever Heritage Awareness Day will provide a platform for people across the country to celebrate heritage in all its different forms.

“Heritage means different things to different people and spans everything from places, traditions, buildings and landscapes to family history, people and archaeology. It promotes a sense of place, shapes and defines communities, and we want the day to be a celebration of this.

“It also continues to play an important role in shaping Scotland’s story, not only telling the story of the past, but also makes an important and diverse contribution today from being a key tourism driver, to inspiring fantastic local projects and helping to make a positive contribution to communities up and down the country through the reuse of historic buildings.

“Venues such as Leith Theatre very much demonstrate the ethos of this campaign, where the community has been empowered to preserve their local heritage and give a new lease of life to this historic building.

“We hope that what is being achieved here in Leith encourages other groups and individuals throughout Scotland to get involved on October 6th and highlight and celebrate heritage.”

The launch marking the countdown to the big day took place at Edinburgh’s Leith Theatre, a historic venue currently entering a new chapter in its story.

Gifted to the people of Leith following the decision in 1920 to incorporate The Burgh of Leith into Edinburgh, it opened its doors in 1932, and welcomed acts ranging from Thin Lizzy to AC/DC. Following its heyday, it continued to serve sporadically as a venue for events such as the Edinburgh Festival until 1988 when it finally closed its doors.

The Leith Theatre Trust is now embarking on plans to bring the site into re-use, and have launched a fund-raising campaign to create a cultural hub at the theatre, which recently received grant funding through a new scheme, The Scottish Community Development Grant, administered by The Architectural Heritage Fund and supported by Historic Environment Scotland to help the project move into its next phase.

Ian Webb, Venue Manager, Leith Theatre Trust said:

“Leith Theatre is a significant part of Leith’s cultural story and is continuing its heritage narrative as a vibrant creative hub in Edinburgh making it the perfect launch pad for Heritage Awareness Day and what the celebration entails.

“A key element of the Heritage Awareness Day campaign is to encourage people to celebrate local history in their community, and we hope that people across the country take the opportunity to get involved and highlight the incredible heritage on their doorsteps.”

To help facilitate opportunities to get involved, a series of resources offering ideas and inspiration have been created, available to download at www.historicenvironment.scot/heritageday.

For more information, and to take part in the countdown to October 6th, follow us on Twitter at @HistEnvScot, and explore the hashtag #HeritageDay17.

Pic Greg Macvean - 18/10/2016 - 07971 826 457 Scottish Heritage Angel Awards 2016 - Assembly Rooms, George StreetNominations will soon close for the Scottish Heritage Angels Awards 2017, and groups and individuals – or ‘Angels’ – who have played a special part in caring for, recording and celebrating the nation’s historic environment are being urged to enter before the deadline of Friday 11th August.

Launched in 2014 and funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation (ALWF), and run by the Scottish Civic Trust in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, Archaeology Scotland and the Scottish Government, the scheme seeks to celebrate both groups and individuals who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to promote, protect and, in many cases, rescue Scotland’s heritage.

Last year saw entry submissions from the length and breadth of Scotland, with eventual winners including Mark Cranston, for his remarkable efforts to collect, catalogue and research Scottish bricks, and Dig TV, a television channel run entirely by young people to highlight an archaeological dig in Dumfries, which scooped the first Young Heritage Angel award.

This year, a brand new set of categories have been introduced for the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards. They are:

• Best Rescue of a Historic Building
• Best Contribution to a Heritage Project by Young People
• Best Craftsperson or Apprentice on a Heritage Rescue or Repair Project
• Best Rescue, Recording or Interpretation of a Historic Place

Nominations close on Friday 11th August. A panel of heritage experts will have the tough task of whittling down shortlists for each category and a panel of judges will choose the eventual winners who will be announced at the Scottish Heritage Angels Awards ceremony on Monday 16th October at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh.

In an exciting first, an overall winner from the Heritage Angel Awards in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland will be selected and crowned at the London ceremony.

John Pelan, Director of the Scottish Civic Trust, said:” With just days to go until the deadline, we’re urging people to get their entries and nominations in before 11th August.

“This year we’re looking for professionals and apprentices, as well as volunteers and voluntary groups who can demonstrate that their project has had a wider community benefit.

“Last year we showcased some wonderful projects reflecting the scale and diversity of heritage initiatives throughout the country, and I am confident that in in this Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology we can do so again.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose charitable foundation helped establish the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards, said: “‘I am delighted that the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards are open for another year of applications.

“Too often the individuals and groups who work tirelessly to protect their local historic buildings go unnoticed. We set up the Angel Awards in Scotland three years ago to change all that. I encourage everyone to come forward and celebrate these stars of heritage – those who keep our heritage alive and thriving for the next generation deserve to stand in the spotlight.”

The Scottish Heritage Angel Awards support the delivery of Scotland’s historic environment strategy Our Place in Time, which places a strong focus on supporting and enabling community participation and engagement across the historic environment.

For full details on how to enter the 2017 Scottish Heritage Angel Awards, nominate someone else for an award or find out about our previous winners, please visit www.scottishheritageangelawards.org.uk.

Keep up to date with the latest from the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards on Twitter at @ScotAngelAwards.

A new community heritage centre at Aberdour station opened last week.

The centre, run by the Aberdour Heritage Centre and Station Gardens group, is run by volunteers to provide visitors with more information about Aberdour and local attractions.

Features of the new centre include:
– An interactive touch table
– Exhibitions on the local area
– Bookable guided tours of the area

The centre occupies two formerly disused rooms in the main station building on platform one. The units have been fully refurbished for their new roles through support and funding from the ScotRail Alliance, the Stations Community Regeneration Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Railway Heritage Trust, the Fife Environment Trust and other local groups.

Pupils at Aberdour Primary School have plans for a children’s corner in the near future.

A whole host of events have already been planned for the centre, including drop-in sessions with local experts, and talks on the history of the village.

James Ledgerwood, head of economic development at the ScotRail Alliance, said: “It’s wonderful to see the hard work and dedication of the fantastic volunteers at the Aberdour Heritage Centre has paid off.

“The new centre and will undoubtedly be a great asset to the community, and it has been a pleasure to work with them to achieve their goal.”

Bill Rennie, chair of the Aberdour Heritage Centre and Station Gardens group said: “It’s been a real team effort. Many local volunteers and village organisations have helped with the renovation, which will breathe new life into Aberdour’s beautiful Victorian station.

“ScotRail has been incredibly supportive of the project during its execution. Our volunteers are now hoping to revamp the once famous station gardens.”

– Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs encourages the public to explore Scotland’s built heritage
– The Engine Shed opens to the public on 3 July

An exciting new chapter for Scotland’s heritage sector begins today as Historic Environment Scotland unveils The Engine Shed, its pioneering £11m national building conservation centre.

Based at Forthside Way in Stirling, The Engine Shed seeks to ensure the knowledge, skills and materials are available to look after the important cultural and economic asset that is Scotland’s 450,000 traditional buildings.

The new learning and visitor resource was officially opened by Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop and will serve as the national conservation hub, using world-leading innovation to bring Scotland’s built heritage to life through technology and hands-on activities.

With sustainability at the heart of the building’s conservation, the former MOD munitions store has been respectfully adapted, retaining much of the original fabric and character of the original building while demonstrating how traditional materials can be used in a modern context in two extensions, also incorporating modern technologies to enhance its energy efficiency.

The centrepiece of the main space is a large-scale map of Scotland compiled from hi-resolution satellite images, from which visitors can access additional information using an iPad as an augmented reality device.

With interactive exhibits, a 4K 3D auditorium and augmented reality experiences, The Engine Shed aims to spark the public’s passion and interest with Scotland’s historic environment and inspire a new generation to be interested in traditional buildings.

The Engine Shed will be home to Historic Environment Scotland’s building conservation research and education facility, which will share its world class expertise with national and international partners in building conservation.

People across Scotland are being invited to visit The Engine Shed as it unveils a summer programme of events designed to encourage a greater understanding of Scotland’s historic buildings and traditional craft skills, as part of Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology. Workshops will include creating pieces inspired by Mackintosh’s designs currently on temporary display at The Engine Shed, which were recovered from the fire that affected The Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh Building in 2014.

Chair of Historic Environment Scotland Jane Ryder said: “Today’s opening marks a significant milestone in the journey of Historic Environment Scotland and The Engine Shed is a visible demonstration of our commitment to both leading and supporting the vital heritage economy.

“It is the result of great collaboration and partnership working, and thanks must go to the Scottish Government, Heritage Lottery Fund, European Regional Development Fund and the Historic Scotland Foundation, who have supported us in delivering this unique facility. In particular, thanks must go to our partners at Stirling Council for providing us with the building, which I hope will play a key role in continuing to maximise the potential of heritage-led regeneration through their broader city deal.

“This world-class facility is a wonderful living classroom with science and technology at its core, demonstrating that innovation can be inspired by the past. The Engine Shed is about thinking differently and challenging perceptions, which will act as a catalyst and a beacon for the historic environment.”

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop said: “The new Engine Shed will couple state-of-the-art technology and world-leading innovation with our historic building traditions, inspiring a new generation to learn the traditional skills and use the authentic materials that will help to keep Scotland’s history alive.

“The Scottish Government has proudly supported this ambitious project since its very beginning, underlining the importance we place on protecting, preserving and promoting our rich history, heritage and built environment.

“I am particularly pleased to open The Engine Shed during Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology. The centre will help to provide a lasting legacy for the year, increasing knowledge and understanding of the values of our precious historic environment.”

Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland Lucy Casot, said: “What is being done at The Engine Shed is leading the way, not just in Scotland but in the UK. We need people with traditional building skills to look after our heritage. Without them, historic buildings, whether it’s the local bank or a national monument, will crumble. Thanks to players of the National Lottery, we have been able to support this centre of excellence which will ensure that a new generation is equipped with the skills to care for the fabric of our nation.”

Stirling Council Leader Scott Farmer said: “Stirling Council has been delighted to support the development of The Engine Shed since the project’s inception and look forward to working closely on it with our partners Historic Environment Scotland. This adds another world class attraction to Stirling which will have a big impact economically, culturally and socially across the whole area.”

The Engine Shed will open its doors to the public on Monday 3 July and the building is open Monday to Saturday, between 10am-4pm. Entry is free. The building will be available to hire as a conference space, with room for up to 200 delegates.

For further information on the Engine Shed, please visit www.engineshed.org.

Arts & Business Scotland are delighted to confirm that bookings are open for our new business briefing Cyber Security: What You Need To Know, led by Accenture (Friday 21 July) and bookings are still open for A General Tax Guide for Arts and Heritage Organisations (Friday 23 July in Perth).

Cyber Security: What You Need To Know – Business Briefing
Friday 21 July 2017 | Arts & Business Scotland, Edinburgh
Registration: 8:30 | Event: 9:00-10:30

Speaker: Rick Hemsley (Managing Director, UKI Accenture Security Practice)
The scope of cyber security has never been so prevalent as almost every business is potentially at threat. This morning briefing will cover how to prepare a cyber resilience strategy, lessons learned from the recent ‘Wannacry’ virus, and preparing for GDPR.

For full details, address and booking click here.

A General Tax Guide for Arts and Heritage Organisations
Friday 23 July 2017 | Perth Concert Hall, Perth
Registration: 8.30am | Event: 9am-12.30pm followed by lunch and general discussion

Speakers: Kirsty Murray (Tax Director) and Scott Craig (VAT Partner), Scott Moncrieff
This half-day seminar is a must for all financial or budget holding staff and anyone who wants to know how tax affects (and can benefit) arts and heritage organisations and individuals. This session will highlight available tax savings and cover corporate tax, VAT, gift aid, basic rules, common issues and opportunities.

Full details, address and booking click here.

Please feel free to circulate this invitation to your networks and any colleagues who may be interested.

If you would like some more information on these events please do not hesitate to get in touch with Adam Castle (Event Coordinator at Arts & Business Scotland) at events@aandbscotland.org.uk.

Entries now open for Scottish Heritage Angel Awards 2017

Nominations have opened for the third Scottish Heritage Angels Awards in a bid to find those groups and individuals – or ‘Angels’ – from Edinburgh who have played a special part in caring for, recording and celebrating the nation’s historic environment.

Launched in 2014 and funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation (ALWF), and run by the Scottish Civic Trust in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, Archaeology Scotland and the Scottish Government, the scheme seeks to celebrate both groups and individuals who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to promote, protect and, in many cases, rescue Scotland’s heritage.

Last year saw entry submissions from the length and breadth of Scotland, with eventual winners including Mark Cranston, for his remarkable efforts to collect, catalogue and research Scottish bricks, and Dig TV, a television channel run entirely by young people to highlight an archaeological dig in Dumfries, which scooped the first Young Heritage Angel award.

This year, a brand new set of categories have been introduced for the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards. They are:

• Best Rescue of a Historic Building
• Best Contribution to a Heritage Project by Young People
• Best Craftsperson or Apprentice on a Heritage Rescue or Repair Project
• Best Rescue, Recording or Interpretation of a Historic Place

Nominations will close on Friday 11th August. A panel of heritage experts will have the tough task of whittling down shortlists for each category and a panel of judges will choose the eventual winners who will be announced at the Scottish Heritage Angels Awards ceremony on Monday 16th October at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh.

In an exciting first, an overall winner from the Heritage Angel Awards in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland will be selected and crowned at the London ceremony.

John Pelan, Director of the Scottish Civic Trust, said:” I’m delighted to once again welcome entries for the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards.

“Now well established in our third year, we have taken this opportunity to update the award categories and extend the criteria to include professionals and apprentices as well as volunteers and voluntary groups who can demonstrate that their project has had a wider community benefit. Our categories are aligned with the Angel Awards in England and Northern Ireland to reflect the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation’s aspiration to recognise and celebrate the unsung heroes of heritage across the UK.

“Last year we showcased some wonderful projects reflecting the scale and diversity of heritage initiatives throughout the country. I am confident that in this year of History, Heritage and Archaeology we can do so again.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose charitable foundation helped establish the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards, said: “‘I am delighted that the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards are open for another year of applications.

“Too often the individuals and groups who work tirelessly to protect their local historic buildings go unnoticed. We set up the Angel Awards in Scotland three years ago to change all that. I encourage everyone to come forward and celebrate these stars of heritage – those who keep our heritage alive and thriving for the next generation deserve to stand in the spotlight.”

The Scottish Heritage Angel Awards support the delivery of Scotland’s historic environment strategy Our Place in Time, which places a strong focus on supporting and enabling community participation and engagement across the historic environment.

For full details on how to enter the 2017 Scottish Heritage Angel Awards, nominate someone else for an award or find out about our previous winners, please visit www.scottishheritageangelawards.org.uk.

Keep up to date with the latest from the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards on Twitter at @ScotAngelAwards.

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