Please note booking for this event closes at 1800 on Tuesday 27 February

We are delighted that the next meeting of the CPG - Culture and Communities continues in person at the Scottish Parliament. The Cross Party Group on Culture and Communities encourages the exchange of knowledge and understanding between the Scottish Parliament and arts, culture, heritage, and historic environment communities. Learn more about the group on our website here.

Convener: Foysol Choudhury MSP

Secretariat: Culture Counts

With increasing interest in local decision making, the ongoing Local Governance Review and Democracy Matters conversations, the CPG will focus on Cultural Democracy.  We will hear from three guest speakers, who will provide insights into their work in this area and what it means for our cultural communities.

Speakers:

Pauline Smith is the Chief Executive of Development Trusts Association Scotland, an independent, member-led organisation which aims to promote, support and represent development trusts in Scotland. DTA Scotland now has over 350 development trust members – community-led organisations using a combination of enterprise and creativity to improve the quality of life for local people in urban, rural and island communities across Scotland.  DTAS also provides help and support to community enterprises through it's Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) and the Community Shares Scotland programmes. Pauline will provide an overview of the recent Scottish Government work around Democracy Matters and the role of DTAS in this.

Lewis Hou is founder and Director of Science Ceilidh, an intermediate organisation making connections between communities, education, research and culture across Scotland. Lewis is passionate about engagement approaches that put people first, challenge institutional hierarchies and disciplinary silos, and supports social justice. One of their current projects is the Culture and Well-being Community Network Scotland. Through free community focused monthly discussions, it aims to support conversations across sectors, from grassroots individuals to larger institutions and pool insights, challenges and resources together on a practical level to support cultural democracy in Scotland, fundamentally valuing and celebrating everyone's culture and well-being.

Helen Trew is Co-Director of Art27, made up of artists and activists that take their mission from Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to freely participate in the culture of their community. They see cultural rights as indivisible from human rights and a driver of citizenship and democracy. Helen is originally from Belfast, where her lived experience of the Conflict instilled a commitment to arts activism in peacebuilding. She is an experienced cultural producer and practitioner over 25yrs in theatre, film, museums & heritage and multi-arts socially engaged projects. She is a specialist in equalities, diversity and inclusion, most recently with the public body for arts, screen and creative industries, Creative Scotland. She trained in theatre performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and in Film at Napier University Edinburgh. Helen is also ex Director and now Board member for Just Festival and Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts Scotland.

There will be an opportunity for group members, guests and MSPs to ask our presenters questions and we will also have time for a general discussion.

Attendance

You must be a member of the CPG Culture and Communities to attend. If you are not a member then please join the group here. Booking information will then be sent out to you directly via that mailing list. If you have any access requirements to enable your attendance, please contact us via the details below.

On-line

This is an in-person event however we are hoping to make an online option available. If you would like to join us online, you will be able to register for an online ticket and joining details will be sent to you on the morning of the event. Any issues please contact us via the details below.

Contact details:

If you have any questions about the event, the Cross Party Group, or any access requirements to enable your attendance, please contact Lori Anderson: lori@culturecounts.scot

Please sign up to the CPGs here, and booking information will be sent out to you directly via that mailing list.