A new five-year initiative has been launched by RCHAMS and Historic Scotland, celebrating and recording the history and heritage of local communities across Scotland, with the first events happening in Livingston and Paisley.
Historic Scotland writes:
A new five year project that will celebrate Scotland’s diverse urban landscape was launched in Livingston today (Friday 5 June).
Scotland’s Urban Past (SUP), a joint initiative between the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) and Historic Scotland, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, is an innovative project that will put groups and individuals across Scotland’s towns and cities in charge of recording the history on their doorsteps through capturing memories, investigating buildings and exploring sources of local knowledge.
SUP is calling for groups and individuals of all ages to discover and share the fascinating stories of Scotland’s towns and cities by taking the lead in community projects. A dedicated team from RCAHMS and Historic Scotland have committed to providing 1500 people with the skills to document Scotland’s ever evolving built environment through hands-on training in historical research, drawing and photography.
The five year project will culminate in a national exhibition in 2019, showcasing the achievements of 60 community-led projects and celebrating Scotland’s towns and cities.
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, visited The Vennie Youth Club in Livingston, part of the Knightsridge Adventure Project and one of three pilot projects that have taken place as part of the scheme, to officially launch SUP and encourage communities across Scotland to get involved.
The young people from the Vennie were given training by the SUP team to record the story of how they campaigned for and worked with West Lothian Council to design and deliver the Youth Club’s new skate park, and what the space means to them, through the medium of film.
To view the Vennie project’s film visit https://vimeo.com/129761475
View pictures and information from the events on the Facebook page
Follow @ScotUrbanPast on Twitter
For further information on how to get involved please visit www.scotlandsurbanpast.org.uk
