(S4O-05631) Culture and Traditions (North East Scotland)

6. Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government what value it places on the culture and traditions of North East Scotland. (S4O-05631)

The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop): The Scottish Government places great importance on the traditional culture, language and heritage of north-east Scotland and supports Creative Scotland, Event Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland to promote its rich local culture and traditions in different ways.

In 2014-15, Creative Scotland invested over £2.4 million in organisations and individuals that are based in north-east Scotland. Under the time to shine strategy, £400,000 has supported the youth arts collective north east hub in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, which has provided 1,000 opportunities for young people to progress and excel in the arts. Last year, Creative Scotland published its first Scots language policy, which underlined the organisation’s commitment to supporting the language through its own work and the work that it funds across the arts, screen and creative industries.

Stewart Stevenson: Foo are ministers gaan tae gie a haun up tae Doric?

Fiona Hyslop: I do not know the answer to that one. It is very important that we provide support for our languages, and most of that is done through the Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages, Alasdair Allan, to whom I direct the member’s attention.

On culture, I refer the member to Creative Scotland’s website. Yesterday, it put a piece up about “Netting”, a Morna Young play that is touring. It is funded by Creative Scotland and is an important promotion for using Creative Scotland’s resources. In the piece, Morna Young talks about writing in Doric, about “Netting” and “Lost at Sea”. She is also a Scots language ambassador. That is one thing that we are doing, as of now, to give a haun up to Doric.