Arts and heritage – Tradition and innovation

Historic Scotland has produced an annual events programme since 1993 with music, drama and the arts forming an integral part of the agenda. The Events Unit exists, at least in part, to further the agency?s objective of ?safeguarding the nation?s built heritage while promoting its understanding and enjoyment?, explains Sarah Booth.

This year sees our most ambitious programme to date with over 500 events staged at 23 properties throughout Scotland. Many of the events focus on history and heritage, but exist to promote the use of our properties as platforms for cultural events.

In an industry which champions the contemporary, agencies such as Historic Scotland take the opportunity to look back to the past for inspiration. This is not to say that the contemporary arts cannot exist alongside tradition. One of the new and most ambitious projects for 2003 is a ?Music through the Ages? event which will take place at Stirling Castle in October. The event focuses not only on tradition but on innovation and progression. Renaissance instrumentalists will perform alongside twentieth century musicians to trace the progression of classical music through the various genres and eras.

The events programme, of which 200,000 copies are distributed, is funded internally with a proportion of Historic Scotland?s annual budget allocated to cultural events. Our marketing strategy includes promoting events through local and national press and radio, advertising, distributing event posters, listing events in ?What?s On? publications, and through the agency?s website. In bringing events to a wider audience, we are given the opportunity not only to educate and inform, but also to entertain and engage. While approximately 75% of our visitors (on non-event days) are tourists or visitors to the area, market research has shown that over 78% of event visitors are domestic day-trippers. Similarly, a core percentage of the average event audience comes from the 60,000 people who make up the agency?s membership scheme, Friends of Historic Scotland. Friends are entitled to free admission to all daytime events, giving added value to the membership benefits.

Ten years on, Historic Scotland?s Events Programme continues to attract a dedicated audience and cultural events play to packed ?houses?. In a programme which becomes more and more diverse year after year, cultural presentations play an ever more important part in our future development.

Sarah Booth is a member of the Historic Scotland Events Team. t: 0131 668 8926;
e: [email protected]