Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has announced a new investment package into the development of the Fisean movement in the Highlands and Islands. HIE's investment will focus on creating benefits for the creative industries, cultural tourism initiatives and skills development amongst young people. HIE has awarded £632,000 over the next three years to Fisean nan Gidheal - the independent national association of Gaelic arts tuition festivals (fisean) - to help them expand, improve and build on the success the movement has enjoyed over the last 25 years.

Fisean nan Gidheal will also receive funding from the Scottish Arts Council, Highland Council and Brd na Gidhlig. As well as supporting Fisean nan Gidheal and local Fisean, HIE investment will be targeted towards some key projects and developments. These include expanding the Fis Cilidh Trails, allowing young people the opportunity to tour and perform at local venues.

A Cel nam Fis (music of the Fisean) tour is planned, showcasing the talents emerging from the Fis movement as part of the Scottish Year of Highland Culture in 2007. The Gaelic drama sector will be developed as well as a Fis training programme and smaller-scale seedbed funding will be made available for developing new and innovative projects.

HIE recently commissioned a study into the Fisean movement and its influence over a number of issues. Results showed that 61 per cent of respondents reported that the Fisean had a positive influence on their decision to return to the Highlands and Islands.

Alasdair MacLeid, HIE Gaelic policy manager said: "HIE supports Fisean nan Gidheal as the umbrella organisation providing access to resources that will allow the local fisean to grow and flourish. The growth of the feis movement since the first event in 1981 has been quite phenomenal. There is no doubt that the Fisean have made a tangible and long-lasting impact on the cultural vibrancy and sense of pride in our native music and language across the Gidhealtachd over the last 20 to 25 years. The Fisean provide a real opportunity for us to build on our cultural heritage and create real and tangible benefits for the cultural, creative and tourism sectors."

The original Fis Bharraigh was held on the island of Barra in 1981 when a group of parents and other individuals became concerned that local traditions were dying out and that island children were not being taught traditional music in the context of formal education. Inspired by the success of this first Fis, many other communities throughout the Highlands and Islands, and beyond, have established similar events. These individual Fisean are now corporate members of Fisean nan Gidheal, the national development and support agency for Fisean.

Fisean nan Gidheal estimates that more than 11,000 young people currently participate in the work of the 43 Fisean that take place each year and around 60 FTE jobs are created as a result of its activities.

Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson MSP, welcomed HIE's funding announcement. She said: "Fisean nan Gidheal is an established and valued part of Scottish cultural life and we should all be proud of its success. It has made an immense contribution to the lives of many young people and has strengthened both traditional music and the Gaelic language throughout Scotland. From modest origins Feisean nan Gaidheal has experienced sustained growth, it has expanded into many areas of Scotland and its commitment to Gaelic remains undiminished. It is initiatives such as this that are needed to give Gaelic speakers the confidence to use and pass on their language and thus create a sustainable future for Gaelic in Scotland."

Arthur Cormack chief executive of Fisean nan Gidheal, said: "We are delighted that HIE is providing this three year funding package. The contribution the Fisean have made to sustaining the Gaelic language and the local communities where they take place, and building the confidence of the young participants, is a story that we see repeated in so much of our cultural activities. Only a small proportion will go on to become professional musicians or to perform in public, but so many people learn an instrument or sing just for fun, and that's great. The skills taught at Fisean are a highly-valued aspect of the informal education of young people. Most importantly, the Fis experience is valued by the young participants themselves, and they seem to use the skills learned in a practical way, and I am also encouraged by the large numbers who seem moved to progress to learning Gaelic. The Fisean are considered by many as one of the most successful arts initiatives in Scotland."

The Fis movement was awarded the Community Project of the Year at the 2006 Scots Traditional Music Awards and have recently published a substantial book charting the history and progress of the movement over the first 25 years.


Fisean nan Gidheal - Maoineachadh bho HIE 
 
Bidh Iomairt na Gidhealtachd agus nan Eilean a' maoineachadh Fisean nan Gidheal le £632,000 airson tr bliadhna eile. Cuidichidh an airgead cruthachadh buannachdan airson iomairtean cruthachail, cultarail is turasachd agus leasachadh sgilean a measg dhaoine ga.

Gheibh Fisean nan Gidheal maoineachadh cuideachd bho Bhrd na Gidhlig, Comhairle na Gidhealtachd agus Comhairle Ealain na h-Alba.

Chaidh Fisean nan Gidheal a stidheachadh ann an 1988 mar bhuidheann-sgile neo-eisimeileach iomairt nam Fisean. Tha a' bhuidheann a' tabhann taic-airgid, programan-tranaidh, rachas, 'banca' ionnstramaidean-ciil, foillseachadh stuthan-teagaisg, agus mran sheirbheisean eile do na Fisean. Tha na Fisean air mran a dhanamh airson Gidhlig agus cultar nan Gidheal a bhrosnachadh, agus tha sin follaiseach anns na h-ireamhan mra de dhaoine ga aig a bheil idh agus comas ann an cel Gidhealach, rain Ghidhlig agus drma Gidhlig, a bharrachd air a' chnan fhin. Gu cudthromach tha iad a' brosnachadh dhaoine pirt a ghabhail anns a' chultar luachmhor a th' againne, agus a' teagasg sgilean, a bha aig aon m air an ionnsachadh tro bheul-aithris.

Rinn HIE sgrdadh air am buaidh a th'air na fisean air iomadh cis. Tha e soilleir bhon seo gu bheil na fisean a' toirt buaidh dchasach air 61 duine sa cheud air an co-dhnadh air tilleadh don Ghidhealtachd agus na h-Eileanan.

Thuirt Alasdair MacLeid, manaidsear poileasaidh na Gidhlig aig HIE: "Tha HIE a' toirt taic do Fhisean nan Gidheal airson cuideachadh leudachadh na goireasan a th'aca ma thrth. Bha a' chiad tachartas ann an 1981 agus bhon uairsin tha an leasachadh air a bhith gl iongantach. Tha na Fisean air buaidh bhunaiteach a chuir air dealas cultarach agus am pris a th'anns ar cel dthchasach agus cnan anns a' Ghidhealtachd anns na 20-25 bliadhna a chaidh seachad. Tha na Fisean a' toirt cothrom dhuinn a thogail air ar dualchas cultarach, agus buannachdan a thogail airson roinnean turasachd, cultarach agus cruthachail.”

Chaidh a' chiad fhis a chur air bhog nuair a thisich buidheann de phrantan ann am Barraigh a' gabhail dragh gun robh dualchas an eilein a' dol bs is nach robh an cuid chloinne ag ionnsachadh cel traidiseanta anns an sgoil. Mar dhigh gus an suidheachadh seo a leasachadh, chaidh a' chiad Fhis Bharraigh a chumail anns an Eilean ann an 1981.
Nuair a chualas cho mr is a shoirbhich Fis Bharraigh, thisich coimhearsnachdan air feadh Alba a' cur nam Fisean aca fhin air digh. Tha a' mhr-chuid de dh'Fhisean fhathast gan ruith le comataidhean saor-thoileach.

Tha Fisean nan Gidheal a' tuairmse gu bheil crr air 11,000 daoine ga an-drsta a' gabhail pirt anns na 43 Fisean a tha a' dol air adhart gach bliadhna, agus timcheall air 60 dreuchdan air an cruthachadh mar phirt de na cur-seachadan.

Thuirt Ministear an Turasachd, a' chultair agus an Sprs, Patricia NicFhearghais: "Tha Fisean nan Gidheal stidhte agus air an luach mar phirt de bheatha chultarach Alba agus bu chrr dhuinn a bhith priseil air cho soirbheachail sa tha e. Tha na fisean air cuideachadh mr a dhanamh airson daoine ga agus air neartachadh cel traidiseanta agus Gidhlig mar chnain air feadh Alba. Tha Fisean nan Gidheal elach air fs seasmhach agus e air leudachadh gu iomadh chernaidh ann an Alba leis an dealas a thaobh a' Ghidhlig fhathast rd. Tha feum air iomairtean mar seo airson a thoirt misneachd do dhaoine a bhios bruidhinn Gidhlig gus cleachdadh agus mar seo Gaelic a chumail seasmhachd ann an Alba san m ri teachd."

Thuirt Art MacCarmaig, rd oifigear Fisean nan Gidheal: "Tha sinn air leth toilichte gum bi HIE a' maoineachadh Fisean nan Gaidheal airson tr bliadhna eile. Tha Fisean nan Gidheal air cuideachadh mr a dhanamh a thaobh na cnain a cumail buan, na coimhearsnachdan far am bi iad a' gabhail ite agus a' togail misneachd a measg dhaoine ga. 'S e seo rud a tha sinn a' faicinn uair is uair anns ar gnomhaichean chultarach. Ged a thid gl bheag den chlann air adhart a bhith nan luchd-ciil proifeiseanta, no a' cluich ann an ite poblach, tha e math gum bi iomadh dhaibh ag ionnsachadh ionnsramaidean no seinn airson sprs. Tha luach mr air na sgilean a dh'ionnsaicheas na daoine ga aig na Fisean, mar pirt de foghlam neo-fhoirmeil. Tha na Fisean air an luach leotha, agus bithear ag ionnsachadh agus a' cleachdadh na sgilean ann an digh practaigeach. Tha mi cuideachd air mo mhisneachadh air co mheud a tha a' dol air adhart gus Gidhlig ionnsachadh. Tha feadhainn air a' bheachd a ghabhail gur e Fisean nan Gidheal aon de na h-iomairtean as soirbheachail ann an saoghal nan ealain an Alba.”

Chuir Ailean Caimbeul, Ceannard Brd na Gidhlig filte chridheil air an naidheachd. Thuirt e: "Se for eisimpleir air leasachadh cultarail is coimhearsnachd a th'ann am Fisean nan Gidheal, agus chan eil teagamh nach eil iad raidh air a h-uile taic a tha dol thuca. Mar phromh bhuidhinn taice tha am Brd a' cur filte mhr air an naidheachd seo bho HIE. Tha an co-dhnadh seo bhuapa na h-aithne air na caochladh dhighean as am bheil nam Fisean a' cur ri amasan cultarail, sisealta, agus eacanomaigeach air feadh na dthcha. Tha an co-dhnadh seo cuideachd na cheum chudromach anns a Phlana Gidhlig a tha HIE a nise a deasachadh dhaibh fhin le taic a Bhird."

Fhuair Fisean nan Gidheal duais bho chionn ghoirid - Priseact Choimhearsnachd na Bliadhna aig Duaisean Cel Traidiseanta na h-Alba agus tha iad air leabhar fhoillseachadh air an eachdraidh agus adhartas anns a' chiad 25 bliadhna.