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Scotland celebrates cultural planning success

A presentation of certificates has marked the first wave of participants successfully completing "TRANS:FORM", a course in cultural planning.

"Cultural Planning is a method to build more attractive communities, improve the lives of local citizens and develop cultural entitlements for all"
( Scottish Executive draft culture bill 2006)

The event, on 26 June, was held in the Scottish Parliament building, Edinburgh.

TRANS:FORM - a Fablevision-led project, in partnership with the National Cultural Planning Steering Group and Strathclyde University and supported by ESF Objective 3 - is a series of training master classes tailored to meet the needs of employees in the public, private and third sectors as well as volunteers and community representatives who wish to engage with the cultural planning methodology.

Research carried out by the National Cultural Planning Steering Group revealed that there is a limited understanding about cultural planning in all sectors throughout Scotland.

Phil Denning, HMI and tutor on the course told Sapling.info:

"The Cultural Planning pilot course was a unique contribution to European cultural planning. The course brought together a diverse range of professionals form across Scotland to learn about and utilise cultural planning approaches towards community cultural development. The quality of the work was very high. The course produced a range of interesting and innovative approaches that show it is possible to put culture at the heart of community regeneration."

Pat Macdonald, Project Manager at Germiston Community Association and student on the course said:

"Participating on the course has given me a toolkit to use within a community planning context. Using a cultural planning approach I can be more creative and thus productive in working with my community and its service users. I found the course to be interesting, fun and a good opportunity to meet a new network of friends and colleagues."

Lia Gilhardi, Research Fellow, City of London University and tutor on the course said:

"What this course has done is to give practitioners, artists and community workers, on the ground, the tools to go out there and make cultural planning really happen. I was impressed by the passion, drive, and determination of the participants and I'm sure the course has prepared them for the challenges ahead."

Fablevision has worked in the cultural sector in Scotland since 1984 delivering a wide variety of creative projects alongside a diverse range of partner organisations and people.

Published on Sapling: June 2007

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