New Gaelic cultural centre in Inverness awarded £370k from Scottish Government
A new centre to promote Gaelic language and culture in Inverness is to receive a £370,000 funding boost from the Scottish Government.
Cultarlann Inbhir Nis will receive the funding to develop a space for Gaelic gatherings, ceilidhs and exhibitions in the former East Church building in Academy Street.
The award is a crucial step in developing the property which will also feature meeting rooms for language courses, a café and shop.
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The investment forms part of a £4 million package to promote Gaelic initiatives across Scotland.
The centre will be the first dedicated Gaelic cultural centre in the Highlands and is also intended to be a tourist attraction where visitors can meet Gaelic-speaking staff and learn more about the language and its history.
Cultarlann Inbhir Nis’s expansion will meet a growing demand for a dedicated space for Gaelic speakers in Inverness.
Census figures published earlier this year show a 12 per cent increase in the number of people with some Gaelic skills in Inverness compared to 2011.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes said to strengthen Gaelic, the government was supporting projects like Cultarlann which would enable more people to use the language in their day-to-day life.
“Gaelic is a unique selling point for Scotland, which is why promoting the language goes hand-in-hand with attracting visitors and growing the economy.” she said.
“The Scottish Government is also supporting the language’s continued growth in the Highlands by working collaboratively to progress the Scottish Languages Bill.
“The Bill will create a system to enable all parents to apply for Gaelic early learning and childcare services and introduce measures to strengthen Gaelic education in secondary school.”
Margaret Mulholland, chairperson of Cultarlann, Inbhir Nis, said the organisation was hugely grateful for the “fantastic” funding offer.
“It will enable our plans for a Gaelic Cultural Centre to take a major step forward,” she said.
“This is a wonderful, iconic building and this funding will enable us to ensure it is properly watertight and to deal with all external essential repairs.”
Census statistics show that 3411 people in Inverness had some Gaelic skills in 2022 - an increase of 369 people from 2011.
