WIREDGOV

Eighteen projects have been awarded a share of around £77,000 from this year’s Scottish Connections Fund to help strengthen Scotland’s international diaspora.

Launched by the Scottish Government in 2023, the Scottish Connections Fund supports new initiatives led by Scotland’s overseas community that build international networks and promote the country’s reputation and interests around the world. 

The fund received 79 applications from across six continents bidding to secure grants of up to £5,000.

Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs Angus Robertson said:  

“I am delighted to see the Scottish Connections Fund growing year on year. It’s a testament to the dedication that the members of Scotland’s international community have to celebrating their links to Scotland. 

“Scotland’s diaspora around the world is vibrant and diverse – and the variety of this year’s projects shows that in action. I share my congratulations for all of this year’s successful fund recipients.” 

One of the successful applicants was ‘Whanganui X Dundee: Textile Legacies’, based in New Zealand, which will receive £4,795.

Emma Bugden, Focal Point at UNESCO City of Design Whanganui said:

“We are delighted to receive the funding from Scottish Connections, Textile Legacies is a residency programme that connects indigenous and ancestral textile practices between Whanganui, New Zealand, and Dundee, Scotland, to foster meaningful cultural and creative exchange.

“The project initiates a new connection between two UNESCO Cities of Design, supporting the development of contemporary textile design specialists.”

Annie Marrs, Lead Officer at UNESCO City of Design Dundee, added:

“The project recognises the deep-rooted history of textile production in both cities, and the significance of textiles in expressing and sustaining ancestral and familial connections within both Māori and Scottish cultures. It also acknowledges the vital role that the reclamation of traditional textile practices plays in cultural revitalisation in both Aotearoa New Zealand and Scotland. We are looking forward to developing the programme thanks to this additional funding.”

Background 

• The Scottish Connections Fund was established in 2023 to help Scottish diaspora organisations and communities and their individual members further the aims of the Scottish Connections Framework. 

• The Scottish Connections Framework outlines the work of Scottish Government and partners to engage with Scotland’s diaspora around the world – whether they are connected through heritage, education, business or any other affinity. The Framework can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-connections-framework/ 

• The fund supports initiatives including (but not limited to) community projects, seminars and conferences, hackathons and workshops, and academic research. Projects that set the scene for longer-term initiatives are also eligible. 

• Grants will be paid in arrears on completion of the projects.  

• A full list of the successful projects can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-connections-fund-successful-applicants/ 
• The Scottish Connections Fund has supported 33 successful projects across three previous funding rounds.