Meeting of the Parliament 06 January 2015
Thank you, Presiding Officer, and happy new year to all.
I am delighted to close the debate on winter festivals on behalf of Scottish Labour. I am a mother of three dear children, and my family get involved in winter festivals every year in my home town of Glasgow. Scotland has a strong record and an enviable reputation for arts participation. We also host world-class events such as the recent Ryder cup and Commonwealth games, which attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to Scotland and promoted our image as a proud country on the international stage.
There is no doubt that, as we have heard in the debate, Scotland plays host to an impressive list of events and festivals during the winter months. Our winter festivals begin with the celebration of St Andrew’s day on 30 November, go on to the hogmanay celebrations on 31 December and culminate with Burns night on 25 January. Many local and community-organised winter festivals across the country celebrate Scotland’s rich culture and creativity, welcoming locals and tourists alike. We know that the 2013-14 winter festivals programme attracted over 250,000 people across Scotland, from the Highlands to Dumfries and Galloway, and that participation in the festivals is growing year on year.
My colleague Hanzala Malik mentioned Glasgow on ice and reminded us about skating with a Scottish twist. That event is bigger and better than in the previous year. I did not hear Hanzala disclose whether he had been on the ice, but I am sure that we will hear about that later. Jayne Baxter referred to the celebrations in Fife for St. Andrew’s day, which is important because it marks the start of the winter festival celebrations and is celebrated not only in Scotland but around the world with events to mark Scotland’s national day.
Everyone will agree that no one celebrates hogmanay like the Scots. We have got it all: from traditional fire festivals and torchlight processions, to street parties with live music and firework displays. Joan McAlpine and Elaine Murray referred to the celebrations around the big Burns supper in Dumfries, which we again look forward to. That event marks the world’s biggest celebration of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. His work has created an enduring legacy for the nation’s arts and culture that continues to define its cultural heritage.
We in Scottish Labour fully appreciate and understand that excellence in the arts has intrinsic value but that its power can be used to drive change throughout society. Although it is inspiring to know that so many people engage in cultural and winter festivals, I am sure that my colleagues here will agree that we need to address the fact that people in our most deprived communities still participate less in cultural activities and are therefore isolated from the benefits that they bring.