Voluntary Arts Scotland, a partner in the Scottish International Storytelling Festival’s #DareToDream campaign 2016, will host a civic conversation at this year’s Scottish Rural Parliament. Civic Conversation, a useful tool in community planning, opens up dialogue for the multiple perspectives which combine to make a community. The approach finds its strength in an inclusive process, providing space for input from stakeholders, experts, non-traditional and even maverick views.
The #DareToDream campaign, running from the 1st of September till the 30th of November, has been encouraging schools, community groups and individuals up and down the country to dream stories of the future. Every place, every community, every person has a story to tell. Storytelling helps us connect – to each other, to our past, to our place, to our world – and together we are empowered by our connections. The campaign reaches for some big themes: creative placemaking, active citizenship, heritage, sustainability, health and recovery, community change and transformation.
It is fitting, then, that the campaign will have representation at the Scottish Rural Parliament 2016. Bringing together 400 people from across rural Scotland to discuss the issues of greatest importance to rural communities, the Rural Parliament has great drive and potential to shape and form key discussions and changes. Themes that will be discussed include Arts & culture, Business, Digital connectivity, Democracy & governance, Environment, Food, Land and Transport. The Rural Parliament is a participative event. Anyone who lives or works in a rural area can attend the Rural Parliament and anyone attending can decide what will be discussed. Furthermore, the day’s events are being live-streamed so those that can’t attend can still access and be part of the discussions.
This event is one of the many Fringe workshops taking place across at the Rural Parliament summit, across three days from Thursday 6th to Saturday the 8th of October at Brechin Community Campus, Angus. Other workshops taking place will cover such diverse themes such as ‘Living with Mental Ill Health in Rural Scotland’, ‘Act Like You Own the Place’ with Lesley Riddoch and ‘The Secret of Seaweed in the Kitchen’!
Scottish Rural Parliament 2016
