TRACS is delighted to be assisting Creative Scotland and other partners in delivering a third cycle of Traditional Arts Mentoring during 2023-24. This programme supports the professional and personal development of Traditional Arts practitioners in Scotland. It also engages with the growing recognition of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scotland, including local traditions, languages, and the contribution of New Scots from diverse cultures.
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a process in which an experienced individual helps another person to develop goals and skills through a series of time-limited, confidential, one-to-one conversations. Mentors also benefit through sharing their own learning, evolving their thinking, developing new relationships, and deepening their mentoring skills.
Traditional Arts Mentoring will run from November 2023 to April 2024. Meetings are likely to be mostly online, but some in-person contact is strongly encouraged where possible. There will also be gatherings involving all participants, providing opportunities for peer learning. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to work one-to-one over 6 months with an experienced mentor. This will be a mutually supportive dialogue, responding to mentees’ individual priorities, and respecting different backgrounds and learning styles. Conversations may deal with topics such as creative approaches, professional challenges, confidence, and identifying training needs.
Two mentorship opportunities will be offered in each of the following artforms:
- Traditional Music
- Traditional Song
- Traditional Dance
- Traditional Storytelling
- Gaelic or Scots language (this does not exclude Gaelic and Scots forming part of the other mentorships)
Mentors receive a professional fee, and mentees receive a bursary to cover expenses such as travel and materials.
The programme is led by Jo Miller, a qualified and experienced mentoring coordinator, who supports participants throughout the cycle.
How to apply
Applicants for mentorship should be early- or mid-career practitioners. Please submit a concise professional CV and a one-page statement as to why you would like to participate in the Traditional Arts Mentoring programme, and stating which artform strand you are applying under.
Send your application to Jo Miller jo@tracscotland.org by the extended deadline of Monday 9th October 2023.
