Linn an fhearainn / 100 Years of Community Ownership is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The ambition of the project is to create a living archive of community ownership, one of the most important political, economic, and social movements in Scotland in the last 100+ years.
The project will celebrate the work of all the communities who have pioneered these achievements and provide valuable resources to inspire and support new and would-be community ownership groups to start their own journey.
The project involves an Oral History and Archive training programme which will provide the skills for all participants to contribute to a new archive website that shares individual communities’ stories and builds a collective legacy of all of Scotland’s community owners.
As part of the year of activities, we have the Community Ownership Electric Road show, the Simon Fraser Memorial lecture and accompanying events and, in June, an exhibition in partnership with the Travelling Gallery, Where We Stand, will tour various parts of Scotland.
More details of all these happenings can be found below.
Help us capture the rich history of community ownership in Scotland! Your stories, memories, and experiences are vital to preserving the legacy of the movement. Whether you’re part of a community group, a former participant, or simply passionate about the transformative power of community-led initiatives, we want to hear from you.
How to Get Involved:
Together, we can build a resource that celebrates the past and inspires the future of community ownership.
Click the button on the right to find out How to add to the archive!
Where We Stand is an exhibition organised by Community Land Scotland, featuring contemporary artists such as Virginia Hutchison, Richard Bracken, Colin Tennant & Saskia Coulson, Francia Boakye, Kate O’Shea, and Emma Duncan, Ann Little & Helen Walsh, whose work explores the stories and achievements of the pioneers of community ownership—a movement that has transformed Scotland.
Curated by Iain Craig, the exhibition connects the work of these artists with community groups to investigate the journey of community ownership over the last 100 years and pose the question, “What do we want next?” Originally touring parts of Scotland in partnership with the Travelling Gallery during Summer 2024, the exhibition was seen by nearly 2,500 people.
The remounted exhibition will tour in Spring 2025 to venues across Scotland. We’re excited to be taking this work back out due to popular demand. The tour will open at the end of March in the Borders at Stow. All the exhibition dates and locations can be found below.
If you are interested in hosting this exhibition or any workshops we might be able to facilitate for schools and community groups, please reach out to iain.craig@communitylandscotland.org.uk
The lecture series is dedicated to the memory of Simon Fraser, a solicitor and pioneer of land reform in Scotland. Simon was instrumental in the success of some of the early community buyouts including Eigg, Knoydart and Gigha as well as the Assynt Crofters buyout.
Simon said of the Eigg buyout ”It is a triumph for all that is good in humanity and certainly one in the eye for everything that is mean-spirited and self-seeking.”
For more information about upcoming Simon Fraser Memorial Series events and to learn more about (or watch!) past events see below.
Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust
Friday 4 April 2025 * 20:00 – 21:15
Scottish Wildlife Chair Kenny Taylor has been part of Eigg’s community ownership story since the start. In his Simon Fraser lecture he will reflect how community led wildlife conservation creates positive futures for people and planet. How nature, culture and community combined can deliver political change in Scotland and beyond.
Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
24 January 2024
The Edinburgh Simon Fraser event featured insights from experts and cultural figures, who highlighted the historic impact of community ownership on communities.
Adelaide Place Baptist Church, Glasgow
Wednesday 12 June 2024 * 18:00 – 20:00
The Glasgow Simon Fraser event discussed Glasgow’s relationship to community ownership, explored ongoing challenges in land reform, and spotlighted inspiring stories from urban and rural communities. Attendees were treated to live music and spoken word performances.
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn / Galson Estate Trust
Friday 20 September 2024 * 19:00 – 21:00
Nationwide Building, London
26 February 2025 * 18:00 – 20:00
The second annual Simon Fraser Memorial Lecture focused on sharing experiences and learning between England, Scotland and Wales about community ownership and the transformational change it can deliver.
Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust
Friday 15 March 2024
Gigha marked its 22nd birthday in grand style with a spectacular celebration, featuring a flag-raising ceremony and speeches delving into the profound impact of community wealth building on the local community.
In Spring 2023, to celebrate 100 Years of Community Ownership, we visited communities across the Northeast of Scotland and Tayside to share inspiring stories of community ownership. Over the course of one week in February, we met with groups in Angus, Stirling, Dundee, and Aberdeen.
We partnered with Kirrie Connections, Creative Stirling, Creative Dundee, and the Fittie Community Development Company to host these four information sessions to explore the benefits and opportunities of community ownership.
Community Land Scotland recognises the importance of community owners telling their own stories, so we’re running workshops to support people to present their stories themselves.
Join us for an exciting online workshop to help community owners collect and share their own oral history which documents the path towards community ownership. This engaging workshop, led by Iain Craig, will help with practical tools for collecting stories as well as creating space for discussion and skills sharing, drawing from the expertise of the participants.
This Training is available for all communities that own land or buildings. If you’d like to express an interest in future in-person trainings, or to be kept informed of up coming online dates, please contact: ryan.dziadowiec@communitylandscotland.org.uk
Ultimately, communities will add their unique content to the new archive website, to build a resource which informs of and reflects on the journey of community ownership in Scotland to date, from the perspective of those who know it best.
