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Community Land Scotland

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. 

the the Linn an Fhearainn ownership archive

Tell your community ownership stories, in your own terms and in your own words.

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:

  • Share Your Story: Tell us about your community ownership journey—your successes, challenges, and the impact on your community.
  • Submit Photos or Documents: Historical photos, letters, and project reports bring our archive to life.
  • Suggest Ideas: Do you know of a story or project we should include? Let us know!

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

An exhibition, exploring the story of Community Ownership in Scotland

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 2025 Where We Stand tour

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. Opening in the Highlands, the tour will reach all corners of Scotland, details of which will be confirmed in the near future.

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

Upcoming Events

Coming soon…

The Simon Fraser Memorial Series

Looking at the last 100 years of reform and what the next 100 years may look like

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.

Upcoming Events

Past Events

Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Simon Fraser event featured insights from experts and cultural figures, who highlighted the historic impact of community ownership on communities.

Watch The Simon Fraser Memorial Lecture here

Gigha

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.

Galson

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.

Read Brian Wilsons lecture here

Glasgow

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.

Watch Simon Fraser Glasgow here

Community Ownership Roadshow

Bringing stories of community ownership together

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. 

Past Events

Angus

Stirling

Dundee

Aberdeen

Cumbernauld

Orkney

Oral History Workshop for Community Owners​

Capturing your story​

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: gavin.cowan@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.