Gaelic @ The Birks (360G-BNG-TFC-2023-00588)

The Birks Cinema is an established community hub in Aberfeldy. Since 2017 we have been actively promoting the Gaelic language, and the cultural heritage of Highland Perthshire, with a variety of activities and events happening all year. We would like to build on the Gaelic element of this hub by continuing to proactively promote both awareness and use of Gaelic in our community delivering the following: • Monthly Gaelic Café - meet with others to practice Gaelic language in an informal relaxed way over a cup of coffee. All welcome on the understanding that the purpose is to speak Gaelic or listen and not to switch the conversation to English. • Speakers programme in our cinema auditorium - The format would be to start each speaker session with a 15 mins networking with audience and speaker, then 45 a minute bilingual talk on a topic of Gaelic interest, in order to encourage those with limited or no Gaelic but an interest in Gaelic culture to come along. After a short break the second 45 mins would be an informal chat in our mezzanine space with the speaker facilitating in Gaelic only to enable practice among participants. We propose to have 8 different speakers and would invite them along at the same time as our monthly Gaelic Café. • Gaelic related screenings - After discussion with those who regularly attend our programme we would like to either rescreen Iorram and/or Dùthchas and/or another Gaelic film. Each screening would be followed by a bi-lingual Q&A session. We would also like to try children's screenings again - in collaboration with the Fèis Thatha. • 6 week course, with the help of Speak Gaelic resources, on Gaelic language.  In June 2023, Perthshire and Angus Provincial Mod celebrates its 100th birthday and as part of these celebrations, we plan to have some additional screenings of film with Gaelic content, as well as a speaker on a relevant topic and also a Gaelic games afternoon/evening. Beneficiaries:  Existing speakers and learners of Gaelic who live within the Aberfeldy community area. Gaelic speaking visitors and learners from among members of adjacent communities with whom the project aims to foster mutual links. Outcomes: A supportive learning environment for intermediate speakers. Create a visible focus for our existing Gaelic community  (GM education, Fèis, Gaelic Choir, Gaelic Playgroup, Mod) with the potential to draw people from a wider network as Abair Thusa in Perth does. Raising the profile of the Gaelic in Aberfeldy