Scotland's Year of Stories 2022: equality impact assessment

Part 2- Background

Scotland's Year of Stories

Aim

Scotland's Year of Stories will sustain and build upon the momentum of the preceding Themed Years to spotlight, celebrate and promote the wealth of stories inspired by, written, or created in Scotland. From icons of literature to local tales, the Year will encourage locals and visitors to experience a diversity of voices, take part in events and explore the places, people and cultures connected to all forms of our stories, past and present. It will contribute to recovery from the pandemic and inspire new stories of Scotland to be shared.

Objectives

i. Promotion – raise the profile of Scotland nationally and internationally, showcasing our wealth and diversity of stories and associated visitor experiences with a co-ordinated marketing and communications programme promoting responsible engagement and participation.

ii. Celebration – encourage and develop opportunities for the discovery and celebration of our stories with a focus on the tourism and events sectors.

iii. Participation – inspire the people of Scotland and our visitors to participate in activity aligned and developed in response to Scotland's Year of Stories, with emphasis on encouraging (re)engagement of locals and broadening visitors' experiences and perceptions of Scotland.

iv. Collaboration – encourage collaborative working between the sectors represented by Scotland's Year of Stories themes and wider tourism sector.

v. Industry engagement – communicate with a wide range of businesses in tourism and other relevant sectors to help them recognise the opportunities presented by Scotland's Year of Stories and capitalise on those opportunities as part of Covid recovery.

Five underpinning strands

i. Iconic Stories and Storytellers

Across literature, screen and entertainment, Scotland's Year of Stories will celebrate and showcase Scotland's wealth of treasured and iconic stories and storytellers from classics to the contemporary.

ii. New Stories

We want to shout about Scotland's new and untold stories. Scotland's Year of Stories will shine a light on emerging, fresh and forward-looking talent and highlight the innovators that break boundaries across all forms of storytelling.

iii. Scotland's People and Places

Our people and places have placed Scottish stories at the forefront of world literature. Scotland's Year of Stories will promote how Scotland's diverse culture, languages, landscapes and ways of life, urban and rural, provide a source for all types and forms of stories, encouraging visitors and audiences to find out more.

iv. Local Tales and Legends

Every community has its distinct tales to tell, stories of now and those passed through the generations. These are the stories we tell ourselves and share with others to make sense of time and place. Scotland's Year of Stories will provide the opportunity for every part of Scotland to tell its story.

v. Inspired by Nature

Our encounters with nature are an unfailing source of stories, old and new. Whether by sea or land, along rivers or through woods, in our cities and countryside, we discover stories of birds, insects, animals and plants. Stories that connect us to the natural world can help create a more sustainable future for Scotland, and a greener planet.

Scope of Equality Impact Assessment

Scotland's Year of Stories has the potential to make a significant contribution to equality. This Equality Impact Assessment sets out this opportunity in detail including the actions taken and planned throughout the year.