Introduction
National Collective was founded by a small group of grassroots artists and writers based in Edinburgh in 2011. It is the non-party campaign for artists and creatives who support Scottish independence.
Since then it has grown significantly across Scotland. We have local branches growing in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness and Aberdeen. Yet we hope to reach every Scottish city, town, village and community before September 2014.
In April 2013 we rose to notoriety after we stood up to the world’s largest oil trading company, Vitol Group, when they and No campaign donor Ian Taylor threatened to take legal action against us in an attempt to silence National Collective. They backed down.
We support independence because of the opportunity that comes with the ultimate creative act – creating a new nation. And we believe that to get there, we need to inspire and engage the people of Scotland in a way that has never been seen before. Setting up local groups provides National Collective members with the opportunity to meet each other, collaborate and to contribute creatively to the wider Yes campaign.
From small beginnings, the National Collective website recieved over 80,000 visitors in April, and our campaign now has over 850 members. It has the potential to inspire a tidal-wave of change, confidence and creativity across Scotland.
With your help our movement will grow.
We invite you to join us.
Ross Colquhoun
@rosscolquhoun
Director of National Collective
What Our Members Say
Kirsty Keatch (Musician), Edinburgh
I am excited about how National Collective is encouraging the hopes and aspirations of creative Scots. Sometimes our dreams are impractical, but Scotland’s inventiveness, resourcefulness and creativity is a key to their realisation. I am fed up of negative and destructive attempts to play down Scotland through the media. Showcasing and encouraging Scotland’s contemporary art, music and talent makes a positive and crucial statement, building the confidence that is needed to take that leap of faith from indifference to independence.”
Alex Aitchison (Photographer & Illustrator), Aberdeen
Images have always played an important role in shaping our identity, our culture and our perspective on history. Art has an immeasurable power to influence people, to inspire ideas and to motivate change. To be an art student in the run up to the referendum allows me to contribute in my own way towards a more confident Scotland. 2014 will be the year I graduate. What better way to begin my professional career than as part of a growing, progressive creative industry in Scotland.
“National Collective is laying the groundwork for a new cultural landscape to emerge. Encouraging creative potential by bringing together a broad spectrum of artists, National Collective is engaging in Scotland’s constitutional debate in a fresh and positive manner that can only be good for the country.”
How To Setup A National Collective Branch
- Get active!
Volunteer to setup a local branch in your area by contacting us at membership@nationalcollective.com - Get organised!
Arrange a local meetup with members. We can send you information to help you to do this. - Get social!
The first local meet-up should be an informal space for discussion. This is an opportunity for members to introduce each other and share contacts. - Get creative!
Use monthly meetings to discuss recent developments and culture, work on collaborative campaign ideas, paint a picture of a better Scotland, and to help us grow.
National Collective Branch Aims
- Come up with innovative and interesting ways to argue the positive case for Scottish independence, and imagine a better Scotland.
- Encourage participation in our projects and events.
- Reach out to increase local membership.
- Promote Scottish culture and creativity, and discuss international culture.
These four aims allow you to bring the national campaign into your local area. It is local projects and events that can bring our message to the people and inspire that better Scotland.
National Collective Branch Guidelines
Autonomy
Local branches will be led by their members. Their purpose and success is ultimately dependent upon its members. The wider purpose of National Collective is to come up with creative ways to argue the case for Scottish independence, and imagine a better Scotland. That aspiration is strengthened by its diversity; and the autonomy of our local branches.
Openness
National Collective is an open group. We want to build welcoming, fun spaces for discussion, culture and politics. Everyone who shares the sentiment of creating a better Scotland is welcome within our local branches. It is crucial that branches are safe, respectful spaces without discrimination based upon sex, age, race, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, religion, cultural background or other such status.
Finance
Local branches will be responsible for their own fundraising, if they wish to pursue funding for creative projects or events.
Structure
There will be two structures to organise the local groups within National Collective as a whole.
Each branch must have at least one organiser who identifies as a women, to ensure that our organisation is gender balanced. Organisers will arrange the date of meetups, group contact details, and liaising with other branches and national level. We encourage local branches to share these positions over time.
Secondly, National Collective has organisers at a national campaign level. They organise campaign strategy, our website, link-up contacts between branches and help to launch new projects and events.
Communications
We encourage local branches to contact the national level to promote creative work, events and projects through our website, and our official Facebook and Twitter channels. Local ‘Yes Scotland’ and ‘Radical Independence’ branches exist for political organisation at a local level.
The contacts for each of the areas within National Collective are set out below.
Contacts
For general enquiries:
enquiries@nationalcollective.com
For press contacts:
press@nationalcollective.com
For contributions:
contributions@nationalcollective.com
For photography contributions
photos@nationalcollective.com
For events:
events@nationalcollective.com
For membership enquiries:
membership@nationalcollective.com
For donations:
donations@nationalcollective.com
For store enquiries:
store@nationalcollective.com
Click here to download a printable PDF of this Branch Guide.
