There are times when a country needs troublemakers. This is one.”
— Ian Hamilton QC
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A message from National Collective’s organisers: National Collective was the cutural campaign for Scottish independence from 2011-2014. Although the Yes movement didn’t achieve its primary goal of Scottish independence, we made substantial progress against all of the odds with an unprecedented 20% swing to Yes and a political engagement powered turnout of 84.59%. You can read more about National Collective’s legacy here. Individually, our members now continue to make their mark by using their skills and experience to help shape Scotland in their own way. Below is an archive of how our members and supporters contributed to our campaign.
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National Collective is the cultural movement for Scottish independence, featuring artists, writers and activists creatively campaigning for a Yes vote through local groups, events, social media, published word and art.
We’re supported by some of Scotland’s top artists including Alasdair Gray, Liz Lochhead, David Greig and Karine Polwart. You can read why some of them believe that independence can make Scotland a better country here.
Please take a couple of minutes to sign up as a member, and if you’re looking to get actively involved in our movement, please enter your extended details into our resource pool. We’re attempting to build Scotland’s largest database of artists and creatives to ensure that we, with your help, can mobilise Scotland’s artists, creatives, writers and thinkers in the summer of 2014. We believe that only with a powerful and well organised cultural movement can we fully grasp the opportunities that independence presents us.
There are many other ways that you can get involved with our movement, including:
Writing
The National Collective website receives over 100,000 visitors each month and provides a platform for some of the freshest voices in the independence movement.
We have two main areas of focus:
Arts
The arts we cover are not restricted to Scotland or independence (although there will of course be a natural tendency towards coverage of this sort). We cover art from the world over which inspires, challenges and excites. If you want to write about an art form which hasn’t yet been covered on National Collective, then all the more reason we want to hear from you. We have left the boundaries of what we cover as broad as possible so as to let the writers define what the arts section will become. With this in mind we have four primary aims:
- Promote worldwide grassroots and DIY art.
- Encourage participation in local creative communities.
- Support socially minded artistic activism.
- Promote Scottish culture
Politics
Our political articles are penned by some of the country’s most radical writers and thinkers, from varied party and non-party backgrounds. We have two main aims:
- Argue the positive case for Scottish independence.
- Imagine a better Scotland.
To become a political writer for National Collective please contact David Aitchison (including any links to previous work).
Performing
Our grassroots events are organised and run by our members. We organise debates, talks, community events, cultural showcases, pop-up gigs and parties at venues and locations across Scotland. Past performers and speakers at our happenings include Scotland’s Makar Liz Lochhead, Scottish Album of the Year award 2013 winner RM Hubbert and academic Alan Riach.
If you have an idea for an event or would like to get involved contact Cameron Foster (including links to previous work).
Creating
Images have always played an important role in shaping our identity, our culture and our perspective on history. We believe that creativity has an immeasurable power to influence people, to inspire ideas and to motivate change. With this in mind, we have created projects that are designed to dispel political apathy and help our members and the public to imagine a better Scotland. Collectively we are creating art that we think will best spread our vision for a better Scotland. And we would like to invite you to join us in that endeavour.
If you have any self-initiated work that you wish to share with us send it to Andrew Barr and if you have an idea for a project contact Andy Summers.
Sharing
The National Collective website has one of the highest social sharing rates of articles about Scotland’s Referendum, even when compared to the biggest mainstream media websites. By sharing our content with your friends, family and followers, you are helping to promote Scottish culture and spread the positive case for Scottish independence in a click.
Collaborating
Our branches aim to bring our movement to every Scottish city, town, village and community before September 2014. Contact your local National Collective branch to get involved with meetings near you:
National Collective Aberdeen aberdeen@nationalcollective.com
National Collective Edinburgh edinburgh@nationalcollective.com
National Collective Dundee dundee@nationalcollective.com
National Collective Glasgow glasgow@nationalcollective.com
National Collective Stirling stirling@nationalcollective.com
To create a branch in your area please contact Ros Hunter.
Documenting
We aim to capture and record the historic Yes campaign through our Documenting Yes project, which is archived on our Flickr and YouTube accounts. You can help our movement grow by photographing and filming our events, and talking about them on social media.
To get involved with Documenting Yes or to add your photographs and films to our archive contact our Photo Editor, Peter McNally.
Supporting
To win in 2014, we need to inspire and engage the Scottish public in a way that has never been seen before. For just a modest donation or a purchase from the National Collective Store, you can support our work convincing the sceptical, persuading the undecided and imagining a better Scotland.
TradYES
TradYES is the collective banner under which our talented traditional artists can join together and become part of the growing National Collective family. Our artists have a vital role to play in a national campaign for Scottish independence. We believe that the traditional arts have radical potential, both culturally and politically. Community, mutual co-operation and conviviality are embedded in what we do: music and song have the power to bring people together. Our collective is already backed by some of Scotland’s best known traditional artists, including; Sheena Wellington, Dick Gaughan, Karine Polwart and Eddi Reader.
To get involved with TradYES meetings and events contact Mairi McFadyen.
If you have any press requests contact Andrew Barr and for any general enquiries contact National Collective’s Director Ross Colquhoun. Further information about National Collective can be found here.
