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Summary:

  • An Taigh Cèilidh, founded in 2021, is a Gaelic cultural centre based in Stornoway, Scotland dedicated to preserving and promoting Gaelic language and heritage.
  • Faced with funding challenges, the organisation secured a property purchase loan from Social & Community Capital (S&CC) – a charity funded by NatWest that supports social enterprises, charities, and community businesses.
  • The centre now serves as a vibrant hub for live music, conversation circles, and film screenings, attracting both locals and tourists.
  • S&CC’s support enabled the creation of four full-time roles and inspired similar Gaelic initiatives in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness.
  • An Taigh Cèilidh exemplifies community-led cultural revitalisation and the importance of physical spaces in preserving and promoting Gaelic language and heritage.

Founded in 2021, An Taigh Cèilidh is a Gaelic community and cultural centre dedicated to preserving and promoting Gaelic language and heritage. From live music to conversation circles to film screenings, ATC puts the Gaelic culture at the heart of its work.

 

Challenge: A home for heritage

An Taigh Cèilidh knew that to truly embed Gaelic culture in the community, they needed a permanent physical space. However, when they approached other funders, they were told a physical location wasn’t necessary.

Undeterred, An Taigh Cèilidh remained confident that they would find a lender who understood what they were looking to achieve and that a dedicated space would be essential to making the Gaelic culture accessible and visible.

 

The solution: Property purchase loan

Our Social & Community Capital (S&CC) team provided the funding needed to secure a permanent home for the Gaelic cultural hub. Founding Director, Dr Teàrlach Wilson, explained that as the team was unfamiliar with the lending process, An Taigh Cèilidh approached the expansion with some apprehension.

S&CC’s loan officers worked closely with the team from the outset, offering tailored support and guidance to ensure they felt confident and informed every step of the way.

 

“We could not operate without a physical space. We couldn’t have bought a physical space without S&CC.” 

An Taigh Cèilidh

Impact: A living, breathing Gaelic hub

Today, An Taigh Cèilidh’s cultural centre is a thriving space that welcomes both locals and tourists – offering a warm, authentic experience of Gaelic culture and community.

Thanks to S&CC’s support, the organisation has created four new full-time roles and attracted a growing number of local volunteers.

An Taigh Cèilidh is leading the way across Scotland and abroad with an example of community-led cultural revitalisation, and other Gaelic projects in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness are following their lead.

 

About Social & Community Capital

S&CC is a charity funded by NatWest to help social enterprises, charities and community businesses. More on S&CC here.

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