International

Towards a policy for promoting Scotland’s writing throughout the world

Scotland’s literature is a powerful cultural and economic asset which has relevance and resonance throughout the world. The aim of the Literature Forum’s International and Tourism Group is to make that asset accessible as widely as possible, to encourage visitors to come to Scotland to experience our literature in its own environment, and to enable the realisation of the literature sector’s full economic potential.

The recent highly successful participation of ‘Writing Scotland’ at Toronto’s International Festival of Authors (October 2009) illustrates the potential of Scottish writing to make an impact beyond these shores. ‘Writing Scotland’ was the result of an intensive, collaborative effort instigated by the Scottish Government, resourced by the government’s EXPO fund, led by the Edinburgh International Book Festival and supported by Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, the Association of Scottish Literary Studies, the Scottish Book Trust, the Scottish Poetry Library, Scottish PEN, the Scottish Storytelling Centre and the British Council.

IFOA’s focus on Scottish writing took place in an environment already receptive to Scottish literature in an existing context of reciprocity – Canadian literature has been regularly featured at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. It took 15 Scottish writers and two publishers to Toronto and other Ontario venues, and resulted in a widening audience for contemporary Scottish literature, and new publishing and marketing opportunities.

With this example of what can be achieved we now need to examine the essential ingredients for success at the more modest levels which are realistic in the shorter term but feed into a longer-term strategy. It is important to recognise that the factors contributing to the success of ‘Writing Scotland’ in Canada are unlikely to be replicated in other parts of the world and that the long-term promotion of Scotland’s literary assets will take time, commitment and, above all, consistent resources. This will produce real returns that will have significant benefits across a broader spectrum. We need to create an organisational and funding structure that will allow both the pro-active development of international projects and events and a coherent, effective response to opportunities as they arise.
This requires a strategic approach to international contact and the establishing of central, easy-to-access resources to support visits of Scottish writers abroad and of overseas writers to Scotland. We aim to lay the foundations for a consistent and long-term approach to promoting Scotland’s literary heritage and vibrant contemporary writing, to ensuring that it plays an active part in the presentation of Scotland as a tourist destination, and for increasing economic benefits.

An international literary strategy should include:

• Building international contacts and partnerships with relevant organisations, festivals and individuals
• Defining the key regions, cities and countries to engage with pro-actively
• Investigating and following up potential for showcasing Scottish writing overseas and in Scotland
• Integrating Scottish literature, past and present, into the promotion of Scotland as a tourist destination
• Promoting book sales, translations and rights deals
• Ensuring that literary events and connections are highlighted at local, national and international levels inside the literature and other relevant sectors
• Collaboration between literature organisations, VisitScotland and the Scottish Government
• Collaboration with other art forms

The tools required include:

• A website dedicated to ‘Writing Scotland’ to enable access to and sharing of information
• A package of promotional material for use by organisations and individuals involved in overseas visits to ensure a clear and consistent promotion of Scottish literature
• Accessible information on literature organisations, publishers, festivals and authors
• Support material for tourist outlets in Scotland
• A group encouraging and coordinating international efforts
• Consistent sources of funding
We in the literature sector already have the vision and the will to make the above happen. What is needed now is the adoption by government of a clear policy and realistic objectives.

Jenni Calder
Chair, International and Tourism Group of the Literature Forum for Scotland
10.12.09

However, as far as the International strand goes, there’s much more that needs to be said and commented upon, in order to get a clearer idea of which specific areas need attention in policy development and the support structures that need to underpin that development.

So far the discussion has centred around film. Given Git’s piece that’s not surprising, but it can only form part of the picture.

Let’s remind ourselves of the headline question:

How we can we use art and culture to reflect on Scotland's place in the world?

Leaving aside specific artforms, what general principles might we want to apply to international work? What kind of headline strategy would actually be helpful to artists, organisations and Scotland itself? And who/which organisation/s should be responsible for applying that strategy?

We do also need to give a clear steer on fundamental questions like these:

• How should an international strategy intersect with Government policy? Should it even take account of Government policy, or would this force unacceptable compromises in artistic integrity?

• Do we need a 5 year strategy? Apart from a strategic and financial commitment, what might this involve?

• Let’s say we did have a 5 year strategy. How will we know it has been successful? What would be the criteria against which we might judge success?

• Can artforms be promoted homogenously, or does this need to be done in an artform specific way, reflecting the nature of the different industries and audiences?

• If international promotion is to be handled on an artform specific basis, is there any mileage in creating a common database or resource which can be accessed for information on audiences, marketing, partnerships, contacts, the media, trade fairs, festivals and so on abroad? (My point here is that very often Scottish companies working abroad are having to reinvent the wheel in terms of this kind of information, when in fact it already exists in Scotland through companies who have already worked and created relationships in specific locations.)

And - we need to hear from those who work in artforms other than film. Thanks, Marc