The Doric Board has recently made a series of awards to successful candidates who put forward projects for promoting the North East Scots dialect – aka The Doric – and also aspects of the traditional culture of North East Scotland. And what a wonderful and wide-ranging collection of projects they are too. This is the second round of awards drawing on a fund of around £10,000 which is supported by the Scottish Government. Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “The Scottish Government is pleased to support the second Doric Board New Year Awards. It is heartening to see the increasing interest in these Awards and the quality and breadth of projects that these support. These projects will have lasting benefits for the community and the language…”. His comments were echoed by Board Chair Frieda Morrison who said: “The volume, richness and diversity of applications, show that Doric is very much alive and well in the 21st century.”  The full list of recipients and projects is as follows:

Mintlaw Academy – Doric Week – creative writing course.

Buchanhaven Heritage Society & Centre – to promote local heritage, particularly traditional skills, through “The Peterheid Ganjey” exhibition.

Auld MacDonald’s Farm – publishing by Aaron Gale of an illustrated book based on the children’s rhyme.

Bailies of Bennachie – expansion of the “Jock O’Bennachie Tales” storytelling project for primary school-aged children and their families

Janice Clark – creation of the North East Ballad School to share the musical and linguistic tradition of the area with young people who live and study in the area

Iona Fyfe – to showcase the collected works of the James Madison Carpenter Collection

Aberdeen Arts Centre (Castlegate Arts Ltd) – to create a socially distanced and online festival entitled: “Stories from the North East”

Open Road – “The Last People on Earth” theatre/storytelling projects to tell the story of the battle of Mons Graupius between the Caledonians and the Roman Empire

North East Arts Touring (NEAT) – “He’s Done Northing Wrong” an audio comedy play by George Milne

Duncan Harley – publication of a collection of articles entitled: “Long Shadows”

Elphinstone Institute – to publish a book based on the best of the David Toulman prize entries

Gordon Hay – book of Doric nursery rhymes

Dr Ian Spring – to publish a book by Jim Black & Ian Spring entitled: “Scottish Ploughmen: customs, songs, tradition” and to hold two illustrated talks, accompanies by songs, in the North-East about Scottish ploughmen

Mike Gibb – to produce a video of an abridged version of his play: “Doorways in Drumorty” to allow wider audience access

Dr Shane Strachan – to create an audio recording/podcast of new Scots stories

Tracy Walker – to create an exhibition celebrating the legendary song and heritage centre at Cullerlie Farm near Drumoak

If you would like to find out more, please contact Frieda Morrison, or Gordon Hay on email info@doricboard.com

An audio version of this story in Scots is available below.