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TRACS Traditional Arts Mentoring

TRACS is delighted to be delivering a programme of Traditional Arts Mentoring, with the support of Creative Scotland. The aim is to support professional development in the traditional arts through sharing knowledge, skills and experience.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is a process in which an experienced individual helps another person to develop goals and skills through a series of time-limited, confidential, one-to-one conversations. Mentors also benefit through sharing their own learning, evolving their thinking, developing new relationships, and deepening their mentoring skills.

Who can apply?

The Trad Arts Mentoring programme is aimed at early or mid-career practitioners in Scotland. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to work with an experienced traditional arts practitioner and/or tradition bearer on professional challenges and confidence, creative approaches, sources, skills, and working in community contexts. This will be a mutually supportive dialogue, respecting different backgrounds and learning styles.

There are 10 mentorship opportunities available on the programme. Two will be offered in each of the following areas:

Traditional Music
Traditional Song
Traditional Dance
Traditional Storytelling

A further two opportunities will be offered, linking one or more of these artforms with Gaelic or Scots as the main medium. This does not exclude Gaelic and Scots forming part of the other mentorships.

How does the programme work?

The Trad Arts Mentoring programme will run from June to December 2022. Sessions will be mainly online, with the opportunity to meet face-to-face when possible. Each session will have an e-mail follow-up to track discussions and identify or confirm fruitful topics for further exploration. There will also be opportunities to meet others in the programme to share experiences and ideas online and, if possible, in a live gathering.

TRACS has a growing pool of mentors who receive training and support, and we will seek to match people in the most helpful way. All participants will receive an induction to the programme and will also be supported throughout by Jo Miller, an experienced and qualified mentoring coordinator.
Those being mentored will receive a grant for expenses, including travel and accommodation where required. Mentors will receive a professional fee plus travel expenses and accommodation where required. For environmental reasons, travel will be prioritised within or between adjacent regions of Scotland. TRACS will seek to be as flexible as possible in these arrangements, within budget constraints, and subject to the continuing Covid challenges.

How to apply?

Applicants for mentorship are invited to apply by Monday 2nd May 2022 (this deadline has been extended until 5pm on Monday 9 May 2022), submitting a concise professional CV, and a one-page statement as to why they would like to participate in the Traditional Arts Mentoring programme. Please state which artform strand or strands you are applying under, and include a postal address, postcode, telephone number and e-mail.

Applications should be submitted to Donald Smith, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland, The Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR, preferably by e-mail on [email protected].

For any further information contact [email protected] and/or David Francis on [email protected].