The Traditional Arts and Culture Fund, previously known as Tasgadh, is now open for applications (19 January 2026). Gaelic Language Version
The fund, administered by TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), offers small grants of up to £1,200 to artists, community groups, and grassroots organisations working across Scotland’s traditional music, song, storytelling, dance, crafts, indigenous languages, and wider intangible heritage.
TRACS won the Creative Scotland tender to administer the fund in October last year, with traditional crafts included for the first time as a new addition to the fund.
In 2026, the total fund available is £43k and applications for the first round close on Monday 16 February, with a second round of funding due to open on 6 April and close on 4 May. Awards of up to £1,200 are available (an increase of 20% on previous years), enabling around 18 applicants in each round to be funded the maximum amount.
Applications can be submitted in Gaelic, Scots, and English language. All applicants are required to demonstrate a positive track record in and/or professional commitment to one or more traditional artforms, and awards are decided by a panel of traditional arts and craft specialists.
Funding is available for the creation, performance, touring, and showcasing of traditional arts and crafts in Scotland, and for professional development and learning projects. Previous successful projects include music classes and workshops, dance development and collaborations, composition of new music, tours, personal development projects, internships, and festivals. Previous applicants who received awards of between £250 and £1,000 include Sangstream Scots Folk Choir celebrating the heritage of Midlothian miners in song; puirt à beul workshops for Dundee Gaelic Choir; Cabraich Community Arts’ weekly song and story cèilidhs in Stornoway; storytelling development at Glenesk Folk Museum with the Grampian Association of Storytellers; and the creation of new work in Scottish stepdance by Deiseil Airson Dannsa.
Steve Byrne CEO of TRACS said: “We are delighted to have been appointed as the new administrators of this important fund. Being able to provide support to artists and organisations at all stages of their development is essential to ensuring that Scotland has a buoyant traditional arts community, and experience shows that a nimble small grants programme like this can make a huge difference to grassroots activity. We look forward to announcing the successful applicants in due course.”
Catriona Hawksworth, Traditional Arts Officer at Creative Scotland said: “The newly redeveloped Traditional Arts and Culture Fund will directly benefit the tradition-bearers and communities upholding Scotland’s many traditions, and we’re delighted that the fund will support traditional crafts for the first time, alongside traditional music, storytelling and dance.
“With increased funding, more traditional artists and practitioners will be able to boost their offerings within their local communities thanks to National Lottery funding. TRACS are expertly placed as a custodian of this crucial funding as champions of Scottish traditions with their invaluable knowledge and networks.”
Helen Voce, panellist representing Traditional Craft said: “The Fund’s recognition of traditional crafts for the first time is welcomed and timely. A supporter of craftspeople in Scotland, including as a volunteer Regional Coordinator of Scottish members of Heritage Crafts, I know the Fund will make a difference to the practice of experienced and emerging practitioners alike. It arrives following a year that saw a number of traditional crafts practised in Scotland listed as endangered (e.g. Shinty Caman Making) and critically endangered (e.g. Highlands & Islands Thatching) on the Red List of Heritage Crafts 2025. And, as communities are poised to submit traditional craft practices to the Crafts Inventory of Living Heritage following the UK’s ratification of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.”
The Traditional Arts and Culture Fund is administered by TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), with support from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
More information on the fund and a guide to completing the application form is available at www.tracscotland.org/traditional-arts-and-culture-fund/
Gaelic Language Version
Tagraidhean fosgailte airson Maoin Ealain is Cultair Traidiseanta
Tha Maoin Ealain is Cultair Traidiseanta, air an robh Tasgadh roimhe, a-nis fosgailte airson tagraidhean (19 Faoilleach 2026).Tha a’ mhaoin, air a rianachd le TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland – Ealain agus Cultar Traidiseanta na h-Alba), a’ tabhann thabhartasan beaga suas ri £1,200 do luchd-ealain agus buidhnean coimhearsnachd a tha ag obair ann an ceòl traidiseanta, seinn, sgeulachdan, dannsa, ciùird, cànanan dùthchasach, agus dualchas do-bheantainn nas fharsainge.
Bhuannaich TRACS tairgse Alba Chruthachail gus a’ mhaoin a rianachd san Dàmhair an-uiridh, le ciùird thraidiseanta air an toirt a-steach dhan mhaoin airson a’ chiad uair.
Ann an 2026, is e £43k an t-sùim iomlan a tha ri faotainn agus bidh tagraidhean airson a’ chiad chuairt a’ dùnadh air Diluain 16 Gearran, agus bidh an dàrna cuairt maoineachaidh a’ fosgladh air 6 Giblean agus a’ dùnadh air 4 Cèitean. Tha duaisean suas ri £1,200 rim faighinn (àrdachadh de 20% air na bliadhnaichean roimhe), agus tha seo a’ ciallachadh gum faigh timcheall air 18 tagraichean an t-sùim as àirde anns gach cuairt.
Faodar tagraidhean a chur a-steach ann an Gàidhlig, Scots agus Beurla. Feumaidh a h-uile tagraiche dearbhadh gu bheil eachdraidh shoirbheachail aca agus/no dealas proifeasanta a thaobh aon no barrachd chruthan ealain traidiseanta, agus thèid co-dhùnadh a dhèanamh air na duaisean le pannal de dh’eòlaichean ealain is ciùird traidiseanta.
Tha maoineachadh ri fhaighinn airson cruthachadh, cluich, cuairtean agus a bhith a’ taisbeanadh ealainean is ciùird thraidiseanta ann an Alba, agus airson pròiseactan leasachaidh is ionnsachaidh proifeasanta. Am measg nam pròiseactan soirbheachail a bh’ ann roimhe tha clasaichean is bùthan-obrach ciùil, leasachadh is co-obrachadh dannsa, sgrìobhadh ceòl ùr, cuairtean, pròiseactan leasachaidh pearsanta, inntearnasan, agus fèisean. Am measg nan tagraichean a fhuair duaisean eadar £250 agus £1,000 roimhe, tha Sangstream Scots Folk Chòir a tha a’ comharrachadh dualchas mèinnearan Lodainn Mheadhanaich ann an òrain; bùithtean-obrach port à beul airson Còisir Ghàidhlig Dhùn Dè; Cèilidhean òrain is sgeulachdan seachdaineil aig Ealain Coimhearsnachd Cabraich ann an Steòrnabhagh; leasachadh sgilean aithris sgeulachdan aig Taigh-tasgaidh Dualchas Ghleann Easg còmhla ri Comann Sgeulaichean Roinn a’ Mhonaidh; agus a’ cruthachadh dannsa-ceum Albannach ùr le Deiseil Airson Dannsa.
Thuirt Steve Byrne, Àrd-oifigear TRACS: “Tha sinn air leth toilichte gun deach ar fastadh mar rianadairean ùra na maoine cudromaich seo. Tha e deatamach taic a thoirt do luchd-ealain agus buidhnean aig gach ìre den leasachadh aca gus coimhearsnachd ealain thraidiseanta na h-Alba a chumail làidir, beòthail. Tha e follaiseach bho na dh’fhiosraich sinn roimhe gun toir prògram thabhartasan beaga sùbailte mar seo buaidh mhòr air obair aig ìre na coimhearsnachd. Tha sinn a’ dèanamh fiughair ri bhith ag ainmeachadh nan tagraichean soirbheachail ann an àm nach bi fada.”
Thuirt Catriona Hawksworth, Oifigear Ealain Traidiseanta aig Alba Chruthachail: “Bheir Maoin Ealain is Cultair Traidiseanta ath-leasaichte buannachd dhìreach do luchd-giùlain nan traidiseanan agus nan coimhearsnachdan a tha a’ glèidheadh iomadh traidisean Albannach, agus tha sinn air leth toilichte gun toir a’ mhaoin taic do chiùird thraidiseanta airson a’ chiad uair, a bharrachd air ceòl traidiseanta, sgeulachdan agus dannsa.”
“Le barrachd maoineachaidh, bidh e comasach do bharrachd luchd-ealain agus luchd-cleachdaidh traidiseanta togail a thoirt air an obair aca anns na coimhearsnachdan ionadail aca mar thoradh air a’ mhaoineachadh bhon Chrannchur Nàiseanta.” Tha TRACS ann an suidheachadh air leth freagarrach airson an taic-airgid ro-chudromach seo a stiùireadh, a’ tarraing air an eòlas domhainn air traidiseanan na h-Alba agus air neart an lìonraidhean.
Thuirt Helen Voce, neach-pannail a’ riochdachadh nan Ceàirdean Traidiseanta: “Tha fàilte mhòr air an aithneachadh a tha a’ Mhaoin a’ toirt do chiùird thraidiseanta airson a’ chiad uair agus tha e a’ tighinn aig deagh àm. Mar chuideigin a tha a’ cumail taic ri luchd-ciùird ann an Alba, a’ gabhail a-steach mar Cho-òrdanaiche Roinneil saor-thoileach do bhuill Albannach aig Heritage Crafts, tha fios agam gun dèan a’ Mhaoin diofar mòr dhan obair aig luchd-ciùird eòlach is ùr. Tha e a’ tighinn às dèidh bliadhna anns an deach grunn chiùird thraidiseanta ann an Alba a chomharrachadh mar chiùird ann an cunnart (me. a’ dèanamh Chaman airson Camanachd) agus ann an cunnart mòr (me. tughadh air a’ Ghàidhealtachd is na h-Eileanan) air Liosta Dhearg nan Ceàrdan Dualchasach 2025. Agus, tha e a’ tachairt aig àm nuair a tha coimhearsnachdan an impis cleachdaidhean ciùird traidiseanta a chur a-steach gu Clàr-innse Dhualchas Beò nan Ceàrdan às dèidh dhan RA Cunnradh UNESCO 2003 airson Dìon Dualchas Cultarach Do-bheantainn a dhaingneachadh.
Tha Maoin Ealain is Cultair Traidiseanta air a rianachd le TRACS (Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland – Ealain agus Cultar Traidiseanta na h-Alba), le taic bhon Chrannchur Nàiseanta tro Alba Chruthachail.
Gheibhear barrachd fiosrachaidh mun mhaoin agus stiùireadh bhidio mu bhith a’ lìonadh an fhoirm tagraidh aig www.tracscotland.org/traditional-arts-and-culture-fund/
