Placebook Scotland

Do you have something to share about what gives your place its identity and sense of place? Placebook Scotland is a new web-based resource developed by the Scottish Landscape Forum. They want to know what makes your place distinct and want you to capture this using music, song, words or a photograph.

The place could be where you were brought up, or where you live, study or work now. Placebook Scotland wants submissions of the good, the bad and even the ugly! And whether your ‘place’ is Gigha or Glasgow they want your contributions.

Environment Minister Michael Russell said, “Landscape makes a significant contribution to Scottish identity and our rich natural and cultural heritage.

“Placebook Scotland will seek to cover as much as possible of Scotland’s landscapes, townscapes and seascapes through the arts and I would encourage everyone to get involved.

“I hope that the project will generate interest in, and celebrate local people’s sense of place through the arts and understanding of Scotland’s distinct and diverse landscapes.”

The Placebook Scotland website is now up and running, and from Autumn 2008, you’ll be able to submit your contributions on the site. You can register on the site now, and you’ll be sent an email letting you know when you can make your contributions.

Days Like This

Has there been a day in your life that was extraordinary? Days Like This is a new project run by Scottish Book Trust and BBC Radio Scotland and they want your true stories that take place during one day.

You can become part of the project by writing about a special day in your life which made a strong impression on you. The project aims to gather thousands of true tales from born-and-bred Scots to newly arrived immigrants, from Dumfries to Shetland.

Anyone can submit a story – content is what matters. Stories should be no longer than 1000 words and can be about anything as long as it’s true and takes place in one day. It could be the day you didn't get married or the day you got lost somewhere!

Celebrity curators, author Irvine Welsh, mountaineer Jamie Andrew, broadcaster Hardeep Singh Kohli, actress Siobhan Redmond, percussionist Evelyn Glennie and Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble,  are taking part in the project, writing and recording their own stories as an inspiration for people to do the same.

The celebrity panel will choose their favourite stories to be recorded and discussed in a series of radio programmes and published in a book in 2009. All stories will appear on the BBC website. Closing date for submissions is 1st November 2008.

You’ll find more info on the project and the curators’ stories on the BBC Radio Scotland website. You can also read stories so far and find a project leaflet on the Scottish Book Trust website. The project is inspired by Paul Auster's book True Tales of American Life and a project run by BBC Northern Island.

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