The Highlands and Islands Climate Festival is back with a bang for 2023
Off the back of the success of the Highland Climate Festival and the Orkney Climate Festival in 2022, the Highlands and Islands Climate Hub are excited to announce details of the 2023 celebration of community led climate action.
In Spring 2022, discussions began between the Highlands and Islands Climate Hub and Highland Adapts and before long, the Highland Climate Festival was born. The celebration took place in June 2022 with the Orkney Climate Festival in collaboration with the Orkney International Science Festival following closely behind in September 2022.
Each festival was very warmly received with over 150 events taking place during the two weeklong celebrations. These ranged from talks and seminars to repair cafes, growing open days and fashion swishing events plus many more.
Feedback was gathered from participating communities and a working group for the 2023 festival was quickly formed. The 2023 festival will take place throughout September to coincide with Scottish Climate Week and will cover the Highlands and Islands region as whole.
The working group is made up of eleven participating communities who have worked hard to ensure the creation of a vibrant festival with fair and equal representation of the vast area of the Highlands and Islands. The Highlands and Islands Climate Hub will administer a small grant fund which will support communities to take part in the festival. Events are welcome and encouraged to make up the online programme of events which will be advertised on a dedicated website which will launch in June 2023. The funding opened for applications on 15th May 2023 and communities are encouraged to apply early to avoid disappointment.
Applications to the fund can be for two things. The General Event Fund supports professional fees, film screening licenses, resources, or travel expenses. Sums of up to £250 can be applied for. The Big Local Picnic Fund supports communities to get involved with the finale event of the festival on Saturday 30th September. Funding of up to £200 is available to communities to host an indoor or outdoor picnic which celebrates their community as well as local food & drink. Hub Manager, Joan Lawrie said:
“We are so looking forward to the 2023 Highlands and Islands Climate Festival and cannot wait to highlight the incredible community-led climate action work going on from Shetland to Skye. The small grant funds will allow communities to get involved to bring their communities together to take climate action, meet new people and celebrate local. Localism is at the heart of the festival with communities and event attendees encouraged to think and be local.”