North Lands Creative postpones summer programme

Scotland’s North Lands Creative has announced that it is postponing its summer course programme.

In a message to friends and colleagues, the organisation states:

“Like many organisations, North Lands Creative has faced some significant challenges in the last few years. The ripple effects of the pandemic, recruitment challenges (particularly in a rural area), the energy crisis and the subsequent funding crisis have created a creeping, negative toll on our programming and, most importantly, on the wellbeing of our people. As such, due to the extenuating circumstances we find ourselves placed in, the Board of Directors has taken the hard decision to pause this year’s summer programme and cancel the forthcoming scheduled professional classes. Our community classes will run as scheduled until the end of this month [July].

“We know this will come as a huge disappointment to those of you planning to travel and participate and will cause concern for those of you who hold North Lands in your hearts and minds. To those individuals who have registered for classes, we will be in touch with you to organise a refund of fees immediately. To our instructors, we really hope that you will join us again at a later date, to deliver the classes exactly as you envisioned.

“However, though our professional programme is to be temporarily paused, we are not stopping. North Lands has, since its establishment, striven to be a place of learning, community, development and a source of inspiration; behind the scenes, both the board and staff will be dedicating themselves to safeguarding this vision and making North Lands a place we are proud to invite our guests into once again.

“Thank you for your understanding, your patience and the support that so many of you have offered – we hope to be taking many of you up on this in a more practical way very soon. We wholeheartedly acknowledge the importance that North Lands holds for many and look forward to welcoming you all once again to Lybster in the near future.”

North Lands Creative is based in Lybster, Caithness, Scotland.