Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced a £620,000 funding package to support Gaelic broadcasting, education and cultural projects as World Gaelic Week begins.
The investment includes an additional £200,000 for MG ALBA to deliver new programming, including series two of the BBC ALBA crime drama An t Eilean.
Independent research has found that Gaelic media generates £1.34 for every £1 invested and supports 340 jobs across Scotland, including 160 in island communities.
The funding will also support progress towards a dedicated Gaelic cultural centre in the Highlands and structural improvements at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Isle of Skye, the world’s only Gaelic medium college.
Kate Forbes said:
“This year’s World Gaelic Week is particularly special, being the first since Gaelic gained official status through the Scottish Languages Act.
“This new investment will help the language thrive, from broadcasting that brings Gaelic to new audiences to education initiatives that help more people learn it.
“An t-Eilean’s success demonstrates there is a global appetite for high-quality Gaelic content.
“The programme has brought Gaelic into living rooms around the world and this funding will ensure the communities and talent behind that success continue to flourish.”
Actor Sorcha Groundsell, who will return as Detective Sergeant Kat Crichton in the second series of An t Eilean, said:
“I’m so pleased that An t-Eilean has been recommissioned for a second season.
“It was a wonderful and deeply fulfilling experience to be a part of season one and I have every faith the team will build on the work they did and that they will take the show to new heights and even broader audiences.
“It’s so important that we continue to platform Gàidhlig and to provide further opportunities for Gael creatives so that we can reinforce the language as a vital and vibrant force on the global cultural stage.
“I’m looking forward to picking up Kat’s journey and seeing where the show takes her in this next series!”
The announcement comes at a time when Gaelic has gained new legal recognition and renewed cultural confidence, with ministers arguing that sustained investment is key to securing its long term future.
