SCOTLAND’S Year of Stories has delivered “significant benefits” to communities throughout the country, according to a new report.
More than 1.4 million people attended 201 funded events designed to share and celebrate Scotland’s stories and every part of the country was engaged with 354 funded and partner events delivered across all 32 local authorities.
The themed year also gave Gaelic and the Scots language a boost after being showcased at 42% of funded events in 2022.
Collated by VisitScotland, the report shows a wide promotional reach was achieved, including four million views of the Year of Stories promotional videos, 2760 pieces of media coverage and marketing campaigns reaching people 148 million times.
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There was also great variety in the ways the stories were told – from apps and digital content to in-person events, walking trails and exhibitions.
Accessibility was at the heart of the year, from BSL translation on videos and at live events, to free ticketing or “pay what you can” at many events.
The events programme helped to increase awareness of and appreciation for Scotland’s stories, the report states, with 81% of community event attendees saying they are now more aware of the wealth and diversity of Scotland’s stories.
The theme was also a source of inspiration for future visits – 75% of community event attendees said they are more likely to visit places connected with Scotland’s stories.
As well as an extensive events programme, the Year of Stories 2022 offered opportunities for the wider tourism industry and related sectors to share their own stories, with multiple examples of businesses and organisations collaborating to create new content, campaigns and activities for communities and visitors, according to the report.
Culture Minister Christina McKelvie said she was delighted Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 had made “such a positive and lasting impact in so many communities across Scotland”.
“As a result of partnership working, the fantastic range of events on offer inspired people to create and share their own incredible stories, traditions and journeys,” she said.
“The high level of engagement with this themed year will leave a lasting legacy as we continue to tell each other stories about who we are and where we live.”
Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland chief executive, said themed years provided an opportunity for collaboration and partnership across tourism, events and wider sectors, using Scotland’s strengths to attract domestic and international visitors and grow the visitor economy.
“The findings of this evaluation show that the Year of Stories really engaged communities and captured the imagination of people right across the country,” he said.
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