An Taigh Cèilidh CIC

Community centres and halls

An Taigh Cèilidh is a community interest company (non-profit social enterprise) based in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. When An Taigh Cèilidh launches its pilot scheme in early 2022, we will provide a social space to speakers of Scottish Gaelic (“a community hub”) in Stornoway’s town centre. Opportunities to socialise in Gaelic will address social isolation on the island, strengthen community and social networks, protect Gaelic culture, and develop the national language strategy (Bòrd na Gàidhlig) to increase the use of Gaelic by more people and in more contexts. Within the community hub, there will be three shops integrated into each other, which promote and stimulate the use of Gaelic for speakers of all levels, and which aim to support Gaelic speakers’ economic wellbeing by selling their products and services: (1) a coffee shop (outsourced to a private company); (2) a bookshop (operated in close partnership with the Gaelic Books Council); and (3) a cultural workshop with events and displays (a living museum of intangible cultural heritage and engaging in reminiscence activities). As much as possible used and sold within An Taigh Cèilidh community hub will be sourced from the isles of Lewis and Harris (promoting sustainability and the environment), and everything will be branded in Gaelic, with English available where necessary. Gaelic will be the default language of customer service and business operations. We will hold events, clubs, and exhibitions (“sociocultural projects”) for speakers of Gaelic of all levels, such as live traditional music, poetry recitals, storytelling, parent and child clubs, quizzes, and conversation circles. Learners and visitors are welcome to experience our community and culture, and we intend to ensure that our community-focused work is inclusive and attractive to anybody who is in Stornoway, whether permanently or temporarily. Income surplus will go back to Gaelic projects on the island, including to support events and clubs at An Taigh Cèilidh and to support An Taigh Cèilidh suppliers on the island. Once we have the funding and support to do so, An Taigh Cèilidh will expand into larger premises, at which point our pilot scheme will be complete (i.e. no fixed deadline for the end of the pilot).

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