Scotland’s rural, coastal and island communities are amongst the most beautiful and inspiring places to live, work and study in the world.
We love them. We love the feeling of living in places shaped by our natural environment and touched by a deep cultural history. We want to help them thrive, grow and develop.
The future of our coastal and rural communities relies on strong relationships between and beyond the places that we live; relationships that recognise the distinctiveness and importance of these locations in the whole life and context of our nation. We believe there is a sense of islandness that stems from a sensation of heightened experience accompanying physical isolation – a remarkable, inspiring and creative power which we want to assist, promote and share.
Island Embassy will be an island in the city where islands meet and people meet islands. It will stand for a shared understanding of what it means to live on the edge of Scotland, geographically, institutionally and democratically but operate in the capital.
We will place the broadest sense of islandness at our core and will be an international centre of islandness. The Island Embassy will be a place of pride and celebration for all that Scotland benefits from island and rural community perspectives. We will facilitate and support stronger understanding and relationships between the edge and the centre in support of social, cultural and economic growth.
- Membership based: Annual fee structure – option to seek sponsorship for an Island or specific location
- Retail offer: Island and rural produce, arts and craft
- Island Embassy brand and franchise (Second phase)
- An Island Embassy network: plan to open further embassies internationally
The offer:
A place to meet on island terms, home from home:
- Private meeting rooms
- Hot desks
- Informal meeting lounge
- Postal address
- Fixed fee discounts on hotel rooms and restaurants
- Exhibition space
- Networking hub
- Advice and briefing service
- International centre of islandness: literature, policy, discussion, meeting place and talks
- Island student support: holiday storage, parcel service and meeting place
- Commercial shop front: Island product and produce, relocation and visiting
- Regular receptions and events: raising the profile of a community, product and culture.
Creative Help is leading the development of the Island Embassy concept with a range of partners with plans to open the first island embassy in Edinburgh in early 2016. Follow progress on the exciting project on twitter @IslandEmbasssy
If you are interested in getting involved please get in touch.
