The following petition is in circulation and I hope you can support it:

This is taken from the TMSA (Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland) website:

In light of recent funding cuts by the Scottish Arts Council, the TMSA feels it is time for all of us to stand up for what we stand for! So we're starting a campaign and we hope you will all help us to get our point across to the 'powers that be'.

We all enjoy going along to concerts and listening to some of the wonderfully talented musicians and singers who bring our many and varied traditions alive. However, the TMSA believes that traditional music and song is about more than that. It's about a shared inheritance and an unspoken need for everyone and anyone to participate in our own diverse Scottish cultures.

The TMSA believes that grassroots participation in traditional music and song is fundamental to the culture of Scotland. The few traditional music stars would not have arisen without the core foundation of the many taking part for the love of the genre.

Step 1: Petition
The first step of our campaign is a petition. This is a long term and wide-ranging declaration about our belief in the value of Scotland's traditional arts. In partnership with other traditional arts organisations we are campaigning to have the intrinsic value of Scottish Traditional Art forms recognised and to secure current and future funding for them.

We intend that this declaration will always be available for people to sign up to. However, we are aiming to achieve as many signatures as possible within the next month with a view to influencing any future developments of the Creative Scotland Bill.

Go here to view and sign the petition, or contact the TSMA office if you would like us to send you a paper copy to complete.

Sign the Petition Here

Step 2: Parliament Protest
We will be joining with the Scots Music Group in a musical protest outside the Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood on Thursday the 4th of September at 1pm. ALL WELCOME!!!!!!!!

Bring your instruments, your voices, your placards and as many of your friends as you can. Spread the word!!!!!!

Further Information

E-mail: office@tmsa.org.uk

Web Site: www.tmsa.org.uk