... recording the stories of the LGBT community in Scotland

Archiving

Heritage

Our Stories

Launch of Queer Story Scotland at Pride Scotia 2005

Ever since 2005, when we were awarded a major grant from the Scottish Arts Council Lottery Fund, we have been celebrating the personal and local histories of the LGBT community in Scotland.

Our storytelling events provide archiving resources, creative platforms and narrative opportunities throughout Scotland.

Storytelling

News Flash!
LGBT History Month Events

"Picturing OurSelves"
bring along your old photos
for scanning or archiving
or help us identify other photos:
let's talk about the story behind the picture!
Mitchell Library (Stirling Room)
Glasgow
Saturday 6 February 2010
12 - 4pm

"Vanished Valentines"
...the Valentines we never sent...
stories of loves undeclared
loves that might have been
loves that never were
or loves that vanished!
Brunton Theatre (Lounge Room)
Musselburgh
Saturday 13 February 2010
1pm - 3pm

Have fun writing the Valentine you never sent! A possible starting point could be: ‘You may not remember me, but...’ The Valentines could be funny or sad, witty or wistful, cynical or curious.

Refreshments will be provided. Book your free place for Vanished Valentines by calling 01620 828225 or emailing scowie@eastlothian.gov.uk

>> See further details of this event and others at East Lothian Museums

>> See a set of pictures of last year's successful event!

The 2009 workshop in Musselburgh included personal stories, memories and reminiscences, giving a real insight into the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Scotland, including those who come from Scotland and those who have come to live here. OurStory Scotland has been involved in collecting such stories from folk all over the country. This time we brought our unique brand of storytelling to East Lothian. Episodes and oneliners were added to our fishing net, we heard one another's stories around a 'camp' fire, compare past, present and future LGBT lives, and digitally recorded people's memories. Stories were served with refreshments in the friendly and supportive atmosphere of East Lothian Museums.

February is LGBT History Month

Celebrate our history - OurStory - by sharing stories with us now...

Storytelling continues
throughout the year

OurStory Scotland continues to organise, encourage and record storytelling throughout Scotland. Our storytelling can be spoken, written, visual or dramatic, or a combination of any of these - with lots of opportunities to try out new skills, or just to tell your own story in your own way.

Contact us if you would like to to find out more, or to tell us your story, or request a storytelling event in your own area.

Why Storytelling?

OurStory Scotland, as its name suggests, is concerned with stories - the stories of the LGBT community in Scotland. We record the stories of people's lives through oral history, but oral history is not the only kind of storytelling with which we are concerned. Oral histories can be complemented by written material in which we narrate our lives, and visual material for illustration and illumination. We are archiving oral, written and visual testimonies as they are central to our aims as expressed in our title and constitution. We are interested in oral history, written historical narratives and in artistic storytelling based on genuine experience. Contact us if you would like to contribute.

OurStory Scotland is assembling auto/biographical accounts, exploring reflections, presenting episodes, sketching skeletons and creating fictions, for publication in writing and performance.

>> Auto/biographical Accounts

Storytelling Events

OurStory Tent Aberdeen

OurStory Scotland has been holding storytelling events all over Scotland - in Aberdeen, Dumfries, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.

We have been travelling across the country discovering stories, recording life experiences, connecting the past, exploring the present and looking to the future of the LGBT community.

The OurStory Ceilidh on 4 November 2006 provided a magical combination of music, dance and stories, in the best tradition of the ceilidh. It was a sell-out success, filling the grand Trades Hall in Glasgow, making a very special atmosphere with visual and textual stories displayed throughout the hall, and with 20 storytellers from all over Scotland telling their story live on the night.

Our events throughout the country continue our storytelling with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in Scotland.