A Year of Stories

It’s important to have things to look forward to in January. Especially these days.

So we’re delighted that 2022 is the Year of Stories in Scotland, and so hopefully, a whole year of events and adventure awaits. We’ve lots of story projects lined up over the next few months, which we’re looking forward to sharing. We’ll have more information and sneak peeks to share from all of them soon, but they include…

Not one but TWO comics created as part of the ‘Rediscovering the Antonine Wall’ project, created by schools from the five local authorities the wall passes through. We’ll be exploring Roman Caledonia, the women of the wall, Syrian Archers, mysteries in stone and much more.

Occupy! A graphic novel exploring the history of occupation to create community change in Scotland. The project is part of Govanhill Baths ‘Occupy!’ project, supported by the Foyle Foundation and the Govanhill Baths Archive and Heritage Fund. From rent strikes and shipyard work-ins, through to the occupation of the former Hamish Allan Centre during Cop 26, these are all stories that made a difference.

In March, we’ll have two publications launching on World Book Day – our Clyde Crew comic, created with 21 Inverclyde Primary Schools and Climate Heroes, a storybook featuring characters designed through an Inverclyde Libraries competition.

Also back in our home town, we are working with Inverclyde Community Development Trust to explore Legacies of Slavery. It’s an amazing project with all sorts of events and opportunities – we’ll be working with Proud2Care on a history book with a difference, taking time to look at stories we don’t know so well about our area’s connections to the slave trade.

And in June we’ll be having a Story Ceilidh! Launching a new storybook created with New Scots families and Your Voice Inverclyde. The project is supported by Museums Galleries Scotland.

Plus, we’ve more pages and publications on the way from our Common Good Comics project, and the last few months of our Outside The Box project. And if we’re lucky – even more surprises and stories to share after that as the Year of Stories continues.

Looking forward to getting lost in the woods this year!

(And finally, if you haven’t already, one story you need to read right now, is our Captain Kidd graphic novel raising funds for Man On Inverclyde)