Doors Open Days 2020 is going digital!
Doors Open Days, Scotland's biggest free festival of architecture, will present its largest ever digital offering this September!
Article Source: Doors Open Days
First Published: 5 June 2020 11:24
Updated: 5 June 2020 11:25
Image Credit: Smart History
Doors Open Days will celebrate Scotland’s buildings and stories online, through tours, lectures, DIY learning events and more.
We’re responding to current concerns surrounding COVID-19 by making Doors Open Days 2020 more digital so that people across Scotland and the world can continue to safely explore Scotland’s buildings, spaces and places. A limited number of venues will still be open for physical visits this year, but we expect most people will enjoy new and cherished Scottish sites from the comfort of their armchair!
All across Scotland, we’re harnessing the good will and spirit of adventure of local organisations to create unique content that will inspire, educate and amuse anyone with an interest in buildings. Last year virtual visitors could scale the heights of Paisley Abbey and our Young Advisory Panel staged Instagram takeovers – what digital discoveries will you make this year? We’re asking venues and groups to produce a wide range of online offerings, such as Facebook and Instagram Live guided tours, recorded oral histories, webinars, 360-degree tours, virtual exhibitions, question and answer sessions and more. If you’re interested in joining in, we have compiled some great resources and ideas for venues and organisations interested in taking part that will help you take the first steps.
We’ll be hosting everything on the Doors Open Days website, from where you’ll be able to explore nooks and crannies in venues large and small across Scotland this September. The Scottish Civic Trust will also be creating a weekly zine highlighting all of the exciting digital events and tours, which will be sent out through Doors Open Days’ social media channels and e-bulletin. Make sure to sign up to receive your zine!
Ticket booking systems only for physical access to venues
We only encourage people to access buildings where the venue operators are confident it’s safe to do so. The small number of events and buildings that will be open for physical visits will use a ticketing system to monitor and ensure safe access according to the most current social distancing guidelines. Numbers of visitors will be limited and monitored in line with the latest government recommendations appropriate to the Phase of lockdown in Scotland and the requirements of their and our insurers.
Director of the Scottish Civic Trust, Dr Susan O’Connor, said: “We’re delighted to encourage our venues to become more digital this year through Doors Open Days - it’s the best way to reach a broader range of people with Scotland’s unique heritage, both at home and across the world. In particular, we’re looking forward to helping our beautiful buildings and places become more accessible to those who wouldn’t normally be able to take part in Doors Open Days for physical or cultural reasons. Making the built environment easier for everyone to enjoy is a core part of what we do.”
Chair of Scottish Civic Trust, Colin McLean, said: “We at Scottish Civic Trust are excited to support the new direction for this year’s Doors Open Days as a digital festival. By taking the festival online we are not only keeping our venues and communities safe, but offering support to organisations across Scotland to develop their digital literacy. We hope that our support will give venues confidence to have a continued online presence, and that digital engagement will become a mainstay of heritage outreach in the years to come.”
Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland, Alex Paterson, said: “Providing a strong digital platform for this year’s Doors Open Day activities is a great way of ensuring people can enjoy different aspects of Scotland’s rich historic architectural heritage.
Since the onset of Covid-19, we have all had to adapt to new ways of doing things, with technology playing a key role in helping achieve that, and again, here we see another great example of that in action with this year’s event.
I would like to applaud the team at Doors Open Days on their creative thinking here and we at HES are proud to again be part of this fantastic annual celebration of our heritage.”
Latest Lanarkshire News
The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show goes online
Scotland's biggest staycation event, The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show, is going online for 2021 in a free virtual event!
The World Tunes in to Celtic Connections 2021!
With over 10,000 festival passes already sold, 44 countries from around the world will be tuning in to tonight's Celtic Connections Opening Concert!
Wedgwood the Restaurant has created a five course lockdown feast to celebrate Burns Night
Edinburgh’s award-winning Wedgwood the Restaurant is the first restaurant in the UK to launch a ‘Burns Box’, available nationwide, to celebrate Burns Night (25th January) in lockdown.
Charity single released to help give young performers opportunities
Glasgow Philharmonia are well known for their big performances up and down the country... but for the first time ever, they have released a charity single!
Scottish charity set to host the Biggest Online Burns Supper
Specialist charity SBH Scotland is joining forces with international superstar Fran Healy, as well as Scottish comedians Janey Godley & Fred MacAulay to host the world's biggest virtual Burns supper!
Celtic Connections marks one week to go with programme announcement
The Celtic Connections online festival will begin one week today. Across 19 days, the festival will present over 30 online performances between 15th January and 2nd February!
Park project to transform old mobiles
Local residents are being asked to donate broken or unwanted mobile phones, tablets and laptops for an innovative project at Strathclyde Country Park.
New Active Outdoors campaign launches
A campaign to encourage residents to use the area's parks and greenspaces during the current coronavirus restrictions has launched.
Funding boost for Scottish heritage projects
Brisbane Observatory, Govanhill Baths and The Ridge Foundations CIC are among the latest round of Historic Environment Support Fund recipients!
Santa Claus is coming to town... oh yes he is!
Gather the family around the TV this Christmas and join in the usual fun and frolics of a Pavilion Panto!
Brakes put on Scottish drive in events until 2021
In light of the new Tier restrictions, the Scottish company behind one of the UK's largest drive-in tours, The Parking Lot Social, has been forced to cancel all dates in Scotland for the rest of 2020.
Rapunzel by the National Theatre of Scotland is set for festive release in selected Scottish cinemas
Rapunzel, the innovative new festive film from the National Theatre of Scotland, created in a first-time partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, is set to hit screens this month!
Jump into the festive spirit at Flip Out Glasgow
With Christmas just around the corner, Flip Out is set to transform into a winter wonderland to get people into the festive spirit!
Leisure destination XSite Braehead brings joy at Christmas
Newly renamed leisure destination XSite Braehead has announced that 90 per cent of its offering will be reopening just in time for Christmas!
Poetry anthology gives voice to unheard people of Scotland
A Scottish literature charity this week publishes an anthology of poetry that gives voice to some of Scotland's unheard groups and voices.
Strathaven Park makes it 5 in a row
Strathaven Park has once again been voted the number one park in Scotland!
Photographers answer the call of nature
Nature-inspired photography competition winners announced by Loch Lomond Shores.
The Scots Magazine launch free virtual festival celebrating the best of Scotland
Launching on December 14th, ‘Adventure To Your Desktop’ is a five-day online festival bringing to life the best of Scotland, through how-tos, cook-alongs and masterclasses from Scottish talent.
Dance Base Scotland announce a celebration of creativity, movement and connection
Dance Base Scotland present a night of performance, movement and celebration, all filmed from their studios in Edinburgh and streamed to audiences across the world.
Scottish Football spreads Christmas Cheer to those in need with biggest ever campaign
Associated community trusts and SPFL clubs across Scotland are bringing Christmas cheer to those that need it most this year with a new-look initiative designed to support isolated older people.
Soar Braehead renamed XSite following extensive rebrand
The popular Braehead leisure destination, formerly known as Soar Braehead, has culminated its four-week rebrand project by unveiling its new name, XSite Braehead!
Fundraiser aiming to provide over 100,000 meals to homeless people launches
itison launch their annual Social Bite fundraiser, donate £5 to buy a meal for the homeless.
Quarriers launches Box of Hope Appeal for young homeless
Quarriers has launched its annual Box of Hope Appeal to support homeless young people this winter.
Celtic Connections 2021 announces initial line up and early bird tickets
Celtic Connections has announced the first list of artists who will perform as part of their digital-first festival this January!
Dobbies moves Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day as Brits seek early festive joy
Dobbies, the UK's leading garden centre retailer, has brought forward its official 'Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day' to December 5th as the public get into the Christmas spirit earlier than normal!
Quarriers unveil Christmas cards designed by people supported by the social care charity
The artistic talents of two people supported by Quarriers are being displayed on the charity's Christmas card for 2020.
New dates added to itison Drive In Movies!
Four new dates have been added to this year's Drive In Movies Christmas following huge demand!
Lanark Young People Photo Challenge winners announced!
Judges have selected the winners of Lanark Young People's Photo Challenge which took place this autumn as part of the wider Lanark Vision 2020 – 2030 Public Consultation.
Win an amazing gift every day in December!
Graham's The Family Dairy supports Scottish restaurants and the hospitality industry by launching an online Christmas Gift competition!
The most enchanted musical of all time is to be reimagined in a brand new production!
Disney's beloved Olivier Award-winning stage musical Beauty and the Beast is heading out on a UK & Ireland Tour in 2021 which will include a 5 week run at The Edinburgh Playhouse!
Sponsored Links
