Burns Light is delivered through a public, private and third sector partnership, who are working to make it a night to remember.  Already Dumfries & Galloway Arts Association is running lantern-making workshops around the region which are full of busy children and adults building lanterns large and small from willow withies and tissue paper. 

As one first-time lantern-maker said after a recent Workshop, “This was just such fun!  My daughter and I both made our lanterns ready for the Burns Light procession.  The artist leading the workshop was really helpful and well organised.  I’m telling everyone I know to go along – the more the merrier!”

There are still lots of opportunities to join in a lantern-making workshop, either through a community group or just by coming along to a public workshop.   Louise Davies, DGAA’s Arts & Communities Co-ordinator for Nithsdale said, “I’m really enjoying this project, there’s a real buzz about it.  It really is about bringing Homecoming onto our own doorstep!”

If you want to find a workshop near you, or receive a workshop form contact Louise Davies, Arts & Communities Co-ordinator on 07919 574105 or email her on louise@dgaa.net.

Also being launched this week by DGAA are Burns Light flyers and postcards aimed at raising awareness across the region.  The attractive free postcards are available for you to send to friends and relatives to invite them “home” to Dumfries for Burns Light  The postcards will be available through libraries and community groups for members of the public to pick up.

Homecoming Scotland is a Scottish Government initiative, managed by EventScotland in partnership with VisitScotland. 

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer of EventScotland, said: “2009 is set to be a big year for Scotland as we welcome back thousands of ancestral Scots to enjoy the country’s first national Homecoming celebrations.  There has been great support for the Homecoming in Dumfries & Galloway and consequently an exciting programme of events and activities has been developed in the area.  Burns Light is a flagship event in this programme and promises a dazzling celebration of Robert Burns’ life and legacy.  The event also forms a key part in the national Homecoming launch weekend”.

Ends

Notes to Editors:
• Burns Light is one of the major opening events of Scotland’s Year of Homecoming 2009.
• In Dumfries & Galloway the Homecoming programme is being delivered through a public, private and third sector partnership consisting of Dumfries & Galloway Council, Visit Scotland, EventScotland and Dumfries & Galloway Arts Association.
• The Dumfries & Galloway Homecoming programme is Homecoming on your Doorstep - Dumfries & Galloway Celebrates!  Dumfries & Galloway Arts Association is putting together a series of Homecoming on your Doorstep Guides which will provide free listings and enhanced entries for all regional events involved in the Homecoming year from January to November 2009.   Each Homecoming on your Doorstep Guide will be a free, full colour publication widely available both within and outwith Dumfries & Galloway.  The first one, covering January to April 2009, will be available in early January 2009.
• The website for Dumfries & Galloway’s Homecoming programme is www.homecomingonyourdoorstep.com, which will be live from 5 November 2008.
• Homecoming Scotland 2009 seeks to motivate people of Scottish descent, as well as those who simply love Scotland, to come home and join us in a national celebration of our culture, heritage and the many great contributions Scotland has given the world: www.homecomingscotland2009.com

Contact:
Jean Atkin
Marketing Officer
Dumfries & Galloway Arts Association
Gracefield Arts Centre
28 Edinburgh Road
Dumfries    
DG1 1JQ
01387 253383
jean@dgaa.net