KEY events from the successful Big Indy Night In are to be put online over the festive season to spread the independence message.
Originally the highlights were only to be made available to those who had bought a ticket for the night but organisers, Voices for Scotland, have decided to make some viewing free of charge because of its significance.
“The messages are so important we think everybody needs to hear them,” said Allan Whyte of Voices for Scotland.
After the success of last Saturday night, which was hosted by Elaine C Smith and featured speakers and performers such as Dougie MacLean, Jackie Kay, Janey Godley and Val McDermid, the organisation is willing to help others who want to organise independence supporting events in 2001.
“If people want to work with us and need support for their events they should just get in touch and we will help them do what they want to do,” said Whyte. “We are open to working with anybody as we are a platform for other people to come together and talk about what matters to them rather than an organisation that broadcasts messages to people.”
Just short of 1000 tickets were sold for the event but as they were per household the total viewing figure on the night is estimated to have hit around 2500. The money raised will go towards the independence campaign and also some of the artists who performed.
“Some of the more established performers did it for free to support independence but there were a few whose income is dependent on the gigs they do and as they have not been able to do anything at all over the last year we felt it was important to pay them something to support the arts,” said Whyte. “If there is anything we can do to support the creative community we will do it.”
Performers, speakers and viewers were united in their praise for the positivity engendered by the event, according to Whyte.
“It was good to end 2020 with that positivity by bringing people together and basically showing people what we can do and what we can be.”
He said Voices for Scotland now wanted to carry that spirit on into 2021 by putting an emphasis on the importance of working together to further the cause of independence.
“We might not agree on everything and might not agree on the approach but we all want the same thing and we need to work together to make it happen because there are plenty of people who want to knock us down,” he said.
“What we need is unity within the movement so we can move forward and win the campaign.
“All the signs are positive that 2021 probably from around spring onwards is going to start getting back to normal and that gives us the opportunity to get together and move forward with the campaign and start making progress. I think we should use the positivity and sense of community that we experienced last Saturday as a springboard to take us into the campaign in 2021.”
He said that the spirit that the independence movement needs to be was “beautifully” summed up by Jackie Kay, not just in the words she used but in her “joyous and positive” attitude.
“If there could be a personification of what we need to be as a campaign then it is Jackie Kay because she is just amazing,” said Whyte.
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