AS part of her bid to become the next president of the United States, Kamala Harris released a new “freedom” advert. Making use of Beyoncé’s music and narration from Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright, it was a powerful piece of visual storytelling. It gave a clear vision for what Harris wants her America to look like and the values she holds dear.
Of course, it’s for a different country facing different problems. But, as both prominent Yes supporters Lesley Riddoch and David Pratt pointed out on Twitter/X, Scotland’s independence movement could do with embracing the power of story through film. More specifically, Pratt said he sometimes “despairs at the lack of vision and imagination in Scotland’s political ranks”.
Crucially, Harris’s video wasn’t one which honed in on politics per se, but rather the shared values which she wanted to put at the forefront of her campaign. That’s not to dismiss the importance of convincing No voters that an independent Scotland could survive from an economic and political point of view, but tapping into Scotland’s culture and our values serves as one of the best ways to get the conversation started.
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“If we don’t understand the thinking behind culture, the songs we sing or the stories we tell, then we will never become independent,” says Believe in Scotland’s Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp.
“We would be coming at it from a political point of view, rather than a cultural one.”
We spoke with a number of figures who were at the forefront of the Yes campaign in the summer of 2014 to reflect on how the Yes movement can reconnect itself to Scotland’s cultural scene.
‘IT PUSHED ME TO PERFORM’
COMEDIAN Zara Gladman looks back fondly on the summer of 2014, describing it as “one of the craziest of my life”. Many will remember Gladman, now known for her viral Instagram sketches, as Lady Alba and her political parodies of big hits. She became one of the most instantly recognisable figures in the movement, with her Tunnock’s teacake inspired dress.
“I suppose the Lady Alba character kind of pushed me to perform. I was really passionate about the movement and the cause,” she says. Although Gladman had performed some comedy at this stage, the Yes movement offered her the chance to do so on a more consistent basis.
“I think it was the passion for independence that forced me to really commit and perform this character.”
Gladman did much of her work through National Collective – the cultural movement for Scottish independence, running from December 2011 to September 2014. Alongside comedy, the project helped to promote Scottish artists, musicians and writers all behind the shared goal of achieving independence. It offered visibility and a platform for artists who hadn’t yet been vocal about independence.
Following the result in 2014, the work of National Collective gradually lessened and a statement on the website posted the following year read: “National Collective belongs to a time and a place, and that moment has passed.”
Likewise, so too did Gladman leave Lady Alba behind, taking a break from comedy for a number of years before only recently returning – although without that same focus on independence. She now believes that the absence of a referendum has had an impact on artists’ willingness to perform.
“The movement has become quite fractured,” she says. “There was maybe a realisation after the referendum that a lot of people have different views within independence so it’s inevitable people break apart.
“But I think part of it is there’s not a referendum on the table. And I just think it’s quite difficult to keep momentum going when you don’t have that deadline. There’s not really the same motivation.”
It’s not all negative. The comedian concedes that another referendum could help bring back some of that cultural momentum.
“I think comedy was one example of something that relaxed people and allowed us to chat in a more informal way,” she points out.
‘THE CREATIVE MINDSET’
BELIEVE in Scotland’s MacIntyre-Kemp has said he’s struggled to find any major independence movement which “wasn’t led by culture and cultural thoughts and views”. He points to the singing revolution in which Estonia started to take advantage of its choral music to encourage a national reawakening through celebrating its heritage. The country eventually gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
“If you say something is political and start talking about brexit/" target="_self">Brexit or the two-child cap, then you start putting up party walls and it becomes a tribalistic conversation,” he explains.
“But if you go at it from a cultural point of view, it becomes a different conversation. It changes the dynamics of the situation completely.” MacIntyre-Kemp explains that he believes “98% of creatives” would support Scottish independence because the “creative mind looks for opportunities”.
However, he does also point out that some artists may be slightly reluctant to be vocal about independence given the toxicity of social media. “I’m not talking about people like Brian Cox, because nobody is going to think ‘oh, we can get him for this role but he’s a nationalist so we won’t’. They’ll just get one of the world’s greatest actors.”
Scots singer Iona Fyfe echoes MacIntyreKemp’s thoughts, saying: “I’m not sure this will be an overly hopeful piece.”
She recalls the 2014 referendum well, as it was the first time she voted, and notes how it “really engaged that generation” politically.
She points out how an organisation like National Collective offered “strength in numbers” but wonders if some people are now “too scared to put a target on their back” by voicing support for Yes on social media.
Fyfe adds: “The cultural scene could be the make or break of a movement working. Folk musicians have always been social commentators, I think those cultural ambassadors are so important.
“And that goes for anything – whether it be Stand Up To Racism, the anti-fascist movement or trade unions. Writers, poets, singers – they’re integral to that movement but it has also just become so toxic online.”
Music has always played a role in the Yes movement, with Jim McLean being an example of someone who incorporates independence into his music. Likewise, Gerry Cinnamon became known for his Hope Over Fear song in 2014. One singer who continues to try to blend independence into his music is Sam Shackleton.
“I was very much influenced by the referendum at the time and galvanised by it,” he explains.
“I’ve always been supportive but there was no question it would be part of my music, I’ve always been interested in folk music and the two things are linked for me. I think music can engage people a lot more than politics because it’s instantly relatable regardless of your beliefs – a good song is a good song.”
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
ALL this of course raises the question of what comes next for the Yes movement. MacIntyre-Kemp has put together a series of events, known as Creating Scotland, which he hopes can help bridge the gap.
“With this, we booked a venue in Perth with 150 seats and it sold out in a matter of hours.” Those who featured at the event included trad singer Sheena Wellington, the club poet for St Johnstone FC, as well as the Graham Brown Band.
“It was a day of culture,” MacIntyre-Kemp explains. “Halfway through, we told everybody there was a bit of paper under their seat that said ‘why I believe in Scotland’ and another asked what they would change.
“That was all we did about independence. The stuff we got back was outrageous because we put them in a creative mindset. It changes the mindset of a nation because people start to think differently.
“We’re now looking at getting 300 seats and selling 150 for £10 each. Everyone that has a ticket has to bring an undecided friend. No politics, no SNP, no Greens, no Alba, nothing. Just people who believe in Scotland getting entertained and asked about their hopes, aspirations and dreams.
“They know those aren’t happening without independence.”
The future of the Yes movement remains uncertain at this moment in time. Looking back on 2014, however, one thing that’s clear is that Scotland’s cultural scene was pivotal to the movement, helping to give people a boost and get them engaged.
Returning to those roots would certainly go a long way.
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