New Creative Cities Living Heritage Residency Programme Celebrates Scotland’s UNESCO Sites

A national micro‑residency initiative connecting artists with Scotland’s world‑renowned cultural and natural heritage

Scotland’s UNESCO Creative Cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Perth) have joined forces with UNESCO Sites across the country to launch the Creative Cities Living Heritage Residency Programme, a new micro‑residency initiative designed to celebrate, explore, and strengthen the cultural and environmental connections woven throughout Scotland’s landscape.

Supported by the UK National Commission for UNESCO’s Local to Global UNESCO Network Community Grants, with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the programme will bring together four creatives, each based in one of Scotland’s UNESCO Creative Cities, for a week‑long immersive residency at a paired UNESCO site. Creatives will respond to their host location through sound, image, word, or form, producing new creative work inspired by the distinctive qualities of each setting.

Taking place between May and June 2026, the residencies aim to deepen cross‑sector collaboration, platform Scotland’s cultural excellence, and encourage new dialogue between contemporary creative practice and Scotland’s globally recognised heritage.

Residency Pairings

Dundee (UNESCO City of Design) × New Lanark (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

A designer from Dundee, Scotland’s first and only UNESCO City of Design, will partner with New Lanark, the historic mill village founded in 1785 and internationally admired for its utopian model of community, education and welfare. The residency will explore how New Lanark’s pioneering industrial and social innovations can inform contemporary textile design.

Edinburgh (UNESCO City of Literature) × The Forth Bridge (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

A writer based in Edinburgh, the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, will work with the UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Forth Bridge, a feat of engineering known globally for its striking red steelwork and enduring symbolism of Scottish ingenuity. The residency will focus on the sites and sounds of The Forth Bridge.

Glasgow (UNESCO City of Music) × New Lanark (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

A Glasgow musician, representing Scotland’s only UNESCO City of Music, will also be hosted by New Lanark, this time with a focus on the contemporary soundscape of the village. This collaboration will explore how historic spaces can inspire new sonic interpretations of a heritage utopia.

Perth (UNESCO City of Craft & Folk Art) × Arran Geopark (UNESCO Global Geopark)

A craft maker from Perth & Kinross, the UK’s first and only UNESCO City of craft, will work with Arran Geopark, famed for its extraordinary geodiversity and cultural heritage. This residency will investigate the shared geological stories of Arran and Perthshire and their influence on craft practice past and present.

Artist Outputs and Public Sharing

Each selected artist will create one original creative work in response to their residency site. These pieces may take the form of writing, music, craft, or design, appropriate to the creative’s practice and the residency pairing. Works will be shared online through blog posts, images, video, or other suitable media, offering audiences across Scotland, and around the world, a window into the creative process and the links between Scotland’s heritage and contemporary culture.

Eligibility, Fees and Support

Artists may only apply for the residency linked to the UNESCO Creative City in which they are based.
Each residency includes:

• £1,796 artist fee (equivalent to 5 days at Scottish Artist Union rates)
• £400 accommodation support
• £150 travel support
• £154 access and materials support

The programme is delivered with in‑kind support from Scotland’s UNESCO Creative Cities, participating host sites, and partner organisations.

Timeline and Application Details

All residencies will take place between May and June 2026, with all creative work completed by 30 June 2026.

• Application deadline: 12 noon, 13 April 2026
• Applicant responses expected by: 21 April 2026 (subject to change)
• Shortlisted artists may be invited to an initial meeting prior to residency confirmation.

APPLY HERE: Scotland's Creative Cities Living Heritage Residencies Programme Open Call – Fill in form

For press enquiries, interviews or further information, please contact:

perthcraftcity@gmail.com