World Gaelic Week grows as 2026 programme launched

Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week) is set to grow for the fifth consecutive year as it launches its funded programme of events.

Article Source: Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week)
Last Updated: 14 January 2026 15:11

Image Credit: Jamie Simpson

Taking place from 23rd February – 1st March 2026, the annual initiative is this year supporting 63 projects and events, with hundreds more expected to be staged across the week.

Applications for their Small Grants Scheme, funded by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Scottish Government, broke records once again, up almost 20% on 2025 as even more people sought to get involved in the nationwide initiative and celebrate Gaelic in their community.

Seachdain na Gàidhlig highlights the vitality and enduring presence of Gaelic as a living language. The 2026 theme, Use It or Lose It (Cleachd i no caill i), emphasises the importance of actively using Gaelic to keep it thriving.

2026 is the first time World Gaelic Week will be staged since Gaelic became an official language of Scotland in law, signalling a historic milestone in the recognition and protection of the language, and underscoring its vital place in Scottish life and cultural identity.

This year’s week-long celebration will see activities and events staged up and down the country, with everything from film screening and bingo to dance and walking events, all with the Gaelic language at their heart.

Highlights include:

● Wester Ross will play host to its own Gaelic Film Festival as Filmichean na Coimhearsnachd (Community Films) transform community halls across the Wester Ross Biosphere into welcoming pop-up cinemas for the day. Each venue will screen a short programme of Gaelic films including family favourites, creative shorts and documentaries celebrating place, people and culture.

● Urras Coimhearsnachd Bhràdhagair agus Àrnoil (the Bragar and Arnol Community Trust) on Lewis will put on intergenerational walk and play sessions with children, parents, guardians and older adults entitled Beul ri Beul (Mouth to Mouth), giving vital opportunities to groups across the generations to speak Gaelic together.

● In Glasgow, Gaelic charity An Lòchran is planning a number of events aimed at different levels of Gaelic, from beginners to native speakers and everyone in between. This includes a film evening, poetry evening, arts workshop, session for lapsed speakers, and more.

● On Skye, Oidhche Bingo (Bingo Night) at the Trotternish Centre will let people of all ages and levels of Gaelic have fun and brush up on their numbers.

● Mountaineering Scotland will host an online session educating hillwalkers on Gaelic place and hill names and what they mean. The workshop will explore the deep links between the Gaelic language and Scotland’s mountain landscapes - uncovering how Gaelic place names, stories and expressions reflect a unique cultural understanding of the land.

● The Scottish Fisheries Museum in Fife will host a special community music event and visitor trail around the museum which share Gaelic songs, stories and words, delving into their legacy in fishing in Scotland.

● Screen Argyll will be putting Gaelic Cinema on the screen on Tiree and Mull with their Family Film Cèilidhs.

● The National Library of Scotland will travel to Raasay for a Rainy Gaelic Words Workshop with the primary school, uncovering the many different Scottish Gaelic words associated with wet weather

● In Argyll and Bute, Gaelic Music for Littles will see traditional Gaelic music played in English-speaking nurseries in Cowal.
Individuals, community groups and organisations with any level of Gaelic can stage their own events or host an activity in their community that promotes the language. Events can be added to the World Gaelic Week website at seachdainnagaidhlig.scot.

Seachdain na Gàidhlig also encompasses the popular Say a Gaelic Phrase Day which engages thousands online each year and returns on Thursday 26th February 2026.

Joy Dunlop, Director of Seachdain na Gàidhlig, said: “Seachdain na Gàidhlig celebrates Gaelic as a living language, highlighting its vitality, enduring presence and growing popularity. The initiative provides a platform for speakers, learners, and advocates to promote Gaelic locally and globally.

“We’re so excited to unveil our programme of funded events for 2026 which showcase the diversity of ways to celebrate Gaelic. Each activity is tied into this year’s theme, cleachd i no caill i (use it or lose it), which is a powerful reminder that the future of Gaelic depends on us all actively using and sharing it in our daily lives.

“Whether you’re fluent, learning, or simply curious, Seachdain na Gàidhlig is an opportunity to connect with the language, celebrate its rich heritage, and ensure its place in Scotland’s future. We’re thrilled to see the enthusiasm and creativity of communities across the country and beyond as they come together to make Gaelic visible, vibrant and valued.”

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “Seachdain na Gàidhlig continues to go from strength to strength, with record-breaking interest in this year's programme demonstrating the growing enthusiasm for Gaelic across Scotland and beyond.

“This is the first World Gaelic Week since Gaelic gained official status in Scotland, making it an especially significant moment to celebrate.

“This year's theme, cleachd i no caill i (use it or lose it), captures exactly why events like these matter. Whether you're a fluent speaker or just starting out, World Gaelic Week offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and engage with Gaelic language and culture.”

Ealasaid MacDonald, Ceannard, Bòrd na Gàidhlig said: “It is wonderful to see the growth in the number and range of funded Gaelic events which will take place in communities all over the country as part of Seachdain na Gàidhlig this year. There are so many opportunities for people to come together and to speak Gaelic in a wide range of settings and there will doubtless be benefits felt throughout the entire year ahead.”

Moira Piazzoli, Gaelic Community Officer at An Lòchran said: “Here in Glasgow we'll be celebrating Seachdain na Gàidhlig with a flurry of events, with the cleachd i no caill i (use it or lose it) theme at the heart of it all! There'll be something on for everyone, from beginners to native speakers and everyone in between. With a session for lapsed speakers, film evenings, poetry evenings, art workshops and sessions for beginners in the mix, our programme will give you the chance to interact with the beautiful Gaelic language and the culture around it.”

Mairead Bush, Gaelic Development Officer at Wester Ross Biosphere, said: “Our aim is simple: to create spaces where Gaelic is heard, seen and shared on the big screen, while bringing neighbours together. During the long winter months, our halls are vital gathering spaces. This project keeps them glowing with language, laughter and light. The 2026 theme cleachd i no caill i (use it or lose it) captures the heart of what we hope to do. By using Gaelic in social, joyful ways, we make it more visible and valued, and by using our local halls, we strengthen our rural communities.”

Supported by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Scottish Government, and spearheaded by Scottish traditional culture and music organisation Hands Up For Trad, Seachdain na Gàidhlig draws inspiration from other minority language movements such as Seachtain na Gaeilge in Ireland and Mìos nan Gàidheal in Nova Scotia.

The week-long initiative was the first official nationwide language week of its kind in Scotland, providing a platform for Scottish Gaelic speakers, learners, and advocates to honor and promote the language locally and globally, fostering greater national awareness and recognition.

Seachdain na Gàidhlig has grown year on year, with 170 events and 40,000 participants in 2025. Participation in the schools programme increased by 32% in 2025, reaching 16,700 students. People celebrated World Gaelic Week in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, England, New Zealand, Northern Ireland and the USA.

Seachdain na Gàidhlig 2026 will take place from 23rd February - 1st March 2026. Visit seachdainnagaidhlig.scot

Seachdain na Gàidhlig is delivered by cultural charity Hands Up for Trad and donations make their work possible. Support the initiative at seachdainnagaidhlig.scot

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World Gaelic Week grows as 2026 programme launched

Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week) is set to grow for the fifth consecutive year as it launches its funded programme of events.

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