Business Opportunities for Royal National Mod Perth

This year’s Royal National Mòd is returning to the city of Perth from the 14th - 22nd October 2022.

The Royal National Mòd (known as The Mòd) is an eight-day festival celebrating Gaelic language and culture. Organised by An Comunn Gàidhealach, this festival is held annually in a different Scottish town or city.

There are over 200 competitions throughout the event ranging from traditional instruments like accordion, fiddle and piping, to solo Gaelic singing, storytelling, poetry, sport and choir competitions. The first half of the week is dedicated to children’s competitions, while the second half is for adults.

Perth & Kinross Council will be working with An Comunn Gàidhealach and the local business sector in and around Perth to make the most of this exciting festival in the lead up to the event.

This will be the first time the city has hosted the event since 2004. Since then, Perth Concert Hall has opened, Perth Theatre has been completely refurbished and there is an amazing new outdoor performance space at St Paul’s. Add to this the plethora of live music venues throughout the city, and it is clear that Perth is well positioned to throw an unforgettable event.

• You can keep up to date with more information on the Mòd as it becomes available here An Comunn Gàidhealach - Royal National Mòd: Home
• You can also follow and connect with The Mòd on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
• You can also visit the Gaelic Perthshire section on PerthCity.co.uk Mòd Pheairt 2022 (perthcity.co.uk)

Is the Mòd open to the general public, where can I buy tickets?

Tickets to the Royal National Mòd 2022 go on sale from mid-August 2022. Date TBC. Tickets can be purchased at Horsecross Box Office online or call the box office on 01738 621 031.

What venues are being used for the Royal National Mòd competitions?

Perth & Kinross Council are working in collaboration with The Gaelic Society of Perth, Horsecross Arts, Culture Perth & Kinross and Live Active Leisure to host the Royal National Mòd in Perth.

• AK Bell Library
• Perth Concert Hall
• Perth Theatre
• Perth Museum & Art Gallery
• North Inch Community Campus
• Bell's Sports Centre
• St Matthews Church
• St Johns Kirk

What is the Mòd Fringe Programme and where can I find these events?

The non-competitive element of the week-long festival includes a very exciting and diverse Fringe Programme. The Fringe includes Gaelic and traditional music sessions, cèilidhs, concerts, open stages, lectures, workshops, and literature events. Also there will be live acts and music in pubs, hotels and at historical sites. Traditional sport such as Shinty takes place at the end of the Mod week.

You will be guaranteed to hear Gaelic and you will also have the opportunity to learn key phrases. More information to follow soon.

Should your business wish to host a Fringe Programme event they should contact Donald McLeod at PKC : [email protected]

How many visitors are anticipated to attend?

The Mòd attracts a varied and international array of competitors and visitors from throughout the UK, Ireland, Europe, USA, Canada and Australia. It draws in fluent and learner Gaelic speakers alike, with a host of other interested attendees. Many of those who attend the Mòd are not Gaelic speakers, but thoroughly enjoy Gaelic and celebrate its rich cultural heritage.

Evidence from the 2019 Royal National Mod demonstrated that visitors to the Royal National Mod are largely from Scotland, although the event does attract visitors from the UK and overseas. The audience is mainly comprised of competitors and their family & friends, although in recent years the Mod has attracted a younger audience. The average length of stay of visitors is 4.3 nights.

The digital aspect of the Mòd which allows participants to enter competitions online has been increasingly popular in recent years, allowing for greater engagement with participants and audiences worldwide.

When will visitors be arriving to Perthshire? When will the busy times be?

The first half of the week from Sat 15 October to Wed 18 October 2022 is family orientated, with junior competitions taking place. Most junior competitors will be accompanied by their parents, grandparents, family members and teachers. Most competitors and attendees will be looking for something quick to eat during the daytime, as they move from competition to competition and venue to venue. Most junior competitions start at 9am and finish by 5pm with participants going for food in Perth City Centre or in their accommodation.

Wed 18 October sees the start of the senior competitions at 9am and a transition from junior to the senior Mòd (Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sat). Thursday and Friday competitions are comprised of mainly large groups due to the choral competition days. These competitors will be looking to make bookings for lunch and dinner and usually take up residence in a pub/bar in the evenings to enjoy live folk music. Time is tight for competitors and audiences on Wed, Thurs and Fri due to the volume of events and late finishes.

How can businesses support and engage with Mòd attendees in terms of their opening times and their offer?

People attending the Mod tend to be very busy attending various events and competitions, often from early morning to late in the evening. Attendees will be looking for activities and businesses they can drop into spontaneously on their way from one place to the other and will expect activities and food/drink offers to be available late into the evening. Mod attendees tend to arrive the day before competitions start and extend their stay after the event. Therefore, it may be useful to continue some offers or Fringe events for a few days before and after the Mod.

Find more help in the Visit Scotland business toolkit >

How do I know which type of Licence I need? / Who can I discuss licensing with?

To discuss Occasional licence and Extension of hours you can contact the Perth & Kinross Council Licensing Board by email [email protected] or on 01738 475180. We would encourage applicants to provide as much advance notice as possible but not less than 7 weeks before the date or date(s) for which the Occasional Licence is sought.

• Guidance Notes For Occasional Licence >
• Application Form For Occasional Licence >
• Guidance on Alcohol Management Plans >
• Application for Extended Hours >
  

How Can I Use Gaelic as a Business?

VisitScotland have produced a Scottish Gaelic Toolkit outlining how you as a business can get involved.

To help you to harness the increasing global interest in our national language, we have coordinated a directory of Gaelic resources in partnership with our colleagues at Bòrd na Gàidhlig. You can utilise these resources to:

• Increase your own knowledge and understanding of Gaelic
• Find resources to share with your visitors
• Develop your own Gaelic proposition

Here are just a few examples of how you might want to utilise the resources to offer your visitors an immersive and transformative experience:

• Providing information on Gaelic events (Celtic Connections, Fèisean etc), celebrations (such as Halloween or Beltane) or attractions in your area
• Teaching your staff basic Gaelic phrases to offer visitors a taste of the language and giving visitors some key phrases, they can use when visiting
• Translating local Gaelic place names to give visitors a better understanding of the language and landscape
• Using Gaelic music, folklore, art or poetry in your business or marketing materials
• Offering some online learning classes if you have a staff member who knows some basics
• Translating some of your traditional Scottish menu items into Gaelic
• Providing background to the Gaelic roots of Scottish icons, such as whisky or the bagpipes
• Using bilingual signs, room names or job titles in your organisation
  

Where can I or my staff learn Gaelic phrases to welcome customers?

Scottish Gaelic Duolingo is a fantastic way to start a new language and provides the opportunity to learn in a fun, engaging game-based way. You can learn on the go through an app or participate in activities through the website. In 2019 a team of Gaelic speakers and educators developed the Gaelic Duolingo course and there are now over half a million people learning the language through this route.

Find out more >