Announced last week by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS), the significant award will go towards the cost of developing The Festival of Architecture 2016.

The festival will be an international celebration of design and creativity that will highlight the richness and breadth of Scotland’s architecture and the world quality of our built landscape.

Over fifty partner organisations, including the Scottish Government and hundreds of volunteers, will contribute to events, educational and public creative activities. Across Scotland, hundreds of exhibitions, workshops, film screenings, musical celebrations and other events, involving many thousands of participants from home and abroad, will feature in the, eight month long, Festival programme between March and October 2016.

The Festival of Architecture 2016 will be unique amongst the growing number of architecture and design festivals around the world, as a nationwide event that will show how architecture touches everyone’s lives. It will also demonstrate how good design contributes to wellbeing, enhances community cohesion and boosts economic performance. The Festival will reach out to the broadest audience – local, national and international. The development phase will ensure all this can happen.

David Dunbar PPRIAS, chair Festival Partnership 2016, said: “Creative Scotland performs a hugely important role in recognising and supporting all of Scotland’s diverse arts and cultural scene. This support for the Festival of Architecture 2016 recognises that the art of architecture, both historic and contemporary, is truly worthy of recognition and celebration. It is, after all, the context within which all creativity happens.”

Philip Deverell, director of strategy at Creative Scotland, added: “We are delighted to support the development phase of The Festival of Architecture which will be framed by 2016’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design. The Festival will be a nationwide celebration of architecture, comprising exhibitions, events and creative learning activities, made possible through the collaboration and support of over fifty organisations in the heritage, architecture, arts and public sectors.

“It will reach out to a very wide audience, inspire and engage young and old, with a diverse programme that opens all our eyes to our designed places and spaces, leaving a legacy of resources to help individuals and communities shape their future.”