# National Collective
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{{Infobox organization
|name = National Collective
|image = National Collective logo.jpeg
|image_size = 150px
|image_border =
|formation = 2011
|dissolved = 2015
|key_people = Ross Colquhoun
Andrew Redmond Barr
Rory Scothorne
|focus = [2014 Scottish independence referendum](/source/2014_Scottish_independence_referendum)
|budget =
|num_staff =
|num_volunteers = Circa 1,200 (in 2013)[{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/arts/news/artists-cannot-be-trusted-to-toe-political-line-1-3069855|title=Artists cannot be trusted to toe the political line|work=The Scotsman|date=1 September 2013|accessdate=5 March 2021}}]
|website = {{URL|nationalcollective.com}}
| footnotes =
}}
'''National Collective''' was a [political organisation](/source/political_organisation) self-described as an "open and non-party [...] group of artists and creatives" who support [Scottish independence](/source/Scottish_independence) active from 2011 to 2015.[{{cite web|url=http://www.yesscotland.net/national_collective_wants_your_words|title=New Film Project Wants To Know What An Independent Scotland Means To You|publisher=[Yes Scotland](/source/Yes_Scotland)|date=2012-07-05|accessdate=2013-04-02}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}][{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/better-together-campaign-backer-accused-1821976|title=Better Together campaign backer accused of links to terror chiefs and tyrants|date=10 April 2013|accessdate=11 April 2013}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/viewpoint/amy-westwell-only-a-yes-vote-can-reflect-scotlands-common-cultural-values.1380017198|title=Amy Westwell: only independence can reflect Scotland's common cultural values|date=24 September 2013|accessdate=24 September 2013}}] The organisation was founded in late 2011 by Ross Colquhoun, Andrew Redmond Barr and Rory Scothorne with the goal of "[helping to] shape the vision of a new society and nation".[{{cite web|url=http://nationalcollective.com/about-us/|title=About Us - National Collective|accessdate=2013-04-02}}] The group argued that independence for Scotland could achieve both a realisation of self-determination and a "cultural dawn" for the nation.[{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/columnists/would-independence-give-our-artists-wings.20654913|title=Would independence give our artists wings?|publisher=The Herald|date=2013-03-31|accessdate=2013-04-02}}] The organisation was supported by independence-minded artists, including [Liz Lochhead](/source/Liz_Lochhead), [Alasdair Gray](/source/Alasdair_Gray), [Elaine C. Smith](/source/Elaine_C._Smith) and [Karine Polwart](/source/Karine_Polwart).[{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/arts/news/scottish-independence-snp-s-literary-white-paper-1-3001173|title=Scottish independence: SNP's literary White Paper|date=2013-07-16|accessdate=2013-08-18}}]
==History==
National Collective supporters participated in the [March and Rally for Scottish Independence](/source/March_and_Rally_for_Scottish_Independence) in September 2013.[{{cite web|url=http://thetarge.co.uk/hub-current-affairs/scotland/thousands-march-for-scottish-independence-over-weekend/0104|title=Thousands march for independence over weekend|date=23 September 2013|accessdate=30 September 2013}}] Amy Shipway represented the Collective in a debate about culture and independence on an episode of [Newsnight Scotland](/source/Newsnight_Scotland) on 30 September 2013.[{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-16749588|title=Newsnight Scotland|date=30 September 2013|access-date=30 September 2013|work=BBC News}}]
National Collective is presently organising a month-long nationwide tour as part of an event called "Yestival", which is aimed at instilling a sense of "cultural confidence" in voters unsure about backing a Yes vote. Yestival will see a programme of art, music, film and literary events being taken to every city in Scotland in July, with participants to include [Julie Fowlis](/source/Julie_Fowlis), [David Greig](/source/David_Greig_(dramatist)), and [RM Hubbert](/source/RM_Hubbert).[{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/referendum-news/fowlis-hubbert-and-greig-join-touring-yestival.24069779|title=Fowlis, Hubbert and Greig join touring 'Yestival'|last=Gordon|first=Tom|date=27 April 2014|accessdate=1 May 2014|publisher=The Herald}}]
The Collective was identified by the ''Independent'' publication as the initiators of an online [hashtag](/source/hashtag) campaign that began in mid-August 2014. Writing for the ''Independent'', Antonia Molloy claims that the previous "#IndyReasons" hashtag campaign served as the inspiration for the "#YesBecause" campaign that was observed on the Twitter, Facebook and Vine social media platforms. From 9am on 21 August, users were invited to explain their reasons for voting "Yes" and #YesBecause was trending on Twitter after an hour from the launch.[{{cite news|author1=Antonia Molloy|title=Scottish Independence: #YesBecause hashtag shows 'unfiltered reality' of Yes campaign|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-independence-yesbecause-hashtag-shows-unfiltered-reality-of-yes-campaign-9683541.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-independence-yesbecause-hashtag-shows-unfiltered-reality-of-yes-campaign-9683541.html |archive-date=2022-06-18 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|accessdate=24 August 2014|work=The Independent|date=21 August 2014}}] The [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Canadian_Broadcasting_Corporation) (CBC) reported on 22 August that a "#NoBecause" campaign emerged in opposition to the Collective, and also cited data from the social analytic website Topsy that shows that, as of the afternoon of 22 August 2014, the #YesBecause hashtag has been used over 61,000 times, while the #NoBecause appeared 1,700 times.[{{cite web|title=#YesBecause vs. #NoBecause as Scottish independence referendum looms|url=https://storify.com/cbccommunity/yesbecause-vs-nobecause-as-scottish-independence|website=CBC News on Storify|publisher=Storify|accessdate=24 August 2014|date=22 August 2014}}]
===Vitol controversy===
The organisation published an article on 7 April 2013 criticising the character of [Ian Taylor](/source/Ian_Taylor_(British_businessman)), Chief Executive and President of [Vitol](/source/Vitol) and a major donor to [Better Together](/source/Better_Together_(campaign)).[{{cite web|url=http://nationalcollective.com/2013/04/07/dirty-money-the-tory-millionaire-bankrolling-better-together/|title=Dirty Money: The Tory millionaire bankrolling Better Together|date=7 April 2013|accessdate=10 April 2013}}] On 10 April, the National Collective website was replaced by a single page with only the message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION", with no further explanation offered by the organisation.
National Collective later indicated that it had received a threat of legal action from Vitol's legal representatives for being "grossly defamatory", and that [Aamer Anwar](/source/Aamer_Anwar) would act on their behalf in any legal action. The organisation stated that they "will not be bullied or silenced" and that their website is "offline only as a temporary measure".[{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/nationalcollective/posts/639503279410174|title=National Collective - Facebook|website=[Facebook](/source/Facebook) |accessdate=10 April 2013}}] It later emerged that lawyers acting on behalf of Vitol had sent similar [cease and desist](/source/cease_and_desist) notices to a number of other pro-independence blogs, and also to ''[The Herald](/source/The_Herald_(Glasgow))''.[{{cite web|url=http://wingsoverscotland.com/closing-down-debate/|title=Closing Down Debate|date=10 April 2013|work=[Wings Over Scotland](/source/Wings_Over_Scotland)|accessdate=13 April 2013}}][{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/scottish-independence-blog/2013/apr/10/yesscotland-euromillions-donations|title=Yes Scotland: EuroMillions winners help bankroll independence campaign|accessdate=13 April 2013|location=London|work=The Guardian|first=Severin|last=Carrell|date=10 April 2013}}]
At a press conference on 18 April 2013, National Collective director, Ross Colquhoun, stated that they would not be "bullied" by Vitol, and argued that the situation was "David vs Goliath". The writer of the article, Michael Gray, stated a concern about "freedom to write without intimidation".[{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/artists-we-wont-be-bullied-into-silence-by-better-together-donor.1366286778|title=Artists: we won't be bullied into silence by Better Together donor|date=18 April 2013|accessdate=18 April 2013}}][{{cite web|url=http://news.stv.tv/scotland/221956-freedom-of-speech-row-over-ian-taylors-better-together-donation/|title=Freedom of speech row over £500,000 Better Together donation|date=18 April 2013|accessdate=18 April 2013}}]
National Collective later began a public [petition](/source/petition) demanding that Better Together return the donation to Ian Taylor.[{{cite web|url=http://nationalcollective.com/2013/04/18/our-petition-to-the-scottish-parliament-demand-a-fair-referendum/|title=Our Petition to the Scottish Parliament: Demand a Fair Referendum|date=18 April 2013|accessdate=25 April 2013}}] This petition was endorsed in [Scottish Parliament](/source/Scottish_Parliament) by [James Dornan](/source/James_Dornan), a [Scottish National Party](/source/Scottish_National_Party) MSP.[{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXD5V7vNoAE|title=National Collective at Scottish Parliament}}]
===Nordic interviews===
In 2013, the Collective published a series of interviews about Scottish independence that had been conducted by Michael Gray with key figures across the [Nordic countries](/source/Nordic_countries). The Prime Minister of [Iceland](/source/Iceland), [Sigmundur Davíð](/source/Sigmundur_Dav%C3%AD%C3%B0_Gunnlaugsson), told National Collective in one interview that the Icelandic government would "welcome Scotland with a new, thriving relationship".[{{cite web|url=http://nationalcollective.com/2013/06/10/exclusive-icelandic-prime-minister-ready-to-welcome-an-independent-scotland/|title=Exclusive: Icelandic Prime Minister Ready to Welcome an Independent Scotland|date=10 June 2013|accessdate=10 July 2013}}] One month later, the Collective published interviews with senior Danish politicians and academics including Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, spokesperson for European Affairs for [Venstre](/source/Venstre_(Denmark)), the largest parliamentary party in [Denmark](/source/Denmark). These interviews contained claims that the entry of an independent Scotland into the EU and Nato would be swift and straightforward.[{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/referendum-news/danish-interviews-contradict-better-togethers-eu-claims.21566795|title=Danish interviews contradict Better Together's EU claims|date=10 July 2013|accessdate=10 July 2013}}]
=== Winding down ===
National Collective had no clear vision of how to continue following the result of the [referendum on Scottish Independence](/source/2014_Scottish_independence_referendum) in September 2014.
After various discussions and debates the National Collective organisers group issued a statement on 1 May 2015 stating "National Collective belongs to a time and a place, and that moment has passed".[{{Cite web|url=http://nationalcollective.com/blog/|title=Announcement|last=National Collective organisers group|date=1 May 2015|website=National Collective|publisher=|access-date=3 April 2016}}]
==Supporters==
National Collective was supported by some of Scotland's most prominent artists, including [Alasdair Gray](/source/Alasdair_Gray), [Liz Lochhead](/source/Liz_Lochhead), [Karine Polwart](/source/Karine_Polwart) and [Elaine C. Smith](/source/Elaine_C._Smith). National Collective supporter Andrew Eaton-Lewis wrote in his Scotland on Sunday column that "all have been photographed for the Collective's website, a lively mix of political and cultural comment (by the likes of Ruth Wishart and [Gerry Hassan](/source/Gerry_Hassan)) and songs and poems".