HOW would independence affect Scotland's cultural life?
That will be the subject of the next Sunday Herald debate, to be held in April in conjunction with the Aye Write! festival.
Featuring a panel of artists and cultural commentators, this is the latest in a series of events designed to get Scotland talking about the issues facing us in the run-up to the 2014 referendum.
Our panellists are: James Boyle, chair of the National Library of Scotland and a former Scottish Arts Council chair, who also used to be controller of BBC Radio 4; artist and novelist Alasdair Gray, author of many celebrated books including Lanark; Pat Kane, musician, cultural commentator and author of the The Play Ethic; actor Libby McArthur, who stars in BBC Scotland's River City; and Zinnie Harris, a playwright, director and screenwriter, whose productions include the multi-award winning Further Than The Furthest Thing.
The event takes place on April 18 at 7.30pm in Glasgow's Mitchell Theatre, and will be chaired by Sunday Herald diarist Alan Taylor. Questions to be tackled are up to the audience.
Is there, for example, a distinctive strain of Scottish literature, music, drama or visual art? Would a Yes vote encourage or inhibit creativity? And what would a No result do to our artistic sensibilities?
But what is your question? Audience members will be invited to quiz our panellists, and the two previous Sunday Herald independence debates attracted full houses and a high standard of discussion. Past panellists include actor Elaine C. Smith; poet and novelist John Burnside; Prof Tom Devine; broadcaster Lesley Riddoch; musician Karine Polwart; and anti-poverty campaigner Bob Holman.
This is your chance to influence the direction of a debate that is important for Scotland's future.
Further details will be announced shortly.
l AT a special Sunday Herald debate in Glasgow, Scottish comedians will be giving their take on independence.
Bruce Morton and Susan Calman will be joined by Scotland's Poet Laureate Liz Lochhead at the Stand comedy club, on March 30.
The event, Joking Apart, was organised as part of Glasgow International Comedy Festival, which runs from March 14 to 31.
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