Scottish Creativity To Hit Chicago This September

CHICAGO, April 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A stroll through Chicago this September might lead you to believe you were in Scotland, as bagpipe music fills the air and a giant parade of golf balls line Michigan Avenue. The procession will form part of Tartan Art on the Avenue, an outdoor art exhibit and fundraiser during the 2012 Ryder Cup, linking the competition at Medinah with the city.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120413/NY87268 )

In Chicago this week, Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Scottish Government, checked the mailing instructions for the giant golf ball that will be making its way to Scotland in the coming weeks.  VisitScotland and Clubgolf, the organization developing the junior game in Scotland, will be offering young golf enthusiasts with an artistic streak to create the design that will cover one of the giant balls.

Scottish talent from traditional music festival Celtic Connections will be showcased in Chicago in September as part of the Year of Creative Scotland and to promote Scotland, the Home of Golf, as the 2014 Ryder Cup Host Nation. This spotlight event will support a number of other Scottish-themed events taking place in Chicago, including Tartan Art on the Avenue and Bagpipes and Blues.

Fiona Hyslop said:

"Scotland is well-recognised as the Home of Golf; a must-visit destination for all true golf fans, but this forthcoming showcase in Chicago will also put Scotland's creativity in music and art in the spotlight."

Whether it's to spectate at world-class golf events like the 2014 Ryder Cup, being held on the famous PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles in Perthshire, or to tee off on one of the 550 golf courses, situated amid some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, Scotland welcomes the world.  World-class quality and value for money for every skill level, and above all, a fantastic and unique golfing experience is guaranteed. 

For more information about golfing in Scotland and to book your Scotland golf vacation, please visit www.visitscotland.com/golf.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. VisitScotland is Scotland's national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.

2. The organisation has three key roles:

i. To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors

ii. To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland

iii. To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations.

3. The years between 2012 and 2014 are Scotland's Winning Years - From the Year of Creative Scotland, the Olympics and Disney-Pixar's film Brave in 2012 through to the Commonwealth Games, The Ryder Cup and Homecoming in 2014 everyone has the chance to prosper.

4. The Year of Creative Scotland is a Scottish Government initiative led in partnership by EventScotland, VisitScotland, Creative Scotland and VOCAL.

5. World-class golfing events coming up in Scotland include Curtis Cup 2012, Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open 2012, Senior Open 2012, Johnnie Walker Cup 2012, British Open 2013, Ricoh British Women's Open 2013, and the Ryder Cup 2014.

6. Clubgolf is Scotland's junior golf programme. To date almost 220,000 children have been introduced to golf at school through clubgolf's game, firstclubgolf.

7. Tartan Art on the Avenue is part of Magnificent Moments, an official charitable fundraising campaign for the 2012 Ryder Cup benefitting Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana (RMHC®-CNI) and the Illinois PGA Foundation. The installation will feature distinctively "marked" five-foot golf ball sculptures displayed along Chicago's Magnificent Mile® and throughout the Chicagoland area from September 13 to October 10.

8. About Navy Pier: Located on Lake Michigan, just east of Chicago's downtown, Navy Pier® is the top­ visited tourist and leisure destination in the Midwest, welcoming nearly nine million visitors annually for entertainment, family attractions, cultural and educational events, as well as business meetings and tradeshows. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, it is now one of the country's most unique recreation and exposition facilities.

SOURCE VisitScotland