Global campaign to restore famous poet Burns' farmstead in Dumfries is launched

An international fundraising campaign to raise £12 million to restore the historic Ellisland Farm near Dumfries was launched on Friday night in Glasgow. The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust, which was formed in 2020 to save the only home built by national bard Robert Burns, need worldwide Burnsians to donate to The Saving the Home of Auld Lang Syne Campaign. Its purpose is to safeguard Ellisland's collection of national importance, and to create a world-class cultural destination in Dumfriesshire that connects the poet's legacy with contemporary creativity. Burns lived, farmed, and wrote worldwide New Year favourite, Auld Lang Syne, at Ellisland, along with Tam o' Shanter and more than a quarter of his entire body of work too. However, the Category A listed building - built by Burns himself as a home for Jean Armour and their children-has suffered from years of damp, decay and structural deterioration. A 2021 conservation study funded by Historic Environment Scotland confirmed that site could not safely house the museum's collection without extensive repair and restoration. To raise the cash, the Trust is working alongside the American Scottish Foundation to engage the Scottish diaspora through appearances at Tartan Week events in early 2026 and digital campaigns reaching Burns enthusiasts worldwide. They are also seeking to engage further with statutory funders, trusts, foundations and individuals in Scotland and the UK. The trust's chairperson, Duncan Dornan - who was previously head of Museums and Collections at Glasgow Life and led the £68m Burrell Renaissance - said Friday's launch marked "the beginning of an ambitious campaign to secure the future of a site of international cultural significance. "Having led the Burrell Renaissance, I know what can be achieved when vision meets determination and commitment. The current chairperson of Museums Galleries Scotland, he added: "Ellisland has that same potential to become both a national landmark and a source of enduring inspiration. This is our opportunity to preserve the home where the world's most famous song was born and ensure it thrives for generations to come." Collective Architecture, an employee-owned practice known for the quality of their conservation projects, are currently working on detailed plans to restore and revive the site, with completed designs due to be revealed in early 2026. The launch event was hosted at its studio and featured the premiere of a specially-commissioned film produced by Edinburgh filmmakers Stroma, featuring Scotland's national Makar, Peter Mackay, and the former Poet Laureate of Jamaica, Lorna Goodison, who recently completed a Scottish Poetry Library residency at Ellisland. The 12-minute film introduces audiences to Ellisland's exceptional cultural and historic significance as the birthplace of Auld Lang Syne and the place chosen by Burns, then aged 29, to build his family home. It makes the case for urgent action to preserve the at-risk farmstead and can be viewed online at: https://www.ellislandfarm.co.uk/ donate/. Gerard Carruthers, Francis Hutcheson Professor of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow, and one of the world's leading Burns scholars, has contributed to the film and spoke at the launch, which included an evening of music and song led by acclaimed vocalist Robyn Stapleton. It featured the recently restored flute belonging to Robert Burns's son. There was also welcome for guests from the Lord Provost of Glasgow reflecting the campaign's significance as a national endeavour. Jane Morrison-Ross, CEO of South of Scotland Enterprise, who also features in the campaign film, said: "This project exemplifies heritage-led regeneration at its very best. The independent analysis shows significant economic potential, but the real story is about sustainable jobs, increased tourism, and keeping cultural investment circulating in Dumfries and Galloway. Ellisland has the potential to anchor economic growth across the region while celebrating the creativity that makes Scotland distinctive." Joan McAlpine, the former MSP for South Scotland and previously Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Culture Committee, has led the development of Ellisland as project director since 2021 and was previously the trust's chairperson. She said: "This campaign is about reconnecting people with the landscape and creativity that shaped Burns's greatest works.

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"Over the past few years, we've undertaken extensive research and consultation to understand what Ellisland needs structurally, and to explore what it could become. It quickly became clear to us that we had to find a way to also make the site sustainable - generating income to support the heritage and culture.

"This site has immense potential as both a cultural destination and an engine for regional economic regeneration. We're building a place where today's artists and musicians can find inspiration in the same surroundings that gave us Auld Lang Syne, while creating sustainable opportunities for our local community and visitors from around the world."

A recent independent economic study by BiGGAR Economics claims that, once fully operational, the restored site is projected to support 65 local jobs annually and attract around 17,000 visits each year, with approximately £576,000 spent annually with local suppliers through community wealth building.