Emergency bid to avert ‘cultural catastrophe’ begins
◆ Campaign launched to force Holyrood to honour commitments to invest £100m more in the arts industry
emergency campaign to avert a “cultural catastrophe” in Scotland has been launched in a bid to force the Scottish Government to honour its commitments to invest £100 million more in the arts industry.
Ministers stand accused of putting Scotland’s entire cultural landscape “at risk of collapse” due to “continued inaction and backtracking” despite pledging to more than double arts spending less than a year ago.
A hard-hitting petition has been launched demanding the urgent roll-out of £100m in new investment, which was promised in October, and the immediate restoration of Creative Scotland’s budget after it was targeted for more than £10m worth of new cuts.
The petition also highlights the failure to provide threeyear funding settlements for arts organisations ahead of a key decision-making deadline in the autumn, despite a key pledge in the SNP’S last Holyrood election manifesto.
The Uk-wide Campaign for the Arts said it was “now or never” for the Government to take action to avoid “irreparable damage to our cultural life and landscape”. Its petition is targeted at Scotland’s finance secretary shon aro bison, who has been urged to recognise the “real and pressing need” for new investment in the arts.
The campaign, which has been launched ahead of the final weekend of Edinburgh’s summer festivals season, is backed by Scottish arts industry body culture counts, which works with more than 70 cultural
This fragile community of freelancers and creative practitioners is under immense pressure
organisations. The body has accused the Government of sending a message that it “does not value culture and creative people”, and of putting Scotland’s international cultural reputation and ambitions at “serious risk”.
The new campaign has been launched amid an angry backlash
nd to an announcement from Creative Scotland that it was pulling the plug on its main fund for artists after the government refused to release £3m which had been earmarked for the long-running cash pot. Applications to two separate youth music funds have also been suspended.
Creative Scotland says it does not have enough Government funding to meet all the obligations in its planned budget, which was set after the reinstatement of £13.2m worth of cuts imposed in the previous financial year.
Creative Scotland, which accounts for around a third of the overall culture budget of £196.6m approved by Holyrood in February, is due to decide on applications for long-term funding from 281 arts events, festivals, venues and organisations in October.
However, despite the promises of new investment, Creative Scotland insists it has not been given a budget for its new “multi-year” programme and is planning ahead based on a “standstill” settlement, which would leave it with a projected funding gap of nearly £50m.
The Government has promised that an additional £25m will be allocated to the culture sector in the first year of the new funding programme, but has refused to say how much will be for Creative Scotland.
Its petition states: “Scotland’s cultural landscape is at risk of collapse, due to continan
ued inaction and backtracking from the Scottish Government on key arts funding pledges.”
Campaign for the Arts director Jack Gamble said: “Public funding for the arts in Scotland is essential – not just for artists, but for the wellbeing of our whole society and economy.
"Yet at this critical moment, Creative Scotland cannot make funding commitments either to individual artists or to nearly 300 cultural organisations awaiting decisions, due to continued inaction and back tracking from the scottish Government.
“This is truly shocking – particularly after the repeated warnings that we and many others have given over the last two years, and the promises and policy commitments that Scottish Government ministers have made in response.
“Creative Scotland cannot invest funds it does not have. If the Government continues to withhold information and resources, cultural organisations will shortly lose the vital support that, astonishingly, all individual artists have now lost.”
Culture Counts director Lori Anderson said the latest cuts announced by Creative Scotland would leave many artists, writers and producers without the “essential support” they needed to create new work.
She said: “This already fragile community of freelancers and creative practitioners is under immense pressure, with many choosing to leave the sector seeking stability elsewhere. Closing this fund and cutting other much needed and committed budgets could have immediate devastating and irreversible consequences for those unable to apply to these funding programmes.”
Robert Kilpatrick, chief executive of the Scottish Music Industry Association, said: “Scotland’s music industry is largely supported by freelancers and independent practitioners. It is already operating under significant financial strain, and the reduction in available funding further exacerbates this fragility.”
A government spokesperson said: “We have increased arts culture funding this year, as the first step to achieving our commitment to invest at least £100m more annually in culture and the arts by 2028/29.
“The Scottish Budget continues to face significant challenges.
"We are considering the implications of the actions announced by the Chancellor on 29 July for our public finances, and the next steps required.”