A range of culture organisations from across the Highlands and Islands have joined more than 120 individuals representing organisations spanning the arts, heritage and business communities throughout Scotland in co-signing a letter that urges the Scottish Government to protect funding for the cultural sector in next year’s Scottish budget, due to be presented to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday the 14th December.
The letter has been organised by independent charity Arts & Business Scotland and highlights key benefits the cultural sector brings to Scotland’s economy in terms of jobs and financial added value and to wider society in areas including education, justice and community cohesion.
Scotland’s creative industries are estimated to contribute £4.6 billion annually to the Scottish economy, supporting 84,000 jobs. Meanwhile, with tourism worth around £11 billion to the Scottish economy each year, VisitScotland’s annual visitor survey shows that a third of tourists visiting Scotland are inspired to do so by the country’s culture and heritage.
The letter also emphasises the substantial benefits of collaboration between the cultural sector and Scotland’s business community with creativity rapidly moving up the international list of key skills for business. Published at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2016, the Future of Jobs report shows that, in a list of the top ten most important skills for businesses, creativity is set to move from tenth place in 2015 to third place by 2020, making the case in favour of closer collaboration between business and culture stronger than ever.
The letter goes on to point out that, at £325 million, total spending on culture, tourism and external affairs represents less than 1% of the current Scottish budget for 2017-18. On this basis and given the huge added value the cultural sector brings to Scotland’s economy, society and business community, signatories to the letter argue that public investment in culture offers outstanding value for money.
With other sources of cultural funding including Lottery funding and local authority spending under ongoing pressure, the letter concludes by making the case that Scottish Government revenue funding for culture may need to increase simply to maintain the status quo within the Scottish cultural sector. It suggests that a modest increase in public funding for the sector would enable Scotland’s core cultural infrastructure to survive and thrive.
Commenting on the letter, Arts & Business Scotland Chief Executive David Watt said:
“This letter demonstrates the strength of concern amongst our members that future funding for culture is at real risk as part of this year’s Scottish budget negotiations – and the devastating impact a cut in funding would have for arts and heritage organisations throughout the length and breadth of Scotland.
“Aside from this, I think we are able to make a compelling case that the cultural sector is actually already punching significantly above its weight when it comes to addressing a wide range of Scottish Government priorities. Scotland’s culture and heritage is a key selling point when it comes to marketing Scotland as a global tourist destination, thereby supporting a tourism industry that is worth £11 billion annually to the Scottish economy. Our creative industries contribute £4.6 billion annually to the Scottish economy and support 84,000 jobs. With a range of businesses co-signing this letter, it’s clear that Scotland’s business community recognises the significant added value the cultural sector has to offer as well – be that in terms of exchanging skills and ideas, improving the health and wellbeing of our workforce or attracting global business talent by helping to make Scotland an attractive place to live and work.”
David Watt concluded:
“Set in that context, it’s clear that the small percentage of the Scottish budget invested each year in the cultural sector offers outstanding value for money. As a minimum, that funding must be protected as part of next year’s Scottish budget settlement. But beyond that, with other categories of cultural funding under sustained pressure, a modest increase in Scottish Government funding for culture would enable Scotland’s core cultural infrastructure to survive and thrive.”
A range of cultural organisations from across the Highlands and Islands are supporting Arts & Business Scotland’s campaign.
Alasdair McCrone, Director and CEO of Comar commented:
“I am director of a multi-arts organisation delivering cultural experiences on Mull and Iona, in Argyll and Bute and across the Highlands and Islands, as well as contributing to Scotland’s outstanding and vibrant cultural sector. Being based in a remote, rural area of low population, we are more than usually dependent on the resolve of the Scottish Government to make quality cultural experiences available to everyone regardless of their postcode. Any further cuts will jeopardise future commissioning, production and touring of theatre, music and visual arts as well as dealing a critical blow to our acclaimed creative learning programme, which brings substantial benefits to children, young people, the elderly and those living in areas of rural isolation. This would leave a massive hole in the provision of arts and cultural experiences on the west coast.”
Catriona Martin, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Ullapool Museum, said:
“We have a duty to look after the cultural heritage of our local area, Lochbroom. We also have a duty to look after a Category A listed building, a building of national importance, which houses the museum. We already operate in a challenging environment of reduced external funding. People’s culture matters to mental health, education and social wellbeing. Any further cuts in funding for culture will be extremely serious for us. There is a limit to what local fundraising and appeals to charitable organisations can possibly sustain.”
Jo McLean, CEO of the Touring Network, said:
“We support a membership of volunteer promoters in rural and remote Scotland to bring professional live performances to their communities. We believe this cultural offer makes the Highlands and Islands better places to live and work – and plays an important role in the Scottish Government’s initiative to mitigate migration away from these areas. Volunteer promoters are already squeezed financially by the removal of arts funding form local authorities. Further cuts will impact on our ability to support our members and in turn, will impact on their ability to continue to bring cultural offers to their communities.”
Alison Lewis, Acting Chief Executive of Fèis Rois, said:
“Further cuts in culture funding would have a huge impact on Fèis Rois. Our regular funding from Creative Scotland plays a substantial part in allowing us to achieve our aim of enabling people of all ages to access, participate in and enjoy the traditional arts through a diverse programme of activities in Ross & Cromarty, across Scotland and beyond.”
Neil Firth, Director of the Piers Arts Centre, commented:
“In the islands and rural Scotland, the strength and variety of our cultural endeavour is supported by a network of iconic but vulnerable artistic organisations, from galleries to festivals, each nurturing people and place. The vitality of our work often masks the fragility of the communities we serve. Artistic and organisational success in the past has not always guaranteed greater support and it is now time to ensure that the network of organisations around Scotland’s margins is balanced and reinforced to better shape it for the uncertainties of the future.”
