Radical Plans To Transform Scotland's Cultural Landscape

19th January 2006

Scotland's cultural landscape will be transformed by radical plans for the future, MSPs were told in the Parliament today.

Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson said plans to invest an extra 20 million pounds per year from April 2007 will support plans to nurture the best creative and cultural talent while cutting back on unnecessary bureaucracy.

The plans include:

* concrete local entitlements for every person backed by a framework of rights.

* a new cultural development agency to be called Creative Scotland

* direct government funding of the main national performing companies.

In her response to the report by the Cultural Commission, which recommended ways to develop the nation's arts and culture, Ms Ferguson said: "We are ambitious for Scotland's cultural life, which is why we plan to invest significant resources to realise our aspirations.

"We shall channel this new investment into bolstering the capacity of cultural organisations throughout Scotland to develop and present the best creative and cultural talent.

"Today our commitment has been stated, our ambition to achieve excellence has been declared, and the First Minister's St Andrews Day vision of access and excellence is now becoming a reality."

The main elements of the Minister's statement to Parliament today are as follows:

Cultural rights and entitlements

"The First Minister proposed a fresh policy of 'cultural rights' for every citizen to access high quality provision. We will take forward plans on rights and entitlements.

"Under new legislation local authorities will develop plans to ensure every person in Scotland is entitled to access cultural activity, reflecting the needs and wishes of local people and communities.

"The kinds of opportunities provided through entitlements may include - access to information about the local area's cultural heritage, free access to live performances, or the chance to take part in a community art project."

Recognising and nurturing cultural talent

"Ambition and talent deserve a helping hand. We will link up the stages in artists' career journey - from the early discovery of cultural talent, through education, training, and into the world of work in the creative community.

"We will establish a clear route from school, through further and higher education, to the institutions which will have an important part to play.

"The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the recently launched Screen Academy and other initiatives involving Scotland's renowned art colleges all have a role in facilitating access, developing talent, and equipping their students to take advantage of creative opportunities."

Creative Scotland

"To sustain talent and to provide an environment in which culture will flourish and be appreciated, we shall establish a new cultural development agency called Creative Scotland.

"It will be formed by merging the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen with the key task of developing talent and excellence in all branches of the arts, and the creative and screen industries."

Promoting our cultural treasures

"As custodian of Scotland's rich cultural treasures, the Executive is charged with maintaining and presenting our superb national collections.

"I am keen that those collections should be truly accessible to us all, and presented as widely and effectively as possible to both domestic and international audiences.

"We will expand our world-beating national collections. To the National Galleries of Scotland, the National Museums of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland, we shall add: the National Archives of Scotland, the Scottish Screen Archive and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

"We want to ensure resources are directed to where they will make most impact, not wasted on unnecessary bureaucracy. So, while the independent status of our institutions will be maintained, we shall take the opportunity to explore how joint strategies can best improve delivery.

"Joint exhibitions, and combined support functions and outreach activity, are just some of the aspects that could deliver real benefits."

Showcasing the best of Scotland's performing excellence

"We are proud of our existing national performing companies and we want to see them flourish.

"In future, the Executive will fund the national companies direct. That is consistent with our relationship to the national collections.

"We will establish an explicit criteria to define the status of a 'national performing arts company' so as to include both adult and youth companies alike.

"To qualify for this status national performing bodies will have to meet exacting criteria, including achievement of the highest artistic performing standards.

"Excellence will be rewarded. We plan to increase funding for the companies which qualify, beyond the level currently made available through the Scottish Arts Council."

The Cultural Commission, chaired by former Scottish Arts Council head James Boyle, published its report in June 2005, making a series of recommendations on how the arts and culture agenda might be handled in the future.

A copy of the Executive's response is available online at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/18091052/0 or the arts and culture topic page:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Arts-Culture

At present, the Executive dedicates one per cent of its total budget to culture - that is 187 million pounds in the current financial year. This figure increases significantly when our contribution to local authority cultural expenditure is included.

By 2007-08, the Executive's annual cultural spend was already planned to increase to £214million. With the additional money announced today this figure will rise to £234m per annum.