Holyrood Questions re D+G and Creative Scotland

South Scotland MSP Joan McAlpine seeks reassurances from Minister that Creative Scotland Mk2 will continue a Scotland-wide approach

The Scottish government has said the Creative Scotland arts agency must continue to fund every area in the country after artists from Dumfries and Galloway went public with their fears that a change in management could result in central belt bias.

22 arts practitioners from the area – including Charles Jencks, Dalziel and Scullion and Matt Baker demanded reassurances in an open letter to the press after Creative Scotland boss Andrew Dixon stepped down in a row with Scottish artists about funding.

Dalziel and Scullion - Breath Taking

There concerns were yesterday raised in the Scottish Parliament by Joan McAlpine MSP, who asked the cabinet secretary for culture if she had seen the letter in which the artists praise Creative Scotland’s work in Dumfries and Galloway.

She asked Miss Hyslop if she could reassure Dumfries and Galloway artists that there would be no return to the central belt bias of the old Scottish Arts Council which was replaced by Creative Scotland.

Ms Hyslop said she had seen the letter and she agreed that arts funding must cover the whole country.

She told Ms McAlpine:  “I think it is very important that the new management take forward an ‘All Scotland’ approach in making sure that the support for our cultural infrastructure and indeed, for our artists can reach all parts of Scotland.”

In the letter to the Herald, the Dumfries and Galloway artists including Dame Barbara Kelly, stated,

“We believe that Creative Scotland has successfully balanced competing demands for the development of the arts and creativity across the entire country… it has backed public, performing, visual and environmental arts, capital projects, festivals, literature and much more.”

“Whilst we accept that there are questions about the delivery of some of Creative Scotland's remit we cannot countenance a return to the bad old days.”

Commenting, Ms McAlpine said,

“I welcome the Cabinet Secretary’s response. It is paramount that, while Dumfries and Galloway are looking forward to the biggest Burns celebrations in the world later this month, Creative Scotland continue to secure funding for our vibrant cultural centre.”

The Big Burns Supper is the largest cultural event outside Edinburgh and Glasgow during this year’s Winter Festival and will include works from over 2000 artists, 50 participating venues presenting traditional and contemporary music, theatre, comedy, live-art, dance and children’s shows.