NEW funding for a key music festival in the north of Scotland has been announced as the culture secretary, Fiona Hyslop, faced questions over disparities in regional arts funding in parliament.
The Sound festival of new music, which controversially missed out on three-year funding from arts body Creative Scotland in 2014, has now received £130,000 from the arts body's new Open Fund for events this year and next.
Ms Hyslop revealed the package as she was questioned in the Scottish Parliament over the apparent disparity of funding between the central belt of Scotland and Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Richard Baker, MSP for north east Scotland, said that Aberdeen receives a per capita investment of £9.67 from Creative Scotland, compared to £56.30 for Edinburgh, excluding money for the Festivals, and Glasgow, which receives £49 per capita.
Ms Hyslop said she was unaware of the exact numbers, which have been compiled by arts figures involved in the north east, but defended the disparity in funding between the central belt and elsewhere.
Four of the five National Companies in Scottish culture - the RSNO, Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera and the National Theatre of Scotland - are based in Glasgow but tour the entire country, she said.
However, the national companies are not part of Creative Scotland funding packages - they are funded directly by the government.
A Creative Scotland spokesman confirmed the money for Sound, and said: "We are pleased to confirm Sound's successful award of £130,000 through the Open Project Fund to deliver work in 2015 and 2016.
"We recognise and value Sound, not only as a festival that makes an important contribution to commissioning new work, but also in the critically important role it plays in promoting new music from Scotland to a global audience."
Sound has also received £51,917 in transitional funding.
Fiona Robertson, director of the Sound Festival, said: "Sound is delighted to have received a sufficient grant from the Open Fund to enable us to stage the 2015 Festival.
"However, as Scotland's only dedicated showcase of new music, the ability to plan long-term, which is key to continuing to present the high-quality programme that audiences expect, remains of ongoing concern."
The current Creative Scotland regular funding portfolio includes seven organisations in the north east, with £3,665,000 funding allocated over three years.
There are three organisations based in Aberdeen - Aberdeen Performing Arts, City Moves, Peacock Visual Arts - and four organisations based in Aberdeenshire - Deveron Arts, North East Arts Touring, Scottish Sculpture Workshop, and Woodend Barn.
When Sound was declined three year funding it led to leading composers expressing dismay at the decision.
James MacMillan and Sally Beamish, as well as one of the nation's most successful percussionists, Colin Currie, voiced their concern for the festival.
Mr MacMillan said music in Scotland would be "significantly damaged and undermined" if the annual festival was not funded.
The festival stages concerts across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including the Woodend Barn, Banchory, as well as churches, community halls, galleries and museums.
It is known for commissioning new classical music work and was recently shortlisted for a Royal Philharmonic Society Award.
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