It proves that a weekend is a long time in politics.

Early on Friday morning, Linda Fabiani gathered a clutch of arts correspondents together in a small room at the Scottish Parliament for a briefing on the new role that Creative Scotland - the much delayed new arts funding body which will appear some time next year - will take in directing the creative industries. She appeared at ease.

On Monday she announced more money for Scots language bodies. And then, in one quick reshuffle yesterday morning, she was gone - the eighth minister with responsibility for culture in the 10 years of devolution dropped through the stage's trap door once again.

On to the stage walks number nine, Michael Russell, a former contributor of weekly cultural columns to The Herald, and a man with experience of writing, film and TV production.

A major part of his new job, as far as the arts are concerned, is re-assurance and leadership. The arts community in Scotland has long feared that it is being side lined or ignored in the grander sweep of politics.

The rapid turnover in Culture Ministers over the years has not helped. Nor has the responsibilities for culture being lumped together with various other remits over the years: tourism, sport, external affairs and Europe, to name a few.

Successes such as the National Theatre of Scotland and the other national companies - the RSNO, the SCO, Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet - have often existed against a backdrop of policy drift (for example, the curious emergence and then disappearance of cultural rights') and, in the long drawn-out process of creating Creative Scotland, mishandling, silence and confusion.

Artists and other in the creative industries will therefore look on with some alarm at the size and scope of the portfolio of Fabiani's successor: not only is culture in his remit, but also Europe, external affairs, constitutional affairs, architecture, built heritage, Historic Scotland and lottery funding, "major events strategy", and, to top it all, the not inconsiderable area of Gaelic. His official title is Minister for Culture, External Affairs and Constitution.

So Mr Russell will certainly not be short of things to do in his new brief. Last night he was understood to want to get out in public and talk to people, and to the arts. He must boost some people's confidence and help provide direction.

Guyan Porter, founder of the Scottish Artist Union, who met with Ms Fabiani last week over their concerns about the future, said last night: "It took 18 months to meet her and that summed up a major problem in recent times, that there has been a real lack of communication. And what has been achieved in the last 18 months? It has been a dismal time for the arts and certainly for the arts council. I hope Mike Russell is much better at communicating than his predecessor."

A board member of a major company said: "Linda was likeable and enthusiastic, but she wasn't convincing and didn't speak the language. As a result, she didn't command respect from the sector at a time when we are really looking for leadership and ideas."

Richard Holloway, chairman of the joint board of Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen: "The Scottish Arts Council welcomes the appointment of Mike Russell as Minister for Culture and we look forward to working alongside him to support and promote the outstanding skills and talent of Scotland's artistic community. We have enjoyed working with Linda Fabiani and wish her well for her future."

Ms Fabiani was a very engaging and enthusiastic minister, and amenable personally. But had many felt that since the fumbling of the Creative Scotland Bill last June - which some as characterised as primarily a failure of presentation, which must in some part fall on Fabiani's shoulders - her personal performance was increasingly under the microscope.

She appeared less beaming and happy in recent months: she was uncomfortable when defending the consultancy fees accrued by the transition team of Creative Scotland. Also, the presentation of last week's announcement of £12.5m for Titian's Diana and Actaeon, some observers felt at the time, appeared uneasy.

She was known to be angry that The Herald reported that the painting will be in England for much of the time.

Since the dramatic fall of the Bill last June, Creative Scotland has been delayed and now will, it is hoped, appear in 2010, many years after it was first mooted. Its measures will be included in the forthcoming Public Services Reform Bill - if that can be passed through parliament.

In the meantime, a Limited Company, also called Creative Scotland, led by the former Lloyds TSB chief Ewan Brown, is formulating exactly what the body will do, how much it will cost, and how it will do it.

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