ArtistS are urging the Scottish Government to launch a new cultural policy for Scotland which ensures their voices are a key factor.

More than 50 signatures had been added to a petition, written by the Group With No Name, a group of artists, writers and directors who discuss arts policy online and have regular meetings.

The past week has seen two key developments in the Scottish cultural scene, a landmark speech by Fiona Hyslop, the culture secretary, which said the Scottish Government rejected the idea of arts as being a "commodity", as well as the appointment of Janet Archer, the dance director of the Arts Council of England, as the new chief executive of Creative Scotland.

The petition, whose authors include Angus Farquhar of the NVA arts organisation, the actor Tam Dean Burn, producer and promoter Jenny Macfie and others, calls for a new "participative cutural policy for Scotland" in which the "voices of cultural practitioners" are reflected. Last week Ms Hyslop said supporting art was a "fundamental good" and should not merely be measured as an economic commodity but valued because they are our "heart, our soul, our essence".

The new petition says state support of creative expression is "key to a modern democracy".

"Sustaining the independence of producers and makers is essential to activity across all sectors," it says.

It adds: "Public funding of culture is to primarily ensure diversity, pluralism and freedom from instrumental agendas, thus counteracting any negative effects of commodification."