FUNDING for the arts and film in Scotland could take a significant cut if UK Government plans to re-vamp lottery rules go ahead, the nation's arts funder fears.
In new plans, players could have a bigger chance of winning life-changing sums in a variety of lottery schemes - but Creative Scotland are warning the government against changes which they say will have a significant "detrimental impact" on funding for the arts.
Around a third, £27m, of the money the cultural funder's budget of £90m is from the National Lottery.
Funds from the main Camelot-run National Lottery are a crucial element of arts funding in Scotland: it underpins the Open Funding grants for individual artists and companies, projects and festivals, as well being a key part of film funding.
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Films such as Trainspotting 2 and Outlaw King, which is premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival this week, received lottery funds via Creative Scotland.
However the Department of Culture, Media and Sport is considering hugely expanding the amount of money that 'Society Lotteries', alternative lotteries run by charities, can give out in prizes every year.
This boost for alternative charities from the Camelot-run National Lottery could increase competition, and draw players away from the Lottery - and, arts chiefs fear, lead to a significant reduction in money for the arts.
Creative Scotland have no estimates of the potential damage to its income, but are deeply concerned for its potentially significant ramifications to a slash to the lottery funds given to its designated Good Causes, of which the arts is one.
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It has been proposed by the government to increase of the annual sales limit for Society Lotteries from £10m to £100m - a tenfold increase.
This, Creative Scotland say, "presents a significant detrimental risk to the future of the National Lottery."
Creative Scotland, which has already had a turbulent year with a row over funding and the departure of its chief executive, has written to the DCMS urging them to abandon the changes.
A swingeing cut to the Lottery cash available to Creative Scotland could present a future funding crisis for the body.
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In its consultation statement for the DCMS, it says: "There is nothing presented in the consultation in terms of evidence to provide reassurance that the proposed changes to Society Lotteries will not impact negatively on the National Lottery and therefore reduce the amount of money available to good causes in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
"Creative Scotland does not support the preferred options set out in the consultation and are particularly concerned that, if actioned, these options will have a detrimental impact on the levels of funding available for the arts, screen and creative industries – and other good causes – through the National Lottery in Scotland."
The new film body, Screen Scotland, has a £20m budget - but more than a third of that cash is Lottery money.
Creative Scotland says: "National Lottery income is critical to the strength and vibrancy of culture in Scotland and anything that might impact on this income is of great interest to everyone who works in or cares about creativity in Scotland."
The view is backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which says in its own response: "In the absence of strong evidence of the impact the proposals may have we caution strongly against any changes that could upset the delicate balance of both society lotteries and National Lottery support for thriving heritage, cultural and social sectors."
The DCMS are suggesting that the individual draw limit for Society Lotteries from £4m to £5m and the proposition of raising the individual prize limits from £400,000 to £500,000.
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The DCMS, in its proposals, believes that at present, the competition between the National Lottery and society lotteries is "marginal".
It adds: "The Gambling Commission has advised that small changes to existing limits are likely to have minimal impact on The National Lottery and that while society lotteries offer a differentiated product with smaller prizes, substitution between the two is likely to remain minimal.
"Larger increases to the limits for society lotteries may not see sales rise to a level that would challenge The National Lottery’s monopoly, but they could change the landscape in which it operates."
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