Creative Scotland will ask for all money awarded to a "hardcore" performance work to be handed back to the taxpayer. 

Rein by Leonie Rae Gasson, which aimed to “push the boundaries of what it means to create and show dyke sex on screen," received nearly £85,000 through the art agency’s Open Funding round in January.

After details of the "erotic journey through a distinctly Scottish landscape” were made public over the weekend, the quango said it would review the funding because the content was “considerably more explicit than was indicated in the application”.

In Parliament, Angus Robertson said he could “see no way where what has been described should be in receipt of public funding".

READ MORE: Rein: Minister condemns taxpayer funded 'secret cave sex party'

The project was awarded £23,219 in lottery funding through Creative Scotland in August 2022 for research and development and then £84,555 through the agency’s Open Funding round in January,

A spokeswoman for Creative Scotland said: “Following a review of the application, assessment and contractual agreement regarding the project Rein, Creative Scotland has made the decision to withdraw support for this project and will be seeking recovery of funding paid in respect of this award to date.

“What has emerged in the latest phase of the project represents a breach of the conditions of funding award, as the nature of the project has changed. The central role that ‘non-simulated’ (ie real) sex acts now play in the project marks a significant change to the nature of the work presented in the original application which was assessed for funding.

“This significant change to the nature of the work has been evidenced in the most recent announcement on the project’s website, without the agreement of Creative Scotland.”

The contract for the Creative Scotland fund said “no changes may be made to a project without prior written permission”, and recipients are required to carry out the plan as set out in the initial application.

She added: “Creative Scotland makes in the region of 2,000 funding awards each year. We support artists and projects across all art forms, some of which are challenging in content, and push creative and social boundaries.

“However, Creative Scotland has important responsibilities to the public for the appropriate use of public funding, and, as recipients of that public funding, award recipients also have legal responsibilities as reflected in their funding contract.”

Calls have been made for the public arts body to release the full application details.

READ MORE: Creative Scotland to review public funding for 'hard core' sex film

According to the website, Rein was to be a “45 minute, multi-screen, immersive, moving image installation” performed by a mix of “dancers, sex workers, performers".

Audiences would be invited to “come see the Daddies lurking in the woods” and “bare arsed lovers frolicking in long grass” before the climax of the show, “a secret cave sex party featuring a feast” of explicit sexual practices.

The website explained that on traditional film sets, "sex is usually ‘simulated’ - performers wear modesty garments, there are barriers between them, genuine arousal is discouraged/prevented, and there would not be any genital contact."

However, Rein was a "sex positive exploration of dyke sexuality, and we are drawing on a long tradition of pornographic, erotic and radical queer performance work where the sex, in all its messiness and complexity, is allowed to be part of the process like other acts and feelings."

The site went on to say that "any sex that features will not be simulated but performed by cast members, with the support of the intimacy coordinators and access and care team.“

Ms Gasson has been asked for comment.