The Scottish Government has been condemned for failing to deliver on a key pledge to secure the future of some of the country’s best-known arts organisations – four years after it was made.
Holyrood’s culture committee has raised concerns that three-year funding deals have still not been secured by national performing companies and organisations, despite a clear commitment in the 2021 programme for government.
Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, the National Galleries of Scotland and V&A Dundee have all told Holyrood’s committee that they are being held back by the lack of ability to plan ahead.
Read More:
- Scottish arts companies raise new 'perfect storm' alarm
- Murrayfield chiefs urge rethink over soaring council charges
- Creative Scotland review calls for more 'appetite for risk'
- The big surprise to emerge from the Creative Scotland probe
- Architects unveiled for bid to revive theatre after 40 years
MSPs have been warned that they are struggling to balance the books despite the government pledging to roll out an additional £100 million for the cultural sector more than two years ago.
Around £54m has been committed to date, however £40m of this is ringfenced for a new Creative Scotland “multi-year” programme which was announced in January.
The government has refused to say when multi-year support will be rolled out to organisations it funds directly.
Culture secretary Angus Robertson is expected to face questions at Holyrood on the lack of progress on the three-year funding pledge, which also was also in the SNP’s 2021 Holyrood manifesto.
A report published by the culture committee after it took evidence from dozens of arts organisations has demanded an explanation from the government of why the three-year pledge “has not been delivered".
The SNP’s 2021 election manifesto pledged to create “a more sustainable funding model for culture which benefits organisations and freelancers”.
It stated: “To aid future planning and recovery, we will agree three-year funding settlements for Scottish Government core funded cultural organisations.”
The programme for government, which was published later that year, said: “We will also invest in much‑needed stability for the cultural organisations that we provide regular funding for, by agreeing three‑year funding settlements, to allow them to plan for a sustainable recovery.
In its evidence to MSPS, V&A Dundee said: “For the culture sector to fully deliver on its significant potential for wider cultural, economic and social benefits across all of Scotland, the same approach to multi-year funding needs to be developed across the sector, beyond those organisations funded by Creative Scotland to include those in receipt of direct Scottish Government funding including V&A Dundee.
“We are currently planning exhibitions and major projects through to 2030, including the development of a major international exhibition tour programme that will celebrate Scottish design around the world. As with other larger cultural organisations, the most impactful work can take many years of research, development and partnership, such as our 2023 Tartan exhibition, that we're now working to take on an international tour.
"The area for growth and greatest impact for an organisation like ours is long-term programme and exhibition development, with the potential for touring. That work requires long-term, multi-year financial stability, for us to make investments and bring together partners and leverage other commercial and financial support.”
The National Galleries has raised concerns about the prospect of a “catastrophic incident” at one of its sites due to a “backlog” of repairs and maintenance expected to cost at least £17.4m.
Its dossier for MSPs said a long-term view of how the culture will be supported “coupled with adequate Scottish Government funding”, was a pre-requisite to create confidence in the sector.
The National Galleries said: “There has been little progress made in the area of multi-year funding.
“At present, some parts of the culture sector have benefited from a multi-year funding settlement, yet this approach has not been extended to the national collection bodies. “Multi-year funding outlooks the opportunity to plan for a dynamic and confident public offer is possible and ultimately makes more impactful programmes—both national and international.
“A consistent approach across the sector would also enable all cultural institutions to realise the same planning certainty, delivering improved efficiencies, stronger performance, and greater public value.”
Scottish Opera has told the committee: “The most critical lesson is that short-term budget increases, while welcome, cannot deliver transformational cultural outcomes without funding certainty.
“To maximise outcomes from future investments, we require multi-year funding settlements for the national performing companies to enable strategic planning, long-range commitments with artists, musicians, artisan and creative teams, and venues, and provide organisational stability.”
Scottish Ballet said: “Increasing underlying inflation and other statutory costs, means that uncertainty is an inherent risk in all future planning.
“Scottish Ballet, more than ever, relies on and gains comfort from the surety of government core funding, without which, touring widely and delivering engagement programmes the length and breadth of Scotland would be unviable. We are, in fact, on the cusp of that position now.”
The culture committee’s report welcomed the expansion of Creative Scotland’s multi-year funding programme in January due to the “added stability and confidence” it had provided to organisations.
However it questioned the lack of progress made in a number of key areas, including the commitment to multi-year funding for organisations directly funded by the government, delivery of an “action plan” for a culture strategy published five years ago and securing new culture funding from across government departments.
The committee report states: “We ask that the Scottish Government explains why its 2021 programme for government commitment to agree three-year funding settlements for the organisations it funds directly has not been delivered.”
Committee convener Clare Adamson, an SNP MSP, said: “The committee acknowledges the encouraging effect of the government’s pledge to boost funding for the culture sector, which has helped foster greater confidence and stability.
“Nonetheless, persistent financial challenges continue to pose serious difficulties for heritage and cultural organisations."
Culture secretary Angus Robertson told The Herald the government had delivered a "record increase for the culture sector" in the current financial year, but admitted the government still had "some way to go" to deliver on its £100m pledge.
He said: "Our track record is excellent. If we weren't in the process of delivering the biggest ever increase in culture funding we would have seen multi-year funding for Creative Scotland this year.
"It is happening and cultural organisations have fed back that they are delighted that they are being funded on a multi-year basis.
"Have we reached £100m in additional funding for the culture sector? Not yet, but it is the policy of the government to do so and we will do so. We are going to do what we said we are going to do."
A spokesperson for the government said: "Thanks to a £34m uplift this year in the culture budget, a record number of cultural organisations are now benefitting from multi-year funding with over £200m committed to 251 organisations over the next three years.
"Over half of these organisations were awarded multi-year funding for the first time, and all organisations who previously received multi-year funding got a significant uplift.
“Funding for culture and the arts in Scotland has risen by £49.8m over the past two years, towards the government’s commitment to invest at least £100m more annually by 2028-29. Further detail on progress to achieve this will be set out in the draft 2026-27 Scottish Budget.”
Share