EVERYONE who cares about the future of the arts in Scotland will wish her well.
The appointment yesterday of Janet Archer as chief executive of Creative Scotland, coming at the end of a difficult year for the organisation, is an opportunity for it to develop new ways of working that command the confidence of the arts community. Last October, more than 100 leading artists attacked Creative Scotland for its "lack of empathy and regard for Scottish culture"; now it is time for change.
Some may raise an eyebrow at the choice of another candidate from outwith Scotland to head up Creative Scotland, coming after Andrew Dixon, who resigned in January. Mr Dixon was former chief executive of the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative; Ms Archer is director of Dance for Arts Council England. Last year, artist and author Alasdair Gray referred to English people coming to Scotland to advance their careers, particularly those heading up Scottish cultural bodies, as "colonists". Should Scottish artists be concerned that the incoming director of Creative Scotland might fail to promote Scottish talent or lack a finely-honed appreciation of Scottish culture?
Not at all. The nationality of those running arts organisations in Scotland is irrelevant. What matters is whether they can do their jobs effectively and win the respect of the community they serve. Ambitious organisations will always seek the best candidates regardless of where they were born. That is how the Scot Neil MacGregor came to be running the British Museum in London and fellow Scot Penelope Curtis, Tate Britain. There has always been cross-border cross-fertilisation of ideas, and sharing of skills and creativity; long may it continue.
The tenure of Andrew Dixon at Creative Scotland was, latterly, an unhappy one, but that had nothing to do with where he came from; it was down to the way he ran the organisation.
Ms Archer is a former dancer who was little known outside the arts bureaucracy in England until now. People will ask if she knows Scotland. Well, she was chair of artist-led organisation The Work Room, based at Tramway in Glasgow. They will wonder if she has an meaningful understanding of different art forms. Any new director of a body with as diverse a portfolio of interests as Creative Scotland would likely have some gaps in their knowledge, but the board has made a point of praising her breadth of knowledge.
Interested observers will also want to know if Ms Archer has attended any of the organisation's open sessions, or taken care to find out the concerns and opinions raised during them by artists and arts administrators, and whether she is going to take those concerns on board. They will be hoping that in Ms Archer, they have found someone who can unite people, diffuse problems and bring about positive change quickly. Ultimately it will be this that she is judged on, not something so narrow as her nationality.
The process of finding a successor for Mr Dixon has been very protracted, lasting six months. Therefore there is no time to lose in putting Creative Scotland's house in order. The sooner changes can be made and implemented, the better.
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