22.08.24
Please note:
On Wed 4 September, alongside announcing a review of Creative Scotland, the Scottish Government confirmed funding previously allocated in the 2024/25 Scottish budget, which will allow Creative Scotland to work towards reopening the Open Fund for Individuals.
Earlier this week, Creative Scotland announced that it is closing its Open Fund for Individuals for the remainder of 2024/25 due to the Scottish Government being unable to confirm release of committed budget for the current financial year.
As the main source of public funding for freelancers and creative practitioners in Scotland, this is a devastating blow to the development of work by individuals and small groups/collectives. Continued reduced support for the sector further destabilises Scotland’s cultural landscape – and this loss in particular impacts those individuals already working under increasingly precarious financial circumstances. It is difficult to see how our sector can uphold ambitions of Fair Work, equity of opportunity, access to the arts as a profession, and all voices being heard without the stable conditions to do so.
We join with those directly impacted by this decision, alongside those in positions of power within the sector, to call on increased Scottish Government support for culture in Scotland, enabling the reversal of this decision. Below is a collected list of actions for voicing your concern – actions that are available not only to those impacted, but also to those who work with practitioners and within the creative sector broadly. Please feel welcome to share additional actions.
Sign Campaign for the Arts’ petition, calling for the Scottish Government to commit to investment in culture.
Write to your MSP to outline how increasing lack of support for culture impacts you – whether that’s professionally, personally or your place.
If you are a Scottish Artists’ Union member, you can put forward or support an emergency motion at their AGM on Sat 24 August.
An open discussion for neurodiverse artists will take place online with Neuk Collective for their August Artist Meet-Up on Sun 25, 18:00.
Attend an open discussion webinar with Creative Entrepreneurs Club about the cuts on Wed 28 August at 20:00.
Attend a rally to oppose cuts to culture outside the Scottish Parliament on Thu 5 September at 12:30, organised by Equity UK.
[Postponed] Join an online listening session with Craft Scotland, inviting people to make their voice heard about the impact of recent funding news and other challenges facing the sector – Wed 11 September, 13:00–14:00.
Sign an open letter, led by Independent Arts Projects, alongside over 300 artists, arts workers and audience members as individuals who value the arts and those who make art.
Sign an open letter alongside over 80 Scottish arts organisations expressing deep concern for the severity of this situation. Additional signatories can note interest in showing support by emailing Take Me Somewhere.
Open letters have also been compiled by organisations including the Scottish Music Industry Association and representatives of organisations led by and working with Black artists and Artists of Colour (email Scottish BPOC Writers Network to sign).
Like all creative and cultural organisations, Creative Dundee wouldn’t exist without artists, designers, crafters, performers, makers and doers – the folks making the work that we have the privilege to amplify, collaborate with, and learn from. Creative projects and events taking place in the city, and the people making them happen, were what nudged our organisations into existence as a platform to spotlight this activity. And the work we do now – digital sharing, creative spaces, channelling the practices that make collective change possible, and our Amps network – can only happen when we work with and are guided by our local creative community.
If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
