Published: 06 Feb 2018
Following the decisions announced last month awarding Regular Funding to 116 organisations, Creative Scotland has been listening carefully to feedback from across the arts sector and the wider public.
Creative Scotland’s Board met on Friday 2 February to take stock of its position. The Board has decided the following:
We confirm that there is no change to the decisions regarding the 116 organisations, or the transition arrangements, announced in January.
The Board has also renewed its commitment to the roll-out of a Touring Fund, details of which will be developed in collaboration with the touring sector. We aim to open the fund for applications later this year, and to set a budget to support this fund from April 2019 onwards.
Creative Scotland will undertake a review of current funding models and processes, in collaboration with the sectors we support, to gather further feedback and ideas that will help improve the way that we fund in the future. This work will be taken forward openly and transparently by the leadership and staff of Creative Scotland.
Ben Thomson, Interim Chair of Creative Scotland said:
"Funding decisions of the scale and importance of Regular Funding are always extremely challenging.
“We have listened to the extensive and constructive feedback we received from many individuals and organisations working across the arts and culture in Scotland.
“We have reviewed our budget for Regular Funding and, within the limits of the alternative funds available to us, we have been able to re-allocate £2.6m over three years, allowing us to include five further arts producing organisations in the network. We have also reaffirmed our commitment to other funding, which will include touring; equalities, diversity and inclusion; and new support for artist led work.
“I would like to acknowledge the dedication of Creative Scotland staff throughout this process. I would also like to thank the Scottish Government for replacing funding lost to Regular Funding through falling National Lottery income enabling us to support more organisations through Regular Funding than ever before.
“However, I also appreciate that, even now, these decisions do not address all of the issues currently being raised by individual applicants. I am sorry that, in this process, some will be disappointed by our decisions.
“Everyone at Creative Scotland is committed to working positively and collaboratively with those involved in arts and culture in Scotland, whether in the Regular Funding network or not, providing support to build on the success of a thriving sector.”
Five organisations to be included in the network, alongside the 116 organisations already announced, and their three-year funding awards are:
The award to Stellar Quines, already included in the 2018-21 network, has been increased from £409,333 to £528,000, an increase of £118,667.
The Regular Funding network 2018-21 now consists of 121 organisations receiving funding of £101,623,507 over the three-year period April 2018 – March 2021. See the full list of organisations in the network.
The additional £2.6m to support Regular Funding 2018-21 will be made up of £667,000 annually; transferred from our targeted budget, and from a proportion of transition funding that will no longer be required (£0.6m). The targeted budget for 2018/19 will remain the same as for 2017/18.
For further information, please contact:
Kenneth Fowler, Director of Communications
Kenneth.fowler@creativescotland.com
07970 557 960
Wendy Grannon, Media Relations Manager
Wendy.grannon@creativescotland.com
07916 137 632
