Refreshed Strategy and Funding Framework
After extensive internal and external engagement and having recently had Creative Scotland Board discussion, we are now finalising details on both pieces of work.
We plan to start saying more about both from April this year, by which time we will have been able to take into account and respond to the anticipated publication of the Scottish Government National Culture Strategy, the report of the CTEEA’s Inquiry into A Sustainable Arts Funding System For Scotland and the Scottish Government response to it.
We will also be able to take into consideration any budget implications for 2020/21, with an expected announcement from the Scottish Government on 6 February and the UK Government setting its budget on 11 March.
Budget announcements
Read more about the Scottish Government announcement
Read more about the UK Government budget
We are committed to ensuring any changes are introduced in a managed way and therefore, beyond April, there will be further engagement with the sector and other partners to share the refreshed Strategy and revised Funding Framework and discuss how best to introduce change.
Prior to that engagement, we will shortly be publishing on our website a report on the feedback we received from the external conversation work that was conducted in 2019.
Timetable
We anticipate that the broad timetable in the coming months will be:
February 2020
- Publication of the External Conversation Feedback Report
April 2020 onwards
- Publication of Refreshed Strategy and new Funding Framework
- Engagement to share and discuss the new approaches and how best to implement changes
October 2020 – March 2021
- Begin phased introduction of new funding initiatives
- Prepare and publish new materials and information to support the introduction of the new approaches
April 2021 onwards
- Continue phased introduction of new funding framework
Managing the transition
In order to introduce a smooth transition:
- Current arrangements for RFO, Open Project Funding and Targeted Funding will continue during 2020/21 to enable us to introduce new approaches in a managed way
- The introduction of new funding initiatives will be clearly communicated well in advance of the change
- We know that there is a significant planning period required for organisations in receipt of regular funding to respond to any funding approach changes. Following discussion with Scottish Government, we agreed last year to extend, in principle, the funding agreements for organisations currently in the RFO network for one year from April 2021, subject to available budget.
Downloads
Below are some useful documents that have informed the process.
In July 2018, we appointed consultants Wavehill to conduct an independent evaluation of the Regular Funding 2018-21 process.
View data on our Open Project Fund for 2018-19, including number of applications and awards made, in PDF format.
View Creative Scotland's report, which looks at a number of past consultations with the creative and cultural sectors in Scotland, in PDF format.
View this report, prepared for Creative Scotland by Jeanie Scott, Culture Radar, in PDF format.
