Written evidence submitted by Creative
Scotland (arts 225)
INTRODUCTION
1. Creative Scotland, the new national development
body for the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland,
was launched on 1 July 2010. Creative Scotland took over the functions
and resources of Scottish Screen and the Scottish Arts Council
but also has a wider set of responsibilities for developing the
sector.
2. Creative Scotland is committed to investing
in and developing the arts, screen and creative industries in
Scotland and playing a lead role in promoting the value and importance
of these to everyone.
3. We welcome the opportunity to respond
to the Committee's inquiry, Creative Scotland's remit is largely
devolved to the Scottish Parliament and therefore many of the
questions are not of direct relevance to our situation. However,
we are a distributor of National Lottery funds and have answered
the questions where relevant.
What impact recent changes to the distribution
of National Lottery funds will have on arts and heritage organisations
4. Creative Scotland of course welcomes
any increase in National Lottery investment. We welcome the re-alignment
of the National Lottery funds to its original percentage spread
of Lottery Good Causes money, increasing the amount available
for the arts and film. This will enable us to increase public
benefit through added investment in areas such as access and participation,
capital infrastructure and film production.
5. We would want to ensure that the existing
proportions between arts and film investment are used as the starting
point for any future proportions, with the opportunity to be flexible
as necessary.
6. We would however want to ensure that
there is no decrease in investment from UK wide Lottery distributors
in Scotland as a result of these changes, including from the UK
Film Council and its successor body/ies.
7. However, it is vitally important that
this increase in Lottery revenue is not used to replace public
spending cuts elsewhere (either from within CS or any partners,
eg local authorities). Lottery funding cannot replace a sustained
commitment to investing in talent and nurturing creative risk.
Government funding allows organisations to look ahead with ambition.
It allows organisations to invest in inspirational arts and creative
activity that the National Lottery or philanthropic giving may
shy away from. Any cut in culture spending would have a wholly
disproportionate impact in relation to its contribution to society.
Whether the policy guidelines for National Lottery
funding need to be reviewed
8. The policy guidelines for the Scottish
Arts Council are directed by Scottish Ministers however we support
the Scottish Governments policy to seek a dedicated Lottery support
for Glasgow 2014, separate from existing distributors' funds,
as per the Lottery support for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
The impact of recent changes to DCMS arm's-length
bodies—in particular the abolition of the UK Film Council
and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
9. We believe the priority now is to ensure
the UK government confirms its commitment to the UK film industry
and guarantees that the necessary support structures and investment
are available for filming in the UK continue long-term.
Whether businesses and philanthropists can play
a long-term role in funding arts at a national and local level
10. The majority of cultural organisations
already operate on a financial model benefiting from some degree
of business / philanthropic support and box office/earned income
alongside public subsidy. Although this support is important it
is dependent on the organisation having a strong core business
model and a high quality creative product. Business and philanthropic
support can not be seen as a potential replacement for public
investment, rather it must be seen as complementary.
11. Some organisations are far better placed
than others to attract business and philanthropic support and
such support is normally not available for individual artists
and micro businesses within the creative industries. All creative
organisations work hard to maximise the sponsorship opportunities
available to them, however, in these difficult financial times
securing sponsorship has become increasingly challenging, in some
cases previously long-term funding arrangements are being wound
up and securing new sponsors is increasingly difficult.
Whether there need to be more Government incentives
to encourage private donations
12. Any incentives to attract further private
donations to the arts would be welcomed ideally the incentives
would be about long term strategic partnerships.
September 2010
| 
