Culture cash ‘must be evenly distributed’

Money announced for arts and culture industries has been welcomed, but must be distributed evenly across Scotland to have any real impact experts have warned.

Creative sectors in Scotland are to receive more than £107 million from the Scottish and UK Governments to help deal with the financial ramifications wrought by coronavirus.

More than £1.5 billion was announced by the UK Government on Sunday after the Scottish Government awarded £10m to the sector last Friday.

Yesterday First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed £97m was expected in Barnett consequential funding as a result of the Westminster cash.

She said the money would be given “in full” to those organisations which need it most and promised it would not stay in the Central Belt.

Artists in Tayside and the north-east welcomed the announcement, but noted the disparity in how money was allocated.

Laura McSorley, a trustee of Dundee art collective Generator Projects, said: “Outwith the Central Belt organisations receive less funding, for example Transmission in Glasgow has access to double the budget that Generator does.

“There are hundreds of artistled organisations in Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and the north-east and they need to be considered during this time.

“Small organisations cannot afford the safety measures that are being taken by larger ones and this may be damaging as they will have to be closed for longer.”

Gary Moore, lead singer in Scottish band Echo Machine, took part in a recent campaign calling for more support for the live music industry.

The campaign called for action to save not just musicians, but those in the “supply chain” of the creative industries.

He said: “Music and the arts in general add an enormous amount to the UK economy. I suppose we now just need to hope the money is spread around to the places where it is most needed.”

Ms Sturgeon said: “It is important this funding supports art and culture in every part of this country and we will be determined to make sure it does.”