COMMENT

Arts quango Creative Scotland is to overhaul the way it provides long-term funding after caving in to demands to reverse cuts to five companies.

Birds of Paradise, Catherine Wheels, Lung Ha, Visible Fictions and the Dunedin Consort have all had three-year deals restored following Scottish Government intervention.

The reprieves were rubberstamped by Creative Scotland’s board less than a fortnight after being unveiled by the government agency’s chief executive Janet Archer.

Scottish culture secretary Fiona Hyslop, who was targeted in social media campaigns along with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, insisted ministers had “no role” in the its decision-making process.

Creative Scotland has reallocated £2.6 million from other budgets to focus more on “excellence and experimentation, theatre for children and young people, and companies led by and working with disabled people.”

Facing growing calls for change, Ms Archer revealed the quango would review how

“I’m pleased Creative Scotland has listened to the concerns of stakeholders and has reviewed the decisions”

FIONA HYSLOP