‘No way’ hardcore sex film should receive public money
There is “no way” a film project involving hardcore acts of real sex should be in receipt of public money, a senior SNP minister has said.
Angus Robertson, inset, said he “shares the concerns” over Creative Scotland’s decision to provide £84,555 of public money to an art installation involving “non-simulated” sex. Director Leonie Rae Gasson secured the funding for the Rein development in January through the National Lottery Open Fund.
The project’ s website describes it as a 45- minute art installation that pays those who take part a fee of £270 per day to take part in “non-simulated” sex, including “hardcore” acts.
The recruitment advert states actors must be over the age of 18, with those with previous sex workexperience–“particularly in porn contexts” – encouraged to apply.
The public funding allocation has come under fire, particularly at a time when the arts sector struggles to recover from the Covid pandemic.
Creative Scotland previously said the project’s funding application did not indicate how explicit the installation would be. A spokeswoman said: “We support freedom of expression and artists being able to push the boundaries of radical performance. However, the project Rein is considerably more explicit in its execution than was indicated in the application received to our Open Fund.
“As such, we are reviewing this award and will be discussing next steps with the applicant and with the other partners in the project.”
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament yesterday, Mr Robertson, the culture secretary, said: “I share the concerns that have been raised, including by Creative Scotland itself. I can see no way where what has been described should be in receipt of public funding.
"As members are aware, the Scottish Government has no role in the decisions of Creative Scotland for the funding of individual projects. However, Creative Scotland are, I understand, rapidly reviewing this allocation as they have been clear that what has been reported simply does not meet what the funding was applied for.”
He was responding to a question from Labour’s Neil Bibby, who called for Creative Scotland to release the funding application in full after the project “attempted to recruit vulnerable people, including the disabled, at £300 a day to participate in sex acts so extreme they would be provided with psychological aftercare”.
Mr Robertson replied: “The specific queries that Neil Bibby has raised are very apposite. but what I would wish to do in the first instance is a wait the conclusions from Creative Scotland .”
Conservative MSP Alexander Stewart said: “Angus Robertson appears happy to pass the buck to Creative Scotland, but serious questions remain over this use of taxpayers’ cash.”