Creative Scotland’s £200,000 boost for Stirling
A £200,000 pledge has been made towards capitalising on and improving Stirling’s cultural offering.
At last week’s Stirling Council community planning and regeneration committee, councillors were shown a report which showed Creative Scotland had allocated £200,000 towards a‘place partnership’in Stirling.
The resource is a‘draw down’facility, which must be matched in cash or kind by culture partners locally.
Members were told that Stirling’s culture strategy was progressing well. The four-year strategy is supported by Stirling’s Partnership for Culture and aims to realise Stirling as a place where arts, creativity and culture are recognised and promoted as transformational to the economy, the future of its communities and to the quality of life for all Stirling’s citizens.
At the outset, the strategy identified three linked priorities at its launch in 2016: improve quality of life through culture; support creative communities; and develop creative and cultural industries to establish culture as a driving force for Stirling’s economy.
The Partnership for Culture, which features agencies from across the council and wider Stirling area, leads on the development and delivery of the Culture Strategy, prioritising actions to be worked on collectively. It includes not only some council services but also Stirling University’s Pathfoot Gallery, Forth Valley College, the Macrobert arts centre, Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise Project, Creative Stirling, Artlink Central, Historic Environment Scotland and Creative Scotland.
Updates were also provided on recent activity for the group, including a creative community building event held by Codebase and Creative Stirling in April, while intergenerational activities, safeguarding social history and sharing knowledge and skills are being developed through a range of activities and exhibitions at The Smith, The Engine Shed and the Pathfoot Gallery.
Committee convenor, Councillor Chris Kane, said:“Whether the remarkable art collections of the University of Stirling and the Smith; the diverse and soul affirming events of the MacRobert and the Tolbooth; the drive, energy and nurturing approach of Creative Stirling and Artlink Central; or the education and promotion of our heritage from the Engine Shed, Historic Environment Scotland, the Wallace Monument and more, Stirling’s cultural offering is incredible.
“With such a strong partnership working collaboratively, I have no doubt that Stirling’s creative spirit will continue to bring visitors and enrich all of our lives in the years ahead.”
Vice convenor, Councillor Maureen Bennison said lots of hard work had already gone into the strategy over the past two years.
“Building Stirling’s reputation as a venue for live music or sporting events is one of our priorities and we are achieving that every day,”she said.“It is crucial we continue to drive Stirling’s economy by attracting top level events and the strategy and partnership is committed to ensuring that the value of arts, creativity and culture, and their impact on mainstream priorities is embraced by all.”
Committee member, Tory councillor Jeremy McDonald, added:“I welcome this opportunity but I want to see the benefits felt across the entire council area, not just the town itself. I am also thankful the recent administration budget proposals to close the Smith were challenged and stopped by a huge community effort. Otherwise, we would have a significant hole in our cultural offering that no amount of money from Creative Stirling would compensate for.”