Strong links between private and cultural sectors boost the nation
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SCOTLAND’S cultural sector is no doubt breathing a collective sigh of relief in light of the Scottish Government’s recent Draft Budget announcement for 2017-18. The scenario this year is far more positive than last, when the sector had to adjust to a reduction in cultural budgets. However, whilst this funding announcement reaffirms the Scottish Government’s commitment to, and understanding of the value of culture, it must not lead to complacency within cultural organisations. Instead, this funding reprieve should further focus their attention on finding ways to augment and supplement public support for the arts, to ensure that they can evolve and become more resilient.
When we at Arts & Business Scotland speak with our broad range of stakeholders from the arts, heritage and business sectors, we get a general sense of optimism that the significance of a thriving and diverse cultural sector, and its economic and social impacts are clearly understood and engrained within the Scottish Government’s agenda. However, arts, heritage and cultural organisations cannot afford to rest on their laurels when it comes to future funding.
In last week’s announcement it was encouraging to see that culture has in the main been protected in the Draft Budget, with a commitment to either maintain or increase funding for the next financial year. Given the challenges that we face in the current economic climate, this must be viewed as a positive outcome and reinforces Scotland vision of being a nation where culture sits at the heart of communities, empowering and enriching them, while improving quality of life and wellbeing.
The Draft Budget outlined spending plans for 2017-18 which among other things include proposals to increase spend on culture, tourism and major events from £212.9m to £226.2m. Scotland’s national performing companies budget remains at £22.9m, identical to the amount promised in the draft budget last year, though £5m less than the final budget for 2016-17.
Funding for Creative Scotland, the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries and other arts, is up from £45.7m to £52.1m, adding to the sense of relief. Further to last week’s announcement, Creative Scotland has since confirmed its Discretionary Grant in Aid Budget for 2017/18 is planned to remain broadly the same at just over £32m subject to the final Scottish Government Budget being approved. This will be welcome news for the 118 Regularly Funded Organisations who will continue to be supported in 201718. And of course it goes without saying we were delighted to hear that Arts & Business Scotland along with the other four sector development agencies, Cultural Enterprise Office, Culture Republic, Creative Carbon Scotland, and the Federation of Scottish Theatre will continue to be funded to support the development of those regularly funded organisations.
Much of work of the sector development agencies is to support the cultural sector to look at ways of working collaboratively, more efficiently and encourage enterprise and entrepreneurialism to build resilience to safeguard against any future reduction in public sector funding for the arts. While Scottish Government funding is crucial, cultural organisations must explore every funding avenue available to them, in particular looking to the private sector for cross sector collaborative working which brings mutual benefits.
Initiatives like our new arts sponsorship funding programme will become an even more vital route to financial support in the longer term. The scheme matches funds £1 for £1 business sponsorship of art, heritage and cultural activity, providing an incentive for business sponsorship. To date it has leveraged £7.4m investment in culture in Scotland, whilst delivering significant social and economic benefits for business..
Over the last 10 years we have developed a fund which is responsive and lucrative to both the business and cultural sectors. The purpose of the programme is to stimulate crosssector partnerships which contribute to a vibrant and thriving cultural offering in Scotland. These partnerships deliver huge value to rural and urban communities through their social and economic impacts.
Developing relationships between the private and cultural sectors is fundamental to what we advocate for and enable. David Watt is chief executive of Arts & Business Scotland