Creative Scotland slammed over funding moves

MSPs demand answers in damning letter

Creative Scotland’s decision-making on funding fell well below the standard expected of a public body, a Holyrood inquiry has concluded.

A damning letter from the culture committee to chief executive Janet Archer said confidence in the arts funding organisation had been “badly damaged” by its actions earlier this year.

The committee held an inquiry after widespread criticism of Creative Scotland’s decision to axe funding to some companies.

A decision to hold an emergency meeting in February to reconsider some applications without telling the wider sector “appears to have undermined the sector’s confidence in Creative Scotland’s decision making and underlying strategic approach to funding,” the letter said.

MSPs said it was a “serious matter” that while Creative Scotland said its board was unaware of any factual inaccuracies in assessment reports, this had been contradicted by written evidence from the companies involved.

The committee said it was also “very concerned” by the handling of regular funding applications from touring theatre and dance companies which “fell well below the standard that is expected from a nondepartmental public body”.

Concerns were also raised that too much regular funding was being directed away from artists towards network organisations.

The committee called on Creative Scotland to urgently address its failings.

Convener Joan McAlpine said: “With more than 50 responses from artists and arts organisations, it is clear to us that the confidence of a significant element of the cultural sector in Creative Scotland’s regular funding process has been badly damaged.

“We keenly await its written response to the issues we have raised and have set a deadline of August 31.”

“The confidence of a the culture sector has been damaged”