Arts funding halted over government budget cut

Creative Scotland has closed a major arts fund indefinitely over concerns about Scottish government budgets.

The arts body said uncertainty over millions of pounds of government support had created “critical problems” for its Open Fund for Individuals.

It comes less than a year after a £6.6m budget cut was reimposed despite being reversed earlier in 2023.

The Scottish government said already provides significant funding to Creative Scotland each year and will continue to do so.

Applicants to the fund, which supports artists, musicians, producers and writers in pursuing creative outlets, will still have work-in-progress applications processed.

It was set up to support projects, productions or periods of research and development for up to 24 months.

But new applicants now only have until 14:00 on 30 August to submit their funding proposals.

Creative Scotland announced that 361 organisations had collectively applied for funding of £96m and that 351 were deemed eligible to move forward to the next stage earlier this year.

That was whittled down to 281 organisations with a total ask of £87.5m.

However, the body warned that “due to lack of clarity regarding longer-term funding” from the Scottish government it expected to have just £40m available to distribute.

Leading figures in Scotland’s arts sector campaigned against the previous cut when it was announced in February 2023.

It was paused, but the Scottish government U-turned in September and reissued the 10% reduction in funding, with the promise it would be provided as part of the 2024/25 budget.

Then-first minister Humza Yousaf pledged an additional £100m for the arts sector by 2028 in October last year.

That was said to include the £6.6m that was cut and then reinstated.

Creative Scotland had planned to use about £3m of that alongside £3m of National Lottery income to pay for the Open Fund.

But its chief executive, Iain Munro, said a lack of certainty over the budget meant the decision to close the fund was “unavoidable”.

He said: “The level of uncertainty regarding the provision of grant-in-aid budgets from the Scottish government is creating critical problems for the ongoing support we can provide to Scotland’s culture sector.

“This decision to close the Open Fund for Individuals is not one we would have wanted to take but is unavoidable without the funding from the Scottish government being available.

“Like everyone working in Scotland’s culture and creative sector, we understand the extreme pressures on public finances but want to see longer-term budget certainty from the Scottish government, including the additional £100m announced in October 2023, details of which have yet to emerge.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said it had increased arts culture funding this year "as the first step to achieving our commitment to invest at least £100 million more annually in culture and the arts by 2028/29".

They added: “The Scottish Budget continues to face significant challenges. We are considering the implications of the actions announced by the chancellor on 29 July for our public finances, and the next steps required by the Scottish government.”