This website is using cookies. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.
Please choose whether to accept cookies.
31 October 2022
In a report published today, the Committee looks ahead to the Scottish Government’s 2023-24 budget and the impact of budgetary decisions on Scotland’s culture sector. It calls on increased urgency to address budget pressures through innovative approaches to funding.
The report underlines recommendations made by the Committee during previous budget scrutiny. It calls for these innovate approaches to be accelerated in order to address the difficulties being faced.
During its consideration, the Committee heard the challenges facing that sector have become more acute as it struggles to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and further compounded by the cost of living crisis following on from longer term budget pressures. The Committee has recommended taking an innovative approach to budgeting including greater use of public and private investment as well as multiyear funding.
The Committee also repeats its call from last year for the mainstreaming of the culture budget. It also asks the Scottish Government for updates on embedding culture more broadly as part its plans for a wellbeing economy. This would take into account the contribution which preventative spend in areas like the arts and other cultural activities makes towards health and wellbeing.
Speaking as the report launched, the Committee Convener Clare Adamson MSP said:
“Scotland’s cultural sector plays a vital role in Scottish life. But we heard blunt warnings from those within the sector that stark choices lie ahead.
“Increased operating costs come at a time when most cultural venues are still struggling to recover from the pandemic, and without truly innovative approaches to funding, there is a real danger that Scotland’s skilled cultural workforce will be lost along with some of our best loved cultural icons.
“There are no doubt considerable pressures across all areas of the Scottish Government budget, and there are no easy choices. But the current situation provides an opportunity to accelerate these innovative solutions. The Scottish Government must take action to protect this fundamental part of our society.”
Ahead of Budget 2023-24, the Committee sought views on the impact of budgetary decisions, including the Resource Spending Review, on the culture sector in Scotland.
This followed up on the scrutiny for Budget 2022-23, Funding for Culture, and the Resource Spending Review Framework.
The call for views was open from 24 June until 19 August 2022 and received 37 submissions.
In its submission, Creative Scotland suggested that the recovery of the culture sector is “fragile and gradual, and the benefits of the sector Covid-19 emergency support delivered are being more than overtaken by a ‘perfect storm’ of factors.”
Find out more about the Committee's work
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body securely processes journalists’ data for the purpose of enabling reporting on the work of the Scottish Parliament, in line with current data protection requirements. You have the right to unsubscribe at any time.
Telephone enquiry line: 0800 092 7500 or 0131 348 5395 (Gàidhlig)
Text 07786 209 888
We also welcome calls using the Text Relay service or in British Sign Language through contactSCOTLAND-BSL.