By Bill Heaney
Scottish Labour has called for the SNP to convene a crisis summit to protect the future of Scottish arts and culture festivals as pressures mount on the sector.
The chair of the Edinburgh Fringe has led calls for a crisis summit, warning that the event is becoming “almost impossible” to deliver.
This follows news that the Aye Write! book festival has been cancelled due to funding pressures and warnings that the future of the Deaf Festival is under threat.
The SNP government – after a series of u-turns on the matter – slashed Creative Scotland’s funding by 10 per cent mid year last year, despite warnings from it could result in “the decline of the sector” and “closures, job losses, and the loss of provision”.
Today (Tuesday 16) MSPs will debate Scotland’s International Culture Strategy and Scottish Labour will use the opportunity to call for a crisis summit to “save Scotland’s festivals”.
“We are already seeing the consequences of the SNP-Green government’s disastrous cut to Creative Scotland with the loss of Aye Write, and more could follow if we do not act.
“There must be urgent action to support Scotland’s iconic arts sector and the vast economic, social and cultural benefits it delivers.
“The SNP must urgently convene a crisis summit and develop a plan to save Scotland’s festivals.”
“Edinburgh Festival Fringe chief demands crisis summit to secure new funding support for event” https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/edinburgh-festival-fringe-chief-demands-crisis-summit-to-secure-new-funding-support-for-event-4589538?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1712989343
“Future of deaf festival in ‘severe doubt’ after being turned down for Creative Scotland funding”: https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/future-of-deaf-festival-in-severe-doubt-after-being-turned-down-for-creative-scotland-funding-4439282
“Aye Write! book festival cancelled after failing to secure Creative Scotland funding”:https://news.stv.tv/scotland/aye-write-book-festival-cancelled-after-failing-to-secure-creative-scotland-funding
“For the Edinburgh International Festival, it means that we are looking at a 16th year of flat funding. You can imagine the impact of inflationary increases on our cost base over that period. It is extraordinarily difficult for any organisation to manage 16 years of flat funding, irrespective of how well it is run or of other sources of income that it might have. I have worked in the industry for coming up to 30 years and I have never known it to be as difficult as that. That is the backdrop.”https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/CEEAC-11-01-2024?meeting=15644&iob=133482
Creative Scotland (September): “We are extremely disappointed to report that the £6.6m budget has not been included in the Autumn Budget Revisions, and the cut is being reinstated.”
Iain Munro (Creative Scotland): “There is despair, despondency, disillusionment and fear. People are exhausted […] As the perfect storm continues—I have to say that it is growing stronger—the risks are increasing all the time for parts of the sector to potentially become unsustainable. We will see the decline of the sector in the months and years ahead unless the resourcing equation changes. […] It means closures, job losses, loss of provision with less available for communities across the country.”
Top of page pisture: Author Andrew O’Hagan and artist Alison Watt at the Edinburgh Book Festival. Picture by Bill Heaney