Hundreds of individuals and organisations to
benefit.
Culture Secretary has said an additional £34
million in culture and arts spending next year will be
“game-changing” for the sector.
Published yesterday, the draft Scottish Budget 2025-26 will see
culture and arts spending increase by £34 million, with £20
million of this being channelled through Creative Scotland for
its competitive multi-year funding programme for artists and
cultural organisations.
Speaking at the National Gallery of Scotland, Culture Secretary
said significant levels of
public investment in the culture and arts sector would be coupled
with an examination of the structures around culture funding to
ensure as much money as possible goes directly to artists and
organisations.
He confirmed that the review of Creative Scotland's remit and
functions will begin early next year and will aim to publish its
recommendations in summer 2025.
Culture Secretary said:
“Scotland's arts and culture are at the very soul of our nation.
They speak to how we see the world, how we share ideas, and how
our people can give expression to their hopes.
“Our draft budget could not be clearer in our steadfast support
for Scotland's arts and culture sector. We aim to provide an
additional £34 million next year to bolster the sector. This is a
game-changing increase.
“This will enable Creative Scotland to roll-out its multi-year
funding programme – ensuring that the highest ever number of
artists and organisations receive regular funding.
“We also plan to increase funding for Screen Scotland, give
uplifts to our National Performing Companies, double our
Festivals EXPO funding, provide above inflation increase to
Sistema and the Youth Music Initiative, and restart the Culture
Collective programme alongside with a range of other activity.
“This budget brings us half way to reaching our five-year
commitment of a recurring £100 million increase for the sector in
just two years. For 2026-27, subject to the normal budget
processes, our aim is to deliver a further £20 million increase.”
Background
The draft Scottish Budget
2025-26 was published on 4 December 2024. It commits an
additional £34 million resource funding to arts and culture in
Scotland.
Within this, a further £20 million will be provided to Creative
Scotland for its multi-year funding programme in 2025-26. Funding
will also increase by £4.5 million for Scotland's National
Collections and £1 million for the National Performing
Companies.
The draft Scottish Budget 2025-26 also commits to an increase of
£4 million funding for Scottish Festivals, doubling the EXPO
Festival Fund to expand its reach beyond festivals in Edinburgh
and Glasgow as well as providing funding for the Festivals
Partnership. There will also be an additional £2 million for
Screen Scotland to support work to attract international
investment and large-scale productions to Scotland.
The Culture Collective programme will be restarted with £4
million to benefit Scottish communities, community organisations,
individual artists and freelancers.
In addition, £270,000 has been allocated to enable the creation
of a single digital library interface which directs people to
Scotland's public libraries, allowing the public to access
information, online content and a national e-resources lending
area to ensure equitable access to information and reading
material across Scotland.
There will also be £4 million allocated for a new Scottish
Culture & Heritage Capacity Fund. This fund recognises the
significant challenges faced by heritage and culture
organisations across Scotland.
Research commissioned by
performing arts union Equity revealed this summer that
overall arts funding in England had fallen by 11%, by 30% in
Wales, 16% in Northern Ireland whereas Scotland had received a 2%
increase in the period 2018-23.
