Musicians based in Scotland are to benefit from a new fund to
help them cover the rising costs of international touring.
Creative Scotland will receive £300,000 to establish a pilot
rapid-response fund to support musicians with costs such as
travel, freight and visa applications.
The one-year trial scheme will be evaluated to gather data on the
wider support needs of the sector, aiding research already
underway by British Council Scotland on the establishment of a
dedicated export service to help Scotland's arts and culture
sectors reach international audiences.
Culture Secretary said:
“International touring is vital to Scotland's music sector,
enabling artists to generate income, reach new audiences, build
networks across borders, and showcase Scotland's creative talent
on the world stage.
“However, musicians have told us that international tours are
increasingly challenging for many acts, due to ever-increasing
travel costs. Brexit has also hit them hard, with musicians no
longer free to move between the 27 EU member states and
significant costs and paperwork now required for any equipment
they want to travel with.
“Following extensive engagement with the sector, including the
Scottish Music Industry Association, the Scottish Government will
provide £300,000 to help mitigate this issue in the short-term,
while the possibility of a dedicated cultural export service can
be explored to ensure Scotland's musicians are heard by the
widest-possible audience.”
Iain Munro, Chief Executive Officer of Creative Scotland
said:
“Scotland's artists and institutions have a long tradition of
working internationally - be that through the programming of
moment-defining productions at our festivals or sharing our own
best work around the world.
“Audiences and artists benefit from the meeting of diverse minds
and experiences which these exchanges create. So we are delighted
that this touring funding from the Scottish Government will allow
us to continue supporting Scottish artists and institutions to
remain visible and celebrated across the world.”
Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish
Music Industry Association (SMIA) said:
“This is a positive and timely intervention from the Scottish
Government, building on the momentum from increased investment in
Scotland's cultural sector. International touring is fundamental
to how Scotland-based artists grow sustainable careers and reach
new audiences – sharing the soundtrack and stories of our lives
on the global stage.
“Despite strong international foundations that create meaningful
global connections and opportunities, rising costs, ongoing
administrative challenges and limited support to capitalise on
them continue to limit many artists' ability to build on that
momentum. Collaboration across the SMIA, Showcase Scotland Expo
and Wide Events has helped to identify both opportunities and
barriers in international markets. This new fund is an important
step in supporting the progression from initial opportunity to
sustained touring and audience growth.
“Crucially, Scotland-specific support allows us to better
champion the depth, diversity and distinctiveness of Scottish
music internationally, and to build audiences in a way that
reflects our cultural identity and storytelling. While this pilot
is an important start, continued investment will be key to fully
realising the international potential of Scotland's artists,
delivering lasting cultural and economic impact.”
Background
Further information on how to apply for support will be available
from Creative Scotland in due course.
Scottish Government launches
research into Cultural Export Service for Scotland's arts sectors
| British Council
