Dear Beatrice,
I am writing to draw your attention to the sector wide concern that the Scottish Government has failed to provide certainty surrounding the £6.6 million Grant in Aid budget for Creative Scotland.
In direct consequence, Creative Scotland has announced the abrupt closure of the Open Fund for Individuals, one of the primary routes to public funding for Shetland based Artists to develop their projects.
As I am sure you can imagine, having a source of income closed with only 11 days notice will have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of those who were planning applications.
This funding is even more vital for creatives based in remote communities where the additional costs and challenges of bringing work to fruition can create significant limiting factors. The message the closure of this fund sends will force artists to look for more welcoming locations and will drain talent from our islands.
The creative sector is a growth sector for Scotland and Shetland and the economic impact of this decision will be highly detrimental to this ambition. It should also be acknowledged the role the creative economy plays in exporting and promoting Shetland to the world.
Artists and creatives are amongst some of the most resilient and innovative people I know, their life is about creation. In January 2024, with our partners in Orkney and the Outer Hebrides we launched Even Here Even Now. This manifesto, ironically funded by Creative Scotland, provides a clear path towards realising the full potential of island-based arts. It is about change and ensuring that island arts thrive and contribute fully to our cultural landscape.
In 2023 over £45,000 pounds was granted to Shetland based creatives from this fund. We need the Scottish Government to follow through on their very vocal commitments to the creative sector. To immediately reinstate the promised funding for Creative Scotland and clarify how they intend to ‘more than double’ their investment in arts and culture.
We are in the process of clearing our diaries at Shetland Arts to provide what support we can to Artists that now need to submit applications by the deadline of 2pm Friday 30 August. Additionally, we will be hosting an Artist Support morning on Wednesday 4th of September at 11am, as an opportunity to gather and provide a listening ear, which you would be more than welcome to join - more info here LINK
If you would like to discuss the impact of these decisions further please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Yours sincerely
Graeme Howell
Chief Executive
Shetland Arts
Even Here, Even Now can be read here LINK
