Information Released in Response to an FOI Request
| Title | Information on the establishment of the Cultural Commission |
| Description | Information on the establishment of the Cultural Commission, including details of how the budget, membership and location were decided |
| Publication Date | July 19, 2005 |
| Charge | To be defined. |
Additional Information provided in response to a series of questions on the Cultural Commission:
Q. How was the appointment of a press agency for the Cultural Commission decided, was the position advertised, and how much is it paid?
The Executive contacted the Cultural Commission who advised that the Commission did not advertise for companies to tender for its press and public relations work. Instead it approached the company that held the Scottish Executive's call-off contract for media and public relations work, for a costed work plan. That work plan exceeded the Commission's budget (see below*) and it was felt that the company was an inappropriate choice in other respects also. The Commission took advice from the Scottish Executive's Media and Communications department and approached Osler Media. Osler Media was asked to prepare a costed work plan and this was submitted to the Commission's Board for approval.
*The Cultural Commission's budget for press and public relations work is £25,000.
Osler Media received £2,000 per month (excluding VAT).
Q. Could I please have details of the membership of a review group appointed following the first National Cultural Strategy; the number of meetings that the group held and the dates and notes from these meetings?
The group referred to appears to be the Joint Implementation Group (JIG) on the National Cultural Strategy which held four meetings from August 2001. The Group was chaired by the Minister responsible for Culture and its members were as follows:
The Chair and Director of the Scottish Arts Council;
The Director of the National Museums of Scotland;
The Director General of the National Galleries of Scotland;
The Librarian, National Library of Scotland;
The Director of the Scottish Museums Council; the Chief Executive of Scottish Scree;
The Director of the Scottish Library and Information Council;
The Director and Chief Executive of Historic Scotland;
Representatives of sportscotland and of VisitScotland (latterly Lee Cousins and Richard Pinn, respectively);
4 nominees of CoSLA (latterly Cllr. John Flett Brown, Orkney Islands Council; Rod Stone, Aberdeenshire Council; Stephen Fitzpatrick, CoSLA Glasgow; and Cllr. Eric Gotts, East Dunbartonshire Council).
Bob Irvine represented the Scottish Executive;
Education Department, with a Secretariat comprising Angela Saunders and (latterly), Yvonne Georgeson.
The Group's meetings took place on: 14 August 2001; 14 January 2002; 8 July 2002; and
14 January 2003.
Minutes of the Joint Implementation Group's meetings:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/FOI/19260/jointgroup
In the final minute of the JIG meetings, item 7 .1 refers to the proposition for an agency, "Creative Scotland". The relevant extract of Paper 02/20 to which the minute refers, is as follows:
" A single body?
The idea of a new body 'Creative Scotland' arose from a number of sources during the review of Scottish Screen, and has been discussed again during the process undertaken by the Creative Industries Forum. There is recurring interest in exploring the idea of combining the relevant development roles of the three key agencies into one such body which could work across the agency boundaries and across the public/private sector divide.
"The proposition is that such a body could work in partnership with Higher Education and the private sector, supporting creative entrepreneurs and creative companies to develop ideas and potential commercial (including socially and culturally valuable) spin-offs. Its structure would be designed to deliver fast and flexible support, and to be closely attuned to the dynamic and international context in which contemporary Scottish creative entrepreneurs work. Its focus, expertise, and increased critical mass would attract greater recognition of the value of the sector within the Scottish economy and of its importance to the quality of life of Scottish people.
"Consideration of this and other longer term action points arising from the Creative Industries Forum task groups will demand fuller exploration of implications and wider consultation to be undertaken . The Creative Industries Forum views will be an important part of that process."
There is a current Programme for Government commitment to "Consider a single cultural organisation for Scotland". The Programme document says: "We will look at the creation of a single cultural organisation for Scotland. This will include a review of the structure and purpose of the Scottish Arts Council as well as the other national and regional cultural bodies and companies. It will look at the future role and funding of the arts in Scotland."
In April 2004, the Executive announced arrangements for taking forward the review of culture by the Cultural Commission, in light of the policy framework set out in the First Minister's 2003 St Andrew's Day Address.