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The New Cultural Infrasturcture

The Commission presented its preferred option in its report. Its remit was to consider how to achieve Best Value from existing resources; Ministers are determined that funding committed to culture should be focused on delivery and not on unnecessary administration and bureaucracy. For those reasons, Ministers do not favour the Commission's recommendation, noting also that few cultural bodies and commentators appear to support that model.

Having reviewed the opportunities and mindful of the strategic objectives for the review, the Executive has chosen a new infrastructure model. We believe it delivers a less cluttered, more transparent and efficient institutional landscape, capable of delivering Scotland's cultural ambitions, now and in the years ahead.

The new infrastructure is focused on function and the delivery of national Government's three core responsibilities for cultural provision. These are: to recognise and nurture Scotland's cultural talent; to promote the best of Scotland's Cultural treasures in the care of the National Collections; and to make the best of the nation's performing activity available through the work of the national performing arts companies. A model of the new infrastructure appears at the end of this section

1 Developing Scotland's cultural and creative talent

The first plank of central government support for culture holds the key to success in the business of developing and nurturing Scotland's cultural talent. Here we propose to create a new Scottish cultural development agency, to be called "Creative Scotland", amalgamating the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen - but transferring support for the national performing companies to the Executive - and transferring the Screen Archive to the National Library of Scotland. The Executive will provide some new funding to the agency, to boost its capacity to develop excellence in Scotland's cultural sectors.

The new agency will have a vital role in delivering a new approach for recognising and growing talent, which we believe will open up a host of opportunities for Scotland's creative development.

Mentioned already is the Executive's commitment to those with talent and the ambition to develop it, to take their cultural skills to the highest levels of achievement. Their progress in that endeavour should be a journey of discovery for the whole nation, as we follow their successes with pride and great enjoyment. Taking part in culture inspires confidence, and it grows confidence and motivation in those who enjoy it.

The Executive believes in supporting the culturally talented people of this country. Our aim should be to identify, encourage, nurture and showcase - nationally and internationally - the best that Scotland can produce, including all our unique, indigenous art forms.

While Scotland has world-class facilities for those in our schools and those embarking on extended cultural education and training, currently there is no route provided to assist the progress of their cultural talent through 'the system'. The Executive proposes an 'escalator model', to help Scotland's talented young people move from school into work, either directly or through further and higher education.

The prime principle of the escalator philosophy requires children and young people to have the maximum opportunity to try and experience the full range of cultural activity, being helped to discover their own creativity and to develop their gifts. An example of how the Executive currently is addressing this is the Youth Music Initiative.

February 2003 saw the launch of the Executive's Youth Music initiative, committing £17.5 million over three years towards ensuring by 2006 that all school children should have had access to one year's free music tuition, by the, time they reach Primary 6. A further £10 million per year has been invested to develop this important initiativeThe first practical step in the process is provided by parents and guardians, reading to children, playing music, introducing them to shows, heritage sites and so much more. Government's role in those early stages is limited; but, as a way to endorse the value of culture to children and those who care for them, the Executive plans to explore how best to grow and develop the popular Bookstart programme run by the Scottish Book Trust. This might involve extending its reach or perhaps its focus, so that all youngsters entering nursery school receive access to arts resources, storytelling tapes or visual e-archive material.

The Executive proposes that the delivery of all stages of the escalator - from pre-school to school leavers - should become the responsibility of Creative Links, Cultural Co-ordinators and Active Schools Co-ordinator teams, which we plan to bring together within schools. They will work closely with teachers and early years centres in undertaking and co-ordinating this function for culture, including sport, and in helping young people with their progression in learning through cultural and related activities. Once talent is identified, younger and older people alike, need pathways to develop that talent and to perform. Again, choice will be paramount - not all careers are forged taking the conventional route; that is not always appropriate, but the system should be sufficiently flexible to accommodate the needs of those who wish to use it.

There is potential for other schools co-ordinator programmes to join the proposed initiative, which will benefit from a combined budget and the mutual support available from co-ordinators working together in dynamic teams, alongside teachers, across groups of schools. According to the principles of public service reform, enabling local authorities to deliver strategic national and local priorities wherever these are best delivered locally, once the teams are established, we shall discuss with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities the possibility of transferring to local authorities the responsibility and budget for running the new combined co-ordinator programme.

The development of "A Curriculum for Excellence" over the coming months and years will add greater weight to the place of culture as a context for learning across the whole curriculum. "A Curriculum for Excellence" aims to provide a curricular framework within which cultural engagement and creativity will have an important role to play in learning and teaching, enabling young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, able to participate in political, economic, social and cultural life.

As teachers develop a new approach to teaching and learning, the contribution of cultural engagement and creativity to achieving those outcomes for our children will be a high priority. The curriculum which young people experience should be about both challenge and enjoyment. It is intended that culture will be, not just a context for learning, but increasingly also a vehicle for learning. Early work in the first half of 2006 will see all areas of the curriculum examined thoroughly - as part of this, the Executive will aim to ensure that links to culture and creativity are made at all stages.

Community access to schools' arts and sports facilities could also play a big part in promoting participation in culture; and maximum use must be made of these resources, particularly in remote areas where facilities are scarce. The Commission proposed a review to consider possible improvements in the status quo. The Executive does not plan to take that forward, in light of the fact that a study was recently undertaken. We shall ensure that the massive investment going into the schools estate is effective in enhancing cultural, including sports, facilities and in taking wider community needs into account. We shall also promote the sharing of good practice amongst stakeholders and will ensure that the developing Youthwork Strategy recognises the importance of wider access to cultural facilities within schools. Cultural and Community Planning should also take account of these needs.

While the school co-ordinators focus on their responsibilities for the escalator, attention must also be given to what comes next. An important role is also envisaged for further and higher educational institutions such as the Royal Scottish Academy for Music and Drama, the Screen Academy and Scotland's art colleges. It is essential that these bodies should establish links with schools, the creative industries' sector, national arts bodies like the national performing companies, and national initiatives such as the Writers' Factory - that enable students to progress between them, getting tuition and creative opportunities best suited to their development needs. Ministers plan to discuss the detail of this with relevant partners.

The Scottish Screen Academy - to be hosted at Napier University and Edinburgh College of Art - was launched in August 2005 and is one of the seven UK screen academies which will provide the best film education and skills development at a further, higher and postgraduate levelCelebrating and demonstrating the national contribution and role fulfilled by our best creative artists is of key importance. There has been debate about whether Scotland should have a similar arrangement to the Aosdana, the Irish Cultural Academy. We already have the Dewar Arts Awards and the Creative Scotland Awards, which are well regarded by the cultural community. However, Ministers consider that there should be more recognition for Scotland's outstanding artists and other creative individuals, particularly for achievements over a long period. We shall develop and invest in a scheme that celebrates their contribution to national life. The relationship between this and the other existing schemes must be examined, to create a rational framework of accolades. We have asked the Scottish Arts Council to develop such a scheme and would anticipate making the first awards later in 2006. There is a role for a scheme of scholarships and bursaries as part of the Executive's plans to develop Scotland's creative industries sector. Such a scheme could assist the transition from further and higher education into employment and self-employment, building on current successful schemes, such as Ideasmart.

The Cultural Enterprise Offices were rolled-out from Glasgow to Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh in April 2005, to recognise the particular needs of creative individuals and micro-businesses and provide support and business advice tailored more appropriately to the needs of this important sector of the economyCulture makes an important contribution to the Executive's top priority of growing the economy, through the creative industries. The first significant step towards more meaningful support for the creative industries sector is being taken now, through changes to the cultural infrastructure supporting these industries. The new infrastructure does not, however, address ways to secure more effective enterprise sector support, which clearly will be essential if the creative industries are to achieve their potential for economic growth. A number of Cultural Enterprise Offices have recently been established to provide business support to those in the creative sector. We will evaluate their operation before considering further investment to extend their role.

The new agency, Creative Scotland, will have a pivotal role in developing talent and to link the 'life stages' of the escalator. The body will require Non-Departmental Public Body status - providing the appropriate relationship to the Executive to allow it to act as Arts, Screen and Awards for All Lottery distributor. It will have a remit that includes:

• development of talent and excellence in all branches of the arts and screen industries;
• promoting effective sector networks of nationally-important bodies - to enhance the role and prominence of Scotland's literature and publishing, developing that sector's links into schools;
• supporting nationally-important arts bodies (see below);
• supporting the creative industries, developing a new strategy to guide that function (see below);
• offering business advice and investment services (such as soft loans for activities like publishing);
• drafting and dissemination of national advice on such matters as - national standards (produced in consultation with relevant sectors), building the voluntary sector, private sector sponsorship approaches, skills for arts organisations, promoting diversity, access and inclusive audience development practice (focused on all sections of the population, including older people), and the role of the arts in wider policy settings such as regeneration, communities, health, justice and development;
• links with education - other than administration of the schools' co-ordinator programmes which, once the new teams are established, will be the subject of discussion with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities regarding a possible transfer of responsibility to local authorities;
• evaluation and monitoring;
• research;
• international engagement - liaising on strategy and programming with the Executive's cultural and international policy teams, the National Collections bodies, the national performing arts companies and organisations like the British Council-Scotland, in order to maximise impact;
• promoting national and international recognition of Scotland's talented artists; and
• development and administration of schemes to recognise/reward excellence, as mentioned above.

Creative bodies working in all artforms, and significant initiatives and events such as festivals, could continue to have their core costs, venues and qualifying projects supported from national funds at the discretion of the agency. The agency will exercise its judgement about whether organisations merit national funding, based on their record for delivering high quality artistic standards, developing talent and their national impact. That is compatible with the agency's responsibility for supporting and developing artistic excellence. The Scottish Arts Council's work to develop performance criteria for the sector, based on skills development and sustainability, should provide a good template for handling applications. The scope of the agency's funding role will therefore contribute towards ensuring that a network of centres of excellence is maintained as a pan-Scotland resource. Nationally-important arts bodies supported by the agency will be expected to provide outreach activity to demonstrate their national credentials.

The Executive agrees with the Commission's view that 'creative industries' is a broad and not always helpful term covering an enormously wide range of sectors and one which does not properly reflect the large proportion of self-employed individuals and micro-businesses in these sectors. The Commission recognised some of the recent work undertaken by the Enterprise Networks, the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen and others to support the creative industries in Scotland, such as the roll-out of the Creative Enterprise Offices from Glasgow to Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. However, the Commission did not seem to be aware of the full range of existing activity, such as the work of Skillset - the sector skills council for the audio-visual sector - and Creative and Cultural Skills - the sector skills council for advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, music, performing, literary and visual arts.

By amalgamating relevant support functions delivered by the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen, the new infrastructure is intended to strengthen national assistance to the creative industries sector. The Executive does not, however, think that some of the Commission's recommendations focusing on the creation of new organisations, such as a National Creative Industries Sectoral Council or a new body to provide financial advice and services, are necessary given the existing range of players. But we do agree that the Commission was right to highlight the current lack of clarity about the roles that central Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the cultural organisations, local government, schools, the higher and further education sectors, the sector skills councils and industry bodies have, in relation to assisting the creative industries in Scotland to thrive.

Scotland's creative industries sector is a real success story - a tribute to the nation's long-established talent for innovation and entrepreneurial skill, which also contributes significantly to the economy. The Executive is determined to create the right conditions for the sector to maximise its potential. Building on the benefits of the new infrastructure, we will assess the extent to which there are gaps in the current enterprise support services for the creative industries - including contemporary music - which agencies should provide those services, and whether the services could be provided in a more cost-effective manner. This could include consideration of a transfer of functions and funding between Scottish Enterprise and the agency, or a specific new role for Scottish Enterprise in its services to the sector.

The new agency will operate within a national policy framework set by Ministers as a key delivery partner of the Executive. Clarity is essential regarding that strategic relationship, to address comments raised by sectoral interests when consulted during the Scottish Arts Council's last quinquennial review. Total discretion, however, would vest in the agency regarding its artistic, professional judgements and funding decisions.

The Executive agrees with the Cultural Commission that creating a national approach to ease the process of buying tickets for cultural events has significant attractions. We intend to go further. Our approach to a National Box Office will encompass the entire portfolio. The Executive's vision is of one-stop electronic ticketing for cultural and other events - including sport - for accommodation and ultimately travel tickets too - to help those in Scotland and our visitors to enjoy to the full Scotland's ever-burgeoning cultural calendar. A project is now being scoped, with a view to piloting what would also be a innovative initiative in international terms. New investment is envisaged, following the pilots. When we move to national roll-out other exciting developments are possible; such as joined-up programming of events and performances.

2 National Collections

The National Collections have a crucial role to celebrate and showcase the talent of Scots and international artists, artisans and writers over the centuries. Principal amongst these are the National Galleries of Scotland, the National Museums of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland. The Executive's ambition for this part of the infrastructure is to enable the National Institutions and other identified National Collections (see below) to do what they do now - maintaining their discrete functions, prestige and identities as 'centres of excellence' - but even more effectively and efficiently.

The Scottish Executive committed £8.3 million towards the National Library of Scotland's purchase of the John Murray Archive. The Murray Archive contains over 150,000 letters and manuscripts by Byron, Scott, Darwin, Livingstone and other figures of global significanceThe resource known as the "National Collections" will in future be expanded to include other collections of national status: the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, the National Archives of Scotland, and the Scottish Screen Archive (passing from Scottish Screen to the National Library of Scotland). While most of those organisations can expect to remain as independent bodies, they will be asked to develop a closer operational relationship. That will enable better co-ordination of strategy and policy, and far more joint activity than happens at present - with some exhibitions combining a mix of holdings from different collections (as seen to good effect in the 2004 Titian exhibition, when the Institutions combined their Venetian artefacts). We shall review the governance arrangements of each of the five Collections' bodies and consult on any legislation required to bring about reforms to streamline their administration.

The opportunity will also be taken to rationalise the common functions that service the collections' bodies such as human resources, IT and digitisation, estates, exhibition touring, marketing and press. How the collections bodies do this is a matter for them; it is envisaged that they might create a new unit to co-ordinate, harmonise and deliver these operations on their behalf. Single strategies for the respective combined functions will also be appropriate, helping to deliver increased efficiency and a coherent approach to policy. For example, the benefits of a single estates strategy for national bodies would be to steer the commitment of future funding in ways that secure Best Value and invite creative approaches for the use of the estate.

While we would not envisage this resulting in governance changes to any other organisations, we would expect the collections' bodies to encourage other relevant museums and heritage bodies to join them in capitalising on the advantages of effective co-ordination of relevant services. We will also seek to adopt a similar approach for all parts of the new national cultural infrastructure.

An excellent recent example of joint working is the Burns Festival, "Burns and a' That", inspired by Ayrshire and Arran Tourist Board. It brings together co-sponsors the Scottish Executive, South Ayrshire Council, VisitScotland, the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire. Over four years, the Festival has gone from strength to strength and the funding bodies are committed to its continuationUniting the institutions' common functions will underpin their activities with a sense of collective purpose, adding strength and strategic flexibility to the operations that result, and their ability to develop and present the 'best of the combined collections'. The objective is to improve the interpretation of the collections and exhibitions, and consequently their appeal to a broader public. The Executive is committed to the principle that what is identified as 'of national' significance should indeed be presented nationally - exploiting new technology and through increased emphasis on physical touring of exhibitions and exhibits across Scotland and internationally. It would therefore be desirable if more efficient collections administration permitted greater touring opportunities and exchanges with other galleries of (inter)national importance.

To capitalise on the benefits of joined-up strategy and delivery for the collections' education and access functions, shared education and outreach activities will be co-ordinated with Learning and Teaching Scotland. This would ensure education projects reach the maximum audience and complement formal education priorities more directly. We will seek to adopt a similar approach for the other two strands of the cultural infrastructure: the national performing companies and Creative Scotland.

The Executive believes there may be a place for a forum that brings together the collections bodies and other leading keepers of the nation's cultural treasures, including built heritage interests. The forum would share good practice and consider joint working. We shall discuss the option with the relevant bodies.

The Executive is also committed to the development of its support for collections of national significance in the care of local authorities and other organisations. Future funding for non-national museums, including Scotland's industrial museums, will focus on supporting significant 'national standard' collections. We shall make available additional funding of £500k per annum over the next two years to continue to support our non-national museums and to enable the launch of the museums' recognition scheme on which the Scottish Museums Council has consulted on our behalf. This will bring the total to be disbursed through the new scheme up to £940k per year.

The Executive attaches high national priority to the maintenance and improvement of standards in both non-national museums and in libraries. Alongside the support of £1 million, which we make available for non-national museums through the Scottish Museums Council, we shall also make available an additional £500k per annum over the next two years to help the public library service to improve its standards of provision and facilitate co-operation. We shall also expect our National Institutions to provide advice and assistance where appropriate.

Our policy in terms of the entire new cultural infrastructure is to strengthen and clarify our relationship with, and expectations of, the bodies which we fund. In order to drive through our policies for the collections bodies, we propose to develop how we support and direct those organisations. The Executive proposes to explore with the Scottish Museums Council the most effective and efficient solution for providing support from national funds to non-national museums containing collections of truly national significance, through our museums' recognition scheme. The Scottish Museums Council acts as the channel for the Executive's support for the non-national museums sector; as mentioned, we plan to increase our direct grant aid for non-national collections. Our ambitions for the museums sector include achieving a combination of efficiency savings and reinforcing our support and direction of the National Collections. The national collections bodies, in consultation with other stakeholders as appropriate, will be responsible for developing standards for their respective sectors and will contribute to the development of cultural entitlements.

The Executive's support for collections of national significance, including those held by the cultural Non-Departmental Public Bodies and agencies, will continue. We shall channel funds both to the collections which the nation owns, and to the support of collections of national significance held and managed by bodies independent of Government. We shall also seek to incentivise the improvement of standards in museums and libraries throughout Scotland. As we seek to achieve greater efficiencies in delivery, we shall allocate future resources to best achieve national priorities for the conservation of collections and the improvement of public access to them.

The Executive sees scope in principle for other, locally-held, collections which are holdings of truly national significance to achieve status as national collections bodies, subject to negotiation.

As part of the legislation needed to implement its proposals for the National Collections, the Executive will modernise the National Library legislation of 1925, making it responsible for the Scottish Screen Archive; and will modernise the governance arrangements of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland established by Royal Prerogative in 1908.

The Executive has considered the position of the collections in the care of Historic Scotland and the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. As the Commission identified, greater operational commonality exists between Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland. Those organisations are building upon their positive working arrangements, in response to the review, by examining specifically new ways in which they might manage their respective estates in a more joined-up manner and maximise benefits for visitors and members. Following the outcome of those discussions, we invite Historic Scotland to consider how it might share the benefits of the co-ordination arrangements proposed above, for the National Collections. We believe that the Executive's Environment and Rural Affairs Department is the most suitable to fund and support the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. However, we intend that where common services supporting the operation of the Royal Botanic Garden are sufficiently similar to those involved in running the National Collections mentioned above, opportunities to secure efficiencies from sharing services should be explored.

The heritage sector welcomed the recent Ministerial decision to invite Historic Scotland to lead an exercise to establish an ongoing audit of the historic environment. This work is an important opportunity to develop the evidence base for the historic environment sector; to promote collaboration and joint working among heritage organisations; and to increase public awareness of Scotland's rich heritage.

Historic Scotland is taking forward its plans to review and revise strategic and operational policies concerning the historic environment, including the launch of a new, updated Scottish Historic Environment Policy series. Historic Scotland is conscious that some of its current policies were developed a while ago, without the benefit of consultation, and intends to consult with the public and stakeholders as it updates this key series of policy documents.

The Executive has for some time been considering the best ways to make national resources available on-line, to promote Scotland's culture and boost access in ways that exploit new technology and overcome geographical barriers. The Commission's recommendations in this area echo some of these issues. We believe that a brand new strategic approach is required for the electronic delivery of cultural material - building on the Cultural Portal and the work of Scotland's Cultural Resources Access Network. Digitisation can be extremely effective where there is a clear purpose and end-user in view - there is need for co-ordinated research to clarify those practical issues; and a project to promote the digitisation of Scotland's culture will be explored as a 'pathfinder' within the Executive's overarching digitisation strategy. Enhanced electronic access by young people will be explored within the Scottish Schools Digital Network scheme, including e-archive albums.

3 National performing arts companies

The national performing arts companies have a unique function, bringing work of an international standard to their audiences, and showcasing some of the best performing arts activity produced in Scotland.

The national performing arts companies are: Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the National Theatre of Scotland - a product of the National Cultural Strategy which received an enthusiastic welcome for the recent announcement of its first programme.

Consistent with its approach to all activities receiving national support, the Executive wants to see these companies flourish - exhibiting and maintaining the highest standards as they showcase Scotland's best performing talent across the country and overseas. To promote that aim, we have decided to redefine the national arts companies according to criteria for the highest artistic performing standards, borrowing from the model operating successfully in Australia. Festivals, however significant, are not national performing companies; as appropriate, some festivals will be supported in other ways such as through EventScotland, Creative Scotland or by local authorities.

Any companies aspiring to win the status of a 'national performing arts company' will require to meet a set of operating criteria in order to gain and retain membership of the national performing companies. Those elite bodies that qualify will need to fulfil a funded contract that requires them to deliver a superior standard of performance, touring, education and outreach programmes, while ensuring consistent performance in terms of governance and financial sustainability. We shall also expect them to co-operate with each other on joint projects and productions, and to seek efficiencies from their collaborative activity. To underline our commitment to those national bodies entering the new arrangement, the Executive plans to increase their funding. Nothing in these new arrangements will affect the artistic independence of these companies - that must not, and will not, be compromised.

A new and exciting feature of the plan is that the national youth companies will be eligible for inclusion. This would contribute to the new goal of an escalator of talent leading from school to the highest levels of international performing excellence. The national performing companies - both youth and adult companies - should be the target to which Scotland's ambitious and talented young performers aspire.

A variety of arrangements are in place at present for the funding of the national performing companies. Whereas the longer established companies are independent entities in receipt of core grant, the National Theatre of Scotland is presently in public ownership. In future, the funding of all the national performing companies will be undertaken directly by the Executive, using the resources currently committed to this function through the Scottish Arts Council. We consider there is a case for consistency of treatment with the National Institutions, which receive funding direct from the Executive. This change will assist in clarifying roles and responsibilities. As mentioned, the companies' artistic decisions in delivering their programmes will remain strictly a matter for their boards, who will remain responsible for the management of the companies.

We shall review the governance arrangements of the national performing companies and consult them on any steps required to streamline their administration. We shall aim both to secure efficiencies and to strengthen accountability for the companies' use of public funds.

We expect the national performing bodies to contribute to the development of standards and cultural entitlements for their respective sectors.

To discharge its new role, appropriate expertise will be required by the Executive's funding team; relevant Scottish Arts Council staff will transfer to the Executive under the relevant employment protection arrangements in force. Consistent with the approach planned for the Collections, the national performing companies will also be encouraged to adopt a 'common services' arrangement to discharge their supporting functions such as marketing, press, and estates strategy (mentioned above).

Also consistent with the treatment of the National Collections, it will be open to those performing companies - adult and youth alike - that are not presently counted amongst Scotland's national performing companies, to qualify for 'national' status if they meet the criteria.

According to the proposed split of roles between national and local levels, support for the performance venues visited by the national performing companies would fall to local venue operators. This would not apply to 'core' rehearsal facilities, which are properly part of the core funding package provided in future direct from the Executive. Provision of local venues will secure for local communities greater opportunity to enjoy touring and outreach activity, which will become a regular feature in the national performing companies' programmes.

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