« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
Section Three
Creative Scotland
3.1 Part 2 of the draft Bill is about the proposed new national cultural development body, Creative Scotland, and what it will do.
The situation now
3.2. At present there are two bodies in Scotland that support culture, in the form of the arts, film and the wider screen industries. The Scottish Arts Council is responsible for funding, developing and promoting all branches of the arts. Scottish Screen is responsible for developing screen culture and industry. Both bodies are also involved with the support and development of the 'creative industries'. Both are executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies ( NDPBs), for which the Scottish Ministers have responsibility.
Creative Scotland
3.3 Ministers believe that there should be a single national cultural development body. 2 It makes sense and should be more efficient to have one public body addressing such closely related issues and activities. The draft Bill therefore proposes the establishment of Creative Scotland. The body's interests will involve all branches of the arts, the screen industries and the creative industries. It will have a number of main responsibilities:
- It will promote understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the arts and culture to people in Scotland, and will in particular seek to increase the number and diversity of people accessing and enjoying them;
- It will identify, support and develop talent and excellence in the arts and culture;
- It will seek to realise the benefits of the arts and culture; and,
- It will help to support the success of the creative industries.
In the above, we include the screen industries within culture and the creative industries.
3.4 Creative Scotland will encourage greater access to and enjoyment of the arts and culture. It will spread good practice about attracting the interest and involvement of more and more diverse people. It will do this in part by developing advice on a range of topics (including, for example, advice on the involvement of the voluntary sector in culture and encouraging private sector sponsorship).
3.5 Creative Scotland will support talent and excellence in the arts and culture. As part of this, it will award funds to people and organisations in the arts and culture. It will work with industry, each of the cultural sectors, the educational sector and others to add to and improve the routes through which talented artists, filmmakers and other practitioners and businesses can develop further. It will also develop schemes to recognise and celebrate excellence in our artists, artisans, filmmakers and creative individuals.
3.6 The new body will have an economic development role for the creative industries. The creative industries are those industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property. They include such activities as design, music, publishing, literature, craft, designer fashion, film, computer and gaming software and television and radio.
3.7 We are presently considering to what extent business advice and support to these industries should be provided in future by the Enterprise Networks and/or by Creative Scotland. This sector is increasingly important to the Scottish economy, with growing international sales of craft, films, television programmes and computer games. Ministers expect to reach a view on this in 2007.
3.8 Creative Scotland will play a central role in delivering the Executive's wider cultural policy. It (and other national bodies) will contribute to work on a quality assurance framework for local provision, embracing national cultural standards. It will also work with the Executive and other partners to encourage greater appreciation across the public sector of the potential of culture and cultural activity to help achieve public policy objectives, like, for example, improving the confidence and skills of the most disadvantaged children and young people. It will also work with business to realise the benefits of the arts and culture in the private sector.
3.9 The detailed tasks envisaged for Creative Scotland were described on page 33 of Scotland's Culture.
Relationship with the Scottish Ministers
3.10 Because of its strategic role in delivering cultural policy, Creative Scotland will have a close relationship with Ministers. Ministers will look to Creative Scotland to provide them with advice about cultural policy and its impact. It will play an important role in helping Ministers to guide local authorities in providing local cultural entitlements, and by contributing to the guidance and quality assurance framework that Ministers will give to authorities. The organisations and projects that Creative Scotland will support will also be able to contribute to local entitlements and cultural planning activity.
3.11 The draft Bill also includes a power for the Scottish Ministers to give directions to Creative Scotland which they must follow. The purpose of this proposal is to ensure that Ministers and Creative Scotland pursue a consistent strategy. It is not designed and Ministers will not use such powers to intervene in the decisions of Creative Scotland that are essentially about artistic judgement, like which theatre companies or films are considered good enough to be awarded funding. Ministers remain strongly committed to the principle that decisions of this kind should not be taken by them.
Governance and powers of Creative Scotland
3.12 Creative Scotland will consist of members appointed by the Scottish Ministers (one of whom will be appointed by the Scottish Ministers as Chair). There will be a minimum of 8 members and a maximum of 15. Creative Scotland will be required to appoint a chief executive on terms and conditions approved by Scottish Ministers. It will have a range of powers to pursue its remit, including power to make grants and loans, offer guarantees and publish information and advice. Creative Scotland will work in concert with the National Collections, national performing companies, other national bodies, local authorities and the range of Scottish and UK bodies with responsibilities in this area. Like its two antecedent bodies, Creative Scotland will distribute National Lottery funds.
Consultation Questions
3.13 We would be particularly interested in your views on:
- Do you agree that there should be a single national cultural development body?
- Do you agree with the remit proposed for Creative Scotland? Has it the right powers and functions?
- Do you agree that Creative Scotland should work in concert with the Scottish Executive to implement national cultural policy?
« Previous | Contents | Next »