SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

SCOTLAND'S CULTURE

A diverse but unique tradition
Scotland's culture is dynamic and diverse. It has developed and been shaped over many years by the experiences of Scotland's inhabitants and their contacts with others. Culture is notoriously difficult to define. Creating Our Future: Minding Our Past has been guided by a broad definition, in line with that adopted in 1982 by the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies.

'In its widest sense, culture may now be said to be the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterise a society or group. It includes not only the arts and letters, but also modes of life, the fundamental rights of the human beings, value systems, traditions and beliefs.'

This strategy therefore takes a broad view of Scotland's culture. It includes ideas, customs and traditions, beliefs, habits of thinking, religions, languages, identities, mythologies and histories, and the expression of these in myriad forms such as poetry and prose, visual arts, music, song, theatre, comedy, dance, architecture, design, costume, film, photography and a range of crafts. It is represented in the natural and historical landscape; archaeology; buildings; museum, gallery and library collections; archives and records; and shared memories and experiences. It includes aspects of lifestyle, such as sport and leisure. We can participate in Scotland's culture almost anywhere: in museums, theatres, schools, colleges, streets, galleries, libraries, churches, cinemas, sports grounds, workplaces, local halls, pubs, and in our homes. Not only have new technologies dramatically widened global access to Scotland's culture, but they have also widened our understanding of what that culture is.

The creators of Scotland's culture
A wide range of people have key roles in presenting and representing culture, including artists, performers, poets, writers, architects, film-makers, sportspeople, broadcasters, journalists, advertisers, commentators, teachers, historians, curators, archivists and librarians. The experience and history of all Scotland's citizens are the key ingredients which make our culture distinctively Scottish.

Continuous migration both into and out of Scotland has enriched our culture and widened horizons and aspirations. Political and geographical links with England, Wales, Eire and Northern Ireland have involved significant cultural exchange. The imported and home-grown have blended to create a unique but diverse tradition. Amongst others, Nordic, Irish, Celtic and Anglo-Saxon influences are still evident. More recently, our culture is enriched by the traditions of new generations of Scots, in particular those from the Indian subcontinent, and by global access to other cultures through film, television and popular music. Scottish culture and heritage show our creativity in many diverse fields, including science and its technological applications. This diversity of influence is reflected in the collections held by our museums, galleries and libraries. Cultural trade continues to stimulate creativity, scholarship and expertise in ideas, art forms, crafts, language and literature. We have close links, not only with the other countries in the United Kingdom, but also with countries where many Scots have settled in the past, including the Commonwealth countries, as well as with Europe and beyond. The development of mass communications has widened the range of cultural influences and opportunities for the vast majority of the population. Our culture is therefore a rich, complex blend of the indigenous and the international.

Innovation: creativity in action
Scotland's culture is dynamic and its capacity to respond to new influences and to integrate them with existing traditions has been an enduring strength. Many of the most recognisable symbols of Scotland's culture, such as piping and other traditional arts, had their origins in other countries. At the same time, ideas and techniques originating in Scotland continue to have an extraordinary influence throughout the world. The ability to adopt and adapt, allied to a capacity for innovation, mean that Scotland is well placed to respond to the accelerating trend towards globalisation while maintaining a culture which remains modern, distinctive and relevant to the experience of Scots.

Everyone contributes
Culture is the product of many individual contributions and experiences: professional and amateur; performer and creator; audience and passer-by. Many bodies, public and private, voluntary and charitable have important roles to play. The national cultural strategy recognises these contributions and provides a framework within which they can be developed.

The cultural and creative industries are one of the most significant parts of Scotland's economy: the creative industries alone are estimated to be worth around £5 billion to the Scottish economy each year; 50,000 are employed in the cultural sector. These industries also make a major contribution to people's quality of life. The key to their success in a highly competitive global market is quality. The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of creating the conditions to enable these dynamic and increasingly important industries to flourish.

Healthy participation rates in a range of voluntary arts activities demonstrate the commitment of individuals across Scotland to their communities. There is, however, scope to increase the number of participants and volunteers to ensure that the benefits are available to a wider range of communities.

It will be essential to ensure that the public support mechanisms for culture remain appropriate to the requirements of the 21st Century, make the best use of available resources, and provide appropriate leadership. They must operate to empower and enable individuals to engage, to experience and to realise their potential.

The existing support framework
The roles of the public sector include giving direct support to a framework of agencies, institutions and services which have become central to the cultural life of the nation. Scottish Executive agencies, such as Historic Scotland, carry remits for particular aspects of cultural provision and access, as do national institutions, such as the National Library of Scotland, the National Museums of Scotland and the National Galleries of Scotland. The Scottish Executive also funds the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen and the Royal Fine Arts Commission. It sponsors a number of groups to support work in particular sectors and to establish supportive networks amongst the various contributors. These include the Scottish Museums Council and the Scottish Library and Information Council. Most of these bodies work at 'arm's length', making day to day operational and strategic decisions independently, but receiving funding from the Executive, to carry out an agreed plan for which they are accountable.

Being effective locally: the role of Local Authorities
Local authorities are key players in public sector cultural provision. Recently, structural changes have affected the way in which they are able to make provision. A range of new structures has developed to deliver new corporate objectives and many are involved in rationalising and restructuring to deliver a cohesive, corporate approach to services.
A number of Local Authorities have entered partnerships with one another and others, including the Scottish Arts Council, to support cultural activity.

Implications for a national strategy
These factors provide the context for development of the National Cultural Strategy. That context and the strategy must have at their heart the following principles:

• Culture is the common social currency which permeates and can link many dimensions of people's lives in Scotland and beyond
• Culture is dynamic - it both reflects and shapes our society
• Participation in cultural activities can improve the quality of life of individuals and communities, promote social inclusion, raise self-esteem and confidence, and widen horizons
• Culture is at the heart of education
• The creativity of our citizens is a key national resource, vital to the individual's quality of life and to society's well being
• Disability should be no barrier to cultural access
• Scotland's unique cultural treasures and traditions should be conserved, valued and promoted, both at home and abroad, and interest in the cultures of other countries should be encouraged
• National and local cultural organisations need to work in partnership with the community from which their audience is drawn
• Decisions about public funding of culture should be informed by valid and reliable evidence and based upon clearly understood criteria.

Through the cultural strategy the Scottish Executive aims to build on these principles in order to:

• Promote human dignity and rights, and the values of democracy, fairness, tolerance, social justice and equality
• Realise the creative potential of all Scotland's citizens
• Ensure that all can contribute to, enjoy and benefit from Scotland's culture
• Recognise the central role of education in cultural development
• Increase opportunities for celebrating Scotland's culture both in Scotland and abroad
• Increase cultural participation by children and young people both in school and beyond
• Stimulate and celebrate excellence in all areas
• Promote diversity within Scotland's culture
• Conserve and reinvigorate Scotland's cultural heritage
• Encourage and value individual artists and creators.
• Maximise the benefits of new technology for culture and access to culture
• Encourage and support the creative industries
• Ensure the significant contribution of culture to work in other areas of national priority, including social justice and education, is fully developed
• Provide a responsive and transparent support framework for culture based on clearly defined roles of the public bodies and agencies
• Establish clear criteria and priorities for targeting public support and for evaluating the quality of provision.

Strategic Objectives
These principles and aims are firmly based on the many views expressed in the public consultation on this strategy. A wide range of actions involving many partners working together will contribute to the achievement of these aims. In the following sections we set out these actions which are guided by the following strategic objectives:

• Promoting creativity, the arts, and other cultural activity
• Celebrating Scotland's cultural heritage in its full diversity
• Realising culture's potential contribution to education, promoting inclusion and enhancing people's quality of life
• Assuring an effective national support framework for culture.