Scottish Government publishes its Culture Strategy 6 Mar 2020

The Scottish Government has published its Culture Strategy, backed by £1.25m in funding. Plans include:

• A £280k Arts Alive programme, bringing 250 cultural sessions to schools, nurseries and libraries, including five artists’ residencies.
• A £40k pilot project with Museums Galleries Scotland to recruit staff from diverse backgrounds and help them work towards an SQA accredited qualification.
• There will be more support for the Arts, Culture, Health & Wellbeing Scotland Network to address health inequality and offer rehabilitation through culture.
• It will create a programme to support Expressive Arts in the school curriculum.
• A new National Partnership for Culture will also advise ministers on opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration.
• There will be mapping of local authority support for culture.
• The strategy emphasised fair pay and working practices, saying that Creative Scotland, national museums and Historic Environment Scotland have a leadership role to play in modelling fair practice.
• There will be a review of the cultural workforce and its leadership development, led by Creative Scotland, and a look at remuneration for Board members of national cultural bodies to increase diversity.

In her introduction to the strategy, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said “the value of a strong culture and creative sector cannot be overestimated. Through sustaining and nurturing culture, we are investing in the future cultural, social and economic success of Scotland. For all these reasons, the Scottish Government values culture in and of itself. And we also recognise its wider impact. Culture brings people to live, work and do business here, and shapes our reputation as a warm, welcoming, open, progressive nation.” Scottish Government (press release), Scottish Government (full strategy), Arts Professional (paywall), The Scotsman (Hyslop), The Scotsman (fair pay)