Scotland

Creative Scotland has defended its decision to fund a film installation featuring participants engaging in "non-simulated" sex.

The REIN project, which was initially presented as “an exploration of dyke sexuality”, secured more than £110,000 of lottery funding from the Scottish arts body. 

Support was cancelled when concerns were raised that the project's website was advertising for people to take part in "non-simulated" sex, including "hardcore" acts.

MSPs were told that Creative Scotland had since reclaimed £76,196 from the project.

In a letter to a Scottish parliament committee, Creative Scotland Chief Executive Iain Munro defended the initial grant and praised REIN Director Leonie Rae Gasson's "track record".

He said the application showed a "clear storytelling narrative, strong sexual themes and simulated sexual performance, and would speak to a particular audience rather than the mainstream".

He added that it was important for Creative Scotland to support work "representative of all parts of Scottish society, including those who are more marginalised". 

It was not until March that the funding body became aware of the intention to include real sex, which Munro said "took the project into unacceptable territory" for public funding. 

Those behind the REIN project have disagreed with Creative Scotland's version of events.

A statement sent to The Herald newspaper said they "do not agree that they misled the funding body" and that they were not given any opportunity "to work towards a joint resolution or alternative outcome prior to the funding body's decision to defund the work". 

Creative Scotland has deferred decision-making for its Open Fund for Individuals by up to four weeks while conducting an internal review to identify areas for improvement in its awarding process.

The move follows public and political fallout after its decision to award £85,000 to a controversial film featuring actors in “non-simulated” sex scenes. 

Scottish Parliament has launched a separate probe into Creative Scotland’s decision to back the project, asking the funding body to provide MSPs with details of the full criteria and process for handling funding applications.

Creative Scotland has revoked its support for the film and is seeking recovery of the funding.

A statement from Creative Scotland said that the review of its Open Fund for Individuals will result in “a short, temporary extension to existing timelines to enable additional assurance on applications that are recommended for funding.”

It confirmed that the process would not affect projects already issued a funding contract and aimed to “minimise impact on applicants”.
 

Creative Scotland has withdrawn funding for a project featuring participants engaging in "non-simulated" sex and "hardcore" acts.

The funding body had previously agreed to award £85,000 for the development of the Rein project, a 45-minute film by director Leonie Rae Gasson that was initially presented as “an exploration of dyke sexuality”.

But concerns were raised after the project's website advertised for people to take part in "non-simulated" sex, including "hardcore" acts for a fee of £270 per day.

A statement issued by Creative Scotland today (14 March) said the latest phase of the project "represents a breach of the conditions of funding award, as the nature of the project has changed". 

"The central role that ‘non-simulated’ (i.e real) sex acts now play in the project, marks a significant change to the nature of the work presented in the original application which was assessed for funding," the statement said. 

"Following a review of the application, assessment, and contractual agreement regarding the project Rein, Creative Scotland has made the decision to withdraw support for this project and will be seeking recovery of funding paid in respect of this award to date."

Earlier this week Scotland's Culture Secretary Angus Robertson told the Scottish parliament that Rein should not have received public money and that he “shared the concerns that have been raised”.

Two climate activists have been arrested following alleged vandalism at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.

Climate activist group This is Rigged said protesters staged a demonstration on 3 March to raise awareness about rising food insecurity in the UK. They are calling on the Scottish Government to implement a community food hub for every 500 households in Scotland.

In footage posted on social media, protesters were seen pouring porridge and jam on a bust of Queen Victoria and graffitiing its plinth.

In a statement, the group said: "We refuse to be dragged back to the Victorian era. Diseases such as rickets, which once haunted Victorian slums, are now on a sharp rise in Scotland, with 356 diagnoses in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area last year."

Police Scotland said officers were called to the attraction in Glasgow's West End at about 11:55 on Sunday and that two women, aged 23 and 30, were charged following the incident involving a Queen Victoria bust.

They were released to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date.

An employment tribunal has ruled 17 members of a former ensemble, which became insolvent suddenly last year, are entitled to a share of £30,350 compensation.

The Nevis Ensemble, which had a total of 19 fellows who regularly performed in care homes, prisons, schools and recovery groups, announced sudden insolvency in January 2023.

The charity, which launched in 2018 and gave almost 700 performances, said it was facing “severe funding challenges” and was “unable to deliver their activities” at the time of the closure.

It left the musicians they supported without a promised annual bursary of £11,000, paid in monthly £1,000 instalments.

The compensation awarded in the employment tribunal is for unauthorised deduction of wages, breach of contract and unpaid holidays.

Sam Dunkley, Musicians’ Union Acting Regional Organiser for Scotland and Northern Ireland said: “We are pleased that the Employment Tribunal Judgment has found in favour of the Nevis fellows and awarded compensation for losses suffered and for a protective award for the lack of information and consultation. 

“These musicians were dismissed with no notice or consultation process, leaving them in real financial peril and without the security they should have had.

“We hope that those engaging musicians take time to consider the impact of this finding and recognise employed musicians properly in their workforce, as well as following appropriate redundancy and consultation procedures when necessary.”