That Scotland?s First Minister, Jack McConnell, cares about the arts is beyond question. In recent years, culture and the place of the arts in society have become highly contentious issues in the Scottish parliament and the Scottish media. While the debate was initially framed as a conflict between the tartan/traditional view on the one hand and a Trainspotting/internationalist vision on the other, it has now broadened into an access versus excellence debate. Stuck in the middle of this is the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) with the unenviable task of satisfying all these diners from a very meagre pot.
Now with a fresh Commission established to investigate Scotland?s cultural economy (a mere four years after the last such review), fears abound that SAC may be the fall guy for not having pleased all of the people all of the time. Should SAC be forced out of existence, the question remains as to what the Scottish Executive will put in its place. Any form of arts funding system with administration devolved to local authorities, would lack a national perspective. However, a centrally-driven government run system would finally shatter any illusion of arm?s-length arts funding. Whether it likes it or not, the Commission may be faced with a rather stark choice: risk the fragmentation of cultural policy by delegating funding decisions to local level, or allow the arts agenda to be placed at the mercy of politically-expedient decision-making, the like of which is becoming all too familiar in Wales (ArtsProfessional issue 71, April 5, pp 2-3). In the political buffer zone, it could be that SAC will continue to fulfil a vital if dangerous role, dodging bullets from the various camps.
Published: 03-05-2004