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Local government spending on the arts in Scotland has helped maintain overall spending on culture there at a higher per capita level than in the rest of the UK, according to a new study. While arts spending in Scotland only accounts for less than a half of one per cent of all public expenditure in the country, this is still a significantly higher proportion of spending than spending in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
The survey, by Glasgow University?s Centre for Cultural Policy Research, coincides with the launch of the Scottish Cultural Commission which was established last month to conduct a review into the country?s cultural infrastructure (ArtsProfessional issue 73, May 3, p1). It analysed expenditure on culture across the UK from 1996/1997 through to 2001/2002, the last year for which figures were universally available. Arts expenditure accounted for 0.49 per cent of public spending in Scotland, 0.39 per cent in Wales, 0.36 per cent in England and 0.31 per cent in Northern Ireland. Public expenditure as a whole is much higher in Scotland than in the rest of the UK; and, when arts spending is broken down on a per capita basis, the comparison is still striking. Total public spending on the arts per head in Scotland was £31, against only £18 in England, £21 in Northern Ireland and £23 in Wales. Of the four, Scotland is the only country where local government arts expenditure is higher than central government expenditure. Susan Galloway, a Research Fellow at the University and author of the report says, ?Within the context of UK public expenditure as a whole, spending on the arts is very small. Increasing the percentage share of all public expenditure by a tiny amount would result in a very large sum of additional support for the arts.?