Direct expenditure by the Scottish Executive on arts and culture will increase by 85% to reach £43m by 2007/08, during which time the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) will see a 20% increase in its income, in line with inflation, from £47.5m in the current financial year to £57.1m.
The latest spending package for the arts in Scotland was announced by Finance Minister Andrew Kerr in a presentation to the Scottish Assembly as part of the Scottish Executive?s budget plans for the next four years. Describing it as ?a budget of long-term investment in the next generation and the future of Scotland?, he made a commitment to maintain funding of £4m a year to the newly created National Theatre of Scotland and £10m a year to continue support for free instrumental tuition for all schoolchildren. A further £7.7m has been earmarked for the National Galleries of Scotland, to enable them to purchase outright the former school building that houses the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, which is currently leased from the Crown Estates Commissioners. Richard Calvocoressi, the Director of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art said, ?We have been renting the Gallery for 20 years but this will allow us, in 2006/07, to buy it outright. It will open up all sorts of possibilities for us.?
The spending plans have been tied to targets for the arts. These include encouraging participation and activities to promote social inclusion, and a commitment to increase the number of people taking part in funded cultural activities by 3% by March 2008. There is also a pledge to increase the number of ?cultural successes? by 3% by March 2008. No detail was given on how these targets would be measured. Graham Berry, Director of SAC, broadly welcomed the announcement, describing it as a ?demonstration of confidence in the work of the Scottish Arts Council.?
The announcement of the spending plans was swiftly followed by a cabinet reshuffle which saw the sacking of the much criticised Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Frank McAveety, and the shift of the Finance Minister, who had drawn up the spending plans, to become Health Minister. McAveety was recently hauled before First Minister Jack McConnell as a result of the so-called ?pie-gate? affair. He had arrived late for parliamentary questions, claiming to have been at a Scottish Arts Council function when he had in fact been in the canteen eating pie and beans. This, coupled with the recent criticisms from the arts community over his handling of Scottish Opera?s troubled finances, meant that his position was seen as being untenable. He has been replaced by Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and former health service administrator, and the role of Culture Minister has been expanded. It will now be a full salaried Cabinet post with additional responsibilities. The Minister?s brief will cover tourism, culture and the arts, sport, major events strategy, built heritage, architecture, Historic Scotland and Lottery funding, as well as assisting the First Minister on external relations. She will be immediately faced with the task of finding a Chair for the Scottish Arts Council and will also have to respond swiftly to the findings of the Scottish Cultural Commission, which is scheduled to deliver initial reports later this month.