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Creative Scotland funding package sees small shift from Edinburgh and Glasgow

Creative Scotland’s next multi-year funding programme features arts organisations based in seven local authorities not included in its last portfolio.

Patrick Jowett
5 min read

The share of core funding for arts and culture organisations in Edinburgh and Glasgow is set to fall slightly, following previous accusations of funding bias towards Scotland’s two largest cities, analysis by Arts Professional has found.

In Creative Scotland’s last portfolio, Edinburgh and Glasgow-based organisations shared an average £23.2m a year, representing 68.7% of the annual budget.

This will see a small proportional decrease in 2025/26 – with the two cities sharing £39.3m, just under two thirds (65.9%) of the £59.7m available.

Meanwhile, more than a third (35.5%) of organisations set to receive funding in Creative Scotland’s new multi-year funding programme will deliver work across all of Scotland, the funding body has said.

The three-year funding package announced last week, worth a total £200m, will support 251 organisations across Scotland from April onwards, consisting of 110 that previously received core funding and 141 that are joining the portfolio.

A statement from Creative Scotland says its new multi-year funding programme will better represent Scotland’s geography and diversity and is set to reach more parts of the country and more parts of society.

Figures released by Creative Scotland highlight the broad spread of creative practice across the new programme, with 31% of organisations working on a multi-disciplinary basis, 18% working primarily in music, 18% in visual arts, 15% in theatre, 6% in dance, 5% working in literature and 5% in screen. 

The funder adds that many organisations in the portfolio are producing work that crosses art-form boundaries, while two thirds of the organisations have an EDI focus to their work.

Wider reach

A total of 27 Scottish local authorities are represented in Creative Scotland’s next multi-year portfolio, compared with 21 in the previous portfolio.

Seven local authorities that were not included in the last round – East Ayrshire, Falkirk, North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian – feature in the new portfolio, represented by 11 organisations.

They include the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr, which is set to benefit from £622,750 over the next three years, and Showcase Scotland Expo, a Dalry-based organisation that promotes Scottish artists within folk, traditional, world and acoustic music, which will receive £721,392 across the funding period.

Bo’ness Hippodrome Silent Film Festival is Falkirk’s lone representative in the portfolio. It is celebrating its three-year grant totalling £313,986 ahead of the 15th edition of the festival next month.

The festival’s director, Alison Strauss, told local press the funding secures the future of the festival for the coming years. “[The funding] will support HippFest in continuing to be an important part of Scotland’s cultural calendar and retain its position as part of the silent film community across the globe,” Strauss added.

Paisley-based PACE Theatre Company, which specialises in work with young people, is another new organisation on the list and is set to receive £391,667 over the three years. Chief executive Grant Mason said the funding will help the company provide quality arts experiences for young people in Renfrewshire and beyond. 

“We are acutely aware of the challenges faced by cultural organisations, and whilst we were pleased to see many of our colleagues receive support today, our thoughts are with those in our sector who didn’t receive positive news,” Mason added.

North Lanarkshire misses out

Only one local authority represented in the last portfolio is not included in Creative Scotland’s new list of multi-year funding.

The omission of North Lanarkshire comes as its lone representative on the previous list, Cumbernauld Theatre Trust, has missed out on regular funding.

The theatre has released a statement on its website saying it is “deeply disappointed” its application was unsuccessful, adding the decision “threatens our ability to continue delivering the rich artistic and cultural experiences that have made Cumbernauld Theatre a cornerstone of Scotland’s performing arts sector”.

“Every year, we welcome over 40,000 audience members, artists, and participants into our venue, offering a diverse and inclusive artistic programme that inspires, challenges, and enriches lives,” the theatre’s statement adds.

“This funding decision places all of this at risk.”

It has been reported the theatre is the only organisation to have lost its long-term funding, having received £266,000 in annual funding as part of the current programme.

Simon Sharkey, former artistic director at the theatre, told the Scotsman the theatre is “without a doubt one of the most important theatres in Scotland”.

“It is a crucial part of the foundations of Scottish theatre,” he added. “Just because it doesn’t sit in a city centre doesn’t mean it is less worthy of support”.

Guidance on Creative Scotland’s website says organisations previously in receipt of at least £50,000 in annual funding that were unsuccessful in their Stage 2 multi-year funding application are eligible to apply to the funding body’s Transition Support Programme, that will “provide a short, fixed period of financial security and/or specialist advice”.

The funder’s website adds that 281 applications were received during Stage 2 of the application process, requesting a total £88.4m.