Creative Scotland have been advised a new model to help individual artists work with producers.
Creative Scotland should adopt a new model to make sure independent performing artists get access to the producing support they need, according to an internal report for the organisation, written by Lucy Mason, suggesting how the funding body could create better access to producing talent. The report, which presents the findings of a feasibility study for a Producers’ Hub for Performing Artists in Scotland, concludes that artists are hindered from fulfilling their creative potential by “the amount of administration and company management required of them between projects, or because they are unable to secure the long-term services of an experienced producer.” A survey of artists found that 85% currently do their own producing work due to lack of funds, while 93% feel having a producer is the one thing that would make the most difference in their ability to bring their work to audiences. There is, however, a mismatch between what artists want from a producer and what producers see as a priority to provide for artists. Support with fundraising is what is most sought by artists, but this appears only third on a list of services currently offered by producers. The report recommends the creation of a managed network of independent producing teams hosted by Scotland’s existing performing arts venues and support agencies, together with an extended producing role for Scotland’s existing producing companies, but it notes that there is unlikely to be an answer that suits all performance companies that could potentially use producers.