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Rankin, Kennedy in Creative Scotland attack

09.10.12 | Benedicte Page

Ian Rankin, A L Kennedy, Andrew O'Hagan, Alasdair Gray, Liz Lochhead, Don Paterson and Robin Robertson are among over 100 signatories to an open letter sent to Creative Scotland expressing dismay over what is described as an "ongoing crisis" at the arts funding organisation.

The signatories—which also include high-profile figures from other branches of the arts, among them artist Richard Wright and composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies—criticise the body for "ill-conceived decision-making, unclear language, lack of empathy and regard for Scottish culture", as well as "a confused and intrusive management style married to a corporate ethos that seems designed to set artist against artist and company against company in the search for resources".

The letter asks Creative Scotland to affirm the value of stable two-to-three year funding for small arts organisations, end the use of "business speak and obfuscating jargon", revisit policies "with an eye to social and cultural as well as commercial values" and ensure that funding decisions "are taken by people with art-form expertise".

"We do not sign this letter lightly but we feel we are in an unprecedented situation," the letter states. "We call on you to act swiftly to make what changes are necessary to the organisation to repair trust and restore communication before any further damage is done to Scotland's cultural landscape and international reputation."

A spokesperson for Creative Scotland said the organisation acknowledged it had "issues in terms of restoring trust and collaborative working practices with the arts and culture sector" and was currently working hard to do this, saying "real progress" had been made in recent weeks.

The spokesperson went on: "Creative Scotland is absolutely committed to investing [in] organisations who produce quality work. This week the first of the former FXO ['flexibly funded'] organisations will hear about their applications for up to two years¹ worth of programmes. Creative Scotland fully recognise the social value of arts and culture as well as the economic value.  

"Funding decisions and recommendations are still taken by people with art-form expertise who work, in some cases, across portfolios."

The organisation is listening closely to what the sector was telling them and taking positive action as a result, she added.

Creative Scotland published a review of its funding programmes in May, stating that it intended to shift organisations from two-year funding programmes to an annual investment or to project-based investment.

• A L Kennedy
• Alisdair Gray
• Andrew O'Hagan
• Benedicte Page
• Creative Scotland
• Don Paterson
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• Ian Rankin
• Liz Lochhead
• Robin Robertson