The Scottish Government has set out a Culture and External Affairs Budget which protects support for the creative industries and access to high-quality cultural experiences, according to Minister for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop.

She said: “Scotland faces unprecedented cuts imposed by the Westminster Government which go too far and too fast. During this financial year we protected the organisations we fund from cuts, giving them notice to prepare for these anticipated reductions in 2011.

“In this portfolio, we are prioritising spending to minimise the impact on key cultural organisations. Our support for the creative industries, tourism and high-quality cultural experiences will help to secure economic recovery.

“We remain committed to our global responsibilities. Having doubled the international development budget to £9 million since 2007, we will maintain that level in cash terms in 2011/12. This will ensure Scotland continues to help some of the world’s most vulnerable people living in desperate and absolute poverty.

“The tangible outcome of the reduction in our overall budget will be a severely limited ability for the Government to respond to requests during the year to support emerging opportunities or new initiatives. This lack of flexibility means that almost all cultural spend will be through the organisations we fund and I am challenging them to do more with what they receive and continue to strive for more efficiency.

“While the capital budget is reducing significantly, our investment over the past four years in major projects will see a clutch of landmark national attractions open in 2011, enhancing Scotland’s attraction to visitors. The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum will be a wonderful addition to the tourist and cultural experience; redevelopments of the National Portrait Gallery and the Royal Museum will open up more of the riches of our National Collections; and the impressive Stirling Palace renovation project will be completed. We will also provide support to the V&A at Dundee and remain committed to our £5 million contribution to the redevelopment of the Bannockburn visitor centre.”

The main points from the Culture and External Affairs Budget are:

Creative Scotland – the national body supporting and promoting Scotland’s culture, arts and creative industries – will see its core budget maintained in 2011/12 while being challenged to achieve even more. This takes account of the £700,000 savings already made since the organisation’s inception and its lead role in supporting growth within the creative industries – a key sector in the Scottish economy with great potential for growth.

Support for Arts + Business Scotland and the Cultural Enterprise Office (via ring-fenced funding allocated to Creative Scotland) is also being protected, recognising their continuing importance in encouraging private investment in the arts and creative industries, and supporting fledging creative enterprises.

The Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund will continue for 2011/12, investing £2 million across the 12 festivals, and providing a platform for growth. The Expo Fund- introduced by the Scottish Government in 2007 – has enabled more than 4,000 performances from 40 Scottish-based companies and artists to reach global audiences, through investment of £6 million over the past three years.

Scotland’s National Collections are a rich cultural and educational resource that belong to the people of Scotland. Reflecting the drive to make this resource as widely available as possible, the individual Collections’ budgets will see a smaller reduction (four per cent) than the average across the portfolio. The Scottish Government wants free entry to the National Galleries and Museums to continue and will work with them to achieve this.

2011 will be a landmark year for the National Collections, as the benefits of current Scottish Government investment in refurbishment of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and redevelopment of the Royal Museum are realised.

The five directly-funded National Performing Companies share a four per cent reduction in resource funding. While identifying efficiencies, they will continue to showcase the high quality of Scotland’s contemporary culture at home and abroad, assisted by protection of the £350,000 International Touring Fund. The RSNO and Scottish Opera will both benefit from capital funding for projects that improve and secure their established bases in Glasgow.

With an investment of £24.9 million*, a sustainable future for Gaelic and creation of a new generation of Gaelic speakers remain a priority for the Scottish Government. Bòrd na Gàidhlig is being challenged to identify efficiencies of 5.7 per cent by ensuring the Gaelic organisations operate as an effective network for the promotion of Gaelic and creation of a new generation of Gaelic speakers. The economic and cultural life of rural Scotland and areas of low population continues to be revitalised by investment in Gaelic.

While delivering the ambitious Bannockburn, Stirling Palace and “Scottish Ten” projects, heritage agency Historic Scotland will be challenged to increase income at its sites and exploit fresh income generation opportunities. The agency will focus on maximising its impact on the protection and promotion of Scotland’s built heritage while identifying seven per cent resource savings through a comprehensive structural review that focuses on delivery of frontline services and reduces administration costs.

In 2007, the Scottish Government doubled the International Development budget to £9 million. It remains committed to playing its part in the global fight against poverty and, as a result, is maintaining this level of funding in 2011/12.

The Scottish Government

Source: Scottish Government