AHM pose a question

At the AHM symposium in October, Philip Schlesinger questioned whether Creative Scotland will be successful - will it convince the public it works? As yet there there are no clear set of objectives - only a vacuum of silence - although it appears that a business plan will be finalised in December. Philip Schlesinger noted that The Symposium offered the first real focus for debate since the establishment of Creative Scotland in July, 2010.

The discussion session was mainly about how artists could achieve a “voice” with Schlesinger suggesting that effective lobbying should reach out beyond obvious self-interest and that a more sophisticated argument, involving others, needs to be thought through.

AHM would like to pose an initial question: What do you, artists, designers, creative beings, expect and want from Creative Scotland?

Please share your thoughts via the AHM Symposium group on Central Station:


http://community.thisiscentralstation.com/_AHM-pose-a-question/blog/3024058/126249.html

SAU manifesto

After Creative Scotland

A statement on the future of Scottish culture

The long-delayed advent of Creative Scotland will not transform the provision of
government-funded support for the arts overnight. Creative Scotland 2009 Ltd is
supposed to equip Creative Scotland with sufficient structures, guidance and
groundwork that they need not turn to anyone, least of all the government, for
instructions on how to fulfil their remit of support for the arts. Indeed ministers
are forbidden from giving such instructions at all. However the new agency’s
form will not be fully realised on opening day and there will be an inevitable
transitional period wherein things remain fluid. It is during this time that those in
the sector will have an opportunity to shape Creative Scotland and perhaps
make up for the inadequate and shallow consultation that has been the hallmark
of the preceding years.

As ever the SAU speaks for visual and applied artists specifically. We believe
that effective support of these invaluable workers depends on a handful of
principles. Should Creative Scotland fail to reflect these principles it will render
itself illegitimate and Scotland incapable of effectively supporting its visual arts.

1. REPRESENTATION: Practicing artists must be invited to sit on all
cultural decision-making boards and be fully integrated into all
cultural planning.

2. NEUTRALITY: Freedom from governmental or party political
agendas is required to allow the widest possible artistic
development and cultural dynamism.

3. REMUNERATION: We call upon the Scottish Government, Creative
Scotland and local authorities to adopt pay structures for artists
working on publicly funded projects that fairly cover research,
planning & development as well as execution.

4. PARITY: Creative Scotland must remain committed to a MINIMUM
£6.87 million budget of dedicated and publicly stated “support to
artists” (equal to The Scottish Art Council’s last business plan).

5. TAXATION: We call upon all members of the Scottish Parliament to
pursue expansion of tax powers so that individual practitioners
seriously disadvantaged by the current system may benefit from
reform.

6. ORIGINALITY: Creative Scotland must not only recognise the
intrinsic value of art but also, in that spirit, welcome risk without
undue regard to established critical or commercial successes.

© Scottish Artists Union 2010

The Final curtain?

The final curtain?
Kenneth Roy

Click the link below to read a recent article about Creative Scotland.


http://www.scottishreview.net/index.shtml

'So that I am clear – you will not be supporting individual artists?'
There was no reply.

Creative Scotland roadshow/discussion

Sam attended the fourth and final Creative Scotland roadshow/discussion on Tuesday 25th May at the Briggait, Glasgow.

Here are her responses to the event...

"Arriving to a full on jazz big band, delightful though they were, made it completely impossible to have any kind of (informal) conversation with other delegates, especially those from other artforms whom I (and others?) might not know before the main event....

Next the acoustics of the Briggait's central space made it very difficult to hear the speakers as there was so much echo....

I tried to find fellow visual artists before it began and found Beth Forde and Steve Slater from Tramway (performing arts) which is worth noting in a group of 250 people.. ......I don't know nearly everyone, of course, in the visual arts world, far from it, but I was astonished at how few people I knew from the visual arts world were there, I can only speculate that either; a) they were making a political point by not attending. ie we are against the whole concept of Creative Scotland? or b) we feel there is little point in engaging with a body whose focus (rightly or wrongly, and this is something Andrew Dixon must address) is giving so much precedence to the "Creative Industries" and the arts as instrumental (validated by health and other social benefits) ..........

Good statements I remember from Andrew Dixon, (Head of Creative Scotland) and Fiona Hyslop ( Minister of Culture) were

"the language of investment in artists of the future, rather than subsidy"

CS to be seen as as a "rallying force for culture rather than an institution"

Andrew suggested that Scotland could become one of the top ten most cultured countries in the world, having discovered that Scotland is rated 18th out of 60 countries as a "national brand" (using the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index, does that not sound a made up institution or what?!)

Worrying statements are

"The need to set social and economic objectives not just cultural"

"International working of the Government should see Scottish Culture as part of this import/export model....culture as a "calling card" to other countries"

CS has 30% of the Scottish Governments cultural budget and wants to be inclusive but also wants it to be seen as a "brand", every time I hear that term my blood freezes ; echoes of Thatcherism and the horrors that followed; rear their ugly head ("There is no such thing as society")

The three questions on each table at the Briggait meeting for us to contemplate were;

1) Are there new models or ways in which Creative Scotland can invest in the arts, creative industries or screen sectors?
Answers from our table...... Private/Public partnerships, Tax breaks for sponsors and artists

2) How can we get everyone championing Scotland's creative success (in homes, schools, across the regions and artforms)\
Answers from our table ....(lame I thought) get rid of demarcation between specialisms, professionals and amateurs...aaargh

3) How can Scotland maximise the international potential of its cultural production?
Answers from our table (again, we had no idea what other "tables' at this meeting were coming up with in term of ideas)
Confusion about role of British Council compared to CS's international role? A special unit had been suggested at CS which will focus on a small number of areas; reputation, creativity, economic impact and to showcase the best of Scotland's culture .....who is talking to whom?

Sam to attend Creative Scotland Dialogue Event

Tomorrow (Tuesday 25th May 2010) Sam will be attending the Creative Scotland Dialogue Event at the Briggait.