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It’s been a frustrating and surreal time to be in the arts over the last few weeks with the announcement and closure of Creative Scotland’s Open Fund for Individuals on August 19.
Last week, on September 5, I was able to join Equity UK’s rally against arts funding cuts in Scotland outside Holyrood.
Hundreds of art workers, union members, and trade union representatives, including speakers from BECTU and the Musicians’ Union, came together to make our voices heard and show the Scottish Government we refuse to be overworked, underpaid, under-resourced and used a photo-op to bolster the profiles and credibility of politicians.
The rally was an empowering and reassuring afternoon spent amongst workers from across the creative industries. It’s important to consider ourselves as workers, as the labour of artists, creatives and creative freelancers is what keeps this £5 billion industry going - even when we’re running on fumes.
The day before the rally, Wednesday, September 4, Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, announced that Culture Minister Angus Robertson’s previously gold-plated promise of £6.6 million of funding for Creative Scotland had been ‘found’ and would be released, which would allow Creative Scotland to reopen the Open Fund for Individuals in the future.
Swinney also restated the government’s commitment to provide an additional £100 million in funding for the arts and culture over the next five years.
While this news is welcome, it is unclear as to when the Open Fund for Individuals will reopen. And unfortunately, I’ll remain skeptical until those funds actually find their way into the hands of artists.
On the back of this decision, the Scottish Government has called for a review of Creative Scotland and how the arts sector is supported. A review of Creative Scotland’s processes feels necessary, as there hasn’t been a review of the funding body since its establishment in 2010.
This review feels especially necessary with the increased demand brought on by the closure of the Individual Fund and the volume of applications now submitted and being processed. Not to mention, the demand and application volume of the soon-to-be decided Multi-Year programme, which will replace the Regularly Funded Organisations programme starting next year.
Now is a crucial time to look at the weight of responsibility put on the shoulders of artists and creatives who’d rather do their creative work and support their communities than become CEOs, COOs, or CFOs, but have found themselves in these positions anyway.
Regardless of the funding route, the Creative Scotland application process is gruelling, demanding, and demoralising. The process puts responsibility on arts and creative workers to find solutions to meet government targets for things like Net Zero, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), COVID-19 regulations, and so much more.
But with these targets coming from the top down, my main question remains, why doesn’t the government (or Creative Scotland) give arts and creative workers guidance and frameworks to use so we can meet these challenges and contribute to society in a way that will not only allow our projects to reach their full potential but also engage and support our communities in these issues and give them more say in these changes?
Many people call the Open Fund for Individuals a seed fund. In my opinion, it’s not a seed fund. It’s a lifeline and a foot in the door that’s marred by shame passed down from the institutions that are supposed to support us. Creative Scotland, the Scottish Government, the media, and the public demand that we don’t become funding-reliant and expect handouts. In essence, they demand we suffer for our art as if we aren’t suffering already chasing after grants that will allegedly change our lives forever.
One grant can change a life, but these grants are arguably plasters over the wounds of bigger issues. Our current funding model and the institutions that uphold this model continue to perpetuate and trap us in the very system we are repeatedly asked to break away from.
If the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland addressed the issues in our industry (or recognised that our work is valuable beyond the measure of profit), they might consider turning the Open Fund into an incubator, a mentorship scheme, or a combination programme, similar to those offered to start-ups and entrepreneurs in the tech and science industries.
To really address the bigger issues creative workers are facing, our government and funding bodies need to consider and provide art workers with professional support and development opportunities beyond higher education - which does little to address and prepare people for the realities of the industry they’re entering or returning to.
They also need to be aware of and directly involved in alleviating our struggles to maintain our businesses. They must understand and minimise the challenges of maintaining good physical and mental health. They need to support rent controls, make tighter regulations and rules for landlords, and offer stronger support for tenants. They must cap corporate profits, reduce the cost of utilities such as gas, electricity, and the internet, and ensure we can all afford to eat well.
And, finally, they must stop being complicit in harm to art workers and their communities around the world, not only by speaking out against exploitation, oppression, occupation, and genocide but also by demanding and taking action so all art workers around the world can live safely and without fear for or danger to their lives.
While I worry about what will happen if the Creative Scotland review takes away our main source of support, I also welcome the opportunity for change. I welcome this as a chance for art and creative workers to have their say, and to be able to ask for the support they desperately need. And I welcome the eventual arrival of a better, fairer, and more equitable arts sector in the future.
I hope for the sake of the 965 Open Fund for Individuals applicants (including myself) and the multitude of workers who will work with and support us that answers are forthcoming and that we can all see a world where our art and labour are valued, supported, and prioritised without the constant need to prove ourselves and measure our success in cold, hard profit.
I hope the people who consume our work in books, zines, magazines, anthologies, and journals, on TV and radio, in theatres, in pubs and cafes, in art galleries, on their headphones, through streaming services, and the plethora of other ways I haven’t thought of, can get behind arts workers and let it be understood and known that we deserve not just bread, but roses too.
I hope that art workers will be able to keep doing what they do and that generations that follow will be not just allowed but supported to make art and explore the joy, connection, and healing creativity brings.
If you’d like to support artists, you can still sign the Campaign for the Arts petition.
And if you’d like to directly support a creative worker and this community, consider becoming a paying subscriber for £5 a month!
Community events
Alba Writing Club is back at Shrub Coop this Thursday, September 12 from 2-3 pm for Joyful Writing. Pop along to join this relaxed setting where you’ll be given prompts suitable for writers of all levels. These sessions are free, but donations are welcome.
Lean more about Joyful Writing here
I’m so excited to kick off Words & Friends next week! Join The Good Egg Project and Orémi next Thursday, September 19, from 6-8 pm for our first collaborative event where you can explore creativity and make connections. We’re going to be sharing our ideas, honing our craft, and making friends with a bunch of cool people who also have a passion for words! Come kick off autumn with us at the cosy Victor Hugo Deli at The Shore.
Book pay-what-you-can tickets for Words & Friends here
A few people have been asking about this, so in case you missed it, the Loud Poets Open Mic returns on Monday, September 30. The LP team are back at the slightly earlier time of 6.30 pm at The Canons’ Gait. Sign-ups are open, but fill up fast so get your name in quick!
You can stay up to date with all things Loud Poets on Instagram
Open calls for writing and writers
If you’ve got a pamphlet (somewhere between 15-30 poems) or a collection (between 30-100 poems) that you’d like to publish, independent publisher of poetry and critical writing Out-Spoken Press is open for submissions. They’re currently selecting work to be part of their 2025/26 publishing schedule under the editorship of Anthony Anaxagorou. The submission deadline is October 18.
Read the guidelines and submit your work here
One of Scotland’s leading literary magazine, Gutter, is open for submissions of fiction, poetry and essays. They’re looking for work that challenges, reimagines or undermines the status quo. They want work that pushes the boundaries of form and function. Gutter accepts submissions in English, Scots and Gaelic and pay a flat fee of £30 for all work published in the magazine, regardless of length or style. The submissions deadline is October 4.
Check out the guidelines here
The Coop returns
That’s right, The Chicken Coop Writing Group is back at Lost in Leith Bar & Fermentaria on Tuesday, September 24 from 6-8 pm.
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