Hi! Hello! How’s it going? And welcome to our new subscribers!
I’ve been quiet over the last few weeks. I want to say I’ve been resting as much as I should have/wanted to, but I haven’t. Edinburgh is rife with activity over the Fringe and I’ve been out seeing and doing more than I anticipated, which has been great in its own right. I’ve loved seeing shows by friends and catching some brilliant talks at the ALT Book Fringe as well. These are the things that make my heart happy when things are tough for so many people in and out of the arts.
In between all of the Fringe buzz, I’ve been trying to take advantage of the quiet in Leith to take care of myself and regroup, especially after deciding to move the Coop a couple of weeks ago.
Don’t panic, we’re just moving house and I’m still planning to hold our next event in September - keep your eyes peeled for news coming soon.
Fringe and re-homing the Coop aside, things haven’t been quite so vibrant and joyful in the creative sector over the last week. I don’t think the irony of the news of funding cuts coming out during one of the largest arts festivals in the world is lost on any of us.
Creative Scotland closes the Open Fund for Individuals
If you’re embedded in the Scottish creative scene, whether you’re a musician, writer, visual artist, or another creative sector worker, you’ll likely know that Creative Scotland announced the closure of the Open Fund for Individuals on Monday, August 19, and then announced a delay in the opening of the Access to Music Making and Strengthening Youth Music Funds on Tuesday, August 20.
This closure and pause have come as a shock to many across the creative sector after earlier this year the Campaign for the Arts pushed back against funding cuts from the Scottish Government, causing Holyrood to pledge additional funding for the arts and creative industries in their budget. The need for these additional funds came after the Scottish Government removed £6.6. million of funding from Creative Scotland in the 2023/24 financial year. Creative Scotland was then forced to draw down this shortfall from their National Lottery reserves to support the Individual Fund.
Unfortunately, Creative Scotland has openly shared that the government hasn’t confirmed the release of the funds promised in the 2024/25 financial year and therefore they have been left with little choice but to close the Individual Fund until the Scottish Government can confirm the money will come.
Later last week, Creative Scotland shared this post, which went into more detail about how and why they decided to close the Open Fund for Individuals. The post states that Creative Scotland had planned to apply to the Scottish Government for £3 million alongside another £3 million from the National Lottery which was to support the Open Fund for Individuals. However, confirmation of the release of this budget hasn’t arrived and as a result, Creative Scotland doesn’t have enough funds available to support the Open Fund for Individuals.
The post goes on to discuss why the Open Fund for Individuals is being closed and why funds cannot be reallocated from other areas including the Open Fund for Organisations. Creative Scotland goes on to talk about a lack of flexibility in their 2024/25 budget and how they’re not able to redirect funds that have already been assigned to other funding routes such as the Open Fund for Organisations.
These explanations while clear are pretty simplistic and feel inaccurate to me as a person who has worked on projects supported by both the Open Fund for Individuals and the Open Fund for Organisations. Creative Scotland has stated that their priority with keeping the Open Fund for Organisations open is due in part to funding already being assigned and the criteria they have to stick to. Where the misunderstanding of the importance of the Individual Fund becomes apparent is in their frankly false argument that organisations should be prioritised because they offer employment opportunities for artworkers.
If you’ve ever undertaken an application to the Open Fund for Individuals (or Organisations), you’ll know that your application is a collaboration between multiple people and parties. Whether you’re making an album and need support in production, marketing, press, and performing or you are writing a book and require the support of publishers, editors, designers, and printers, an Open Fund for Individuals application does in fact offer employ opportunities for others (usually freelancers) as well as being creative and professional development opportunities for all involved.
To suggest that the Individual Fund doesn’t create employment for multiple artists is ridiculous and the loss of this funding route will disproportionately affect freelancers and creatives from marginalised backgrounds, including those of us who are queer, people of colour, migrants, low-income, and working class.
This frustration with the reasoning behind this decision and the cutting off of support for all kinds of creatives and creative sector workers is real and justified, but I’m not falling into despair yet - and neither should you. There are so many ways for us to push back against this decision and to put pressure on Holyrood to deliver on their promise and secure the future of the arts in Scotland.
How can we fight back?
I know it is bad - there’s no denying that, but now is the time to step up and use our voices whether we’re industry professionals, readers, music lovers, theatregoers, open micers, or people who create art for pleasure and fun.
However you engage with creativity, you are valuable beyond currency and reputation, your joy, catharsis, and well-being are vital and valuable beyond capitalist understanding and corporate greed.
Many artists and creatives are aware of the realities of making art in the current social and political climate and it’s difficult not to bow to a system and expectations to pursue endless economic growth that have been placed on our bodies and our planet involuntarily. It appears that capitalism and competition have become so ingrained in us and projected onto the natural world that they feel inescapable. But this just isn’t the case. I think community care and wealth building already (and will continue to) play a big part in securing our cultural life and protecting it from erosion and suppression.
It’s heartening to see so many organisations speaking out on behalf of a devastated and exhausted community of freelancers and solo artists who have also been pushed to do more and more for less and less for a long time now. It is in these spaces and communities that we should seek comfort and support. It is in these spaces that we should take notice that all of our struggles are linked and that the fight for the arts is the fight for a ceasefire in Palestine, Sudan, and beyond, it’s the fight for migrant rights, it’s the fight for affordable public transport, it’s the fight to protect our planet, it’s the fight for trans and queer rights, and it’s the fight for a better future for us all.
So many people and creative organisations are mobilising, which should serve as a reminder that we have power even when we’re made to feel powerless by politicians and institutions that value money and capitalist growth over all else.
You can bet artists and creatives will not go quietly, no matter how daunting this seems. If you’re feeling hopeless, here are a few ways to find community and solidarity to remind you that you’re not alone, none of us are alone, and we will prevail and continue our work come hell or higher water.
Join your union
There are a multitude of unions suited to all kinds of creatives in Scotland, several unions have now spoken out and released statements regarding the closure of the Open Fund for Individuals, including the Scottish Artists’ Union. Many unions are still silent on this development but for those of you who are looking for support here is a short list of unions for creatives of all kinds in Scotland:
Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (BECTU) - The union for creative ambition, representing staff, contract, and freelance workers in the media and entertainment industries
Scottish Artists’ Union - The representative voice for working visual & applied artists in Scotland campaigning for arts funding to directly support visual artists and arts activities, defending artists’ pay and rights, and expanding benefits
United Voices of the World: Designers and Cultural Workers (DCW) - Representing anyone who considers themselves a cultural worker. Many DCW members work multiple jobs and freelance without easily definable titles and membership covers visual arts, graphic design, theatre, music and nightlife, fashion, creative education, audio production, and more
Creative Communications Workers - CCW is a branch of United Voices of the World’s Designers and Cultural Workers’ union, CCW provides support for creatives, account managers, strategists, artworkers, caterers, security staff, and cleaners in the industry
National Union of Journalists (NUJ) - NUJ represents workers across the media – from newspapers, broadcasting, and book publishing to magazines, websites, mobile devices, social media, and PR agencies. NUJ members work across a range of disciplines, including reporting, writing, photography, editing to design, videography, communications, and presenting
Association of Illustrators - The AOI champions illustrators and the illustration industry and campaigns for a thriving industry for all. Membership includes illustrators, agents, colleges, and creative companies
Writer’s Guild of Great Britain - Representing writers in TV, film, theatre, radio, books, comedy, poetry, animation, and video games. WGGB also welcomes emerging and aspiring writers
Musician’s Union - A trade union representing over 32,000 musicians across the UK working in all sectors of the music business. The MU negotiates with all major employers in the industry on behalf of their members and offers a range of support services for musicians including legal and financial, health and wellbeing, and training and development
Equity - Representing 47,000 performers and creative practitioners, Equity collectively bargaining for fair terms and conditions in the performers’ workplace. Membership consists of actors, singers, dancers, set designers, directors, stage managers, puppeteers, comedians, and voice artists
Graphics Union - The Graphics Union provides support and discussion forums for freelance graphic designers working within the UK film and television industry
Write to your MSP (particularly SNP representatives)
If you’ve already been writing to your MSP to put pressure on them to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, sanctions and an embargo on trade with Israel’s genocidal regime, for migrant rights, trans rights, or any other pressing issues we’re facing in Scotland right now, then you likely know the drill when writing to your MSP.
For those of you who are new to writing to your political representatives, there are templates available so you can draft and send your local MSP an email or letter to push them to speak up on behalf of the arts and creative communities (or literally any other issue that affects you and those around you, like the return of peak rail fares and the scrapping of free bus fares for asylum seekers).
You can also find examples from writers and creative workers like these ones by Iona Lee and Kevin Mclean, who lay out the impact this funding closure will have and why these funding routes are vital to supporting our artists and creating thriving arts scenes. If you can write a specific letter like the aforementioned examples, great. If you can’t you can find a template example by Canonical Theatre here
Sign this petition from Campaign for the Arts
Campaign for the Arts has put a lot of work in on behalf of the UK’s creative scene. This year alone, they held the Scottish Government to account and campaigned against funding cuts to Creative Scotland. Unfortunately for us, CFTA (and the rest of us) are having to once again appeal to Holyrood to reverse funding cuts and deliver vital funding, this time with the added twist of actually releasing the funds - not just performing lip service to those of us who rely on this industry for a living.
CFTA has also created The State of the Arts report in partnership with the University of Warwick, which is a ‘health check on the UK’s arts and culture, bringing together vital information and official statistics on arts funding, provision, engagement, education and employment.’ The report examines the arts and creative scenes across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and ‘serves as a stark warning and a call to action for all of us.’
You can join CFTA for free here and sign the petition here
Sign and share open letters
Many organisations and individuals have shared and expressed their concerns over this news and what it means for our creative careers. Some of these open letters are a collaboration between creative organisations like this one from Independent Arts Projects. Independent Arts Projects also have this open letter for individuals to sign which will be sent off to the Scottish Government today, August 26 at 5 pm.
There are also a bunch of open letters from communities and companies like Creative Edinburgh, F-Bomb Theatre, Outer Spaces, the Scottish BPOC Writers Network, and the Scottish Working Class Network.
Sharing these open letters with others who are less aware of the situation people in the arts are facing right now is one way to gain support and put pressure on the government to recommit to and follow through on their pledge to increase arts funding.
Not only is it key to share these open letters with your artist friends so they can find support and solidarity, but it’s also vital that people outside of the creative industries understand where we’re at and show support to all the artists and creatives in their lives and whose work they consume at home, on TV, in books, on the radio, through podcasts, at gigs, events, festivals, and exhibitions. The more signatures and support we gather, the stronger our case and the higher chance we have of getting the understanding and recognition we need from funding bodies, the public, the media, and politicians.
How can we build something better?
Support your local arts scene
Despite what the government would have us believe, our local arts and creative scenes are flourishing as people seek connection, community, entertainment, and outlets for their emotions. In Edinburgh alone each of us could fill our entire calendar with creative events from music & poetry open mics and art exhibitions to storytelling showcases and pamphlet, anthology, publication, magazine & book launches.
Edinburgh isn’t the center of the cultural universe though, and across the country, other scenes are packed with events and opportunities for artists and creatives to make and share their work with Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Dumfries, Stirling, Falkirk, and more places already their own hubs of creativity and community.
Go to local events
One of the best ways to speak to the powers that be is to show them the demand for cultural events. Ticket sales trends have changed in a post-lockdown world and people continue to be cautious about booking things in advance.
Buying tickets and showing your interest in events is important and one way to demonstrate the need to keep our venues open, our communities funded, and to also show organisations and arts workers that their work is wanted, needed and valued.
If you’d like to share events you love, do so on social media or through word of mouth. Tell people where they can go to listen to your work (or other people’s work) and where they can go to share their own work. It’s now more necessary than ever to take advantage of the platforms we’ve been given to help each other out.
If you don’t feel like sharing things yourself, you can always submit events listings to our newsletter or to The Edinburgh Minute which is doing great work to highlight what’s going on in the city and encouraging people to get involved in local government.
Buy books and merch from independent bookshops, suppliers, and artists
Look, Amazon probably isn’t going anywhere (well, maybe until authors and writers get more of a say about where their books and publications are sold), but there is a way for us to redirect funds toward our local communities and art scenes if we start buying books from independent bookshops and suppliers, and even artists themselves.
By buying books and merch directly from artists or community-based businesses, we put money back into our local economies and start the process of community wealth building, which benefits us all. Companies like Amazon tend to siphon off money from our communities into tax havens that allow the rich to hoard wealth. Buying locally keeps our local high streets vibrant and lively through supporting local businesses and local jobs, which support people who are far more emotionally and physically invested in what happens in our towns and cities than their multi-national counterparts.
If you’re looking for some Amazon and chain store alternatives, you can check out Bookshop.org and Libro.fm which are great options that support artists and independent businesses
Take care of yourself (and others)
There are events like this online webinar with Creative Entrepreneurs’ Club on Wednesday, August 28. CEC will hold space for writers, artists, producers, and creative practitioners to talk about how the Individual Fund closure will impact them, what they’re worried about, and how they need to be supported right now. These spaces allow us to come together and understand we are not alone and we will not take this lying down and we definitely won’t go quietly.
You can sign up for the free CEC webinar here
If you are struggling mentally, please check out the following resources:
Leapers - A free and inclusive community-based platform, supporting the mental health of the self employed
Association of Illustrators’ Mental Health for Creative Freelancers resource pack - In collaboration with the Society of Authors and Association of Photographers, the AOI created this free resource for the mental health and wellbeing of creative freelancers
Film + TV Charity’s Mental Wellbeing resource pack - The Film + TV Charity supports industry workers and freelancers with a range of mental well-being resources including career advice and coaching, and mental health support including the Freelancer Wellbeing Hub
NABS - The support organisation for people working in advertising and media, advancing the mental wellness of everyone in the industry
The Artist Wellbeing Company - Provides mental health and wellbeing support for individual artists, organisations and those working in the creative industries
Wellbeing in the Arts - Working to address the mental health crisis across the creative industries and prodiving support for individuals and employers working in the arts
British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) mental health and wellbeing services - BAPAM is working with clinicians and performing arts organisations to create solutions to the problems facing those working in the performing arts
Creatives Care - A community of artists, providers and supporters securing the future of the arts by providing free services to help artists access affordable, high-quality mental healthcare
Artists for Mental Health - An artist-led initiative fighting the stigma around mental health in the artistic community
Thank you for reading!
I hope to be back with better news very soon. I really do. I’m tired of everything in the UK being so bleak. It’s not good for our souls, our mental health, or our vibrant and worthwhile artistic and creative scenes.
If I’m being completely honest, I doubt that our scenes will die or fade away. Too many of us are angry and understand that art doesn’t have to have monetary value, the connection, community, and catharsis it provides is more than enough for most of us.
It feels like capitalism has us all in a chokehold, and it’s important to remember that capitalism thrives off of and breeds competition and comparison. This is what cripples our creativity and makes us doubt ourselves and our art.
My best advice is to put down your pie-cutting knives and find a communal table where everyone comes together to share their resources, knowledge, and time. There is more than enough room for us all to exist and create. Collaboration and caring for our community is the only way we’re going to survive this, and it’s time we started looking to each other to build something better, fairer, and valued beyond profit, so we can all thrive.
With love and solidarity,
Naomi x
P.s. At this moment, we all need support and our struggles are interlinked. While our own situation is difficult, we still need to show our support for artists, creatives, and their communities in Palestine where writers, artists, journalists, professors, teachers, and so many others have been murdered and countless schools, universities, and cultural institutions have been destroyed and targeted by Israel. If you’d like to push for an arts and creative scene that doesn’t profit from the destruction and oppression of communities around the world, consider joining Fossil Free Books or Art Workers for Palestine which are campaigning for genocide-free book and arts industries
P.p.s. If you know someone who would like to join us for some writing or who needs a supportive, curious, and creative community, please share our newsletter with them
P.p.p.s. Don’t forget to sign the Campaign for the Arts petition and the open letter for individuals, or to write to your MSP
Thank you for sharing this. It’s the only thing I’ve read that actually details what has happened and does not directly attribute the cut to Holyrood. It’s pretty astonishing that Creative Scotland could not have just reduced the pot available, or looked elsewhere-I’m assuming the lottery money is match funding. They knew they were on their last legs and this should have been planned for rather than gameplaying for funds and announcing it at Festival time.
This is a direct result of cuts in the block grant and the blame should be laid squarely at the door of the Labour government, just as we need to be clear about their stance on Gaza. It’s a direct assault on an independent Scottish arts sector and we need to seriously confront what arts are for in this country- are we here to be comfortable with four weeks of exposure to the metropolitan world every August, or are we here to challenge orthodoxies and create new worlds?
Funding is going to be a challenge there’s no doubt- but in my mind question is not how to get these particular funds reinstated but how to best meet the needs of creative workers across all sectors of the arts scene in Scotland.