Creative Scotland commits to long-term funding

More companies in Scotland are to benefit from three-year funding, following the announcement of the new Creative Scotland portfolio of organisations that will receive regular funding for the three years from 2015-18. 119 organisations in the arts, screen and creative industries are included in the portfolio – up from just 45 in 2012-15 – making this the largest three-year funding commitment ever seen in Scotland. This growth reflects sector feedback on the need for more widespread security of funding and a pledge by the Creative Scotland Board to address the sector’s concerns, which led to a revised funding approach announced earlier this year. In response to a high number of applications, Creative Scotland has increased the value of its three-year portfolio funding from £90m to £100m by “re-profiling” its budgets.

Of the 119 organisations in the new portfolio, 57 are moving across from one and two-year funding streams that are now closed, but 20 are entirely new to long-term funding. New organisations include The Beacon Arts Centre, Barrowland Ballet and Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland (TRACS), which receives the largest grant of the new organisations – £1.27m over three years. 42 of the 45 organisations that received three-year funding from 2012-15 are having their contracts renewed. Leaving the portfolio are Edinburgh’s Artlink, Scottish Youth Theatre, which received a grant of £220k this year, and the Scottish Storytelling Forum, which now makes up part of TRACS. Glasgow Film Theatre will enjoy a 164% increase in funding next year, the largest increase in the portfolio. Other significant boosts go to Aberdeen Performing Arts and Scottish Book Trust. Only three organisations see their funding reduced: the Traverse and Royal Lyceum theatres, and Horsecross Arts.

The geographic diversity of the new portfolio is also wider than before, extending across 21 local authority areas with more than 80% of companies operating beyond their base locations. Janet Archer, Chief Executive of Creative Scotland said: “I’m particularly pleased that this portfolio has a greater geographical spread than in previous years with organisations based in 21 local authority areas and more than three quarters of them operating beyond their base location, reaching audiences across the country.”

Multi-artform, theatre and visual arts organisations remain the most supported. From 2015-18, 21 theatres and theatre companies will receive 22% of the total regular funding budget, while 24 visual arts organisations receive 12%. There are 16 music organisations in the new portfolio and 11 working predominantly in dance. These receive 9% and 8% of the budget respectively.

The announcement follows a six-month open application process during which 264 organisations applied for a total of £212m for the three-year period. The quality and quantity of applications received led Creative Scotland to issue a warning that the task of assessment and decision-making was “extremely challenging”. Announcing the portfolio, Archer said: “a significant number [of unsuccessful applicants] could have been supported through this funding route if more resources were available.”

For those who were unsuccessful, Open Project Funding for individuals and organisations opens for applications on 31 October. The fund supports activity and projects of up to two years in duration and aims to help recipients “explore, realise and develop their creative potential, widen access to their work, and enrich Scotland’s reputation as a distinctive creative nation connected to the world”. £3.1m of Lottery and Grant in Aid funds are available for 2014/15, through grants of up to £100k, or £150k in exceptional cases. The third strand of Creative Scotland’s simplified funding approach is Targeted Funding, which “addresses specific activities and development needs in a sector, specialism, and/or geographic area”, and is open for applications.

Read reactions to the funding announcement on ArtsProfessional's Storify