Holyrood seeks cultural sector views on budget ‘perfect storm’

The Culture Committee of the Scottish Parliament is seeking the views of arts professionals on the impact of rising costs on the sector.

The call follows last year's pre-budget report for 2024-25 which said arts and culture organisations were facing a "perfect storm" of long-term budget pressures, reduced income generation and increased operating costs.  

The committee called on the Scottish Government's "refreshed" Culture Strategy Action Plan to provide a "clear and strategic sense" of how government plans to create a more sustainable future for arts and culture in Scotland.

Their report concluded that the current funding crisis "provides an opportunity to accelerate innovative solutions to the budgetary pressures within the sector". 

The committee is now inviting responses to what it sees as three key questions for Scotland's culture sector.

Firstly, how has the sector responded to the perfect storm outlined in the pre-budget report, and what is the impact of the 2023-24 Budget on the sector?

Secondly, what progress has been made in the last 12 months to accelerate innovate solutions and what could the Scottish Government implement to support the sector?

Finally, how can future budgetary decisions in the sector be informed by the Culture Strategy Action Plan?

The consultation is open for responses until 18 August 2023.