Scotland outlines ambitions to rejoin Creative Europe

The Scottish Government has published its first International Culture Strategy, calling for the UK to rejoin European arts funding programmes, including Creative Europe, declaring international engagement to be "vital for our culture and creative sector.”

The strategy, which sets out Scotland’s international ambitions for its culture and creative sector, said that the UK Government’s decision not to negotiate ongoing participation in the €2.44bn Creative Europe programme following its departure from the European Union “has left a significant gap that cannot be filled by domestic programmes”.

Noting that Scottish arts were previously “proportionately very well-represented” by the programme benefitting from funding, learning, and development, the Scottish Government has pledged to consider how it can “enhance” its links with Creative Europe so that organisations might ultimately “re-engage” with it.

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The document also commits Holyrood to reviewing its existing funding for international cultural activity so that it “remains coherent and appropriate to the current context” as well as undertaking a feasibility study into developing a support service for cultural export and exchange.

Developed with input from Scotland’s cultural public bodies, national institutions, the culture and creative sector, and public consultation, the strategy will cover the 2024 to 2030 period. It follows the publication in February of Culture in an Independent Scotland, which presented policy changes the SNP would make to the country’s culture and creative industries sector in the event of any future successful ‘leave’ referendum.

The strategy notes its "approach" will stand regardless of future constitutional change but adds that actions outlined are intended to be "scalable" and that "clearly the powers of an independent Scotland would open new avenues through which to support international cultural activity."

Brexit challenges

In the strategy's introduction, Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Angus Robertson, said the impact of the Covid pandemic and the rising cost of living had been compounded by the long-term impact of Brexit.

"The EU is one of the culture and creative sector’s most important international export markets, and Brexit has raised barriers to access," he said.

"Creative Europe, the EU’s principal programme in support of the culture and creative sector, has a strong focus on international cultural collaboration and the loss of its developmental impetus is keenly felt."

Addressing the importance of international touring and cross-border collaboration in music, performing arts, visual arts exhibitions, and the screen sector, the strategy outlined reducing freedom of movement constraints as a “key area of action”.

In the strategy Holyrood has pledged to implement "bilateral and multilateral measures" to exempt creative professionals from certain visa and work permit requirements, particularly for short-term activities.

It added that the Scottish Government will “continue to push” the UK government to support visa-free arrangements for touring artists and lobby for improvements in the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement for free movement of creative professionals between the UK and EU.

International collaboration networks

The Scottish Government will also seek to collaborate with strategic partners to build upon its existing "memorandums of understanding" and work with the GlobalScot network of international business leaders.

The publication of the strategy coincides with 'Tartan Week', celebrating Scottish art and culture in America.

Speaking ahead of trips to Washington DC and New York City, Robertson said: "As a showcase of Scottish culture and heritage in the US, Tartan Week is also a major opportunity for our culture and creative sectors to reach new audiences and markets, in line with our recently published international culture strategy and our Scottish Connections Framework, which aims to strengthen Scotland's links with our diaspora throughout the world.

"I want to encourage greater connections, trade, and investment between our countries, which is why I'm meeting a range of existing and potential investors during my time in the US."