“Our members have been amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic and the least supported". Image credit: Shutterstock.
The emergency campaign by Campaign for the Arts calls on the Scottish Government to abandon major cuts to Creative Scotland, and to work with Scotland’s cultural sector to find a sustainable future, ahead of the final vote on the Scottish Budget at Holyrood on Tuesday, 21 February.
What is included in the Petition?
The petition focuses on Stage 3 of the budget taking place in Parliament on Tuesday 21 Feb and contains 3 key asks:
- Reverse the cut to Creative Scotland in the 2023/4 Scottish Budget
- Support Scotland’s artists and cultural organisations now and in the months ahead, to weather the ‘perfect storm’ of economic pressures.
- Work with the cultural sector to build a sustainable future, restoring and growing investment so that the arts can flourish across Scotland.
Members are encouraged to sign and share the Campaign for the Arts petition, and to contact MSPs to tell them what is at stake for communities across Scotland if cuts to Creative Scotland go ahead.
You can sign the petition and contact your MSP via the Campaign for Arts page.
The MU are gravely concerned about the proposed cuts
Regional Organiser for Scotland and Northern Ireland, Caroline Sewell, says: “The MU are gravely concerned about the proposed cuts to the Creative Scotland budget and the continuation of standstill funding and under-investment across the arts.
“Our members have been amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic and the least supported. Add to this the perfect storm of reducing income streams, impact of Brexit and the cost of living crisis; it is clear that our sector needs bolstering in the form of sustained and meaningful investment – not even further dismantling of this fragile ecosystem which is what these proposals would ultimately mean”.