Funding For the Arts Sector Announced for Scotland

£15m has been allocated to the Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund which will provide crucial support to arrange of business including art galleries, studio facilities, comedy venues, large music venues, commercial theatres, orchestras, dance companies and nightclubs.

The package includes:

• £5 million to address the immediate financial hardship faced by creative freelancers
• £5 million to support artists to continue developing new creative work that will make a significant contribution to Scotland’s recovery from COVID-19, including £1.5 million for the Culture Collective programme to support organisations employing freelance artists to work in communities across Scotland
• £3.5 million for independent cinemas
• £3 million for youth arts including a funding boost for the Youth Music Initiative which will provide work for musicians

Caroline Sewell, Regional Organiser for Scotland & Northern Ireland Region said: “This is welcome news, although we await further detail on eligibility and criteria. We are pleased to see that some of this funding has been allocated specifically for creative freelancers as so many MU members have not been eligible for either the CJRS or SEISS. Whilst this funding will come as a relief for many, it is unlikely to be sufficient. It is still crucial that the UK Government extend the Furlough and SEISS scheme to allow us to adequately protect this crucial sector of our economy and our communities.”