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23rd June 2005

CULTURAL COMMISSION REPORTS -

“Our Next Major Enterprise…”

Scotland can lead the world in cultural provision with radical new thinking and the right level of investment. That is the view of the Cultural Commission which unveiled its Final Report in Edinburgh today.

The Commission’s report, the result of a one-year consultation, outlines 124 recommendations for the Scottish Executive to consider.

Key recommendations include:

A strategy to tackle the funding gap and lever a further £100m each year into culture in Scotland (1% of the Scottish Executive’s annual budget).
Four cultural rights ensuring that every person in Scotland can share in any publicly funded cultural activity.
National standards to raise the quality of provision in the arts, heritage, libraries, museums, galleries, architecture and the creative industries.
Entitlement schemes for schoolchildren, such as Culture Vouchers, to be piloted in Scottish schools.
Two new companies. One – Culture Scotland - to develop culture nationally and internationally. The other - the Culture Fund - a fund for the sector.
A Culture Bill by 2007 (a total of 29 recommendations require legislation).
A scheme of tax support for creative individuals promoted to the UK government by the Scottish Executive.
A national council for creative individuals.
More funding for public libraries to buy quality books and recordings by publishers and labels, and by writers and musicians living in Scotland.
A Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport to be appointed.

A one-stop national box-office and what’s on service to help customers and venues.Cultural Commission Chairman, James Boyle, said the report was a reply to the First Minister’s challenge to adopt Culture as the next major civic enterprise after Education and Health.

Mr Boyle called for an autumn conference convening all parts of the cultural sector to express their reactions to the report, and he hoped the Executive would present its response no later than St Andrew’s Day.

Speaking at the launch of the report at Dance Base in Edinburgh, James Boyle said:

“The Commission has proposed radical and exciting policy shifts. If the First Minister is supported in his aim of placing culture at the heart of government, Scotland will lead the world.

“In some areas Scotland is a global player – in literature, computer gaming, screen acting and with one of the great international festivals of the world. However, we need new structures, increased investment, better use of current resources and, fundamentally, new thinking. If we succeed, we will change the face of our nation. This is not to diminish the history and present work of such distinguished bodies like the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen; it is to propose new arrangements for the 21st century so that we can bring about the confident, cultured society that we all want to achieve.

“We should celebrate our current successes but take steps to encourage more of our fellow citizens to share Scotland’s cultural life. As with the other great civic enterprises it will take political courage to make this a reality.

“The Commission believes these recommendations are a route map to achieving this. Some can be achieved quickly, others will take longer to implement. It is important to stress, however, that the recommendations of the Board were based on 409 submissions and hundreds of public and private meetings held by the Commission. They are the wishes of the hundreds of people who have contributed to this process. Truly, this report is for Scotland, by Scotland.”