A NUMBER of famous Scottish artists have sent an open letter to urge John Swinney to restore music and arts funding.

It comes after arts bosses at Creative Scotland closed a key funding programme amid “uncertainty” over the financial support the organisation receives from the Scottish Government.

Iain Munro, chief executive officer of the organisation, said the decision to close its open fund to new applicants from the end of this month was “unavoidable”.

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Now, some of Scotland’s leading musicians have warned the First Minister that the move has led to "the worst crisis that Scotland's music and wider arts sector has ever faced".

Artists to have signed the letter so far include Biffy Clyro, Paolo Nutini, Franz Ferdinand, The Proclaimers (below), Karine Polwart, Mogwai, Young Fathers, Glasvegas, Frightened Rabbit, Joesef, and The Twilight Sad.

(Image: PA)

The campaign to restore the funding will be live for 48 hours, with the letter sent to coincide with the final deadline for the open fund – which is August 30.

"Culture funding must be deemed essential," the letter states, warning of the far-reaching impacts on the entire music ecosystem.

"Without the ability to secure funding, many artists and industry freelancers will be unable to sustain creative activities. This will lead to critical job losses and sector skills vanishing, damaging Scotland’s music industry irrevocably, along with the Scottish economy."

The open letter calls on the Scottish Government to take the following immediate actions:

  • Confirm the previously committed cultural investment of £10.7 million for this financial year, allowing Creative Scotland to re-open the Open Fund for Individuals and open applications for the Access to Music Making and Strengthening Youth Music Funds.
  • Ensure that the planned £25m increase in cultural funding for 2025 is secured by the start of the new financial year (1 April 2025).
  • Additionally, expedite the distribution of as much of the pledged £100m annual cultural funding increase by 2028-29 as early as possible.

Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand said: "This is a disappointingly short-sighted cut which will cost exponentially more than what is saved in the short term financially.

"The arts are how a nation knows who they are. Without them we have an identity as two dimensional as the bottom line of a balanced account.”

Rod Jones of Idlewild said: "Art in all forms is crucial to growth, well-being, joy and life. 

"To be truly artistic, relevant and unimpaired art is not always commercial so government support and funding is crucial to growing a healthy arts scene, nurturing and developing new and existing talents to showcase what incredible artists Scotland can and has produced.”

Stina Tweeddale of Honeyblood added: “As a former recipient  of Creative Scotland funding, I can wholeheartedly say that my career would not have been the same without it …

"I implore the Scottish Government to reconsider this move, as there is no doubt that a lack of this support will have a colossal impact on the arts sector. We are more than just entertainment.”