IS Creative Scotland on its way out, or are we simply overreacting to the headspin the Scottish Government has left us in?

Earlier in the year Creative Scotland announced the devastating news that they would be forced to close their fund for individual creatives due to the lack of agreement to release funds by the Scottish Government.

The public outcry in response hit hard across all platforms, with little wonder, as Creative Scotland has granted more than £65 million to individuals and organisations for 15 years – an invaluable resource for many artists across Scotland.

Now we have been told the Scottish Government always intended to release these funds and was simply undergoing due diligence with a planned review to come.

READ MORE: Artists call for more funding outside Holyrood after Creative Scotland U-turn

One can’t help but notice a stark correlation between the timing of a call for governmental due diligence and queer-related “scandals” that were splattered across the news following the announcement of the individual fund’s closure.

Is this the first step in the Scottish Government attempting to tighten up its spending allocation, or is it a symptom of pressure placed on the arts body to fund projects that are more “palatable” to a biased but powerful minority?

I am sure many creatives across Scotland are breathing a sigh of relief as the Scottish Government cements its promise to support an essential part of our national and economic history. With more than 400 studios in the north-east alone, it is clear that Scotland’s international artistic footprint is here to stay.

Edinburgh-based author Eris Young said: “Government-funded bursaries and support programmes disproportionately benefit the poorest and most marginalised creators – those who don’t already have the resources to make their voices heard.”

The question remains, however, of who will be approved for funding after the Creative Scotland review, and how many staff will be forced to leave when faced with an ever-increasingly hostile artistic climate.

Is this review simply being called after the funding of Project Rein was revoked a coincidence, or are there deeper issues within Creative Scotland that need to be addressed?

There is also a question as to why the sudden limitation of individual grants to £50,000 was made in light of the “clawing back” of funds from Leonie Rae Gasson and her fellow creatives, and if this is going to impact future applications in a positive or negative way. It is clear there is a growing climate of fear around progressive works of art, especially those that talk about queer lived experiences in a positive light.

(Image: Newsquest)

The gender critical movement is consistently punching down on minorities who, with better advocacy from larger funding bodies, could be creating works that challenge regressive viewpoints. At the end of it all, the only real harm being done is to artists who are struggling to be heard in the first place, while others go back to their day to day lives.

Young added: “It is not a coincidence that those benefitting from government-funded opportunities are the same people being silenced by the chilling atmosphere and bullying campaigns being orchestrated by the more conservative elements of the arts community.”

Creative Scotland has in recent years focused more on creating bridges between groups, with support for Scottish BPOC Writers Network seeing poets and writers flourishing in the scene, and Fringe of Colour creating better opportunities for artists of colour across the festival sector. Is it so much of a leap that Creative Scotland supports other marginalised voices in the arts, or is the mass media trend of anti-trans sentiment quashing the possibility of more?

Founder and director of Fringe of Colour Jess Brough said the organisation isn’t perfect and needs to “listen and adapt” to marginalised artists. There are thousands of creatives in Scotland, and they deserve the same access to funding without the fear of having their work labelled as inappropriate, especially after the point of their funding applications being accepted.

(Image: Lucy Jackson)

“The Scottish arts sector is falling victim to an increasing devaluation of arts and expression, which is forcing people into an ideological fight for scraps,” they added.

It’s evident that Creative Scotland’s assessors, along with other funding bodies, have the best intentions at heart to level the playing field by actively supporting marginalised artistic development. However, it all leaves a bitter taste in the mouth when those same creatives and staff that support them are hounded for being represented at all while others have their funding pulled without a chance at collaborative resolutions.

READ MORE: Scottish Greens cast doubt on whether they will support SNP Budget

The track record of the funding body shows a clear positive influence in diversifying and supporting the sector, but is this only when the spotlight doesn’t shine too brightly on the projects being funded? It seems clear for now that the sector needs Creative Scotland to stay and a welcome review of its practices is on the way. Where that review goes as far as approving future funding of marginalised creatives, however, is yet to be determined.