The Scottish Music Industry Association has warned of an impending “cultural catastrophe” caused by the closure of Creative Scotland’s Open Fund for Individuals, and the delayed reopening of other music funds. In an urgent call to artists, industry professionals and the wider music business in Scotland and across the UK, the SMIA says that the Scottish government’s “failure to confirm the release of previously allocated funding” is a “rapidly unfolding crisis” and will “lead to both direct and consequential job losses across an already underfunded sector”.
In an attempt to head-off what SMIA CEO Robert Kilpatrick describes as “a cultural emergency of unprecedented scale”, the organisation has published an open letter to Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, asking the government to confirm the previously committed £10.7 million in funding, to re-open the Open Fund For Individuals, as well as opening applications for Creative Scotland’s Access To Music Making and Strengthening Youth Music funding schemes.
Urging artists, industry professionals and music businesses to add their signature to the open letter and “stand in solidarity to prevent the collapse of Scotland’s cultural sector”, Kilpatrick says, “The time to act is now. We need every voice to unite and demand that the Scottish government fulfils its commitments. Our sector’s survival – and Scotland’s cultural future – depends on it. Culture funding must be deemed essential”.
Olaf Furniss, the founder of Wide Days, Scotland’s leading music industry convention, says “The strength of feeling is unprecedented in the Scottish music community”, adding that there needs to be a “firm, long-term commitment from government”, that recognises the fact that the “vast majority of professionals are excluded from job security, holiday pay and sick pay, in spite of making a huge contribution to the economy and people’s wellbeing”.
Alex Kapranos, the lead singer of Franz Ferdinand, says that the government’s move is a “disappointingly short sighted cut which will cost exponentially more than what is saved in the short term financially”, with Idlewild’s Rod Jones adding that “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 Tweedale of Honeyblood notes “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”.
Signatories can join via this Google Form, and are invited to contribute a short statement to share perspectives on the impact of the Scottish government’s decisions on the sector, and what cultural funding has meant for their careers.
To learn more and sign up as a signatory, please visit the below.
