Seòmar agus comataidhean

Did you have clarity then, when you made that commitment? When you made that promise, you somehow had clarity then, but you do not have it now.

I am sorry, cabinet secretary, but I do not think that you have underscored the Government’s commitments today. In your letter to Creative Scotland half an hour before this committee meeting, you have provided huge uncertainty about the budget position this year, having given clear commitments to provide £25 million extra next year. That is not what the Government is doing today. You have not underscored commitments this morning; instead, you have provided huge uncertainty to the sector, because it now has no idea what funding it will get next year.

Good morning, cabinet secretary. You have been agreeing with the premise of many of the questions from committee members. Would you agree that the culture sector in Scotland is in crisis?

We have heard significant evidence from the sector that it still faces a huge crisis. Museums Galleries Scotland told the committee:

“We have reached a point at which so many organisations are in crisis that they are struggling to do the really good work that we know can be done.”—[Official Report, Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, 12 September 2024; c 10.]

Culture Counts has warned that

“the crisis facing Scotland’s culture sector is an immediate one”,

and Creative Scotland has said that it is working with

“a number of organisations that are in crisis and on cliff edges.”—[Official Report, Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, 19 September 20204; c 37.]

Recently, the First Minister received a letter from prominent figures in Scotland’s music scene, including Paolo Nutini, Biffy Clyro and 170 others, who raised concerns about an impending “cultural catastrophe” unless the Scottish Government provides immediate and reliable support to the sector.

Why are we in the situation of facing a crisis in the culture sector and an impending cultural catastrophe? How will the Scottish Government act to stop such a catastrophe and avoid such a crisis?

Forgive me, but I thought that you had already persuaded your Government colleagues about an additional £25 million over the coming—

You are asking us to vote for a budget, and you cannot even tell us how much money will be in it.

Caroline, do you have anything to add?

Clearly, Creative Scotland is our country’s national arts agency. One of the key points of the establishment of an arts council post the second world war was to ensure that the arts and culture sector was accessible to the masses across the country. Protecting our cultural assets is vital and good for society, and that must be maintained.

We have talked a lot about the public policy crossover and the sector’s economic potential. Notwithstanding the need to protect our cultural assets and ensure that people across the country have access to the arts and culture, should the review and the way in which we look at the issue include economic development and some of the functions that Scottish Enterprise has around the creative industries? Should the review consider how those functions could be streamlined or co-ordinated better, potentially through Creative Scotland having those assets?

To go back to my previous points about overheads and administrative costs, you share many objectives with not just Scottish Enterprise but VisitScotland and EventScotland. Does the review need to consider duplication of functions and how some could be streamlined and brought together to save money?

Are there any other thoughts on that question?

Are there any other thoughts on that?