Scotland: Budgeting for a bigger profile in the world

[Harold Schiffman]

Sunday, 18th November 2007 Change Date
Opinion

Sun 18 Nov 2007

Budgeting for a bigger profile in the world
LINDA FABIANI
We are determined to maintain and develop our rich cultural tradition

LAST Wednesday, Finance Secretary John Swinney announced the first
ever SNP Budget. Despite being made against the backdrop of the
tightest financial settlement from the Treasury since devolution, he
was able to deliver an ambitious programme around our strategic
objectives - to make Scotland wealthier and fairer, smarter,
healthier, safer and stronger, and greener. The headlines have been
dominated by the historic agreement with Cosla to freeze the council
tax for three years, but there were some new announcements outlining
the Scottish Government support for culture and to promote Scotland at
home and abroad.

In case you missed it, allow me to recap. My portfolio areas - Europe,
external affairs and culture - will receive an increase in investment
of £38m over the spending review period. The money will be used to
promote Scotland as a nation and to advance Scotland's place in Europe
and the wider world. It will help to maximise Scotland's influence
within the European Union, and to build mutually beneficial links with
other countries, including the US and China. It also will support
activities to attract more people to live, study and work in Scotland.

St Andrew's Day is a great day to celebrate Scotland - that is why we
are increasing the support provided for celebrations by £300,000 each
year for the next three years. November 30 provides an opportunity to
remind ourselves and our visitors that we have much to celebrate in
Scotland. This St Andrew's Day you'll find me enjoying the Jig in the
Gardens in Edinburgh's Princes Street with great Scottish talents such
as Salsa Celtica and Sandi Thom.

My vision for culture has three themes: not surprisingly, first, our
national cultural identity; second, to celebrate Scotland's creative
sector and its practitioners; and third, our cultural policy, which is
for everyone in Scotland.

The increases in funding will help enhance the quality of life for
Scotland's communities through maximising participation in
high-quality cultural events and opportunities, supporting a wide
range of manifesto commitments relating to culture and Gaelic. The
overall budget for culture and Gaelic is increasing by 16% over the
spending review period.

If Gaelic is to have a sustainable future we need to invest in the
Gaelic language, education and culture. To enable this, my portfolio
has seen an increase in funding of £7.5m over three years. We are also
committed to promoting the Scots language and culture during this
period.

The national collections have excelled themselves again this year
with, to name a few, the opening of the John Murray Archive; the tour
of the Fonn's Duthchas: Land and Legacy; and the Warhol and Naked
Portrait exhibitions. The National Library's Tea And Tigers and the
National Museums' Fired With Passion exhibitions were also resounding
successes. Our national performing companies are achieving the highest
standards in performance and in outreach work.

The cultural events for which we are known across the world, such as
Burns' night and the Edinburgh festivals, have long helped to foster
the sense of cultural identity that is core to our wellbeing and
belonging.

And, of course, we will look to our new cultural development body,
Creative Scotland, once established, to work with arts and culture
organisations, local authorities, natural and built heritage bodies
and other interested parties to help all of our communities explore
and celebrate their local and national culture. We will ask Creative
Scotland, in exercising its artistic autonomy, to play a leading role
as a catalyst for Scotland's arts and creative sector, to support our
artists, film and screen industries and promote creative excellence,
and widen access to cultural opportunities across Scotland.

More will be done to support Scottish artists through the creation of
a new £2m 'Edinburgh Festival Expo Fund'. This fund will help to
promote Scottish work at the festivals and support the costs of new
productions, events or exhibitions which involve Scottish-based
participants that are premiered at any of the Edinburgh festivals, and
could also be used to support touring of events or performances after
their premiere at the Festival.

We have confirmed that our international development budget will be
doubled to £9m over the life of the Parliament - with at least £3m per
annum being ring-fenced for Malawi, building on our historic links. We
are currently analysing the responses to our consultation on what the
future international development policy priorities should be - but we
will have a new international development policy and an international
development fund of real substance.

Scotland has a rich and flourishing cultural tradition - and it is one
that this Government is determined to maintain and develop. We also
have a reputation as a responsible nation, one that welcomes visitors
from around the world and builds solid links with other countries.

At Wednesday's Budget we proposed increases in investment that will
raise the profile of Scottish culture, support the Gaelic language and
promote Scotland abroad.

Linda Fabiani is the Scottish Government's Minister for Europe,
External Affairs and Culture

This article: http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=1819602007

Last updated: 18-Nov-07 00:52 GMT


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