Equity has called for a rally outside of the Scottish Parliament at 12.30pm on Thursday 5th September, the week MSPs return from recess, to protest the new funding cuts announced by the Scottish Government this week.
When: 12.30, Thursday 5th September
Where: Outside the Scottish Parliament, Holyrood
What: Speeches, banners, chants – let’s make them hear us loud and clear!
The move comes ahead of decisions on the future of the regularly funded culture budget due in October. Equity has pledged to campaign to stop any further cuts and hold the Scottish Government to their commitment to increase culture funding by £100m over the next 5 years.
Creative Scotland announced earlier this week that they would be closing the Open Fund for Individuals because of a lack of funding from the Scottish Government.
The Open Fund for Individuals is one of Creative Scotland’s key funding programmes. The £6m fund is vital in supporting activity initiated by artists, writers, producers and other creative practitioners in Scotland.
In a statement to press Equity Scotland Official Marlene Curran said “I am deeply concerned about what these latest cuts means for the regularly funded budget due to be announced in October.
“This pattern of funding cut announcements, which directly contradicts the undertakings to increase culture funding made by the Culture Secretary just last year, suggest more culture funding is at risk.
“These cuts are a political choice. The STUC has shown that the Scottish Parliament has the powers to tax wealth. It is up to Ministers to act.
“We will fight these cuts every step of the way, and hold the government to its word that it would increase, not cut, funding.”
The cuts announced this week to Creative Scotland come after a £6.6m budget cut was reimposed on the public body in 2023. It also follows the recent Equity campaign that highlighted the sweeping reductions in local government funding for the arts because of austerity.
Register to attend on 5 September
