We must save Scotland’s culture – Angus Robertson

The coronavirus outbreak poses an acute existential threat to many theatres and other cultural enterprises and they need our help, writes Angus Robertson.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for culture, speaks in the Scottish Parliament (Picture: Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament)

Supporting our cultural sector is a national priority. The existential threat is acute for our theatres, performers and wider artistic community.

Last week the Scottish Government took the lead in announcing a £10 million lifeline in support for performing arts venues. Now the UK Government has followed the initiative with a new funding package for theatres, galleries, museums and other cultural venues in England.

As a result, the Scottish Government will have £97m in consequential funds to support additional measures here.

The Westminster support package comes too late for a number of theatres, including the Nuffield Southampton Theatres which is closing permanently with 86 people losing their jobs.

By comparison in Germany, the response has been more significant with Berlin’s city council alone committing €1.4 billion of grants, while the German federal government has delivered a €50 billion bailout package for freelancers and small businesses, including artists.

Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for Culture, Fiona Hyslop, has been extremely proactive in supporting of the sector and Creative Scotland has been forward leaning in maintaining financial support.

Hopefully the new funding will of course safeguard our great venue, including Edinburgh’s Lyceum Theatre, but also safeguard the many thousands of people in the cultural community who might otherwise have to turn their back on the arts to find a more secure future.

That loss would be incalculable.

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Joy Yates

Editorial Director