Call for Scottish Government to support culture
Foysol Choudhury MSP the Shadow Culture Minister, has demanded greater support for Scotland’s domestic and international culture strategy.
The Lothian MSP was speaking following a contribution in the parliamentary debate on Scotland’s International Culture Strategy.
Mr Choudhury spoke in favour of a Scottish Labour amendment, calling for a touring agreement with the EU to ease the regulatory burden on foreign artists and musicians who want to perform in the UK. He also called for an urgent summit with the culture sector to discuss how to protect and support Scotland’s festivals with sustainable and predictable funding.
He raised alarm bells over what he said was the Scottish Government’s inaction over the cultural sector in Scotland. He said: “Scotland’s cultural offering is being threatened by insufficient funding and a chronic lack of adequate support-you only have to look at the number of threatened festivals and closed venues to see that.
“The Scottish Government have committed to more than double culture funding over the next five years but they will have to seriously buck up their ideas if this much-needed investment is to be delivered.
“This cannot be yet another failed promise-the Scottish Government must support domestic culture and think seriously about its long-term international culture strategy if Scotland is to retain its rightful place on the world stage as a global cultural leader.
“Scotland must develop an international strategy to deepen relationships with our international partners, increasing opportunities for collaboration, and ensure sufficient funding for our world-renowned international festivals to attract global talent and bolster tourism.”
Mr Choudhury said that to support this, a UK Labour Government would push for a touring agreement with the EU, to remove barriers such as regulations and costs currently hurting touring artists, and keep Scotland as the premier place for global talent.
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Edinburgh World Heritage talk
Prof Adam Cumming has worked as a research scientist for over 40 years in the defence field. He was made an Honorary Professor in the University of Edinburgh School of Chemistry. He will deliver a talk on 17 May.
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- Date: Thursday 16 May 2024
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