ARTS chiefs have left the door open to funding to revive the now-defunct Edinburgh-based Skinny magazine after it announced its shock closure on Thursday.
The closure was forced after Radge Media, the Community Interest Company which publishes the Fest and GNAW magazines as well as The Skinny, ceased operations.
Creative Scotland – the development body for the arts and creative industries in Scotland – said on Friday, September 11, that they remain “open to discussing whether there are any available options through our funding routes”.
The magazine’s editor, Rosamund West, welcomed the arts body’s offer and said the magazine will “continue to pursue any and all avenues available to us to continue our work”.
Q Manivannan, an Edinburgh Greens MSP, wrote to West immediately following the closure and called on Culture Secretary Màiri McAllan and Creative Scotland to come up with a funding solution for the magazine’s “essential work”.
They added: “I am heartbroken to hear of the closure of The Skinny after 20 years, with the September 2026 issue being the last.
“I wanted to reach out urgently to ask if you would like us to pursue this with the Scottish Government, with Creative Scotland, and with the wider arts and culture sector to attempt to arrive at a solution of alternative funding for your essential work.”
They concluded: “Your work is an integral part of the cultural sector in Scotland and has highlighted Scottish arts and culture to the world in essential ways.”
Manivannan has lodged a motion in The Scottish Parliament calls on the government for action “to engage urgently with the cultural and independent media sector on sustainable, long-term funding models that reflect the true value of independent cultural journalism to Scotland’s creative life”.
The monthly publication – founded in 2005 – covered music, art, theatre, film, comedy, and literature, with editions distributed at public places across the country.
The freesheet distributed more than 35,000 issues around Scotland every month, and was popular with artists, creatives and students.
It was known for its comprehensive gig listings and eclectic essays and reviews.
The team behind The Skinny announced the news “with a heavy heart” on Thursday, September 10, and said they were “devastated” their work had come to an end.
They explained: “We have not been immune to the economic difficulties in the Scottish arts and despite our very best efforts, funding pressures across the sector, rising costs and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis have contributed to an increasingly challenging situation.”
In a statement, a Creative Scotland spokesperson said: “Like everyone with an interest in culture in Scotland, we are surprised and saddened by the news that The Skinny is to close.
“The publication has provided an invaluable platform for cultural commentary, news and reviews over the past two decades, as well as work for countless writers and journalists.”
They added: “As we understand it, Radge Media, the independent business which publishes The Skinny, has ceased operations; however, we remain open to discussing whether there are any available options through our funding routes, as required.”
The Skinny’s Editor, Rosamund West welcomed Creative Scotland’s offer.
“We’d like to thank everyone who has reached out with well wishes, solidarity and offers of support since our announcement yesterday,” she said.
“We welcome Creative Scotland’s offer of support and will continue to pursue any and all avenues available to us to continue our work.
“We believe passionately in what we do, we want to keep supporting the Scottish creative sector and we have always wanted the magazine to continue.
“However, the precarity of our existing funding situation leaves us incredibly vulnerable, so we are open to discussions about what new sources of funding could be available.
“The outpouring of support has been really heartening for us all, and it’s been very humbling to see the impact the magazine has had over the years.
“We want to thank everyone who’s taken the time to share their personal stories of the past two decades.”
According to comedy publication Chortle, in an email to journalists when the intention to liquidate was confirmed, West said:
“We believed that the business was viable upon reviewing our position at the end of August and had begun a process of restructuring to reduce our costs, but when a key piece of potential funding fell through, the situation changed dramatically.”
She added that the liquidators are making a list of creditors, which will include the unpaid contributors.
Any assets still owned by the company are typically split among creditors, even if only a small percentage of what is owed is eventually paid.
The CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association, (SMIA), Robert Kilpatrick, wrote on the SMIA website: “It’s hard to articulate or comprehend what this loss means for Scottish music and culture. For over two decades, The Skinny has been an essential part of our industry’s infrastructure – platforming artists, developing audiences and broadening tastes so that the strength and diversity of Scottish music could move closer to receiving the recognition and engagement it deserves.
“The Skinny was an instrumental part of the cultural ecosystem it documented and championed. It gave emerging artists meaningful early coverage, helped audiences discover music and experiences beyond the mainstream, created opportunities for writers and photographers, supported venues and festivals and passionately captured Scotland’s ever-evolving cultural identity.”
A search of The Gazette and Companies House has not uncovered any formal liquidation proceedings as yet.
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