What is Culture Counts?

We are a network of arts, heritage and creative industries organisations. We advocate for the development and protection of culture as fundamental to our common future.

Mission

Our mission is to work with members to:

  • promote the public benefit of the arts, heritage and creative industries

  • protect the eco-system of the arts, heritage and creative industries for our common future; through administration and policy change

  • demystify the operations of Government and Parliament; allowing more people from the arts, heritage and creative industries to influence policies that impact on them

Values

  • Ambition: for the arts, heritage, creative industries & future generations.

  • Broad mindedness: collaboration, innovative democracy, inclusion, learning and understanding different points of view.

  • Creativity: experimentation with patience and perseverance. Some changes are going to take time.

Networks

We achieve our mission and express our values through our Networks. Networks are created in response to new and sometimes unexpected policy challenges. See our list of current networks and groups here.

People

Kathryn Welch - Director

Steering Group

  • Arusa Qureshi - Scottish Music Centre / Music Venue Trust

  • Barbara Burke - National Library of Scotland

  • Diarmid Hearns - National Trust for Scotland

  • Dougie Leonie - Tialt - There is an Alternative

  • Fiona Sturgeon Shea (Chair) - Federation of Scottish Theatre

  • Graeme Howell - Shetland Arts Development Agency

  • Helen Moore - Scottish Contemporary Art Network

  • Ica Headlam - We Are Here Scotland

  • Katharine Wheeler - Dumfries and Galloway Cultural Partnership

  • Lori Anderson - Festivals Edinburgh

  • Steve Byrne - Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland

  • Veronique AA Lapeyre - Craft Scotland

Get Invovled

You can get involved by joining our networks, our cross-party groups or subscribing to our newsletter.

The Culture Counts Journal brings you up-to-date with the policy-making landscape across the arts, screen, heritage and creative industries.

Our social media channels promote stories about the value of culture. We also share opportunities for those working or volunteering in the sector to engage in policymaking. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn.